HOW DO YOU KEEP THE MUSIC PLAYING?
©Mirandagk@aol.com

CHAPTER 61 

Two days had gone by and Laura was frantically trying to focus on finishing up the project. 

"When's the limo coming?" Justin asked, looking up from the piano. 

Laura was rushing back and forth across the living room.  "Somewhere near 8. I have no idea. Jerry just said he was sending a limo to get us." she answered as she grabbed documents and stuffed them into her messenger bag. 

"Oh..." Justin said as he sat down on the piano stool and watched Laura lifting up seat cushions looking for missing papers.

In his attempt to help, Justin looked in the stool he was sitting on and found some sheet music. "Is this it?" he asked as he handed it to her.

Laura looked over and read the title, "How Do You Keep The Music Playing?" She stood there and remembered the last time she had worked on it. She and JC had been in his studio earlier in the day before they made love later on the same night.  They had talked about how many kids they had planned on having.  It seemed so long ago to Laura.  "No. That's not it." she said as she went back to her search.

Justin shrugged his shoulders and looked down at the music and decided to play it. Laura didn't notice it until he started to sing.

(Male Voice)

How do you keep the music playing

How do you make it last

How do you keep the song from fading

Too fast

(Female Voice)

How do you lose yourself to someone

And never lose your way

How do you not run out of new things

to say

(Male Voice)

And since we know we're always changing

How can it be the same

(Female Voice)

And tell me how year after year you're sure your heart will fall apart

each time you hear

his name….

The music and lyrics on the sheet ended abruptly and Justin couldn't continue the song. "This is a good song so far, Laura. When are you going to finish it."

"I'm not."

"Why not?"

"I can't even be in the same room with the person who helped me write it."

He quickly read over the lyrics again. He then noticed the last set of vocals and looked towards Laura and noticed her eyes were slightly wet with tears."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

She shook her head, "You didn't."

"This isn't going to be on the album?"

"I don't think so. I think I want to hold off on this one for awhile." she said as she grabbed it and stuffed it into her bag. Justin nodded his head in agreement and went back to helping her with her quest.

At 7:30 the limo pulled up to Laura's house. She gathered up all her music and rushed out the door. JC was already inside. They both sat on opposite ends of the car in silence the entire ride.

Around 45 minutes later, they arrived at their destination.  As the limo pulled up to the small building Laura and JC noticed Jerry standing outside waiting on them. They both got out and looked around and noticed there wasn't a soul for miles. The building was surrounded by trees and was set very far off the main road at the end of a winding dirt road.  There were hardly any lights on the dirt road leading up to the place.  Laura was slightly apprehensive and JC also seemed uneasy about the situation.  "So what are we doing way out here, Jerry?" he asked.

"Come inside and I will explain everything."

They grabbed their things and reluctantly followed him into the building. They went passed rooms filled with paint buckets, ladders, rolled up carpeting, plastic drop cloths, and hardware tools, and furniture that was still wrapped in plastic. At the end of the hallway they entered what seemed to be the newer part of the building. Jerry made a left into what seemed to be a large recording studio. Both Laura and JC were taken aback by the room. Everything they laid their eyes on was brand new. The room even smelled like freshly cut wood. There was a large black Baby Grande piano sitting in the corner of the large sound proof booth along with various other guitars, keyboards, drums, and other equipment.

Outside of the booth in the other room there were two very large black plush couches, a long soundboard with four computer monitors placed inside the cabinets. There were three keyboards hooked up to three laptops and small stools over in a corner of the room. They noticed a very large cabinet that was stocked halfway with junk food items from chips to Hostess cakes. The studio was completely layed out.  There was even a mid-size refrigerator near the door.

Jerry went on to explain that he has recently purchased the building and was going to rent it out to various artists for recording and producing tracks.  He wanted to eventually start his own label if things went as well as he expected them to.  Both JC and Laura walked around the room checking out all the equipment. In those few minutes they weren't two ex-lover's who had been at each other's throat's.  They were two artists in awe of all the newest instruments and tools that could use to further their crafts. They both eventually found themselves in the sound proof booth looking at all the mics and other new equipment. Neither of them noticed the door shutting behind them. JC went to turn the knob to go back into the other room, but noticed it was locked.  He motioned for Jerry's attention. Jerry put his hand out to his ear and mouthed that he couldn't hear them. He walked over to the board and pressed the button. "What did you say?"

"The door is locked. Can you open it and let us out?"  JC asked as he pulled at the door.

"Sorry. No can do, guys."

"What?" Laura asked with a confused look on her face.

"The two of you are going to get this project done before the weekend is through. You're not leaving here until the songs are finished."

"You're kidnapping us?" JC laughed.

CHAPTER 62

Jerry grinned and nodded his head. Laura laughed lightly, "Yeah.  He's got to be kidding."

The smile faded from Jerry's face. "I don't joke when it comes to business, Ms. Charles...I put up my job and my reputation to get this deal. Neither of you are going to screw me over just because, for whatever reason, you can't get along anymore. You better get over it now. I mean, I have all week...Do you?"

JC and Laura suddenly realized that Jerry wasn't joking. JC brought his hands to his head and ran his fingers through his hair trying to think. Laura went over to the door and tried her hardest to pull it open.

"It's no use, Laura. The door is controlled by this remote." Jerry pointed out. "I'm going to let you out of there as soon as I leave this room. There is a bathroom right through those doors. The fridge is fully stocked along with that cabinet. Microwave works perfectly, cause I just had a burritto before you two arrived.  There are also blankets and pillows in the bathroom for the both of you to rest on if you get tired from all the work I know you are going to be doing."

JC rolled his eyes and lifted up his middle finger to Jerry. "Now that isn't the reaction I expected from a professional such as yourself, Mr. Chasez."

"People are going to be looking for us, you know." JC yelled.

"Already been taken care of...Look kids, I would love to stay and chat, but I am on a pretty tight schedule. Have fun...I'll be back on Sunday to see how you kids are doing." He said sarcastically as he went to leave the room.

Jerry punched in a bunch of numbers on a key pad by the door and then proceeded to leave. JC and Laura heard and instant click. JC turned the knob on the door and found it unlocked. He ran over to the other door to catch up to Jerry but noticed the studio door now locked. JC could see Jerry smiling through the glass. Jerry put up his two index fingers at them and winked before turning around and walking away.

They both silently paced the room for almost two hours trying to figure out how to get out of the windowless studio. Both took turns trying to punch in the right sequence by the door, but it was no use. They were stuck there...Together.

After sitting in complete silence for another hour, JC decided enough was enough. "You think we should start working as opposed to just sitting here and sulking?"

