THE POLAROID

CHAPTER 9

It had been a little over three months since Kerri had quit her job and found a new home for herself and her crew over at 104.7FM. Things were going extremely well. Her show’s popularity was booming and it had expanded over on to the internet.

Justin had been away in Europe doing shows along with impromptu concerts for the fans to help boost sales, which seemed to be working, because anytime Kerri turned on the TV there was always news about how much the UK loved JT.

Kerri could tell that the constant performances and going from one city to the next night after night was starting to take its toll on him. He would call to talk to her and midway through their routine 'how are you's' he would dose off. And even after the 10th time he'd done it, Kerri would still answer the phone. She knew he would end up dosing off in the first five minutes, but she didn't care. This was her friend. She wanted to be there for him, when he reached out to her. And he did the same. No matter whom he was with, or what meeting he was in the middle of, he would stop to answer her call.

He hadn't been home in months and couldn't wait to get back to the states to take a couple weeks off for some much needed rest. His grandmother's birthday was approaching and he wanted to go back home to Tennessee to surprise her on that special day. He asked Kerri to go with him. At first, it was an absolute no, because she didn't want to intrude on his family, but after speaking to his mother on the phone later on that week, she agreed and had Serena and the crew play a few of the older shows while she was out of town. Kerri had yet to meet Mrs. Harless. They had talked on the phone briefly here and there when she would answer Justin's phone by his own request, and the two of them seemed to have a few laughs in those brief moments.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Why you so nervous?" he looked over at her as he drove them to Justin’s mom’s house.

"I feel awkward being here, Justin. This is your family. It feels wrong."

"My mom invited you. Not everyone coming to the party is going to be family, Kerri. Stop trippin' and just relax."

Kerri couldn't help but laugh. Justin looked at her with raised eyebrows. "It's just that ever since we got off the plane, your accent is suddenly more prominent than it had been back home. I just think it’s funny."

Kerri looked up at the house as they got out of the car. His mom’s house was located in an estate-type subdivision twenty miles outside Memphis. It was brick, of a goodly but not ostentatious size, and had a Tudor feel to it, with a neatly manicured front yard.

Justin motioned towards the house with his head, "Come on." Kerri followed closely behind him as he entered the house. "Yo, Momma!"

"In here!" a sweet, southern voice called out. Justin took Kerri's bag from her hand and placed it next to his by the front door and tugged her arm to follow him.

Inside, Lynn had done the place up with statues on tables, comfy couches and a few framed photographs of Justin, which he turned face down as they walked through the hallway. He walked into the kitchen where his mother was dicing up tomatoes to put into a salad. He walked over and hugged his mother tightly before kissing her on the cheek and wrapping his arm around her shoulder motioning towards Kerri. "Mom, this is Kerri. Kerri, my momma."

"Hi. How are you?" Kerri smiled putting her hand out to shake Lynn's.

Lynn wiped her hands on a nearby towel and pushed her hand away before leaning over to hug her. Kerri was pleasantly surprised by the gesture and hugged back gently. The two women were about the same height. Lynn's bushy hairdo made her just an inch taller than Kerri. She couldn't help but notice that Justin's mom didn't dress like any of her friends' mother's. She seemed more in tune with the latest trends, which was both cool and disturbing at the same time. "It's nice to actually meet the sweet voice that I hear over the phone all the time. How was your trip?"

"It was nice. As soon as we hit our seats, Justin fell right to sleep and snored the entire way here." She laughed.

Justin grabbed a piece of tomato off the salad and plopped it in his mouth before poking Kerri in the side and heading towards the fridge. In the midst of her conversation with Kerri, Lynn looked over and scolded Justin, "Don't touch anything on the third shelf! I'm making that for your Granny's party tomorrow."

Kerri offered her help in the kitchen as Justin made himself comfortable in the other room. About ten minutes later there was a knock at the front door. Kerri could hear Justin and an older female in the hall talking as they made their way towards the kitchen. "Hey, Lynn. I brought over most of the fruit you had on this list. They were all out of seedless watermelons though, along with the kiwi's and apricots."

"We'll just have to rush over to the farmer's market before they close then, Belinda. Did you meet Kerri, yet?"

Kerri turned around and waved at the light haired woman standing in front of her. She looked really familiar, but Kerri couldn't place her face. "This is Belinda. She's Trace's mom."

Kerri's face immediately lit up as she shook the woman's hand. "Oooh! That’s why you looked so familiar!"

"Trace says you left quite an impression on him and Justin the first time you met."

