Tony is still talking my ear off about my upcoming schedule as we walk into my house.

"Did you catch all that?" he asks.

"Sure," I say turning to look at him. I hadn't heard a word he said. All I knew was that I was leaving for New York in two days. We're standing in the foyer so I take a look around. "Doesn't anyone realize I'm coming home today?"

He laughs. "Let's look out on the patio."

"Good idea."

As we walk toward the door leading to the patio Cody runs past me.

"Hi Adriana."

"Uh, hi Cody."

Tony opens the door and we get a weft of bar-b-cue.

"Something smells good," he says.

Mama gasps. "Adriana," she says, running over and grabbing me in a big hug.

When she pulls away from me a little bit I must have a strange look on my face.

"What's wrong?"

"Why are you guys acting like you didn't know I would be home today?"

Daddy walks over and gives me a quick hug and a peck on the cheek.

"We thought you were going to be home later tonight," he says looking at Tony.

My eyes follow daddy's and look at Tony too.

"I wanted to surprise them," he says to me.

"It doesn't matter, there's plenty here to eat," mama says. Always the gracious host.

I look over and see that Ashleigh is asleep on a lounge chair.

"What's wrong with Ash?" I ask.

"She's not feeling well today," mama says.

"Awww, the poor thing. I'm going to go wash up a little before we eat."

As soon as I start to walk upstairs I realize I forgot my overnight bag that has my face products. When I walk by the kitchen window I overhear Tony talking to my parents.

"Have you told her yet?"

"No I was waiting until we got here so she could be with you."

"She's going to be in shock."

I don't want to hear anymore so I run upstairs. As I'm washing my face I try to think of what it could be that they're talking about.

Are the pre-sale orders for my album already through the roof?

Did Jive pull the plug on me already?

Maybe it's that I'm going to headline a world tour.

Hey, a girl can dream.

I quickly change my clothes and run back downstairs.

Ashleigh is sitting on mama's lap now. Her head is resting against her shoulder. I hate to see this little girl who is usually so full of life, look so miserable.

"Hey squirt," I say leaning down to kiss her cheek.

She smiles up at me.

I look over at my dad who is flipping a hamburger. He looks so domestic. If Rolling Stone could see him now.

"You don't feel good?" I ask Ashleigh as I sit across from her and mama.

"No," she says softly shakes her head.

"First batch of burgers is up," daddy says, laying a plate on the picnic table.

I stand up and make myself a plate. Tony's right behind me.

"CODY!" daddy yells.

"What?" we hear him yell from a window upstairs.

"Come and get something to eat."

I sit back down and watch mama with Ashleigh. She keeps rocking back and forth, humming a soft tune.

We'll always be little girls when we're around our parents and this is why.

She whispers something in Ashleigh's ear and Ash nods.

"I'll be back," mama says, lifting Ashleigh in her arms and going inside.

"What's wrong with her daddy?" I ask.

"I think it's the touch of the stomach flu. Not fun."

Suddenly Cody joins us.

"Are any of these burnt?" he asks.

"No."

Cody picks one up and throws it back on the grill.

"What are you doing?" daddy asks him.

Mama comes back out and walks over to stand next to them.

"I'm burning it," he says.

Daddy shakes his head and then wraps an arm around mama.

"She resting?"

"Yeah." She sounds tired.

After everyone is sitting down with their food, Tony clears his throat.

"I have some news for you, Adriana."

"Really? What kind of news?" I ask, not sure I want to hear this right now.

"Well, you know how we planned on promoting over in Europe for a couple of weeks at the end of April?"

"Yes," I say cautiously.

"We're going to have to cancel that."

I feel my heart drop to my feet.

"Okay," I say, trying not to sound like this has affected me.

"Don't you want to know the reason why?"

I shrug. "I'm sure there's a good reason," I say quietly.

"Well, there's just not going to be enough time."

"There's not?"

"Not while you're opening for Marcus Tyler."

I almost choke on the bite of hamburger I just started to chew.

Mama rushes over to me and starts to pat my back.

"You okay?" she asks.

I nod and then take a drink of water.

"Are you serious?"

Mama nods.

"Oh my God," I say as mama pulls me into a hug. "There's so much to think about," I say as my mind starts to race with ideas.

"Whoa, slow down there. Let's get through the release and then we'll worry about what your show's going to be like," Tony says.

"Okay," I say as I take a deep breath.

"He's going to be on MTV Monday and he'll mention it."

"I'm going to be on there Tuesday, right?"

"So you were listening," Tony laughs.

"A little bit."

Later that evening, Ashleigh joins us in the family room. She's feeling better and is trying to eat something.