Laura looked up at him from the opposite couch and said, "What's the point, JC? It's just going to turn to shit. I'm not even going to waste my time. You can if you want to, but I could care less at this point."

"Come on...Let's just get this done so we can get the hell out of here, Laura." he said trying not to start a fight. "I don't want to be here just as much as you, but we might as well use the time to get this shit done so we won't have to worry about it ever again."

Laura didn't want to admit that JC was right. She just reached down and grabbed her bag and began to take out her sheet music. Her cell phone dropped out onto the floor. She quickly grabbed it and stood up and started to dial Justin's number. JC just sat back and silently watched her struggle to get a signal. He folded his hands across his chest and continued to watch her curse as she walked around the entire room with the phone. In her frustration she threw it across the room onto the couch.

"Are you done?" JC asked.

Laura nodded and placed her hand on her forehead.

"You can't get a signal in here. If you were outside this room, maybe. I figured you, of all people, would know that…Especially after all the times you used to tell me I needed to get a phone installed in my home studio because there is no cell reception down there." he joked.

Laura couldn't help but smirk at her own stupidity. JC smiled when he saw her start to loosen up. The rest of the evening was filled with petty little arguments about song re-writes, melodies, and lyrics. Both were determined to show the other one up.

Laura decided to take a small break from working and walked over to the fridge to get a bottle of water. JC glanced over and spotted few bottles of Coke and politely asked her to hand him one before he went back to humming and writing down lyrics. JC soon felt something cold on his shoulder. "Thanks." he said as he grabbed the bottle. He was about to open it until he noticed it was water. "I asked for a Coke."

"I know. But you get too hyper and there's nowhere for you to go and work off your energy." Laura stated as she sat down next to him at the small table.

Clearly agitated, JC looked over at Laura and said, "I didn't ask for water. I asked you for a Coke. Why didn't you just give me what I asked for?"

Laura stopped in mid-sip when she heard what JC had just said to her. He went back to writing something down and was stunned by a splash of cold water hitting his shirt. "Oh no you didn't!"

"Oh yes I did. I'm not your slave. If you want a Coke then go get it yourself."

JC shook his head from side to side, "Oh no...That's ok...Water seems great right about now." he stated as he opened up the bottle and took a small sip.

Laura went back to reading over the sheet music JC had placed in her pile. A loud scream bellowed from her lips when she felt the icy cold water flowing down through her hair and across her face. Laura jumped up from her chair trying to keep the water from getting all over her clothes.  "Ahhh!! Oh my God...I can't believe you just did that!" she yelled.

JC couldn't stop laughing. Laura looked over at the table and saw her half-full bottle of water sitting on the edge. JC noticed where her gaze was pointed and lunged forward to grab it before she did. The two of them struggled to get the bottle from one another. Laura started to shake it up and down and it squirted all over the both of them. They wrestled their way to the floor and he finally got the upper hand. He straddled Laura and pinned her arms down to the floor and grinned as he said, "Now what you gonna do?"

Laura continued to struggle to break free. "Come on now. You know you can't get away from me." JC laughed.

They both had been smiling at one another, but the smiles soon faded from their lips and the room suddenly grew quiet.  Laura looked away from JC. "Can you please let me up?" she asked.

JC quickly got up and put out his hand to help her off the floor. She ignored his gesture and got up on her own and walked into the bathroom. JC didn't know why he had said what he said.

Laura soon walked out of the bathroom with two towels and handed him one before she walked over to the table to clean up the mess they had made. "Let's get back to work, Josh." she said quietly as she placed the towel on the chair and sat down. He noticed she was soaked and shivering. He took his sweater off the couch and handed it to her before finding his place next to her to continue writing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Geeze, what time is it?" Laura yawned as she looked around for a clock.

JC looked down at his watch.  "It's 5am."

"You want to wrap it up and get some sleep? Start fresh when we both aren't so exhausted?" she asked.

"Sounds good."

Laura got up and stretched before walking into the bathroom to get the blankets and pillows. As she was coming out she didn't notice JC right in front of her and bumped into him.  A shiver ran down her back when she felt his hand touch her shoulder to brace her.  He apologized and walked passed her into the bathroom, gently shutting the door behind him.  Laura walked over and laid out blankets and pillows on both couches. He came out and noticed she had made up a place for a him to sleep. "Thank you. You didn't have to do that."

"I know." she said as she looked up at him. She noticed he only had on a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. She suddenly felt very nervous. "Umm...If you want my pillow it's right there." she pointed out as she breezed past him to go into the bathroom. JC grabbed the extra pillow and went and turned out most of the lights. He then got comfortable on the couch. Laura slowly opened up the door to see what he was doing. When she noticed that his head was not facing her, she turned off the light and quickly walked over to the other couch. JC noticed his sweater was the only thing she had on. His cock began to stir as he watched her. "My clothes got soaked from earlier. I hung them in the bathroom to dry." she explained.

He nodded and laid back on the couch. Laura leaned over and turned off the last light before lying down herself. Five minutes later, the silence was broken when she asked, "What made you want to get together with me?"

JC was puzzled by her question.  "Well why did you want to get with me, Laura?"

"I asked you first."

JC was silent as he tried to come up with right words. Laura burst out and said, "Because I feel as though I were just a replacement or fill-in for you. A temporary thing until Rachel came crawling back to you."

"Why would you ever think that?" JC asked as he let his head rest in his hand.

"I mean just look around. It's like you and I never existed. Everything seems to be back to the way it used to be as far as your life is concerned. You look very happy."

"Well I am." he replied.

Not expecting his reply to be so frank, Laura sat there feeling like the wind had been knocked out of her.   She had wanted him to tell her how miserable he was without her. She wanted him to tell her that he couldn't stop thinking about her. She wanted him to tell her he was nothing without her. She wanted him to feel just a small portion of what she felt the day he walked out on her.

"I guess that's all that should matter then. I'm glad you've found happiness again." she muttered as she turned around to face the back of the couch.

JC turned onto his back and placed his arm behind his head as he looked towards the ceiling.

 "Did you sign the papers yet?" she asked lowly.

JC's eyes drifted towards her and then back to the ceiling. "No."

"What's stopping you?"

"Been really busy with other things."

Laura rolled her eyes. "I see."

"How's life with Justin treatin' ya?" he asked.

Laura turned over and looked towards him as asked, "Life with Justin?"

"Yeah. You two have become very close since...You know."

"We hang out. He keeps me company when I need it...And when I don't. I guess he feels bad for me or something. He's taking pity on me."

