Careless Mistake
by Kelli
Part 74
December 2006.......
Britney tapped her foot to the beat of the music. Justin was in the studio recording a dance track and she bowed her head and let her body move to the music. She tucked her newly cut hair behind her ear and looked up at him while he sang. She smiled and mouthed the words with him. She knew them so well because she had helped him write this song.
"Come on baby let's go," he sang as he finished that part of the track. "How did that sound?" he asked once the music stopped.
The producer at the soundboard nodded and Britney put her thumb up as she smiled at him. Suddenly she heard Chase crying on the baby monitor that was sitting on the table next to her so she got up and left the room.
She climbed the two flights of stairs from the lower floor where the studio was to the upper floor where their bedrooms were.
"Mommy?" a groggy Mackenzie mumbled from her doorway.
"Come on, let's go get your brother," Britney said, scooping a half-asleep Mackenzie up in her arms on her way down the hall.
Mackenzie wrapped her arms around Britney's neck and rested her head against her shoulder.
"Did Chase wake you up?" Britney asked her.
Mackenzie nodded.
"You want to sleep in my bed?" Britney asked. They both had only been down for less than an hour for their afternoon nap.
"No. Where daddy?"
"He's downstairs recording."
"Recording?" Mackenzie asked.
Britney set Mackenzie down when they reached Chase's room. He was screaming at the top of his lungs and his face was red.
"Oh my," Britney said when she reached down for him.
He was on his side, rolled all the way over against the side of the crib by the wall. Mackenzie was standing next to Britney, clutching her leg while she watched her mommy lean over and pick Chase up out of the crib.
"What's wrong? Did you get caught in the corner and couldn't get out?" Britney asked as she gently bounced him up and down.
He calmed down a little when she sat down in the rocking chair with him and started to rock back and forth. Mackenzie stayed by her side.
"Watch out honey, I might rock over your foot," Britney said, pushing Mackenzie back a little.
Mackenzie started to pout, all she wanted was to be by her mommy's side. She was still very sleepy.
"Come on around this side," Britney said, holding her other arm out.
When she did, Britney stopped rocking and pulled her up so she was sitting against her other hip.
"I have my hands full now," Britney chuckled, but Mackenzie didn't care, she leaned against Britney and laid her head down on her shoulder.
This is how Justin found them all.
He chuckled when he entered the room.
"You left the monitor on downstairs so I came up to see if you needed help," he said smiling at them.
"Only because my arms have fallen asleep and I can't feel them," she said, trying to wiggle her fingers that were resting on Chase's leg.
"Well, he's asleep again so I'll just put him back in his crib," Justin said, taking him from Britney.
"Why did he wake up?" he asked.
"I think he rolled himself over into the corner and he got stuck. That's the only thing I can figure out because he wasn't wet and it's too early for him to be hungry," she said shaking her hand a little.
"He rolled all the way over?" Justin asked, in a surprised tone.
Britney smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I can't wait until he wakes up and we can see if he does it again on the floor."
"He's getting so much stronger," Justin said, shaking his head.
Britney pulled Mackenzie's leg around so that she had her legs on either side of Britney's waist.
"What about this one?" Justin asked as he bent down to look at his daughter's face more closely.
Mackenzie's cheek was resting against Britney's chest but her eyes were still open.
"Chase's crying woke her up and then I think she was still tired and just wanted some attention," Britney said softly as she stroked her daughter's hair.
"Well, since you're okay, I'll go back down and finish the track."
"It sounded awesome," Britney said.
"Thanks.....I'm excited about recording this album with stuff we've both written."
She smiled and nodded. There was a slight sadness in her eyes though.
"Why don't you record something with me? I'll put it on the album," he said, crouching down again.
Her eyes were glistening with tears as she shook her head. "No, I can't do that right now......right now I need to be a mommy."
He took her hand and held it.
"You will always be a mommy, no matter what you're doing," he said softly.
