Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2000 02:15:36 EST From: CaRtOoN80@aol.com Subject: Life As I Know It 13 Life As I Know It 13 Well, this will be the beginning of the end, for those few people who still read this. It took a long time to come out with this because my computer crashed, but here I am, over a month later.. So enjoy! Juan flew me out to Orlando. Apparently, The Timberlakes asked Drew, Rachel, and Jessie over to discuss the baby. Justin and Jessie asked Josh and I to accompany the get-to-gether. I was happy because I could see Josh again, but under the circumstances, this was amazingly odd. Juan landed the plane about noon. He felt odd, since he hadn't been part of the family for so long, so he decided to just stay at the hotel. I asked Josh to meet me at the cafe on the ground floor. When I got there, I saw Lance and Josh sitting, talking. The second Lance saw me, he ran towards me. "Hey, is Juan upstairs," he said with a beam of hope in his eyes. "Josh told you he was flying me here, huh," I smirked. Lance nodded. "Well, aren't we an eager beaver," I said as I lifted Juan extra door key from my pocket. "Beaver, I'm not," Lance smiled as he swiped the key from my hand and ran towards the elevator. As I looked back, I could see his big shit-aced grin as the door closed. I looked back at the cafe to see Josh not even move a muscle. I walked over there and sat down next to him. "I wasn't expecting to see you as giddy as Lance, there, but I expected some kind of `hi,'" I joked. Josh looked at me with red eyes. He was crying. "I am sorry," he whispered. "Who, baby. What's wrong. Why are you crying?" "Because," he said as he looked at my hand on his, "You hate me. I know you blame me for Justin having sex with Jessie. Maybe you have a right to, and for that, I am sorry. I just don't want you to be mad at you." "I'm not mad at you," I said as I put his hand to my face. "What Jessie and Justin did is there problem, not yours or mine. Why would you think I blame you, anyway? Did you pay Justin to sleep with Jessie?" "No. But-." "`But' nothing. I love you too much to let other people's problems destroy us. We have enough problems of our own. Now, let's clean you up and head over to Justin's parent's place. Jessie and Justin may need us. More now than ever." Josh weakly smiled as we both got up We went to the bathroom and I helped him clean his face. Then we hopped in his new jeep and drove away. When we got there, Josh hopped out of the jeep and we both just walked in. On the right was Justin and his mother Lynn; the left was Jessie and Drew. I introduced myself, and Lynn, shyly, took my hand. Josh and I stood against the wall as the conversation continued. "Well, I still think they should get married," Lynn continued. "They screwed around, they should, at least take the responsibility." "Married is a sole commitment to love each other, not a punishment," Drew pointed out. "First, they need to make a decision. Do you want this baby?" Jessie and Justin looked at each other. "Well, Justin doesn't believe in abortion," Lynn stated. "Besides, it's my grandchild. I want a say too." "You're not having the baby," I interjected. "True you are the grandparent, but it's really the parent's responsibility as to whether to have the child. Now, Justin. Jessie. What do you think." All eyes focused on Jessie first. She looked at Justin, then to Drew. "I don't want a baby," Jessie started, " but I don't want to kill it. I mean abortion, I guess can benefit some people, but it doesn't benefit me." "Me either," Justin added. "That's why I suggest we give the baby away." "What," Lynn yelled in shock. "Jessie and I can't take care of it. I am always away and eventually, I want to go to college, and Jessie is in high school. The baby is too much of an impact on out futures." "You should have thought of that before you had sex with her," Lynn snapped. "Mom," Justin continued, "all I am saying is that we give the baby away. Maybe to someone both Jessie and I trust." "I like that idea," Jessie smiled. "That's great and all, but who would adopt the child," Drew asked. I looked at Josh. Right there and then. He was so handsome. He was funny and loving. He was sweet and caring. And he loved me, as much as I loved him. The happiness I felt with him was as string as the bond I had with Robin. Josh wasn't a replacement to Robin. Josh was just an important part of my life, and right now, I couldn't see myself without him. That was the reason why those five words came out of my mouth. They came out because I wanted to be with Josh. Now I know you are asking, what five words did I say? "I will take the baby." To Be Continued. And questions and comments, please don't hesitate to e-mail cartoon80@aol.com. Thank you.