Kerri's face turned red and she recalled that fateful night. As the four of them continued to talk, Kerri discovered that Belinda was a puppy breeder. She and Lynn had been best friends since they were fifteen. "Yeah, he and Justin have been brothers since they were embryo's. They even look alike...It's terrible."

Kerri and Justin momentarily left the two women in the kitchen so he could show her the rest of the house. Upstairs on a balcony was his full-size Revenge From Mars pinball machine. In the living room, two TV sets face each other, with two back-to-back easy chairs situated between them; this is where Justin and Trace, played Halo on the Xbox. This is where he felt most normal...At home with mom and childhood friends. As soon as they pulled up in the driveway earlier all the tension in his face disappeared. She’d catch it in glimpses when they were back in LA and was happy to see it again.

When they returned back downstairs, they encountered Lynn and Belinda on their way out the door.

"I gotta get to the store, before they close or I won't be ready for the party tomorrow. We'll be back soon."

Kerri grabbed her jacket and went out the front door. Justin had grabbed his keys and was locking up when his mother looked at him strangely and asked "Where are you going?"

Kerri chimed in before he could answer, "I promised him that I would take him out to eat when we got into town. I owe him."

Lynn nodded and covertly elbowed her friend as they stood and watched the two hop into Justin's Jeep. He had on a pair of Khakis along with a button down baby blue shirt and Kerri had changed into a nice floral spring dress that came a couple inches above her knee with a pair high-heeled espadrilles. The straps were settled close to the edge of her shoulders, accenting the small charm necklace she wore around her neck that resembled a Treble CLEF music symbol.

Belinda sat in the car putting on her seatbelt, watching them pull out of the driveway. "He is actually letting her drive his car?"

"Yep." Lynn responded as she put the car in drive.

"Uh huh...And they're only friends?" Belinda asked with a crooked smile.

Lynn chuckled lightly as they drove off down the street, "Now I can see where your son gets it."

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

"I love this kind of weather."

"Yeah. It's not too hot. Not too cold. Just in between. Perfect for being outside." She smiled, finishing up her slice of chocolate cake and ice cream.

The restaurant was right near the river. They had a back area outside designated for warmer night when patron’s wanted to dine out in the moonlight. Right near the rivers’ edge stood a stage where a band played most of the evening and couples could literally dance together beneath the stars. Justin leaned back in his chair and pushed his arms out to stretch before rubbing his full gut and trying to cover up his belch with his hand. Kerri looked around to see if anyone heard and looked back and glared at him.

"My bad. So why did you bring me here, anyway?"

"Trace gave me a list of restaurants in town and crossed out all the non-friendly Timberlake establishments and there were only like two left that he knew of where people wouldn't bother you for an autograph and all that jazz."

He looked around. There were a few groups of people who looked to be close to his mother age, but it was generally a senior couples type of crowd. He looked back down in his plate chuckling. "I'll have to hurt him later."

"What'd you say?" she asked turning her attention off of the people dancing and back towards him.

"Nothing. It's nice." He smiled at here.

Kerri caught herself staring down at his lips and shook her head, pushing the dirty thoughts she was having out of her mind. "If you want some attention, I'm sure we could stop by a mall on the way back. I could do my best impression of a fainting obsessed fan. Attract an entire crowd of people over and let them maul you until the cops show up...It can be arranged."

"Maybe tomorrow..." He smiled coyly, showing his pearly whites. Kerri was instantly reminded of that infamous moment in their "Bye Bye Bye" video when he is about to be chased by dogs and looks at the camera and smiles. She would remind herself later to kill Serena for forcing her to watch the video with her a million times.

"No, seriously. It's nice. That's why I like to come home. Everyone in the neighborhood treats me no different than they did when I was five. I need that sometimes. I guess that's why I hang out with you so much."

"Damn and for a minute there I thought it was because I was so damn sexy." Kerri joked.

The both sat quietly finishing up their wine. Both taking time to stare up at the stars. The band had returned from their short break and started to play. Kerri hummed along with the music and Justin tapped his foot to the slow beat. A couple in their late 60's was making their way to the dance floor and spotted Kerri smiling at them. The woman stopped and pulled Justin up to his feet. "Come on and dance you two. Or are you afraid you won't be able to keep up with us old timers?"

"We'll just have to try our best." Justin smiled as he helped Kerri out of her chair, placing his hand on the small of Kerri's back to lead her out onto the dance floor. He wrapped his arm around her back and took her hand in his own and they started to move. Justin couldn't figure out how he knew the melody to the song that seemed older than him. The band was only playing the instrumental at first until finally the woman sitting at the piano leaned in closer to the mic and began to sing:

Time...

