Careless Mistake
by Kelli
Part 5
August 2003....
"You'll be fine," Lynne said. "Just be honest with him.....and communicate, don't shut him out."
Britney started to bite on her nail. "I'll try."
"Honey, you can't just try.....you have to do. Whatever you do, don't do anything or say anything rash, okay?"
"Mama....."
"Britney, I know you and I feel like I know Justin too. He'll want to marry you...."
Britney closed her eyes and a single tear escaped. "I know he will......but I can't....."
"I know, that's why you have to be honest with him......tell him what you want, okay?"
The buzzer to the gate rang.
"Okay. I wish you were here, mama."
"I'll be there before you know it. I love you."
"I love you too."
She hung up the phone and trotted over to the intercom. She glanced up at the monitor and pushed the button to talk.
"Hey Justin....it's open."
"Thanks," he said with a smile in his voice.
Justin pulled his car onto the property. He couldn't help but smile. The tour was over and he was ready to take a little bit of time off before meeting with the rest of the guys from *Nsync to see what they could come up with. When Britney called him to tell him they needed to talk about something, he could only hope she had been missing him as much as he realized he missed her.
"Hey," he said when she opened the door.
"Hi....come on in."
When he entered the foyer, he leaned down and hugged her close.
"You look great," he said.
"Thanks," she said almost shyly. "Let's go upstairs to the Great Room."
"Okay," he said, letting her go first.
"You want anything to drink.....or eat?" she asked when they were about to take a seat on the couch.
He waved his hand. "Nah, I'm fine. If you want something though, go right ahead."
She started to stand up and go get her something but realized she was only trying to post pone the inevitable so she sat back down and stared at her fingernails.
"So, how have you been since I saw you at the VMA's a few weeks ago?" Justin asked.
"I've been good.....fine. You know with the album coming out last week and everything," she shrugged.
He nodded. He had already sent her flowers and a card and had called her the day it was released to tell her what a good job he thought she did so he didn't feel the need to reiterate that.
"I've only heard good things about it," he said.
"There's some pretty good reviews."
She found a spot on her nail that fascinated her suddenly.
"Um, Brit.....you invited me here, remember?" he asked gently.
She looked up at him with almost a surprised look. "Right...." She tried to take deep breaths without letting him see that she was doing that to calm her nerves, but he could see it in her eyes.
"What's wrong?" he asked, reaching out to touch her hand.
"I.....there's no easy way of saying this. Things in my life.....in our life are going to change dramatically in a few months," she said, still trying to take deep breaths.
"They are?" he asked. Suddenly his mouth felt dry.
She nodded and bit her lower lip. "I found out I'm pregnant....."
He closed his eyes, then when he realized how that must look to her he opened them quickly.
He tried to formulate in his head how far along she'd have to be. He remembered the date so clearly in his mind because it was the anniversary of the first time they had made love.....June 15th. This is now late August.....
"You're 2 1/2 months pregnant and you're just now telling me?"
She bit her lip harder this time and nodded. Tears were starting to pool in her eyes.
"I didn't find out until last month and then with promotions and you on tour and then the VMA's and then my album release....." She stopped. Those were stupid excuses she now realized. "I wanted to tell you in person."
"I just saw you three weeks ago. Why couldn't we have met then for you to tell me?"
He realized how stupid he was being arguing about the timing of this.
"Never mind.....this isn't the point, is it?"
She shook her head as he leaned against his thighs and held his head in his hands, letting his fingers run through his short curls.
"In case you're wondering it is yours....."
He shook his head, not removing it from his hands.
"Brit, why would you tell me if it wasn't mine?" he asked in an annoyed tone.
Then he could hear her crying so he sat up and turned his body so he was facing her. She was still looking down and studying her fingernails. He reached over and pulled her into a hug, cradling her body against his. She pulled her leg up close to her body and got as close to him as she could.
"I'm sorry....I don't know why I'm using that tone with you," he whispered against her hair. "We'll get through this together, okay? You know I've got some time off to record coming up and I'll be here when you need me."
She nodded against his chest.
He was going to ask a question he didn't know if he should ask. "How.....I mean I thought you were on the pill...."
"The doctor said that since I had quit smoking that it changed the hormones or the chemicals in my system which through off the consistency of the pills. I thought it was because I had forgotten to take a pill that morning but he said no, I did the right thing by taking 2 the next day," she sniffled.
He started to rub his hand up and down her back.
"We'll do this together.....I promise you that, Britney."
She smiled softly and continued to rest her head against his chest. For some reason, hearing those words from his mouth almost made it seem better.