"I don't want to miss out on anything. That accident showed me how precious life can be and as much as I love the recording and creating part of it, I don't have time for the promoting part anymore," she said sadly.
He leaned over and kissed her cheek.
"That doesn't mean you can't record with me. I have an idea but I won't pressure you into it, okay?"
She nodded as he stood up.
Britney started to rock back and forth again and gently hummed a tune to Mackenzie. When she was satisfied that Mackenzie was sleeping she stood up and took her to her bedroom and laid her on Justin's side of the bed and then laid down next to her and closed her eyes.
~*~
Later that night after dinner and the kids were in bed, Justin came bounding up the steps and into the family room.
"Come with me," he said to Britney.
She turned her head.
"I'm watching this movie," she said, pointing to the TV.
"Come on," he pleaded as he held his hand out for her.
She uncurled her legs and stood up.
"Am I dressed appropriately?" she asked as she looked down at her pajama bottoms and tank top.
He chuckled. "It doesn't matter."
She put her hand in his and let him lead her back downstairs.
"Oh, you have a new song you want me to hear?" she asked as they walked in the studio.
"Kind of," he said pushing a few buttons on the board.
The music started and he handed her a sheet of paper.
"What's the highlighted part?" she asked, looking it over.
"Your lyrics....."
She looked up at him and started to hand him the paper back. "Justin....."
"No, just give it a try."
She looked back down at the sheet.
"What's the point?"
"I saw the look in your eyes earlier today. I know you want to record......so just do it. This would be on my album....not a single so there's no promotion involved, yet you get to do what you love to do," he said as he touched her back.
She read the lyrics.
"What if the record company wants to make it a single?" she asked, looking back up at him.
He raised his eyebrows at her. "What's going on?"
"Nothing," she said, throwing the sheet of paper on the console behind him.
He ran his tongue around his mouth while he was trying to figure her out.
"What are you afraid of?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"What are you talking about?" she chuckled and looked around the room.
"Baby," he chuckled, "don't you think I know you by now? There's something going on in that beautiful mind of yours....."
"Oh okay, I'll sing the fucking song," she said, picking up the paper and walking into the studio. It made her mad when he could figure her out like that.
He quickly followed her and turned her to face him.
"Not that quick you don't. Fine, if you don't want to do this because you're scared of something then don't," he said, snatching the sheet from her and walking back into the control room. He slammed the door behind him and sat down at the soundboard again.
She turned around so he couldn't see her and she fought back the tears. She waved her hand in front of her face and started to pace the room. She was about to storm back upstairs and finish watching her movie but when she closed her eyes she saw visions of the car accident and Chase laying in the crib in the hospital. She quickly turned around and looked up at Justin with fear in her eyes.
He noticed this and gave her a questioning look.
"I'm right here," he said into the intercom.
She opened the door and came back into the room. She turned his chair around and sat down on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. He was completely surprised by this move so it took him a couple of seconds to wrap his arms around her back.
"What's going on? What frightened you just now?" he asked.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"It's okay....." he said rubbing her back. "Now, tell me why you don't want to record this? Is it that bad?" he teased.
She sat back and smiled at him. "No...it's great. I'm just afraid that if I record this that I'll get the bug again." She looked down at his collar.
"Ohhhh I see now. Is that all?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.
"Isn't that enough? No matter what you say or do or how I feel after recording this, I'm not going back, but I know I'll want to," she pouted.
"Honey.....we've worked it out where only one of us is doing the music thing at a time and the other has survived before. So just look at it that way. I'm going to be doing my album and promoting and probably touring......and when I'm finished we'll see where our timing is."
"Touring," she sighed.
He lifted her chin so she was looking at him.
"All of us....there's no way I'm leaving you guys here."
"I know," she smiled at him.
"Now.....you ready?" he asked, nodding toward the studio.
"My voice isn't warmed up," she said, standing up and taking the piece of paper again.
"Do whatever you need to do. You want me to get you some hot tea?" he asked, watching her retreating back.
"No, let me do some warm-ups while you play with the track....."
