Pop Odyssey
By Neko
Part 6
“Come on Chris, Kim invited us over for dinner.”
Brandi said pushing Chris out the door. Once outside Chris followed
her willingly to the car. Brandi opened the door and he got in.
When they got to Kim’s, she greeted them with a smile. JC was
at her side. Kim led them into the living room. JC seemed curious about
Chris. “So how are you and JC getting along?” Brandi asked.
“We’re getting along great.” Kim said setting the
table. “Chris is learning slowly.”’ Brandi said watching
Chris play with Kim’s lamp. Kim laughed. JC sat on the couch and
watched the older man, as he played with everything in wonderment.
“Come eat, boys.” Kim yelled. They both looked at her but
JC was the only one that got up and went to the table. “Chris
come here.” Brandi said. The Chris got up and joined them.
When they were done JC cleaned the table off. “You’ve trained
him well.” Brandi said. “I didn’t do it; he’s
been that way since I got him.” Kim explained. “You got
lucky.” Brandi said. “I knew he was the one I wanted.”
Kim joked.
Mandy was hard at work. She was working on the news in the year 2000.
When she ran across a picture. It caught her eye mainly because one
of the guy in the photo. She read the caption. “In 200 the pop
group, Nsync broke records with their album No Strings Attached. The
members, Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, Chris Kirkpatrick
and Lance Bass are idols for teen girls everywhere.” Mandy read
out loud. She looked closely at the picture then at Lance. “Lance
Bass?” Mandy questioned. She quickly did a search for his name
on the Internet. It came back with a picture just of him.
She printed it out and took it over to where Lance was. She held the
picture up and looked at it them him. “Oh, my god, you’re
him.” Mandy said. She looked at the group picture again. “And
that’s Justin and Chris.” She added. “ I have to call
Kat.” Mandy said running to get the phone.
“Kat get Justin and come over here, I have got something to show
you.” Mandy said. “Is something wrong?” Kat asked.
“No, just come over.” Mandy said and then hung up. Kat grabbed
Justin’s hand and then headed for Mandy’s. Mandy meet them
at her door. “Get in here.” She said pulling them into the
living room. Lance waved at them. “I found this in my research.”
Mandy said handing Kat the photo. “Hey that’s Justin and
Lance.” Kat said. “And Chris. They were part of a really
popular guy group back in 2000.” Mandy said.
“Really?” Kat asked. “Yeah, this might sound really
crazy but I think we should put the group back together again. We could
make tons of money.” Mandy said. “Yeah, but we would have
to find the other two men. There’s no telling where they ended
up.” Kat said. “Let’s talk it over with Brandi first.”
Mandy said.
Justin took the picture from Kat and looked at it. He pointed to himself
in confusion. “That’s you sweetie.” Kat said. Justin
smiled. “There would be so much to teach them before they could
be a group again.” Kat said. “They learn fast.” Mandy
said. “We’ll try it; I can always go back to my writing.”
Kat said. “Yeah, I’ll see if Brandi is home.” Mandy
said getting the phone.
“No, answer.” Mandy said hanging up. “We’ll
talk to her tomorrow.” Kat said realizing how late it was. “The
group was called Nsync.” Mandy said. “That’s an interesting
name for a music group.” Kat said. “Yeah.” Mandy replied.
“We better go home, call us tomorrow, when you get a hold of Brandi.”
Kat said heading for the door. ‘Okay, we’ll meet here and
talk about it.” Mandy said. “Okay, see you later.”
Kat said then left with Justin.
Mandy turned to Lance. “Just think about how much money we could
make and how much fun it will be.” Mandy said holding both of
his hands. Lance just looked at her in awe. “You are so cute.”
Mandy said kissing his soft cheek.
The next day Mandy finally got a hold of Brandi. “Please come
over this is important.” Mandy said over the phone. “What
is it?” Brandi asked. “We’ll tell you when you get
here. Bring Chris with you.” Mandy said. “Fine, but this
better be good.” Brandi said. “It is, you’ll like
it.” Mandy said then hung up. She quickly called Kat and told
her to come over.
Kat met Brandi at Mandy’s door. “What’s going on?”
Brandi asked. “I’ll let Mandy tell you. It was her idea.”
Kat said. Mandy opened the door and they went inside. The girls sat
down at the table while the guys sat down next to Lance in front of
the TV. “So what is it?” Brandi asked. Mandy handed her
the picture. “Chris, Justin, and Lance were part of a music group.
We want to put the group back together again.” Mandy said.
Brandi eyed the picture. She soon recognized JC. “I know where
this guy is.” Brandi said. “You do?” Kat asked. “Yeah.
I’m pretty sure my friend Kim bought him.” Brandi said.
“Are you sure it’s him?” Mandy asked. “I’m
pretty sure.” Brandi said. “Call her, see if she’ll
come over.” Kat said. “Brandi got up and went over to the
phone.
“Kim how would you like to quit your job?” Brandi asked.
“Id love to but you know I can’t.” Kim said. “You
might be able to.’ Brandi said. “What? How?” Kim asked.
“It’s kind of hard to explain. Bring JC and come over to
my neighbor Mandy’s apartment. She’s in apartment 326.”
Brandi said. “It’ll be a few minutes but I’ll be there.
This better be good.” Kim said. “Good, I’ll see you
when you get here.” Brandi said and then hung up.
