Careless Mistake
by Kelli
Part 58
Early December 2005.......
"Happy birthday dear mommy, happy birthday to you," Justin sang, along with what little Mackenzie could to keep up.
Britney chuckled and clapped her hands as Justin set the birthday cake down in front of her.
"Awww, thank you. It's beautiful. Did you and daddy make this?" she asked Mackenzie.
Mackenzie nodded.
"She helped ice it, but we didn't have any candles," he said.
"That's okay....I love it just the way it is."
Justin started to cut a couple of slices and set them on plates.
"Do you want a piece or just help me with mine?" Britney asked as she lifted Mackenzie up on her lap.
"Mine," she said with her fingers stuck in her mouth.
"Okay, daddy, cut her a small slice."
Justin cut a small sliver and put it on a plate.
"Use your fork," Britney said, handing Mackenzie the small fork.
She started to dig in while Britney sat back and watched her, making sure she used the fork correctly. Justin sat down next to them and started to eat his own piece.
When Britney made a face and fidgeted a little Justin touched her shoulder.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Yeah....she's just leaning into my stomach the wrong way," she said trying to shift Mackenzie. "The baby wasn't liking being squished."
"I can't believe you're showing already," Justin said, nodding toward Britney's stomach, which made Britney start to rub her swollen stomach.
"I know." She gasped. "Maybe it's twins."
Justin's eyes got big. "I think we would have noticed that in the ultrasound."
"Oh true," she shrugged. "So I'm going to need to go buy a whole new wardrobe if I'm going to do press next month. I don't want to look like a pregnant has-been."
Justin chuckled. "You'd never look like a has-been but you don't need my permission to go shopping. Why don't you do it when we go to Kentwood for Christmas. You and your mom or sister can go shopping in New Orleans one day?"
"That's a good idea."
She picked up her fork and started to eat the slice of cake that was in front of her.
"Down mommy," Mackenzie said trying to wiggle her way down.
"You need to wash your hands and face, young lady," Britney said, trying to stop her, but Justin caught her around the waist.
He hauled her up on his lap and used his napkin to wipe off the mess.
"There, now you can go play," he said, setting her down again.
She ran off toward her toys that were on the floor.
"Here," Justin said, placing a small box on the table, in front of Britney.
"But you already gave me a gift...." Britney started.
"That was from me and Mackenzie, this one's just from me," he smiled.
She shook her head and set her fork down.
"You spoil me," she said picking up the small box.
She shook the box, acting like she could tell what was in it by doing just that. This made Justin laugh.
"Just open it."
She opened the box to reveal a charm in the shape of a baby booty made out of a ruby. She looked up at him with confused eyes.
"It's a ruby for the month of July....when we conceived," he said looking at it over the lid.
"Ohh," she said softly.
She bit her lower lip and said, "It....it's beautiful Justin." Suddenly she got up from the table. "Excuse me."
She set the box down on the table and ran out of the room.
"Mommy?" Mackenzie said as she ran by.
Justin couldn't have been more confused. Maybe she felt sick. No, there was a bathroom off of the other room and she didn't run that way. He rubbed his forehead.
"Come on, baby, let's go see what's wrong with mommy," he said getting up from the table to go pick up Mackenzie.
"Dollll," she said as he picked her up so he picked up her doll and handed it to her.
He went upstairs and set her in her crib and handed her the doll. As soon as he left the room, she started crying because he thought she was putting her down for a nap, but he ignored it to go tend to his wife.
"Britney?" Justin asked, slowly entering their bedroom.
She was laying on her side on the bed, her shoulders were shaking.
"Brit, baby, what's wrong? You don't feel well?"
"It's not that," she cried.
He sat down next to her so that he was facing her back. Gently he placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Then what?"
She didn't answer him.
"If you don't tell me, I can't fix it."
She rolled over so that she was laying on her back and her face was a mess so she started to wipe the tears from her cheeks.
"I'm just overly emotional, Justin......hormones."
He shook his head. "I don't buy that. Was it the gift?"
Her eyes looked away.
"It was.....what about it?"
"I don't want to jinx it, Justin....."
"Jinx what?"
She sat up and continued to wipe her face. She looked down at her lap.
"The baby," she said rubbing her stomach.
"By me giving you a charm?"
"It's silly but it upset me. I can't accept that gift, not until after he or she is born."
Justin stared straight ahead trying to understand her logic but then realized that she was pregnant, superstitious and moody and that wasn't a good combination to try to compromise with.
"Okay....I'm sorry that I upset you."
He looked at her when he heard her start to cry again.
"You're so sweet. You don't really do anything wrong and you apologize."
"Baby, stop crying, okay?" he asked, pulling her against his side. He kissed the top of her head.
Suddenly he realized Mackenzie was still crying hard in her bedroom.
"I'll be right back," he said standing up and going to Mackenzie's room.
"Da da," she wailed as he came into the room.
"Oh my goodness," he said picking her up out of her crib. "It's okay....we didn't abandon you, you spoiled thing," he said in a gentle tone.
She clung to his neck and her sobs started to die down.
"Come on, let's go see mommy."
He left that room and walked to his room.
Britney looked up when she heard Justin and Mackenzie coming in.
"What's wrong with her?" she asked in a concerned tone.
"She was just upset that I left her in her room."
He sat down next to Britney and Mackenzie still clung to his neck.
"Awww, baby it's okay," she said, rubbing Mackenzie's back.
This movement made Mackenzie realize she was near her mommy so she turned her head and then pushed away from Justin and held her arms out for Britney.
"Mommy," she said, starting to cry again.
"Oh my, I think someone is tired," Britney said, taking Mackenzie from Justin.
"Noooo," Mackenzie cried harder.
