Making of A Dad
JC tried to adhere to the same policy Kristin had for years, weekends for family. But with his schedule, he found it difficult to spend every weekend in Santa Cara. She assured him that she understood. He was making a serious attempt at his family responsibilities – and that was what mattered to her.
Chelsea was happy anytime the three of them could be together. The girl seemed to blossom under the teasing affection of the only father figure he had known. She loved sharing time with JC, whether it was challenging him to video games, showing him her latest graphic designs or watching movies with Kristin.
“I hadn’t realized how much she missed a man in her life,” Kristin confessed guiltily one night after she and JC had gone to bed. Chelsea had spent several hours showing JC how she used her graphics programs. It was the teenager’s second passion.
“It couldn’t have been just any man,” JC assured her as she snuggled against him. “It had to be someone she is comfortable with.”
“I guess I felt since I didn’t need a man...”
“Kris, don’t beat yourself up. Chelsea is a lovely girl inside and out. She’s talented. She’s self-confident. She’s smart. You grew up without a father and look at you.”
“I fell for a man who treated me like a precious child most of the time.” She shook her head. “I don’t want that for Chelsea.”
“Chelsea has a sense of direction, her dreams. You have given her the means to fulfill those dreams.”
She sighed heavily.
“And you allowed me into both of your lives.”
“That could be a good thing,” she teased.
JC grinned. “I know I like it a lot.”
“Even though she clobbers you at Snowball?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, even though she clobbers me at Snowball.”
On Chelsea’s next break, JC flew the girl and her mother to Orlando. The teenager was thrilled to spend half a day with the choreographer Robson as he put dancers through their paces. Wade simply added Chelsea to the line-up.
“She’s a natural,” Wade told JC and Kristin when they came to collect Chelsea. “I’d work with her any day.”
Chelsea beamed at the compliment.
“After college,” JC added.
“You never went to college,” the girl protested.
“I’m one of the lucky ones, Chels. But I almost didn’t do the NSYNC gig because I wanted to go to college.”
“But...”
“Thank you for letting Chelsea work with you, Mr. Robson,” Kristin said, cutting her daughter off.
The choreographer grinned at her. “It’s Wade.”
“I appreciate your taking the time for Chelsea, Wade.” the mother stated. “Come along now, Chels.” Firmly taking her daughter’s arm, she led her outside to the car.
Chelsea tossed Wade a wave and a smile. “Thanks!” she called, receiving a wink from the man she admired.
On the drive back to his house, JC was amazed at the constant stream of chatter coming from the backseat. Wound tight with excitement, Chelsea was highly animated.
Sliding a glance to Kristin, he murmured, “When do her batteries give?”
Kristin chuckled. “Once we feed her. She’ll crash and burn.”
“Hey, can we go clubbin?” Chelsea asked from the back, oblivious to their conversation.
“No!” Both adults answered in unison.
“Heh-heh, just thought I’d slip that in.”
“You’re too young – and I’m too old,” Kristin reminded her.
“That’s crap,” Chelsea insisted. “She’s not too old is she, Dad?”
“No, if that was her scene. It’s not, so drop it.” JC flicked the girl a look in the rearview mirror that forbade more club talk.
“You ever see her shake her money maker?” Chelsea ignored his warning. “Shakira’s got nothing on Mom.”
Forgetting himself, he asked, “What?” Shakira had some killer hips...
“Mom never told you? She and Kyle go to belly dance classes.”
“Chelsea!” Kristin protested.
That explained the suppleness and agility Kristin displayed in bed, JC thought.
“Have her do a seven veils dance for you sometime.” Chelsea grinned impishly.
“Chelsea Marie de Carlo...”
“Okay...okay, Mom. Don’t stroke out.” The girl flopped back in her seat, clearly pouting. She was silent for the final fifteen minutes of the drive.
“I’ll order pizza!” Chelsea exclaimed as the trio entered JC’s house.
