I Got What You Need

I Got What You Need - Part 15  

            The following tale is a written record of thoughts running rampant in my imagination that I wish to share with the world - in other words, none of the following is true (and if it is, I don't know about it). Any personalities or entities that parallel any real individual(s) ought not be taken as factual information, but should be recognized purely as a creation of the author.
If anyone is reading this, and alternative material is personally objective to you, or illegal in your area, immediately stop reading and leave.  If this doesn't apply to you, feel welcome to respond with praise and/or criticism (jonedwardlicious@yahoo.com).

I Got What You Need
(Part XV)

Justin Timberlake

            I get back into town and found out that I have to leave before I even have time to unpack.

             When Joey picks me up from the airport, he tells me that we have to go to L.A. for a week for some fashion show and something related to our hosting the Billboard Awards.  I was looking forward to having a relatively light schedule for the rest of the year -- host the Billboard Awards, perform at Jive's Christmas party.  After all, next year is going to be a real bitch.

             "Oh yeah. Lance told me that Thomas and JC got into it a couple of nights ago." Joey said.

             I start to ride him about not asking about my trip, but this news sounds more interesting than my week in Louisiana with Britney.

             "What happened," I ask.

             "Lance didn't tell me any details, but he said that Thomas pissed JC off over sex.  JC got mad, took back the keys to his Benz, and drove halfway to Atlanta."

             I'm not surprised that those two are fighting over sex.  It was probably over anal sex, too -- after all, it's hard not to have a conflict when you have two tops trying to have a relationship; well, I'm pretty sure that they're both tops. I'm sure that both of them are nymphos, though -- as much as they have sex, I'm surprised that they can pee straight.

             "Well, are they all right?"

             "As of now, no.  JC is over at Lance's, and Thomas is somewhere."

             "Well, I'm going to try his cell."  I pull out my cell phone and hit the speed dial. Thomas picks up after the second ring.

             "Thomas Dublin speaking."

             "What's up, T.  It's Justin."

             "What's up, Just?"

             "Well, I just got back in town and heard that all wasn't well in lala land for you.  What's up?"

             "Damn that got around fast!  Well, JC and I had a little spat, but we'll be all right.  But, how was Louisiana?"

             "Mostly boring.  I had to fight over Britney's little sister -- she's obsessive!  She actually cut off a lock of my hair while I was asleep.  I promise that if Britney wasn't one of my best friends..."

             "Well Just, I hate to cut you off, but I'm on the road right now.  How about I call you later."

             "Well, what are you doing right now?"

             "I'm on my way back to JC's."

             Back to JC's?  Where was he before?  "T, how about you come over to my place for breakfast."

             I hear nothing for about five seconds. "Okay, I'll be over in about ten minutes.

*     *     *

Thomas Dublin

             About fifteen minutes after I pull into Justin's driveway, Joey and Justin pull in behind me.

             I get out of my rental Acura.  "Well, it's about time you get home! I was about to leave."

             "Well, there was an accident on I-10, so we had to detour."

             I actually thought he was calling me from home, but I decide to let it go before I get really confused.

             "So, I got to wait on you to cook breakfast?"

             "Well, cereal doesn't take long to make."

              I can't believe Justin invited me over for Apple Jacks.

             "Come on, Thomas," Justin says, as he opens his front door.

             I look back at Joey.  "Isn't Joey coming in?"

             "Nah. Joey has things to do."  Almost as if on cue, Joey starts up his Navigator, and pulls off.  I wave to the Italian, and he waves back before driving off to the rest of his day.

             "Come on, Thomas."

             I follow Justin into the house and into the kitchen.

             "Man, am I hungry!  I really don't like to eat airplane food, and Britney's mom is on some health food kick.  No cereal, no cookies... how can a young man live with that?"

             "Well, do you have anything to eat besides cereal," I ask.  I haven't eaten cereal since college - I think I'm burned out on cereal.

             "I think there's some bagels in the fridge."

             I go over to the fridge and grab the bag of cinnamon/raisin bagels and the cream cheese.  Justin hands me a knife and plate on my way to the table.

             "Do you want something to drink," he asks.

             "Yeah. Water."