"What do you do on a tour?" Ashleigh asks.

"Remember when mommy and daddy do those concert specials once in awhile?" mama asks her.

She nods.

"Well it's like that but you do that in different cities. So you get to travel on a bus."

"That's how I spent the first nine years of my life…on a tour bus," I say.

"Really?"

I nod.

"Yeah we stopped once you were born."

Mama's running her fingers through Ashleigh's hair.

"Why didn't I get to go on tour?"

"I was getting old and tired by the time I had you. I wasn't a youngin anymore," she says winking.

I roll my eyes. Whatever, my mama will never be too old.

"Can I go on tour with you?" Ashleigh asks me.

"Oh uh…well I'm sure you'll come visit."

"Oh goody." She claps her hands together.

Yep, she was feeling better.

Later that night I am lying in my bed with my light still on.

There's a soft knock on the door and then it slowly opens.

"Hey, why aren't you sleeping?" daddy asks me.

"Too much going through my mind."

He walks over to my bed and sits down next to me.

"It's exciting."

"Do you remember how you felt the first time you found out you were touring?"

"Hmmm, well everything in Europe happened so fast so we didn't have time to get used to it. I do remember how it felt when I found out we were opening for Janet over here, though. That wasn't really our crowd so we wanted to impress her audience, you know?"

I nod.

"We were nervous but excited."

"That's what I'm feeling right now."

"What about mama?"

"You'll have to ask her," he chuckles.

"Ask me what? Is this a party and no one invited me?"

She stands behind daddy and starts to gently massage his shoulders.

"I was walking by her door and the light was on."

"What are you supposed to ask me?"

"What emotions you were going through when you found out the first time you were going to tour."

"Oh Lordy…I had way too many emotions going on. I was going to be the opening act for *Nsync you know?" she whispers that last part to me.

I laugh.

"So, I was nervous because I knew I was going to see your daddy again and I was nervous because I was a girl opening up for a guy group…who's main fan base are girls. I was nervous well…just because," she shrugs. "You name it, I was probably nervous about it. But, I was more excited than nervous. Just concentrate on that and you'll be okay through all of this."

"Were you nervous about seeing mama?" I ask daddy.

"Me? No way."

I look up at mama and see her amused face.

"Somehow I don't believe that," I laugh.

"I made myself so nervous that day that I was sick to my stomach," he confesses.

"Oh daddy."

"I know. My palms were sweaty. It was terrible."

Mama continues to massage his shoulders and looks amused.

"So what was the first thing you said to each other? I mean besides like hi and stuff."

"He said I was pretty."

He blushes slightly. "Well you were…and get prettier every day."

"I knew," mama sighs.

"Knew what?" I ask.

"That I was going to marry him one day. I didn't think it would be soon, but I knew it would happen eventually. I even told Fe that after you left," she says, giving his shoulders a gently squeeze.

"No you didn't. Well thank God I didn't know that…I would have run scared," he says winking at me.

"Your loss," mama says nonchalantly.

He laughs. "Yes it would have been."

He turns his head and kisses her hand.

"So what did it feel like the first night you opened for them?"

"Wow…as soon as I hit the stage I forgot about the nerves and stuff like that. It felt like I was at home."

"Were you able to watch her?"

"Yeah. I snuck around so I could see her a little bit."

"He was right there when I got offstage. The first one to give me a hug and say that I did a good job and that he was proud of me."

"Really? Awww, daddy that's so sweet. How old were you again?"

"I was seventeen."

"Why can't I find a seventeen year old guy like that?" I pretend to pout.

Suddenly daddy's eyes shift toward the wall and he gets a serious look on his face.

"Come on…you need to go to sleep," mama says. She leans down and gives me a kiss. "Good night sweetie. I love you."

"I love you too mama."

Daddy snaps out of his little trance and leans down to give me a kiss.

"Good night."

"G'night."

He turns off the light and closes the door.

Britney grabs his hand as they walk down the hall to their bedroom.

"What are you thinking about?"

"You were her age."

"When I recorded my first album? I know."

"No, when we bumped into each other again."

They walk into their bedroom.

"Yeah, you're right."

She walks over to the closet to start changing for bed.

"No, don't you see?" he asks walking over to her.

"No, I guess I don't."

He turns her shoulders so she's looking at him.

"You were sixteen when we saw each other again. When we saw "sparks". When you knew you wanted to marry me."

Britney smiles. She got it now.

"Our little girl is growing up, Justin."

"Does she have to?" he asks sadly.

She nods and wraps her arms around his waist.

"Just wait until Ashleigh turns sixteen."

"Oh God."

Britney giggles.