“Go for it,” JC told her as she headed towards the kitchen. He caught Kristin up against him. “Belly dancing?”
“She was deliberately sexing you up, the little twit.”
“Doesn’t she realize it doesn’t take much?” He laughed – he was incredibly easy where his fiancée was concerned.
“Probably. We thwarted her and she’s getting back at us.”
“What a weapon!” He moved his lower body sensuously against hers. “Belly dancing. Damn, that’s sexy!”
“I started on a dare from Kyle. We both discovered it was fun and a great way to stay in shape.”
JC whispered against her ear. “Some day when we don’t have our brat with us, maybe you’ll demonstrate for me.”
“Me harem girl, you sultan?” she asked breathlessly.
“Oh, yeah…”
“Twenty minutes!” Chelsea called as she came back through the house.
“We are sending her away for college, aren’t we?” he muttered.
Discovering his new ‘daughter’ was a Renthead made it incredibly easy for JC to plan the next family trip. He also learned New York was a place Kristin and Chelsea both enjoyed. “I love the heartbeat of the city,” Kristin told him. So the next time Chelsea had some extended time off, he flew them to New York.
Chelsea got to see Joey in Rent and Joey got to be the first of JC’s band mates to meet his new family. Being a dad himself, Joey seemed at ease with the situation. It never ceased to amaze JC the *NSYNC member who was supposedly the ‘player’ was a loving father.
“You ready for a ready-made family?” Joey asked him.
“I love Kristin and Chelsea,” JC answered.
“That’s a lot of responsibility to take on.
“I’ve never run away from responsibility.”
“You’ve never been a father before,” Joey pointed out. “You’ll be making changes and compromises you may not like.”
JC refused to believe the time would come that he didn’t want to put his new family before his own wants.
It was sort of strange for JC. When he had asked Kristin to the awards show, he had forgotten Chelsea would be with them. She had given him those big puppy dog eyes until he relented and said she could come as well. Then the fight ensued. Chelsea had a lithe dancer’s body and had wanted to show it off. Kristin had refused to let her daughter go looking like a ‘tramp asking for it’. He watched the dynamic between the two, only too glad not to have to join in. Mother and daughter, so different from each other, went toe to toe. He was surprised to see Chelsea never said anything underhanded or hurtful to her mother, as teenagers often did. The dispute had been settled. JC Chasez was a family man.
Now, sitting between his ‘ladies’ as he called them, he noticed Kristin called on her mature poise to stay calm and Chelsea was bouncing with excitement. The girl wasn’t about the celebrity – she was into the adventure.
“You okay, baby?” JC took Kristin’s hand. It was cold. “ You’re like ice.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
“I sorta hafta. I’m presenting.”
“No, I mean, with us… as yours.”
“You are mine.”
“But fans…”
“Will have to understand I have a life.”
Chelsea broke in. “She’ll be fine, Dad. She’ll pull down that famous ‘cool’ mask of hers and blow them away.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence – I think,” Kristin mused.
The red carpet…JC went out one door, his ‘ladies’ and security the other. It was stupid, he grumbled inwardly. He never got to reconnect with his dates until he’d gone through the gauntlet of reporters. Kristin was uncomfortable with this. She shouldn’t have only Chelsea to hold onto. Halfway up the carpet, he turned to bring Kristin to his side, his arm around her waist. With his other hand, he reached for Chelsea’s. Her grateful smile made it worth it. Even the teenager seemed overwhelmed by the crush. He offered her a wink.
“I’m sorry, baby,” he murmured against Kristin’s hair. “I just can't play it their way and leave you hanging.”
He was forced to relinquish his ‘dates’ for the on camera chitchat for various television shows, but he quickly reclaimed them afterwards.
“JC, which one is your date?” someone shouted.
JC smiled and quipped, “Both!”
Justin stepped up and snatched dazed Chelsea’s hand. “Don’t be greedy. I’ll take this one,” he announced.