“She’s coming.” Brandi said joining them at the table
again. “Great, I hope this all works out.” Mandy said. “The
only one we would need to find would be this one.” Kat said pointing
to Joey. “How hard could that be?” Brandi asked. Kat felt
Justin pull on her arm. “What is it Justin?” Kat asked.
Justin rubbed his stomach and pointed to his mouth. “He must be
hungry. I’ll see if I can find him something.” Mandy said.
“We don’t want to trouble you.’ Kat said. “No,
worries. I’m sure they are all hungry.” Mandy said going
into the kitchen. Justin followed her.
A few minutes later Justin walked out carrying a sandwich. Mandy came
out shortly after carrying a plateful. “Come and get a sandwich
you two.” Mandy yelled at Chris and Lance. They both turned at
looked at her then jumped up when they say what she had. Justin moved
to avoid getting run over by them. He was standing near Kat eating.
Kat looked over at him. “Are you happy now?” She asked.
Justin smiled and nodded. “He understands you?” Brandi asked.
“I would think so I talk to him all of the time, weather he listens
or not.” Kat said.
There was a knock at the door. ‘That must be Kim.” Brandi
said. “I’ll get it.” Mandy said opening the door.
“Hi, Brandi told me to come over.” Kim said not sure that
she had the right apartment. “Yeah, Hi I’m Mandy.”
Mandy said shaking her hand. She moved so Kim could come in. JC was
close behind her. “Hi, this is Kat.” Brandi said pointing
to Kat. “It’s nice to meet you.” Kat said. “Same
here, so what’s going on?” Kim asked.
“JC and the others were part of a musical group a long time ago,
we want to put the group back together.” Mandy said handing her
the picture. JC looked over her shoulder at it. Then he looked over
at Justin and Lance who were eating on the couch.
“I don’t know what if it doesn’t work?” Kim
asked. “We’ll keep our job we have now until we know for
sure that it’s going to work. That way we have something to fall
back on.” Mandy explained. “But that means cutting out all
the over time so we can work on the group.” Brandi said. “We
can try it. But there’s one missing.” Kim said. “I
know people I’ll look for him first things in the morning.”
Kat said.
“Great, let talk about a plan of action.” Mandy said. “Well
Mandy they can’t even talk let alone sing.” Brandi said.
“So we’ll teach them to talk.” Mandy said. “And
how do we do that?” Kim asked. “I don’t know.”
Mandy said giving up. “Here’s an idea,” Kat said,
“Since we can’t get going on the group until I find the
other one. Why don’t we call it a day and when I find him we can
get back together. Meanwhile we all can work with our guys and see if
we can get them to talk.”
“Okay that’ll work, I guess.” Mandy said. “Good,
I’m going home then.” Brandi said. “Me too.”
Kim added. “Okay I’ll call you when we need to get back
together.” Mandy said. “Okay, I’ll go too and maybe
start looking today.” Kat said taking Justin’s hand. Once
everyone was gone Mandy turned to Lance. He smiled at her. “I
will teach you to talk and sing again, don’t you worry.”
Mandy said sitting next to him on the couch.
When Kat and Justin got back home, Justin came to her with his leash.
“Not right now we have work to do.’ Kat said shaking her
head. He persisted to hold it out to her. “No.” Kat said
kissing him on the forehead. Kat watched as his mouth seemed to try
to form the words but nothing came out. This was the first sign he’d
given her of the desire to speak. She smiled and then walked past him.
She went in to her study and sat down at her computer. Justin came in
and got his pad of paper and pencil from the shelf where he kept them.
He sat down on the floor beside Kat’s desk and started drawing.
He was getting better; his scribbles were starting to make shaped. Kat
did a search using the name Mandy had given her. While the computer
ran the search, Kat looked down at Justin. She got down beside him.
She carefully laid her hand over his and moved it across the paper.
When she was done Justin looked at her. She ran her finger across the
letters. “That’s your name.” Kat said. Justin looked
at it. “Justin.” Kat said pointing out each letter. Justin
pointed to himself. Kat nodded to him. “Can you say it?”
She asked knowing he didn’t know the question. Kat made him look
at her while she repeated his name slowly. Kat finally gave up and got
back in her chair.
The search came back with several men with that name. She flipped through
the picture until she found the only one that resembled the man in the
photo. She was pleased to find he was on Oleander. Justin got up and
laid his not pad in front of her. Kat picked it up and looked at it.
Kat felt her heart flutter. He’d copied her movement on a new
sheet of paper. Then some how recalled a few other shapes from the back
of his mind. The picture looked as if a 5-year-old had made it, but
Kat knew what he had meant. It sweetly said, “Justin Heart U.”
“You are too much, I love you too.” Kat said.
Kat opened her arm and Justin quickly got in them. She hugged him. He
tried to repeat his name knowing it would please her more. Kat couched
him until he got the just of it. “Now, I have work to do.”
Kat said realizing the day was almost gone. Justin smiled and then ran
and got his leash. “What part of I have work to do, do you not
understand?” Kat asked “Justin.” He said as if to
impress her. “I guess I owe you something for doing so well.”
Kat said taking the leash from him. She put it on him and then headed
for the park. “We’ll stay for a little bit.” Kat said.
Kim set the table for dinner. “Just think JC a real music group.”
Kim said. JC sat down and smiled at her. “I wander how hard it
will be to teach you to talk?” Kim asked herself. JC was afraid
to try to speak so he remained quite.