JC laughed aloud, "Yeah, I'm sure that's what it is. He's spending all this time with you because he feels sorry for you...Right. Just like how much pity Rick was placing on you when he was at your house all night before he left town a few weeks ago."

'Could he possibly be jealous?' Laura thought to herself. "What exactly are you trying to say, JC?" she asked as she turned her head to look at him.

"Nothing at all...Let's just get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow." he stated as he turned his body away from her and closed his eyes.

The next day JC woke up feeling extremely good. He hadn't had a good nights sleep ever since Rachel and Nikolas moved in with him. He'd be up half the night tossing and turning because the baby would be crying. He knew it was a new situation for all of them and that the baby missed Jerry. He knew it would take some time getting used to, but he couldn't help but want to jump off the roof when he would be startled awake by the baby screaming at the top of his lungs. JC slowly sat up and stretched out his arms. He looked down at his watch and noticed it was 2 in the afternoon. He looked over at the other couch where Laura had been sleeping and saw she wasn't there. He scanned the room and spotted her at the keyboard with headphones on. He got up and walked over to her and pulled one earphone back. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Laura stopped playing and took off the headphones. "You looked so peaceful, I just decided to let you sleep."

Even now after everything that happened, she still seemed to know how to warm his heart with the slightest of gestures.  "Oh...Thanks." he said as he walked by her to go to the bathroom.

JC stared at himself in the mirror and shook his head from side to side before turning on the water and washing his face. When he came back out he grabbed a bottle of soda from the fridge and some chips from the cabinet. They both immediately began working on finishing up the project.

The mood was a bit different from the night before. Neither of them really spoke to one another unless it was absolutely necessary. As the day progressed they seemed to be getting along more and more.  The petty arguments from the day before seemed to be non-existent. 

In between her work, Laura's head began to hurt.  She got up to go and find some aspirin in the bathroom. When she returned, JC asked her to hand him the last batch of papers out of his bag. She went over and sifted through his bag and took out the small stack of papers. She placed them down on the table.

"Can you find me all the sheet music for 'Slingshots'?"

Laura looked through and started pulling out music for the song. She suddenly stopped when she came across the divorce papers she had given JC a while back. He recognized the documents. "I forgot to take those out of there the day you gave them to me. You can just stuff them back in my bag." he said before looking back down at the keyboard.

Laura placed it on the table by itself and said, "No, I think I will leave it out so that you won't forget to take care of it before we leave, JC."

He sat that quietly and looked at her and finally said, "ok."

He then asked her if she could sing for him while he played the tune to make sure it sounded good before throwing it in their final stack.

Love me when nobody else can see

Touch my soul

Then treat me

Like a stranger

This is not the way I want to feel

Should have known

A love this strong

Would bring some danger

But if it's all in my head

I'll find a way to make it end

It's magic

And it's tragic

Slingshots

Whisper

My tear drops

An answer

What am I to you?

Slingshots

You forgot

My kisses

Don't miss this

What am I to you?.......

While JC listened to her sing the song, he could tell Laura didn't feel comfortable singing it. "Yeah. That's sounds good. I'm sure the rest of it is fine." he said as he stopped playing.

"You sure?" she asked before placing down the music.

"Yeah."

"Okay. Well, I'm going to lay down for a while to get rid of this headache. All that's left is the last song."

Laura walked over and got underneath the blanket on the couch. I don't know what you want to do as far as that is concerned. I am out of inspiration.

JC bounced ideas off her and they both agreed that they didn't want to have to struggle all night long with a brand new song and lyrics.

"Whatever happened to that song we started a long time ago together?" he asked as he got up and grabbed her bag looking for the music

"

What song?" she asked with her eyes half open.

"Umm...What was it called...How do you keep the music playing?" JC leafed through her papers. "Ah, here it is."

"I'd rather not finish that one right now, JC. I think I would rather save it for something else if you don't mind."

"Uhh....Well it's half finished. We both have been writing it. Let's just use it so we can get done."

Laura got up from the couch and walked over to him and snatched the papers from his hand. "I said I would rather not, JC."

He backed off and let her have them.  He knew not to get in her way when she was that angry. Laura went over to place the music back in her bag but instead threw it in the trashcan and laid back down on the couch.

Laura soon drifted off the sleep and JC took the opportunity to retrieve the music from the trash. He noticed a couple pages were missing and snuck over to her bag to find them. As he quietly leafed through her papers he came across a small photo. He picked it up and instantly smiled when he saw it. It was a picture of the both of them dancing together at her birthday party. Hallie had snapped the photo from across the room.  JC smiled one last time before placing it back where he found it. He folded up the music and placed it in his back pocket. He went back over to the keyboard and placed his headphones on and began to work on the final song.

Laura was awaken by the sounds of a soft melody playing. She could hear JC humming and lowly singing along. She couldn't help but laugh at his attempt to sound like a female for the first part of the chorus.

[Female Chorus:]

You're the reason

Why I found my way,

And you're the reason

Why I feel this way

(You're the reason)

And you're the reason

Why I have to sing,

I had to let you know

You're my everything

JC stopped singing and looked over at Laura who was trying to hold back her laughter.  "Well if you were awake helping me out, there wouldn't be anything to laugh at." he smiled.

Laura slowly stretched and walked over to him at the keyboard. She grabbed the notebook and had him start it over again. She sang the first part of the song. JC hadn't gotten any further than the chorus. Laura shook her head and grabbed a pencil and agan to write and sing as he continuously played the melody to help her come up with the words he couldn't.

[female:]

So many times I've been alone,

I didn't know what to do

I don't know where I'd be

If I didn't have, I didn't have you

You comfort me

Make me believe,

Give me the strength I need

Since you came into my life

It's been so heavenly, heavenly

[Female Repeat chorus]

You're the reason

Why I found my way,

And you're the reason

Why I feel this way

(You're the reason)

And you're the reason

Why I have to sing,

I had to let you know

You're my everything

He was completely stunned that she could come up with the right words so fast. He'd seen her work like this before, but for some reason it felt like the first time.  He was amazed that she knew where he wanted to go with the song. He sat there completely astonished at how in tune they really were with one another.  He'd missed having that connection with her…With another human being for that matter. The words suddenly came to JC's mind and he started to sing.  Laura struggled to write it all down. He couldn't help but look at her as the words flowed from his lips.

(Male:)

So many things

I wanna say to you,

I give my all to you

Just because

You came around

And gave me

Laura knew exactly where he was going and joined in simultaneously with him as he sang:

(Male & Female)

All your, All your love

[Male & Female:]

I would sacrifice

My very life,

All you have to do

Is say the word (Say the word)

And there would never be

No other, no other girl

They both simultaneously came in and sang the chorus together.