He nodded and she started to warm up her voice. Once she ran through the scales she started to sing the lyrics to the song in a slow way so she could stretch out her vocal chords.
"Okay, let me listen to it once and do a little demo for me," she said into the microphone. She put the set of headphones on.
He did just that.
After about an hour Britney took the headphones off and joined Justin in the control room.
"I can't do anymore, I won't have a voice in the morning," she said, touching her throat.
"Here," he said, nodding toward a cup of hot tea.
"Mmmmm," she said, picking it up and taking a sip.
He was fiddling with some dials and knobs and then he pushed a button and sat back.
"Tell me what you think so far," he said.
She knelt on the chair next to him and listened to what she had recorded so far. She bobbed her head to the music.
"Oh I like that right there," she said, loud enough so he could hear her over the music.
When the music stopped she said, "So when are you going to lay your tracks down? Just show me what to do and I'll do it in here," she said, looking at the buttons behind him.
"It's not that easy," he chuckled.
"Just try. I won't be able to do as many mixes that you do but I can dial a couple of things and push record," she said.
"I figured I'd wait until JC came over tomorrow. He's going to help me in here a little....."
"You don't think I can do it?" she asked.
"It's not that....."
"Then what is it?"
He stared straight ahead.
"Okay......I think I have pretty much everything set. All you'll need to do is push this button here so I can hear what you've recorded so far and then you push this button here...."
"The one that says reeecccooorrrdddddd?" she asked slowly.
He rolled his eyes. "Ha ha. Yes, that one. The volume for my speakers is here and I might ask you to turn down the volume on the mic and that's here," he said pointing to a couple of dials.
"Got it," she said, taking the seat he just vacated.
"And you know where the intercom to talk to me is....."
"Justin, go," she said, with a swoosh of her hand. "Wait!"
He stopped in the doorway.
"There isn't any way of me deleting what I just did is there?"
He chuckled. "No, what we're going to use is a backup copy because trust me, that has happened."
She chuckled. "Okay."
Once he got his headphones on he said, "Okay, how does the volume sound on the mic?"
"Sounds good to me," she said into the intercom.
"Okay now start playing the track, it should start from the beginning...."
She looked around and found the button he had been pointing at earlier. Then she pushed record.
He stopped a couple of times in the middle of the song to have her adjust something here and there and after a couple of hours at it he rejoined her in the booth.
"Why aren't you hoarse?" she asked.
"Lots of that Throat Coat Tea," he said leaning down to kiss her. "You did good."
"So did you."
"Let me see if I can come up with some kind of combination of the two just so we can hear it tonight...."
She looked at the clock on the wall. "You mean before the kids wake up."
"It's not that late is it?"
"It's two a.m."
He chuckled. "Time flies when you're having fun."
"I'm going to go check on them while you play. I'll be back," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek before heading upstairs.
When she came back down a few minutes later she had a huge bowl of ice cream and one spoon.
"How's it coming?" she asked as she pulled up a chair and sat down next to him.
"Good. Almost ready," he said pushing a few more buttons. "How are the brats?"
She slapped his arm. "They're fine."
She held a spoonful of ice cream to his mouth so he took a bite.
"Ow, brain freeze," he said.
"Aww," she said as she leaned over and kissed his temple.
"Okay....listen to this."
He pushed a couple of buttons and sat back, taking the spoon of ice cream from her and taking another bite.
Britney looked down and really listened to the song. She let her head bob to the beat of the music and tried not to sing along with it. When the song was over she slowly looked up at Justin.
"Well?" he asked.
"It's awesome. It's really good....."
"You act surprised," he chuckled. "Everything we do together is good, baby," he said, leaning toward her for a kiss.
He could taste the strawberry ice cream on her lips so he took his time kissing her.
"God.....this is sexy," she said giving him another spoonful of ice cream and then immediately kissing him.
He chuckled against her lips and when she set the bowl down he pulled her onto his lap.
"You're right......everything is good," she said as she reached for the button of her pants.
He got the hint.