Careless Mistake
by Kelli
Part 37
Christmas 2004...
"I knew it," Britney said, jumping up and down as Jamie and Lynne walked over to Bryan and Lauren to congratulate them on the wonderful news they just shared with the family.
She looked up at Justin. "I knew it," she said a little more quietly to him.
He chuckled and gave her a quick kiss. "Yes you did. You have an advantage though, you were pregnant not too long ago. You mom's know these things."
Britney watched, with a smile as her brother and sister-in-law talked to their mom and dad.
"So come tell us, smarty pants, how you knew," Bryan said, holding out his arm for Britney.
She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him.
"I just knew," she shrugged. "I told Justin last night that I had a feeling you were pregnant," she said, looking over at Lauren.
She reached over and hugged Lauren while Justin congratulated Bryan.
"Da da."
Justin looked down to see Mackenzie sitting at his feet. No one was paying attention to her so she crawled over to see what all the fuss was about.
"How did you know that was da da's feet?" Justin asked, scooping her up.
Lynne reached over and kissed Mackenzie on the cheek.
"Because she's smart," she said.
"You're going to have a baby cousin to play with soon," Britney said, kissing her daughter's cheek.
"Oh no, two toddlers running around this house," Lynne said, shaking her head.
"You love it and you know it," Bryan said, leaning down to give his mom a kiss on the cheek.
"You're right and I wouldn't have it any other way," she smiled.
Early January 2005...
"What a perfect day," Lynne said as she stood outside on the balcony of Justin and Britney's condo in Destin, Florida.
"It's going to be even more perfect at sunset," Britney said from inside the room. She was changing Mackenzie's diaper. "Mama.....watch."
Lynne turned around and stood in the doorway as Britney set Mackenzie on her feet, held her hands while she walked a few steps. Lynne clapped and walked into the room.
"Yayyyyy.....such a big big girl," she said walking over to them.
When Britney let go of Mackenzie's hands she stood there for a few seconds before plopping down on her butt and giggling.
Britney chuckled. "Such a ham," she said, shaking her head. "Just like her daddy...."
"What's my angel doing that's just like me?" Justin asked as he entered the room.
Britney's face lit up as he walked over to her. He leaned down and kissed her before pulling her into a hug.
"Happy wedding day," he said when he pulled away, just enough to look at her.
"Happy wedding day to you too," she replied.
He gave her another quick kiss. "So, what was she doing?" he asked, walking over to his daughter, who was holding out her hands for him to pick her up.
"Da da," she said.
"Hey angel," he said before hugging her and giving her a kiss.
"She was being a ham...."
"Oh well yeah, she should be a natural at that," he chuckled. "Hi Lynne...."
"Justin.....when are you going to start calling me mom?" she asked, patting his shoulder.
He blushed a little. "I guess I can start officially after this evening, huh?"
She smiled, leaned over and kissed his cheek.
"I think you could have a long time ago. Well, I'll leave the two of you to catch up a little, but I'll be back around 4:30, okay?"
"Sounds good," Britney said as she gave her mom a hug.
When the door closed Britney sat down on the bed next to Justin and Mackenzie.
"So....how did the trip to New York go?" she asked, rubbing his back.
"We got a lot done.....which is good. In order to make Jive okay with pushing back the album, I did a lot of promotion and stuff they can keep using for the next few months, I hope."
"Good. I missed you," she said leaning closer to him.
"I missed you too....but you know what helped me get through these last four days without you guys?"
She shook her head.
"Knowing that the next time I was going to see you was our wedding day," he said, finishing the sentence with a lingering kiss.
"Ma ma," Mackenzie said, grabbing onto Britney's shirt.
When they pulled apart, she giggled at Mackenzie, who had been smushed between the two during their kiss.
"Sorry, were we not paying attention to you?" Britney asked, tapping Mackenzie on the nose.
Justin bounced her on his knee a couple of times.
"Mama was kind of freaking earlier when she found out you were coming straight here today," Britney said.
"Why?" he asked.
"Because it's our wedding day and you're not supposed to see the bride until she walks down the aisle...."
He chuckled. "Well, I haven't seen you in your wedding dress, so that's the only tradition I'm going to stick to. Besides, we haven't necessarily gone the traditional route," he said nodding his head toward their daughter.
"Dow," Mackenzie said in a short tone.
Justin's eyes got big. "Oh my....she's getting bossy now," he said setting her on the floor. "She must get that from you."
She hit his arm. "Ow," he said.
"Very funny," she said.
Justin's cell phone rang so he unhooked it from his belt and answered it.
"Hello? Oh hey man....where are you? LA? Oh.....okay. Yeah, I wish you could be here. No, you can't do anything about the weather," he said looking up at Britney. 'JC' he mouthed to her.