You're the reason

Why I found my way,

And you're the reason

Why I feel this way

(You're the reason)

And you're the reason

Why I have to sing,

I had to let you know

You're my everything

They both couldn't help but grin when it sounded so perfect as they hummed together. Laura jumped in with the bridge to the song and just let herself go.

Don't you know,

that you're my reason

Why I, Why I sing

Oh yeah...

No, I could never do anything

Without you... you, you...

[Male & Female Repeat Chorus 3x and fade]

JC and Laura slapped each others hand in recognition of the incredible job they had done…together. They stacked all their completed work in one pile on top of the desk and sat down on the couch giving sighs of relief that they were finally finished.

"What time is it?"

"Almost 10."

"You don't think Jerry would be stopping by anytime soon to check on us early do you?"

"Nope." JC quickly answered. He let his head fall to the back of the couch before cursing to himself.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." he shook his head. "I had just promised Nikky that I would take him to the petting zoo this weekend.  He is too little to understand anyway…But I just feel bad."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"I didn't mean about this. I meant about keeping her secret from you."

JC put his hand up to stop her from continuing, "It's over with, Laura. It's been said already. We can just move on now."

Laura made herself get up from the couch. "No. It's not over yet." she stated as she picked up the divorce papers and grabbed a pen and brought them over to him. "It won't be over until you sign."

JC looked up at her and the papers. "Why don't we just wait till we get out of here to do this?"

"What's the difference in doing it now or later, JC?"

"Because I don't want to do this right now."

"All you have to do is sign you name. It's not that hard. You do it all the time for your fans."

"This isn't just me signing a stupid autograph, Laura. This is me giving uuu...."

"This is you what?" she asked. JC took a deep breath, stood up and walked passed her into the bathroom before slamming the door behind him.

CHAPTER 63

"Ooww...Stop!" JC yelled as he tried to put his arms up to block himself from the items being thrown at him.

Laura ran out of pillows and pens to throw and started hitting him with her balled up fists. "Why won't you just sign the Goddamn papers already!" she cried out.

JC grabbed her arms and tried to calm her down. "Shhh...Laura...Stop it!" he said as he pulled her down to the ground and held her arms tightly against her chest so she couldn't hit him anymore.

"Why is this so important to you?" he asked as he held her from behind.

"I want it over with! I want us both to have our freedom, so that the next time you fuck her, you'll be able to do it guilt free."

"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa! What makes you think I'm fucking her?" JC asked as he let her out of his grip.

Laura got up and walked over to where the couches were. "Oh please. Are you really going to sit here and tell me that the two of you haven't had sex since she has moved into your house? I wasn't born yesterday, JC. I see how the two of you are together now."

JC stood up, pacing the room.  That doesn't mean that I'm fucking her."

"Then what do you call it, JC?"

"I would never fuck her and still be married to you. That's like me going and doing the same exact thing to you, that she did to me. I would never do that, Laura. I admit that Rachel and I have kissed and that there have been a few times where we almost made love, but I have not had sex with her since she's moved in."

Laura cringed at when she heard Rachel's name and the words 'make love uttered in the same sentence'. "Well you've kissed her...So that's enough to make me fed up with the both of you."

"Well, there are alot of things that you have done, that make me feel the same way about you."

Laura had felt it again, racing through her blood like a fever. It was a feeling of rage, or carnal lust and anger so strong it almost choked her. The need to lash out was overwhelming, irresistible. Lately, all they did was snip and pick at each other every chance they got. Something inside her snapped. It seemed like the final straw. Laura threw her shoes across the room. JC ducked to keep from getting hit in the face.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he barked.

A primal urge to throttle him burst in her head, and she knew JC could see it in her eyes. As they stared at each other, Laura could feel something happening between them. Something frightening, urgent, something so raw there was no name for it. is hand curled into fists at his sides, and he whispered, "Try it again, and see what happens to you."

His challenging words were like fire on a flame. All the frustration and anger of the past few months seemed to bubble up from deep inside her, and she had no choice but to respond. Laura crossed the room, a low growl in her throat, and tried to slap him. His strong hand gripped her wrist before it reached his face, and with his eyes blazing into hers, he said just one word, "Don't."

Laura was past feeling anything but lust and pure anger. She struggled to get her wrist free, her other hand trying to peel his fingers off hers. She scratched him with her long fingernails, and it seemed to push him over the edge. With a fierce sound, JC grabbed Laura's other hand and drug her to the sofa. He pushed her down on it. "Stay," he growled.

Laura was too shocked to do anything. But she felt something, a feeling she had never had before. It was a kind of wild excitement shimmering under all her anger. She started to get up, and then he was in front of her.

"Get up," he said quietly. Something in his tone made her obey, and she stood on shaky legs. He sat down on the couch, and quickly gripped her wrist again, pulling her down across his lap. The breath was pushed out of her as she landed on his firm thighs.

Laura struggled briefly. "What the hell are you doing, JC? Stop!" Laura yelled as she struggled to break free. He gripped her hair with his hand and pushed her head down. His other arm was like a steel band across her lower back. Pure anger and embarrassment began to build even more and she struggled even harder.

The first blow of his hand across her ass, when it struck, startled her, and she yelped. His hand came down so sharply on her ass, that she felt it through her clothes. WHAP, another whack on the other cheek. Her skin felt like it was on fire.

Suddenly he stopped, and dumped her onto the floor. She pushed her hair out of her face and glared at him "Had enough?" he asked.

Laura crawled across the floor to the opposite couch and sat up slowly. She glared at JC and said, "I fuckin' hate you."

The words hit JC like a freight train. Part of him actually believed her. He got down on all fours and started to crawl towards her. Laura started to move away from him until he stopped her. Their faces were only inches apart as JC said, "Those are very strong words, Laura."

"And I meant...every....word." she stumbled with her sentence as JC leaned in closer and closer. She knew what he was trying to do. He loved controlling her this way. She knew she couldn't let him this time.

Laura pushed on JC's chest and he fell backwards. She let her body glide off the couch and onto the floor.  She sat up on her knees and started to crawl back towards him. "This, 'I'm an injured man', act has gotten old JC. Yeah I kept information from you. I helped my friend lie. Big deal. You help Joey, Justin and the rest of your boys lie when they need you to. I don't see how this is any different. It's just an excuse you can use to go back to Rachel. And if it's not...Get over it or get lost."

"I plan to." he gulped down hard when he noticed their lips were centimeters apart.