             I cut and lightly dot a bagel with cream cheese.  Justin hands me my water and sits across from me.  I look at his bowl -- Apple Jacks.

             After a spoonful of cereal, Justin opens his mouth.  "So, what happened with you and JC?"

             Here we go...  "We just had a spat."

             "Nope, I'm not going for it.  Joey told me that JC was halfway to Atlanta over this; so, what happened?"

             He's not going to let it go.  "Well, JC wanted to experiment a little.  I was unwilling, and he got mad."

             "Well, since you and JC are a new couple, I'll let that fly.  But I think it was more than that."

             He does?  "Well, what makes you think that?"

             "For JC to get mad enough to leave the state, it has to be pretty big.  Like when I told his parents that he was gay -- JC drove all the way to Chicago.  We almost had to cancel a date on the "No Strings Attached" Tour over that."

             "Well Justin, I think that, in that case, he had plenty reason to be pissed off." I can't believe that Justin outed JC to his parents!  But, yes I can -- it probably "slipped out".

             "Well, Thomas, perhaps I shouldn't have said anything, but he told my mother that I was having sex with Britney."

             Oh really???  "I know this is off subject, but - I thought that Britney was a lesbian?"

             "She is. She came to that realization after our third time.  Or rather, she realized that she really wasn't into guys after our third try at it."

             "Whoa.  That must have really fucked with your ego."

             "At first it did.  But I see that Britney is happier as a lesbian, and sometimes, she lets me watch her and whoever she's licking go at it."

             "Ewwww."

             "Don't knock it until you tried it -- watching two lesbians go at it is a major turn-on."

             "Well, I'll take your word for it, because I'll NEVER try to find out for myself -- I'm strictly dickly."

             "Oh yeah. I forgot.  If only you knew what you were missing..."

             I just realized something.  The music industry has got to be the freakiest field.  Since I've been in music, I've met more homosexuals than there ever was in my old neighborhood in Chicago. I've heard about different entertainers practicing S&M, I've heard about ménage trois, foursomes, even eight-somes (Ludacris and Jermaine Dupri told me about that one).  But anyway...

             "I didn't know that you weren't a virgin."

             "You didn't ask.  Anyway, she was my first and only."

             "Well, have you thought about dating again?"

             "Not really.  My mom tells me that I need to get out and find a nice girl, but I really don't have time.  I'm working most of the year, and I spend the rest of my time with family and friends.  And that's enough for me right now."

             "I can respect that."

             "Well, when do you think you'll resolve things with JC?"

             "I don't know. I called the house this morning after I picked up my rental car, but he wasn't there."

             "JC spent the night at Lance's place.  But, where were you if you weren't at JC's"

             "I spent the night at Nick's."

             "Nick Carter?"

             "Yep.  After our studio time yesterday, we went out and had drinks. Then, I crashed at his place -- well, at Brian's guesthouse -- until this morning, when he took me back to pick up my car."

             "Oh."  Justin said it in a melancholy sort of way.

             "What's up Justin?  Don't you and Nick get along?"

             "Yeah, he's cool.  I actually get along with Howie and AJ more so than Nick -- I guess it's hard for two pretty boys to be friends."

             "Hey!  Aren't we friends?"

             "Oh, yeah.  Well, you're not really pretty -- you're handsome, distinguished..."

             "And you and Nick are girly, right?"

             "Screw you, dude."

             "Hey, that's how it's sounding to me."

             "Whatever."

             "Whatever, man."

Nick Carter

             After Thomas and I picked up our cars from The High Place, I practically flew over to Kevin's -- he can cop a serious attitude when someone's late for a group meeting.  I made it in time, but I still was the last one there.

             "It's about time you made it, Nicky."  Kevin said as I walked out on his patio.  I saw a nice breakfast spread next to table where the other guys were sitting. I stacked a plate with food and sat down next to AJ.

             "Now that Nick is here," AJ started, "can you please tell us why we're here at nine in the morning?"

             Kevin stood up in front of the table. "Well, I've called this meeting because some of us have personal issues that are adversely affecting the group.  It's one thing to have to deal with various issues, but to have it affect the group is another thing."

             "Shit," Brian muttered.

             "What was that, Brian?"  Howie said.

