"Pop
Life"
Chapter 77
We drive up to the school and notice the mob of people standing on the outskirts of the school.
"Oh my Godddd," I say.
"Shit," daddy says under his breath.
He pulls up to the parking lot and stops at the police officer.
"Hey folks, I just need to see your ticket for you to get in here."
Mama gives daddy the tickets to show to the police officer.
"What's going on?" daddy asks.
"Like you can't tell," I say, starting to get upset. Mama glances back at me.
The policeman looks at daddy closely.
"You're the Timberlakes?"
He nods.
"Mac, we need an escort here," the police officer yells to a fellow officer. "Hold on and we'll have someone show you a more private place to park and enter the building."
"What's going on?" Ashleigh asks me.
"More photographers honey, that's all," mama says turning around and touching Ashleigh's knee.
Brad puts his arm around me and gives it a gentle squeeze.
"You okay?" he whispers.
I nod and stare straight ahead.
"Why are they doing this to me?"
"Adriana, we'll talk about this later," daddy says in a warning tone.
"Yes sir," I say, hanging my head a little.
We follow the officer to a back door where the media can't see us.
"You folks can just park over there and we'll get you inside."
"Thanks," daddy says.
We all pile out of the car and mama takes Ashleigh's hand and they get ahead of us.
"I don't want to upset Ash," daddy tells me when we're far enough away she can't hear us.
"I understand, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."
"This is the kind of thing that's going to happen. See, we're dealing with it, no big deal."
I nod and take Brad's hand.
We find our seats with no problems at all. This school has a large theatre since it specializes in the arts.
Soon the play begins and Cody comes on.
Ashleigh gasps. "There's Cody."
Mama giggles and puts her finger over her lips. "Shhh."
The play ends and the cast takes their bows on stage.
We're all standing up and applauding. I actually have tears in my eyes so I can't even begin to imagine what mama's doing. I look around daddy so I can see mama and she's basically weeping, which makes me laugh and cry a little more.
"He's really good. I'm impressed," Brad says to me.
I smile and nod. "I can't believe how much he's improved even since last spring. He took some classes over the summer and just wow."
We waited for Cody in the lobby. He still had on his stage makeup but changed into regular clothes.
Mama was the first one to hug him. She kissed his cheek.
"I'm so proud of you baby. You were awesome."
"Thanks," he says as he starts to blush.
"I second that, slugger. I knew you had that in you somewhere," daddy says as he hugs him.
"Hey Brad," Cody says walking over to us. He holds out his hand and Brad shakes it.
"Cody, you did an amazing job. You're going to be big one day."
"You really think so?" Cody asks with hope in his voice.
"Haven't we been telling you that all along?" mama asks.
"Yeah, but you're family, you're supposed to say that."
We all laugh.
"You coming back with us?" daddy asks.
"Yeah, let me get my bag."
Leaving was a struggle.
We pretty much were instructed to wait until most of the cars had left the parking lot before they would let us leave.
"I heard they were out there," Cody says.
"Everything turned out just fine, didn't it?" mama asks.
Suddenly a car swerves in front of us and there's a blinding light from it.
Daddy does some quick maneuvering and pulls the car into a parking lot of a supermarket to avoid the photographers.
"Is everyone okay?" he asks once he pulls to a stop and puts the SUV in park.
Ashleigh starts to whimper a little bit so I touch her shoulder, since she's sitting in the seat in front of me.
"Brit?" daddy says.
"I'm okay."
But I look up at her and she's holding her stomach.
"You sure?" he asks, grabbing her wrist.
She takes a breath and nods.
The car pulls up next to us and a photographer gets out and tries to start taking pictures through the windows.
"This is ridiculous," I say, throwing my arms up in the air. "Ash, come back here with me. The windows are tinted back here."
She unclicks her seatbelt and climbs in back with Brad and I. I hold her while she shakes and we all scoot down in the seat so no one can get our pictures.
Daddy pulls out his cell phone and dials the police. We wait a few minutes and get a police escort home.
"Well that was interesting," Cody says as we walk into the house.
"Sorry, I hope it didn't ruin things for you," I tell him.
He shrugs. "Didn't bother me."
Daddy carries Ashleigh in.
"I'm going to put her down for bed."
Mama nods and rubs her side.
"Are you sure you're okay, mama?" I ask when I see her doing this.
"Yeah, I think I just pulled a muscle when we had to swerve like that."
"You don't think it's the baby, do you?"
"No, I'm pretty sure it's not."
I stare at her for another second. "Okay. Brad's hungry so we're going to make some sandwiches, do you want anything?"
"I might be in, you go ahead."
She walks up the stairs.
"I'm hungry," Cody says, following Brad into the kitchen.
"Of course you are," I laugh.
Britney slowly walks into her bedroom and sits down on the bed. She winces in pain. She keeps holding her side while she takes deep breaths.
In a couple of minutes, Justin comes into the room, loosening his tie.