"Then just get up and go sign the papers. What's stopping you? What are you afraid of?" she said as she looked up towards the table.

"Fine then...I will." JC said as he lightly pushed her and started to get up. He walked over to the table and looked for a pen. Laura placed it gently in his hand. He leaned down and was about to sign his name until Laura put her hand on top of the papers.

"Would you grant me one thing?" she whispered.

"What?"

She placed her hands flat on his chest and patted lightly before looking up into his eyes. "One last kiss as a married couple?"

JC's heart was pounding. He didn't know what he should do. Laura started to lean up towards his face. He kissed her temple lightly. "How's that?" he asked. Laura pointed to her cheek. JC let his lips skim her cheek. She then pointed towards her top lip and then her lower one. JC followed her fingers with his lips. He started to protest but she stalled him. "Please, JC? It's just one last kiss."

His breath came in short little puffs. He could never say no when she begged. Laura's eyes fluttered closed. When next his mouth covered hers. Her tongue sought entrance, and he allowed her that intimacy. She gasped a little as her tongue touched his. It had been far too long since they had kissed one another. Her nipples tingled and she hugged him tighter.

The kiss gradually deepened. He held her closer as he drank from her mouth. He was holding her tightly when she ended the kiss. "We'd better stop now," she whispered.

She fixed a piece of his hair and gave him one last kiss before walking back over to the couch with a look of pure satisfaction on her face. JC stood their stunned by what had just happened.  JC laughed lightly to himself, "You did that deliberately to fuck with me."

"What do you mean?" she asked with a look of dismay on her face.

"Getting me all worked up and leaving me here like this." he pointed out.

"Seeing that I was 'never worth the effort' as you said one night, I didn't think a kiss would effect you like that."

"Laura..."

She put her hand up not wanting to hear what more he had to say. "Let's just go to bed. The faster we go to sleep, the quicker tomorrow will come, and we'll be out of here."

JC went and turned off all the lights and laid down on the couch. He turned over and rested his head on his hand. "Laura."

"What?"

"I don't want you to leave here thinking I don't care about you."

"It doesn't matter anymore, JC. Let's not get into another argument."

"I'm not trying to...I just wanted you to know that-"

"Goodnight, JC." Laura interrupted.

"Goodnight." he said before turning over and drifting off the sleep.

CHAPTER 64

At about 6am JC was awaken by soft moans in the room. He leaned up to find out where the noise was coming from.

"Ahhh...Yes...Right there."

JC eyes widened when he realized Laura was having an intense dream. He tiptoed over to the bathroom and turned on the light. He looked up and noticed that all her clothes were hanging on the towel rack. Including her freshly washed thong. He pulled the door shut slightly so that the light wouldn't wake her up. He crept back over to the couch and watched her as she dreamed. He noticed her hands were missing beneath the blanket.

JC could feel his cock growing harder by the second. He slowly grabbed the bottom of her blanket and tugged it lightly until her body was exposed to him. She had on his sweater again. The sweater was halfway above her breasts as her one hand fondled her nipples and the other caressed her pussy. His curiosity was peaked as to who on earth she could be dreaming about.

"Yes," she moaned out as her touch felt so good against her own body. "Yes, JC," she whispered as she went back and touched her clit. She cooed more as she made circles on her swollen nub. She remembered how he touched her, how he licked her, how he made her feel like a woman. She inhaled sharply as she inserted a finger and began to move it in and out of her wetness.

JC's face immediately lit up when he heard her call out his name. He had never seen Laura play with herself. The new experience was almost too much for him to bear. He wasn't used to her new boldness.

He slowly made his way back down to the floor near her face. He started to rub his throbbing cock inside his boxers. Laura rolled her nipple between her thumb and forefinger and squeezed it. JC couldn't help but lick his lips wishing her fingers were his own.

How she wished that his lips were pressing and sucking it. Squeezing again, only harder, she moaned at that thought. Her other hand moved to the other nipple and gave it the same treatment, and the harder she squeezed, the more wet she became. Pulling both nipples out and turning them gently, she imagined that her hands were his. In her mind she could see his dark hair; his blue eyes were watching her, wanting her as much as she wanted him again.

The way he looked at her consumed her, sending shivers down the length of her body. Releasing her breasts, her hands traveled slowly down her stomach. Her skin tingled as she touched it, every nerve ending slowly coming alive. As her fingers touched the top of her pussy for the second time, she couldn't help but shake and moan softly. It felt almost as though he were doing it with her. Slowly her index finger slid between her lips, touching her hard clit, and in her mind, her finger was his tongue. Bringing her knees up and spreading her legs, she rubbed her finger softly against her clit, feeling the moisture spread with each stroke. A small moan escaped her lips as she moved her finger down and dipped into her wetness. She brought it back up to her mouth and tasted her own wetness. She moved her other hand to her breast to pull at her nipple.

He was with her now, his tongue lapping at her clit, his nose against the top of her mound as he sucked her clit into his mouth and pulled back on it. As his mouth tugged, he slipped a finger into her pussy and slowly began pumping it into her. She imagined herself running her fingers through his abundance of silky hair. It felt so real...Almost too real. Raising her hips off the couch, she met his finger's thrusts, pushing her pussy hard against his face, wanting him to take more of her into his mouth. She felt his teeth pulling at her skin, the softness of his kisses against her lips, and the pounding of his fingers as he relentlessly jammed them deep inside of her.  She moaned at the touch of his other hand sliding up her stomach and his finger tips gently tugging at her nipple.

Laura's eyes immediately jolted open when she realized she was no longer dreaming. She looked down and could see JC's head buried deep between her legs. She went to stop him, but he grabbed her hand and held it tightly as he bit down on her clit. "Ahhh!! JC!!" she screamed.

"One last time right, baby?" He whispered as he lightly kissed his way up her stomach to her erect nipple.

It wasn't fair.  He was using her own words against her.  As he squeezed her nipple hard, she felt her body begin to shake. His thumb moved harder and faster against her clit and his fingers slapped against her core. His smile made her heart stop for a second and then she could hear it come alive again and start pounding hard in her ears. He held her gaze for what seemed like an eternity. Neither of them spoke but words didn't seem necessary. JC drove his fingers in deeper and faster.

Closing her eyes and tilting her head back, she felt her body tense; it was a feeling of total confusion, wanting the release but also wanting to hold the moment. His thumb moved faster, and her thighs tightened against his hand. She could feel herself tightening around his fingers; the contractions were strong and overtook her. As she let out a scream, her body shuddered in the ultimate release, soaking his fingers with her sweet juice. She lay there for several minutes, savoring the waves that washed over her body. Bringing his fingers to his mouth, JC sucked on them and tasted what was only meant for him.