Her face fell as Justin continued to talk on the phone.
"We will....keep trying man. Thanks. I'll tell her," he chuckled. "Bye."
Justin hung up and his shoulders slumped. "That totally sucks," he said. He was literally on the verge of crying. "I wanted all of my family here," he said softly.
Britney rested her head against Justin's shoulder. "He'll be here in spirit," she whispered.
"He said to give you his love and that he's sure you'll be a beautiful bride."
She nodded.
Mackenzie found something on the floor and sat while she studied it.
"Anyone else stuck in LA?" Britney asked.
"I have no idea," he said rubbing his head. "God that sucks."
"I know," she said rubbing his leg. "I wanted him to be here too."
A little later Britney was standing at the door to the balcony. Justin had just laid Mackenzie down for her nap and he walked up behind her and slid his arms around her waist.
"I wish we could go out on the beach," she sighed.
"That would ruin the whole security plan," he said with his chin resting on top of her shoulder.
"I know and so far, I think it's working," she chuckled.
"What makes you say that?"
"When you were in the shower a little bit ago, your mom called to say that she heard Entertainment Tonight was camped outside the church in LA."
"Really?" he chuckled.
"Yeah, the decoy worked," she smiled.
"Good. Now we just have to see if anyone spotted any of us around here today," he said before kissing her neck.
"I have a good feeling about this," she said, craning her neck more so he had better access to it.
"I'm having a good feeling right now too," he said, his lips against her skin.
She giggled and held his arms tighter around her.
"All I wanted was for our family and close friends to be with us as we exchanged our vows.....without the press bothering us and I think it's going to come true."
She was starting to get a little choked up so Justin turned her around in his arms, touched her cheek and lowered his lips to cover hers. His tongue found hers and they slowly enjoyed each other.
They pulled apart when they heard the doorbell ring.
"It's probably my mama," Britney said as she rested her forehead against Justin's.
He sighed. "Time for me to get going, huh?"
She kissed him one more time.
"I can't get enough of you," she giggled.
"You'll have plenty of me tonight," he whispered against her skin, which sent shivers up her spine.
"Anyway you don't have to leave yet. You just can't be in our room," she said, gently pushing him away as the doorbell rang again.
"Oookaaay," he said walking toward the closet.
"Get the stuff you'll need and I'll let mama in."
She stopped before she got to the doorway, turned around and walked back over to him. He gave her a questioning look.
"I love you.....so much," she said as she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.
He smiled as he buried his face in her hair.
"I love you too....soon to be Mrs. Timberlake."
She let go and left the room, wiping the tears from her cheek as she did.
"How does she look mommy?" Lynn asked as she brought Mackenzie into the bedroom.
Britney turned around and covered her mouth with her hand as she saw her beautiful daughter in a simple white dress with a tiny flower wreath around the crown of her head.
"Oh......you're so beautiful baby," she said giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Just like her mommy," Lynn said. Her eyes were sparkling as she looked at Britney.
"Thanks Lynn.....I mean mom," she giggled.
Lynn looked over at Lynne, who was working on Jamie Lynn's hair and they both gave knowing smiles to each other.
"I've felt like you've been my daughter for many years now....I hope it's easy for you to call me mom," she said, hugging Britney with her free arm.
"It will be one of the easiest things I've ever done," Britney whispered.
"Now now....no tears, we don't want to mess up your makeup," Lynn said, waving her hand in front of her face.
Britney laughed, as she held back the tears.
"Brit, go get your dress on honey and I'll do your hair," Lynne said.
"Okay mama." She gave Mackenzie one more kiss and went to her closet.
Britney stood in the doorway to the balcony like she had so many times today and looked out over the small crowd of her close family and friends on the beach as they waited for her and her dad to join them.
"Ready?" Jamie asked her.
She turned around and picked up the small bouquet of wild flowers and nodded.
There were no seats and no altar, just a perfect spot on the beach, right before the sun was to set where Justin, Britney, their daughter and their family and friends gathered to help them celebrate becoming husband and wife.
The groom wore white cotton pants and a white button down cotton shirt while Britney wore a simple white floor length dress with spaghetti straps and a few wild flowers stuck in her hair. No shoes were allowed.
Britney and Jamie stood at the edge of the pathway that led to the beach when she heard someone walking up behind her.
"Did I miss anything?"
She smiled as she turned around and jumped into JC's arms.
"I'm so glad you made it," she said.
He laughed and set her down.
"I was right....you do make a beautiful bride," he said. "I'll see you later."
He winked at her, took his shoes off and threw them in the pile with everyone else's and ran down the beach.
Britney reached down and took her shoes off, throwing them into the pile with the others.
"Let's go, daddy," she said, taking Jamie's arm.