"She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the...Brit," he says rushing over to the bed.
He kneels on the floor next to her and puts his arm around her and his other hand on her knee.
"Do you need me to call the doctor?"
She looks up at him with watery eyes and nods.
He kisses her temple on his way to stand up and walks over to pick up the phone. He dials the doctor's exchange and lets them know it's an emergency.
"Come on, we're going to go to the hospital."
"I don't want to alarm the kids."
"I'll tell Adriana and tell her not to let Cody or Ash, if she wakes up, know what's going on, okay?"
She nods.
"Get whatever you think you'll need," he says rushing out of the room.
"Hi, I just called a few minutes ago, I'm Justin Timberlake and my wife is pregnant and she's having pains in her side."
"Your doctor just called us and he's on his way now. Follow me and we'll get you in an examination room."
Justin helps Britney walk to the room.
"Put this gown on and a nurse will be in to take your stats."
"Why is it hurting like this, Justin?" Britney asks as she tries to take her clothes off.
Justin helps her lift her shirt up over her head and then unzips her skirt and yanks it down.
"It's going to be okay. Like you said, it just felt like you pulled a stomach muscle."
He looks at her face and gives her a sympathetic look while he helps her put the hospital gown on. He leans in and kisses her forehead.
"I'm so sorry...I should have been more careful driving."
She shakes your head. "It could have been worse if you hadn't swerved out of the way."
"So what exactly did he say?" Brad asks me as he, Cody and I are sitting in the family room watching TV.
"He just said that she was still having pains in her side and to be cautious they were taking her to see the doctor," I whisper. "God, I hope she's okay."
"She'll be fine, right? She just had an appointment the other day and everything was fine."
I nod and snuggle closer to his side. "Yeah. You're right. I'm glad you're here. I would be going nuts if you weren't here for me to talk to about this."
Next thing I know, I hear the front door open and shut. I shake my head and realize I fell asleep on Brad's shoulder on the couch. I rub my eyes and look behind me to see mama and daddy standing there. I jump up and run to mama.
"Is everything okay?" I ask as I give her a hug.
"Everything's fine. I'm still a little sore. The doctor says the baby is fine and that most likely I pulled a muscle. I just have to wait it out and do some stretches."
"Thank God."
"Everyone fall asleep watching TV?" daddy asks, nodding his head toward Cody, who's sleeping on the floor and Brad, who's now leaning against the arm of the couch asleep.
I giggle. "I guess we all did. I'll wake them up."
"I can't believe the weekend is over already," I say to Brad.
We're sitting on my bed, in my room. He just played the song he's been working on for me.
"That was beautiful...have I told you that?" I ask as I lean my head on his shoulder.
He laughs and rests his head against mine. "Yes...but thanks."
"Is it about me?" I ask shyly. "I mean 'cuz some of the words fit."
He nods. "Yes, mostly it's about you and I had to fill in the spaces a little to make it an even mushier song."
"I like...how do the other guys like it?"
"They're cool. They work on things with me, ya know? They're not that much into ballads but I think I might have convinced them to try this song. Derek, the lead singer, his voice sounds great singing this song."
I lift my head up and look at him. "I thought you sounded great singing it."
"Awww, thanks. But that's not what I feel most comfortable doing."
"Brad, it's time to go," daddy yells up at us.
I grab his hand and stare at him.
"No goodbye's remember?" he says.
I nod.
"Okay. I'll see you later then."
He kisses me. "Definitely. Be careful, okay?"
I nod.
"I mean it. Try to use Andre as much as you can, that's why he's here."
We both stand up and I watch him put his guitar away.
He grabs the case in one hand and my hand with the other and we walk downstairs.
"I promise to be careful and use security," I say as we reach the bottom of the stairs.
Brad sets his guitar down and hugs mama.
"Thank you so much for letting me stay here. I appreciate everything."
There's a knock on the door, so daddy opens it, since he's standing there. It's Jenine.
"You're more than welcome. I'm just glad you got to visit with Adriana. She needed this, I think."
"Hi Jenine," I say. "Brad, this is my tutor, Jenine. Jenine this is my boyfriend, Brad."
They shake hands. "Nice to meet you. So I take it you had a nice weekend?"
"Yes, I did. It was good to see everyone again."
"I could have come later, Adriana," she says to me.
"No, it's okay, I'm just leaving now anyway. Have to catch my flight."
"I'll be right in," I say to Jenine as I walk outside with Brad and daddy.
Daddy takes Brad's guitar case and puts it in the car.
I hug Brad and hold on to him as tight as I can.
"I'll be thinking about you," I say.
He kisses the top of my head.
"I'll be thinking about you too. Who knows, maybe you've inspired me to write another song about you."
I look up at him. "I hope so."
We smile at each other and gently kiss.
"Um, see ya," I say as he gets into the car.
"Yes...see ya," he winks at me before he shuts the car door.
I stand at the edge of the walkway with my arms crossed over my chest as I watch the car pull away.