Laura opened her eyes and saw his eyes staring back into hers. His voice embedded itself into her mind and spoke softly to her, "I need you, Laura."

Whether he truly meant it or not, that was all he needed to say. Laura sat up and pushed JC lightly down to the floor. JC stopped her and grabbed a blanket for them to lay on. Slowly and carefully they both helped each other completely undress. 

Laura ran kisses down his chest, his stomach, and then the head of his cock, before she took it in his mouth. She placed her hand on his member, stroking it as she sucked on his head.

"Mmm, yes baby," he whispered out as her talented lips worked over his cock. He could feel his orgasm begin as he held her head onto his hardness.

JC pushed her head away from his throbbing cock. He took her arm and pulled her up to meet his gaze. She almost lost her balance as he plunged his tongue into her open mouth. She met his tongue and they exchanged their passion and desire for one another.

"Lay down," he said as he broke their embrace and got on his knees. He crawled to her knees. Laura gently parted her legs and allowed him to enter. He kissed her right thigh, then left. Her eyes fluttered to the back of her head as he kissed his way up her body. She could feel the head of his cock at her wet entrance. JC slowly thrust himself deep inside her.

"Oooo," she cried out as he began to pump in and out of her faster and faster. She shivered slightly as he ran his tongue up the side of her neck and into her ear. He took both her hands and pinned them down over her head. He them sucked down hard on her neck, causing her to scream out his name. This almost drove him over the edge. He stopped, still deep inside her. Laura looked up at him and noticed he had a grin on his face. She tried her best to wiggle beneath him, so that the intense sensations he was causing wouldn't end. Laura whimpered beneath him, and JC's grin deepened. He tried his best to keep her completely still, but Laura knew he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. She grinned back at him and leaned her head up towards his ear and whispered, "Fuck me, JC."

That's all he needed. He furiously began to kiss her as he pumped into her harder and deeper. Laura tightened her legs around his waist and sucked on his tongue as he began to fuck her even harder.

"Oh, shit!" he cried out.

"Fuck me, baby…Oh God….JC! I need you so bad!" she screamed.

"Oh, fuck....Laura...Fuck..." he screamed.

"Yes, yes...Right there" The first waves of an orgasm was starting to roll over her. JC could feel her tightening around his cock.

"I'm going to cum," was all he could say as he climaxed deep inside her. Laura's nails dug deep into his back causing both their orgasms to be more intense. JC let his body fall down on her. They both struggled to catch their breath. She lightly kissed his neck and ran her hands through his hair as she tried to record everything to memory, knowing it would be their last.

They both laid in silence for a few moments. JC's breathing slowed and he mumbled "I love you." into her neck.

Laura leaned back to look at JC.  What did you just say?" she asked as she tried to sit up.

JC was slowly coming down from his high. "Huh?"

"You're a real piece of work."  Laura pushed him off of her and stomped into the bathroom before slamming to door shut.

"Shit." He stumbled off the floor and over to the door. "Laura, please. Open up."

"Everything was perfect till you opened your mouth afterwards!" she yelled through the door.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to piss you off."

"Why would you say something like that to me right now...Of all times. Is that your final act of revenge or something?"

"Revenge?" he asked with a shocked look on his face. "That's not what this was about. Come out here and talk to me about this...Please." he begged.

"Fuck you!" she screamed as she flung the door open so hard that it hit the wall behind it.

JC jumped at the loud sound. She pushed hard on his chest as she walked towards him and he backed away from her. "Tell me why!" she demanded.

JC could see the tears falling down her face. "Tell me why you would say something like that to me now! You fuckin' leavin' me for that...that bitch! How dare you fuckin' say you love me, when you know you don't mean it!" He grabbed her hands and stopped her from poking him in his chest. "I don't say things I don't mean, Laura."

Laura was stunned momentarily. The tears slowly began to flow. "Then why are you leaving me?" she sobbed into her hands.

JC pulled her over to the couch. "I get so confused everyday, that I sometimes just want to jump off the roof. I've got two women, who I really care about. And I love you both in different ways. Then I have this little boy, who I share my DNA with. Do I abandon him and come back to you, knowing that I will be miserable without him in my life everyday? Or do I stay and give it one more chance with Rachel. As much as you might not want to hear this...I love you both. And I hate to say it, but she has more leverage, because she has my son. And I will never be a weekend father. It's unfair to both me and Nikky. I'm not going to lose anymore time with him than I already have. I can only hope and pray that I am making the right decision. And if I'm not...I hope that you can one day forgive me."

Tears streamed down both their faces. Laura wiped her eyes and tried to clear her throat. "He better grow up to be the happiest damn kid on Earth." she said as she got up to go and get dressed. JC watched her walk away towards the bathroom. They both stared at each other. She was about to speak, but suddenly shook her head and closed the door.

While JC was in the bathroom, Laura cleaned up the mess that they had made of the studio during the weekend. When he came out he only had on his jeans. Laura smiled as she watched his naked chest one last time.

He noticed the bottle of juice and the box of Krispy Kreme donuts sitting on the table. "This was all I could come up with for breakfast." she said. JC smiled and went and joined her at the table. As he lifted the donut to his mouth he noticed the divorce papers sitting in the middle of the table. Laura noticed the direction of his gaze and said, "We better get this done before Jerry gets here."

JC put down his pastry and turned to face her. He placed his hand over hers in her lap. "As God is my witness, I love you. Nothing will ever change that."

Tears began to form in both their eyes. Laura tried to look away from JC. It was becoming too much bear. He lightly grabbed her chin and pointed her face back towards his. He held it in both his hands. Laura reached up and did the same. He leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. "The music between you and I..." JC was finding it harder and harder to speak. Laura took her thumbs and wiped the tears which were now falling from his eyes before lightly kissing him again. "The music between you and I...It will never end, Laura."

She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and hugged him with all her might. "Make it worth it, JC. Please, make it worth it." she whispered in his ear as she held onto him.

JC wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulled her in closer to his body. He tried to sooth them both the best way he could. They soon startled by a beeping noise. JC looked up and didn't see Jerry, but had a feeling he was coming. He grabbed the paper and signed his name quickly. Laura couldn't bear to watch. She turned her head and could now see Jerry looking through the door as he punched in the key code. They both tried to regain their composure. JC handed Laura the documents and she hid them deep down in her bag.

"Well, kids. How did we do?" Jerry asked as he walked into the room.

Laura cleared her throat and wiped her face. "Pretty good."