Britney stood up and started to walk around the room. She kept Mackenzie close to her and would bounce up and down once in awhile, saying soothing words to her. Justin sat back on the bed and watched.
"Pretty soon, I'm going to be getting so big I won't be able to carry you like this anymore. That's going to make me sad but you're getting to be such a big girl. You're going to be a great big sister," she whispered to her.
At one point she walked over to Justin and turned around.
"She still awake?" she asked him softly.
"Yeah, her eyes are still open but she's almost there. You getting tired?" he asked.
"Yeah....you take over?" she giggled.
"Of course."
Justin stood up and took Mackenzie from Britney. She made a fuss about it at first but Justin carried her around with ease and started humming to her. This got her quickly so Justin took her to her room and placed her in the crib, making sure her doll was next to her.
When he rejoined Britney she was resting against her pillow with her eyes shut.
"Nap time for you too?" Justin asked, sitting down next to her. He rested his hand on her leg.
Keeping her eyes shut she smiled. "Hmmmm, maybe. I'm really sorry about earlier. It's really a lovely thought, Justin but I just can't wear it right now," she said, looking at him.
He took her hand and kissed her fingers. "That's okay. I kind of understand. We'll keep it in one of the drawers and you can wear it once the baby is born."
She smiled at him. "Thank you for understanding."
"Now, get some rest," he said, before kissing her temple.
"I love you, Justin Timberlake," she smiled at him.
"I love you too, Britney Spears-Timberlake."
He pulled a blanket up over her and left her in the room.
Mid-December 2005...
"Britney, I got your message....what's wrong?" Justin asked.
"Where are you?" she asked him.
"I'm having lunch with JC. I must have been out of range or something when you called because it went to voicemail. You were crying, what's wrong?"
"The doctor told me not to fly for the rest of the pregnancy," she said, starting to cry again.
"What? Why? It's not your third trimester," Justin said, starting to get a little upset now, himself.
"I know. He said it was just a precaution. Justin, I really feel like he's keeping something from me." Her voice started to quiver.
"I'm sure he wouldn't do that, Brit. It's okay....we can deal with you not flying."
"But we were going to Kentwood for Christmas and I have promotions to do in New York next month." Now she was starting to cry, he could tell.
"Where are you?" he asked, now getting concerned that was was alone.
"I just got home. I need to go across the street and get Mackenzie."
"No, don't. I'll come home right now and get Mackenzie on my way, okay?"
He looked up at JC to make sure he understood and of course he nodded.
"No Justin, you're having lunch....don't come home because I'm upset. I'll be all right."
"I can tell this is worrying you," he said a little more softly so that no one around him could hear. It's amazing how many walls have ears.
"Like you said, why would the doctor keep anything from me?" she sniffed.
"Now you're just trying to talk yourself into feeling better," he said, shifting in his seat. "Brit, I'm coming home."
"I really wish you wouldn't ruin your plans," she sighed.
"It's okay. I'll have lunch with JC some other time."
"Okay. Tell him I'm sorry," she said almost sadly.
"I'll be home soon. Love you."
"Love you too."
Justin hung up the phone and looked at JC.
"It's okay....go man," JC said before Justin could even say anything.
"You sure?"
"I understand. Is the baby okay?" he asked, keeping his voice low.
"Yeah, I think so. He just told her not to fly anymore which is kind of strange. So that sort of puts a halt to quite a few of our plans for the next couple of months," Justin said picking up his keys and standing up.
"Time to dust off the tour bus?" JC chuckled.
Justin cocked an eyebrow. "Now there's an idea. Maybe I can talk Johnny into letting us do that," he chuckled, slapping JC on the shoulder. "We'll reschedule this. Oh and Brit said she's sorry," he chuckled.
"No problem," JC said as Justin left.
"Come on, Mackenzie, let's go cheer mommy up with our present," Justin said, walking into the kitchen from the door off of the garage.
Mackenzie was walking slowly behind him with two red roses.
"Mooommmyyy," she yelled as soon as her feet hit the kitchen floor.
Justin stuck his finger in his ear and moved it around. "Wow do you have a set of lungs," he chuckled. "Britney, we're home."
Still nothing.
"Maybe she's upstairs. Come on."
With Justin's help up the stairs, Mackenzie followed him up to their bedroom. He let her walk into the bedroom in front of him, but he pushed the door open so she could go into the room first.
"Mommy?" she asked, looking around.
"I hear water running, maybe she's in the bathroom," Justin said.
Mackenzie started to walk toward the bathroom. The door was already open so she walked right on in, with Justin behind her.
"Mooommmmyyyy," she said excitedly.
Britney opened her eyes and pulled off her headphones when she felt her husband and daughter's presence in the bathroom.
"Hey there sweetie," she said when Mackenzie reached the side of the tub.
"In," Mackenzie said, trying to get her foot over the side.
"Whoa whoa there," Justin chuckled as he caught Mackenzie from taking a nosedive into the bathtub. "Why don't we take off your clothes before you do that? Is that okay mommy or did you want a solo bath?"
"I've had my quality soaking time," she smiled up at him.
"You didn't give mommy her gift," Justin whispered to Mackenzie.
"Heaw," she said holding the roses out.
"Awww aren't they beautiful? One from each of you?"
Both Justin and Mackenzie nodded.
"Down da da," Mackenzie said, trying to wiggle out of his hands.
"Okay."
Once he got Mackenzie settled into the tub with Britney he could tell she felt content with this and that she wasn't letting anything bother her right now.
"I'll go make us something to eat. It will be ready by the time the two of you get out, okay?"
Britney looked up at him but had to close one eye when Mackenzie splashed water into it.
"Sounds wonderful. Thank you honey."
He chuckled. "No problem."