I've been passing time watching trains go by,

All of my life...

Lying on the sand, watching seabirds fly

Wishing there would be

Someone waiting home for me...

Chorus:

Something's telling me it might be you

It's telling me it might be you...

All of my life...

Justin sang a word here and there along with Kerri to the chorus. She smiled at his recognition. The two of them intently watched the couple next to them twirl around the floor like pro's. Kerri and Justin tried and failed when Kerri's feet betrayed her. They decided to stick with what they knew.

Looking back as lovers go walking past...

All of my life...

Wondering how they met and what makes it last

If I found the place

Would I recognize the face?

Chorus:

Something's telling me it might be you

It's telling me it might be you...

All of my life...

"Where the hell do I know this song from?" He asked himself aloud.

"Tootsie. It’s an old 80’s film with Dustin Hoffman in it.”

"Oh Yeah! My mom loves that movie. She used to have me sit with her on the couch when I was little to watch it with her. It always seems to make her laugh…Even though she's seen it 50 times."

Bridge:

So many quiet walks to take

So many dreams to wake

And we've so much love to make

I think we're gonna need some time

Maybe all we need is time...

And it's telling me it might be you

All of my life...

Justin moves closer towards Kerri and she finds herself staring at him again. His lips parted slightly as placed his fingers on her necklace, slightly adjusting it so that it was straight.

“Thanks.” She smiles at him and he grins back, his hand settling on her back, but this time more firmly against her skin.

Kerri slightly shivered, goose bumps now forming on her skin. Justin tilted his to the side. “You cold?” he asked, fighting his own shiver as his hand smoothed down her back.

They were both momentarily unable to speak. Finally Justin interrupted the awkward silence and said, "So…Hypothetical question.”

Kerri looked at him to continue. Justin was staring down at her, his eyes scanning her face and he wondered how he never noticed the softness in her eyes or the smoothness of her skin before. He’d have to make sure he didn’t have any more to drink tonight. He must have been drunk. This was his friend. She didn’t see him as anything else. "Let's say I'm just this average guy you don't know and I'm walking past you down the street and we stop...talk…Exchange numbers. What about me would have attracted you."

Kerri thought about it or a moment and came up with an answer. "Your mouth." she confessed softly and her honesty made him smile.

"My mouth?" he questioned, wanting her to elaborate.

His tongue snaked out to lick his lips slowly and Kerri’s eyes studied him as he did it. There were those naughty thoughts from before, creeping back up to the surface. No more wine for her tonight. “Yeah.” She replied finally.

"Not my boyish charms, my confidence, or hilarious sense of humor?"

"No. There has to be something about you that makes me want to stop. I wouldn't know about those things until I actually talked to you…But your mouth." Kerri looks towards his lips again. "It says a lot. Like with one smile I can sometimes see how embarrassed and flattered you are at those awkward times when people come up with the strangest comments. Or how when you lick at your bottom lip you are either very worried or upset about something. I can see all this just be watching your mouth." she said awkwardly, her eyes flicking around and Justin suddenly realized that he had been staring and not speaking.

He was impressed. He tried not to think of how warm her skin felt against his, but he was perilous to stop his mind from going to dark places as he thought about her back rubbing against the back seat of his jeep as he hovers over panting. He pushed the thoughts out of his mind, reminding himself that this was his friend. He licked his lips lightly. "What else can see?"

Kerri looked down at his mouth studying it and looked deep into his eyes with a cocky grin, "I can see how badly you want to kiss me right now."

"Oh shut the hell up." he laughed, spinning her out and around and then back again.

The bottom of her dress rose up just enough to make him curious to see what she had on underneath. The two laughed lightly and continued to dance.

I've been saving love songs and lullabies

And there’s so much more

No one's ever heard before...

The thought had briefly crossed his mind. "Must you be so sarcastic all the time?"

Kerri's smile slightly faded as she looked away from him towards the water, "It's a shield. I use it to keep myself from getting hurt."

"You know you have no reason to think I would hurt you right? You’re my friend. I can only hope that I bring you as much happiness as you've brought me."

"Yeah, I know. But I use it so much that even when I'm not trying to be facetious, it comes out that way." Her eyes drifted down to his lips once more.

Justin questioned to himself whether she was hinting about him wanting to kiss her. His eyes drifted down towards her lips as they continued to dance.

Maybe it's you...

I’ve been waiting for all of my life

CHAPTER 10