Jerry noticed her eyes were puffy and she looked like she had been crying. "Hope I didn't come at a bad time."

"No, not at all." JC muttered as he went to put on his t-shirt.

Jerry's eyes immediately fell upon the red lines running down JC's back. Jerry was curious about what happened while he was gone, but was too anxious to see their completed work to really care. He walked over to the table and picked up a few papers and briefly looked through them.  "Hmmm...Very nice..." he said to himself.

JC and Laura stood by the doorway waiting on Jerry to follow them. He looked up and noticed he had been wrapped up in his own thoughts, "Oh I'm sorry. We ready? I'll look over these on our way back."

JC waited for Laura to get in the car. He stopped Jerry at the door, "You know, if I didn't get a lot of stuff taken care of during this kidnapping, I would have personally cut your dick off and force fed it to you...Then I would have done what you like to do...Sued your ruthless ass off. Just remember that the next time you feel you can treat us any which way you want...Got me?"

Jerry was frightened by the tone in JC's voice and knew he wasn't joking. "Yeah, man. But as long as things were taken care of, what's the big deal?" he asked as he slid into the car.

The entire way home JC and Laura were subject to listening to Jerry's rants about how great everything was, and how much money they all were going to make from the deal. They both just rolled their eyes and looked out of opposite windows in silence. When they reached Laura's house, JC wanted to say something to her, but couldn't because Jerry was still in the car. She got out and said goodbye to everyone. She leaned down one last time and looked into JC's eyes and said, "Make it worth it." She then shut the door and watched as the limo drove off around the corner.

CHAPTER 65

"Hey, Ma. Come on in." JC said as he opened the door for his mother. She leaned up and gave her son a hug, "How are you?"

"I'm ok. You?"

"I'm good. Had a bit of arthritis in my arm this morning but it's better." she said as she looked over and noticed the baby sitting on the floor playing with his toys. "Where's Rachel? I wanted to thank her for the painting that she bought me and your father."

"She had to go out of town for a taping."

Mrs. Chasez followed JC into the living room and sat down on the couch as JC picked up Nikky to bring him to her. Her eyes lit up when the baby smiled at her as she talked to him. JC sat there and nervously watched them.

"Look how blue your eyes are, Nikolas!" she cooed.

Ten minutes later Laticia walked into the room bringing in a tray of tea and coffee cake. "Can I get you anything else, Mr. Chasez?"

"Could you please put Nikky down for his nap?" JC asked.

"Of course." she replied as she leaned over and took the baby from Mrs. Chasez's arms.

JC's mom was a bit disappointed that he was having her take the baby away so soon. "Does he really have to nap right now? I just got here."

"I need to talk to you about something mom. And I didn't want any disturbances."

"What is it, Joshua." his mother was worried.

Just as he was about to speak the telephone rang. JC rolled his eyes and got up to answer it. When he returned he stopped short of sitting down and asked his mother to grab her jacket and come with him. They drove a few miles down to the nearby park. They both got out and started to walk around the large lake and talked about work and how his siblings were doing.  "...JC, I know you didn't bring me all the way out here to talk about your brother and sister. What's going on?"

JC sat his mother down on a nearby bench and stared out at the water before speaking further. "Do you remember why Rachel and I split up?"

"Yeah. Both your careers were keeping you apart."

"Well, that's the reason I gave you. The truth is...A year and half ago, me and the guys got back early from a show in Paris and I flew to California to surprise Rachel on the set of that movie she was filming. I went over to her trailer and discovered she and Jerry together."

"Oh JC-" JC continued to speak over his mother. "I found out it wasn't the first time they were together. It had been going on for over 3 months."

"Yeah, but weren't you in court battling that lawsuit during that time?"

"Yes. One of the men I'm battling court is having a good time with the woman in my life. I'm sure he really enjoyed knowing that each day he saw me in court."

Mrs. Chasez was stunned by what she hearing, "I can't believe she would do something like that."

"Well she did...And I hadn't planned on ever telling you about that, but I need to be honest here.  There have been too many lies and secrets flying around here.  I need you to know so that you understand what I am going to tell you next."

"Is he taking you to court again? For custody of the baby?"

"No...He can't."

His mother was curious.  "Why not?"

JC took a deep breath and looked towards his mother and said, "Cause Nikolas is my son."

"Oh my God!" she said as she stood up. "And she never told you?"

"She says she didn't know. She had only remembered being with Jerry during the time the baby was conceived."

"Is this the reason why you aren't speaking to Laura?"

"Partly. When Rachel found out she was pregnant, she told Laura there was a possibility Nikky could be mine. Laura never told me. I found out from Rachel when we went away to see about Mrs. Charles. I just couldn't handle the fact that she had this information and never told me the entire time we were together. I just can't understand how someone could do that."

"What are the three of you going to do? Make arrangements for shared custody of the baby?"

"No. I'm going to do the right thing and marry Rachel. I still have to get a ring, and we still need to discuss things. And-"

Mrs. Chasez was confused and stopped JC from going any further.  "And what are you going to do about the issue with your present wife, Josh?"

JC took a deep breath and looked over at her. "I signed the divorce papers last week. We're no longer married.  It should be final before I get married to Rachel."

With one look, JC could see the anger, frustration, and disappointment in his mothers eyes.  She took a deep breath before finally sitting down next to him and speaking.  "Well it seems I've been missing out on a lot of stuff here. So excuse me if I seem a bit upset. You break up with someone you said was the love of your life. Lie to your parents about why. Then a year later you are having a secret romance with her best friend...You go to Vegas and get married! Come back home and expect us to be happy for you. Then you come back and tell me that you and Laura are not speaking. You move Rachel and her son into your house. You come back and tell me that 'Oh by the way, the baby is your grandchild and that you are not only divorcing one woman but getting engaged to another? This is insane!" she yelled.

JC put his hands over his mothers and tried to calm her down.  "I know it is a great deal of information to deal with right now. And I am not expecting you to be accepting of any of this. I would have told you sooner, but I needed to be sure about all this."

Mrs. Chasez placed her hand on her son's back. As much of a shock that it was to her, she knew he was in way more pain over all the news than she could ever imagine. "I'm sorry I went crazy a second ago. I'm just upset that I couldn't be there to help you through all this. I feel helpless after the fact."

JC let his head fall onto his mother's shoulder as they both sat quietly and watched the ducks.

"I feel so terrible," she muttered.

"Why?"

"I am sitting here, thinking back at all those times where I was talking to Laura about how wonderful Rachel was and how the two of you should have never split up. I must have made her feel so horrid."