             Brian spoke up. "Are we going to talk about this same ol' shit again?  I personally feel that we've worn this thing out.  `Deal with your issues', `stop being an asshole', and so forth."

             "Well, if you would deal with your shit, then we wouldn't have to have these meetings about it, now would we?" Kevin said.

             "Well, I can't speak for the rest of you, but I've dealt with mine," Brian said. "I'm madly in love with my beautiful wife, and that's that.  The things I've done in the past were just a phase."

             "So you didn't love me, Brian," Howie asked.  He stood up from his chair. "We spent three fucking years together!  We had so many plans for our lives.  I know you cared for me as deeply as I cared for you. So DON"T sit here and dismiss what we shared as a phase!"

             "D, you know I loved you, but it wasn't meant to be.  I'll always love you as a friend, but God meant for me to be with a special woman.  God opened my eyes to Leanne."

             "Man, this is the type of shit I'm talking about!" AJ shouted.  "This muthafucker can't even fucking admit that he's bisexual. He spent three years all about dick, but suddenly forgets that aspect of his life once he gets turned out by some good pussy!"

             "Fuck you, man." Brian said.

             AJ turns to Brian. "You've been a self-centered prick since you got married.  You repeatedly seek out opportunities to make Howie feel like shit because he's secure in his sexuality and you're not."

            "I am secure in my sexuality!  The Bible assures me of that..."

            "Get the fuck out of here with that copout!"

             "So now you're assaulting the Bible?"

             "I'm talking about you, asshole.  You're using God and your wife to cover up a part of your life that you're suddenly ashamed of.  You need to get a grip."

             Here we go again.  Every other week, we have a meeting which generally follows the same script -- Kevin urges everyone to deal with their personal issues, someone expresses frustrations, Brian makes some asshole comment, then AJ and Brian go back and forth.  I could've been at home catching a few more winks.

             My cell phone is buzzing.  "Hold up, guys," I said.  "I have a call."

             I get up and go into the kitchen.  I take my phone from my pocket and flip it open.

             "Hello, Nick Carter speaking."

             "Hi, baby."

             I start to feel warm all over.  "Hi babe.  I haven't heard from you in a while.  How's the tour?"

             "It's a tour.  The first two dates went pretty well, so we're praying that the rest of the tour will be as good."

             "Cool.  Where are you headed next?"

             "Well, we do Detroit tonight, then Chicago Saturday."

             "Well, I can't wait until next month to see you, babe."

             "I know -- it's been too long.  Well, we're here at the radio station.  I'll call you after our show tonight."

             "Okay.  I love you."

              "I love you too."

             I hit the end button and place the phone back into my pocket.  I go back out to the patio to see Kevin huffing and puffing.

             "Whether you agree with the life someone is living, Brian, you have to remember that we all have to respect each other.  You fail to realize that I'm also a Christian.  I believe in the same God and the same Bible as you.  But, God said that we ought to `love your brother as yourself'; and by your snide little comments, you aren't doing that."

             "Right on, Kevin," AJ said.

             "And you," Kevin said, turning to AJ, "you've been acting like a brat.  `They're making fun of my drinking', `Brian is being an asshole', `They're saying "this" and "that" about me' -- man, suck it up.  Stop crying like a little bitch and be a man!"

             AJ picked up his orange juice and took a swallow -- probably to try to get the red out of his face.

             "You two," Kevin started, indicating AJ and Brian, "have let personal shit get in the way of work.  You know it's bad when our producer is second-guessing working with us because he sees that ½ the group is too distracted to even put forth an half-assed effort."

             "Has it really been that bad?" AJ said.

             "Yes, it has," Kevin replied.  "Thomas is a very good producer and songwriter, and he's also very honest.  But you and Brian wouldn't know that, because you spend more of your studio time on other shit that should be taken care of on your own personal time."

             "Damn," AJ said.

             "We have to be in the studio at two o'clock today -- that's a little over four hours from now.  Use those four hours to think about everything that we've discussed this morning.  And, leave all the bullshit at home."

             We all get up to leave.  Brian and AJ are the first out the door, of course.  Then I leave Howie and Kevin out on the patio and head to my car.  Hopefully, some of what Kevin said will have gotten through to Brian and AJ by two.

To Be Continued...