Chelsea’s eyes turned into big green saucers.
“I do believe this is the first time since she spoke her first word that she’s been speechless,” Kristin laughed.
“Mom!” Chelsea shushed her mother.
“She’s back…”
“Mind?” Justin asked Chelsea, raising their clasped hands.
“I—um—I—no,” the girl stuttered.
“Just remember, J, don’t mess with my daughter,” JC warned, only half-teasing.
Despite being surprised by being Justin’s ‘date’, Chelsea’s natural openness and camaraderie shone though. By the end of the show, he wasn’t Justin Timberlake from *NSYNC. He was Justin, friend of JC.
“No after parties for you, young lady,” Kristin announced after Justin asked for the first dance
“Mom…” Chelsea whined.
“That hasn’t worked in all your SIXTEEN years – and it won’t tonight either.”
“I’m not a baby.”
“No you aren’t. You’re underage.”
JC broke in. “Let’s put it this way. Your mother and I are going home – so you are going home,” he told the disappointed teen.
“You old party pooper,” Chelsea grumbled though her eyes gleamed with mischief.
“Hey, C, she knows you already!” Justin chuckled.
“So, come on, Princess, your pumpkin awaits.” JC tossed a glare at Justin.
“You’re mixing your fairytales, Dad. Cinderella didn’t become a Princess until after her carriage turned into a pumpkin,” Chelsea taunted.
“Dad?” Justin pointed at JC and giggled.
Being a family man could be a royal pain in the ass… “Inside joke, Timberlake. Say goodnight, Chelsea.”
“Good night, Chelsea!” Justin and Chelsea said at the same time, then burst into giggles.
JC merely rolled his eyes and escorted his ‘ladies’ to their car.
“Coolies!” Chelsea giggled as she read a paper the next morning.
“What?” Kristin asked from JC’s lap. Somehow getting him another cup of coffee was lap-worthy.
“’JC Chasez of *NSYNC showed up with two beauties last night’,” the girl read. “’But by the end of the red carpet, band mate Justin Timberlake had claimed one!’.” Chelsea folded the paper to show them the picture.
It was a black and white photograph snapped as they were leaving and discussing Chelsea not attending parties. Kristin was looking at JC lovingly, his arm around her. JC looked stern and serious at Chelsea and Justin. Chelsea gazed adoringly at Justin, who seemed to be taunting JC.
JC and Kristin groaned in unison.
“There’s more!” Chelsea announced. “‘With fresh-faced innocence and a dancer’s body, is this the girl to stop Justin’s recent playboy ways?’.”
JC and Kristin shouted, “No!” in unison.
Chelsea giggled. “Of course not. A girl can dream, can’t she? I need about a million of these to send to non-believers. Can I borrow the car, Dad? Please? I need to get some more copies.”
“No, to the car. I don’t know who’d lie in wait for you. And, yes, to more copies. I’ll have them delivered.”
“Okay, Thanks!” She hopped up from her chair. “May I be excused?”
“Sure,” JC answered automatically.
Kristin waited until she heard Chelsea’s footfalls on the stairs, then she kissed JC. “Well done, Mr. Chasez.”
“What?”
“You handled that very nicely. In fact, you’ve handled this fatherhood role incredibly well.”
He rubbed his hand over her flat tummy. “I’m practicing for ours. I got to go through teenage first. The rest should be a cakewalk.”
“You think?” she asked, clearly knowing better.
“No, I’m sure every age has its own set of challenges.”
“Amen. But you do have good instincts.”
“With Chelsea, I take my cues from you.”
Kristin’s lips were a whisper from his. “ How many are we having?” she asked.
“Let’s start with one, maybe two if we have twins, and go from there.”
“Hey, down there! Quit neckin’ and get my newspapers!” Chelsea yelled down the stairs.
“Get used to it, Chasez. You don’t get any rest from that once they start talking!” Kristin reminded him with a grin.