"You did. But don't feel bad about it. She knew more than all of us about what was really going on. So I guess it was a good taste of her own medicine. We both knew coming into the relationship that by not telling you all what really happened we would have to just deal with the millions of praises from others about Rachel."

JC's mom could sense resentment in his voice when he spoke of Laura's involvement. "So you blame Laura."  she stated more as a fact rather than a question.

"Blame her for what?" he asked as he looked towards his mom.

"For knowing he could have been yours and not telling you. I'm sitting here listening to you talk about this and never once have I heard you lay any blame on Rachel."

"I don't know if you can really say I 'blame' Laura. But this wasn't just some small bit of information kept between best friends. This was a large secret. And being that she and I were inseparable after me and Rachel split and the fact that we later became a couple...I just would have hoped that she would have cared enough about me to tell me that the little boy I adored, could have been mine."

"JC, I don't think it had anything to do with how much she cared about you, baby. I see it as a woman torn...Torn between loyalty to her best friend of over 20 years.  Torn between telling you the truth or trying to protect you from being hurt in case it wasn't your son. I'm sure there is a great deal going on underneath the surface that neither of us knows about and probably never will. But I have never known Laura to be spiteful to anyone she has come into contact with. I've never known her to intentionally hurt people. She has always been there for you when you needed her…Even when I needed her. That's a large burden to bear when you are depended on so much by so many."

"I know all this mom. That's part of the reason why I love her so much..."

"I notice that you're still using that word in the present tense."

"Yeah. It's so hard for me not to love her. But I won't be a part-time father, so I made a decision."

"Do you still love Rachel?"

"Yes...This is why it's so damn difficult for me."

Mrs. Chasez rubbed JC's back as he let his head fall into his hands. "This is something you and only you can figure out for yourself, honey. And I will be there no matter what."

JC and his mother sat there and talked for a little while longer before deciding to head back home. One the way JC turned the corner when he should have went straight ahead to his house. He had an uneasy feeling and couldn't figure out why. 

"Where are we going?" his mother asked

"I just want to see something."

"You mean someone, don't you?" she teased.

"Please mom." he said. She put both her hands up and shook her head. When he rounded the last corner he noticed that there was a large 'For Sale' sign posted on Laura's front lawn. He also noticed that there was a man standing outside her house tying balloons to an open house sign near the curb. JC stopped the car and sat there stunned. JC's mother was about to ask what was going on but discovered JC was just as curious. He told his mom to wait there and we would be right back. He walked up to the front door where the man was now standing.

"Why hello there, Sir. You must be here for the open house. Please come in." As they walked into the foyer JC looked over at the man and asked, "Is the owner here?" When he turned his head to look for Laura, he was shocked to find that the entire house was empty.

With a glazed look on his face he followed the man around the house. As they went from empty room to empty room JC remembered all the memories that he had shared with her inside those four walls. As they made their way back towards the kitchen, the realtor stopped inside one last room, "This was used as a study and-"

"Personal office." JC finished his sentence.

"Yes. How did you know that?" the realtor asked as he stared at JC. "Oh wow. You must be the man that lives around the corner. The one from that music group right? I didn't recognize you at first. It's so nice to meet you! That was the one specific thing Ms. Charles wanted me to screen for her."

"Which was?"

"She wanted me to make sure that potential buyers weren't interested in who their neighbors were. She wanted to make sure they weren't fans. This way you wouldn't be bothered by nosy neighbors, if you know what I mean."

"Do you know where Ms. Charles is now?"

"That was the one thing that I was not privy to. I was only a number for a Ms. Beckman in California if I had any questions."

"Hallie." JC stated to himself.

"Right. The last time we spoke was this morning when she was on her way to the airport. Ms. Charles did leave me a box that was addressed to you. She asked me to make sure you received it. I was going to mail it off when I left here, but seeing that you are here now I might as well give it to you. Wait here, I'll be right back."

JC stood there praying he was dreaming. The realtor returned with a box that JC immediately recognized as the one in which he had wrapped Laura's birthday gift. He held the box in his arms.

"This letter was also attached to the box." he said as he handed the sealed envelope to JC.

A coupled walked in behind them and the realtor immediately went over to greet them. As he was guiding them in to look at the house, JC took the time to open the letter there. He set the box down on the floor and opened the envelope to read the letter:

JC,

I am sorry this letter is so short. I've been struggling with this for awhile now. And my decision was an extremely hard one to make. I just can't stay here any longer. It's too hard for me to be this close to you and know that I can never be with you. I can't imagine my life without you in it. I lay awake in bed and think of things to come just on the other side of our fences..Birthday parties, family barbecue's, and possibly a wedding reception. Things I find too hard to bear. But I won't go the same route that my father did when things got to hard for him. I know I am stronger than that. I left you some things that I will no longer need. You can do with them as you please. I have no use for them any longer.

You know, I can't get that day in the studio out of my head. The way I looked up as tears rolled slowly down my cheek. I thought about better days and wondered if I'll feel that way again. I remember you looking at me with those eyes I knew so well, always serious, so deep and insightful as though you were always in control. But not that day. You looked so scared, like for once you didn't have the answer. I gazed at you, looking deep into those blue eyes, hoping to understand why. I wondered for a moment if it was all a dream. If I'd wake in the morning and be relieved. You looked at me with a confusion I'd never seen. Slowly pulling me towards you and wiped the tears from my cheek. In that moment I knew it was over. There was nothing else we could say or do that would change things. I don't want to leave without telling you that I will always love you. And I hope that life from this point on will bring you nothing but endless joy and happiness, JC. I'm terrible at goodbye's so I will just say this and be on my way...All my greatest moments have been with you...And the last thing I ever wanted to do was to make you feel anything less than amazing.

Love always,

Laura

JC slowly bent down and opened the box. He was surprised to find every single picture of him and Laura inside. They were mostly all the photos she had placed around the piano of the two of them and Rachel together. There were small trinkets and items that JC had given her throughout the time they had known each other. Earrings he had bought her just because he was thinking of her. The necklace with her name engraved in it. At the bottom of the box was his most recent birthday gift to her. It was a dozen real roses preserved in 24kt gold. He noticed the personalized card he had written to her had never been opened. Sitting behind the vase at the bottom of the box was a small box. He opened it up and lifted up the white cottony cushioning and found three rings attached to a necklace. At a closer glance JC discovered it was their wedding rings.

When he returned outside to his car he handed his mother the box to hold for him. She asked what it was but JC would not speak. He seemed momentarily catatonic as he stared back at Laura's house.

"Are you okay, hun? What happened?"

He took one last look at the house before starting the car and heading home. "She's gone."