They used to say we were out of touch
Now everyone wants to be like us
Not afraid to let it show
So everybody, everybody knows
And everybody knows this love's for sure
There's no searching anymore
And no one never doubts you're mine, I'm yours
It's the one thing that's for sure
And everyone we know says all the time
They wish they had a love like yours and mine
                                    ---"Everybody Knows"- Westlife
 

“And most of all I want to thank the most important person in my life…my everything…my beautiful wife Ali.  I thank God everyday for bringing you to me.  I love you baby.” 

     Aliesa eyes locked in on JC’s on stage, aware that her own face was staring back at her from the large television screens set up behind the podium.  The cameras zoomed in on her expression.  How she clutched the necklace at the nape of her neck, grasping the pendent, beaming proudly.  As JC’s smile radiated down upon her for the entire world to see, Aliesa brushed her cheek, wiping away the lone tear that had trickled down during his declaration and smiled as big as humanly possible.  It was downright breathtaking. Someone needed to give her an Academy Award because this performance was utterly spectacular.  She was acting as in love and as happy and touched as anyone could imagine someone to possibly be. 
     Nsync lifted their awards in the air picturesquely and applause filled the air, formally ending their acceptance.  The lights flickered in the auditorium, indicating a commercial break for the live show and industry insiders got up from their seats to mingle.  Many executives, peers, and press made their way over to Aliesa, telling her to pass on well wishes to JC and his bandmates on their group’s accomplishment, and congratulating her on her marriage.  She nodded and smiled at their comments, taking them in stride, acting very much the proud and doting popstar wife.  She didn’t let up the act any less when the show continued on and JC returned to his seat.  She let him intertwine their fingers together, and every so often she would lean in towards him to comment on the show.  When his group won yet another award she squeezed his hand and tenderly kissed him on the cheek before he went back up to the podium.  And when her name was called out as an award winner, even in her shock and amazement, she glanced back every so often at him with an expression of joy and surprise the entire way up to the stage.  He looked on enamored as she gushed her thanks on television.

“Wow!  I don’t know what to say!  I…Thank you!  Thank you so much!  I can’t believe this! I…JC honey can you believe this?  I didn’t expect this at all.  This means a lot.  It’s actually the first award I’ve ever won.  And I don’t know where to begin…So many people to thank and I’m probably going to forget some of them…but umm my family-everyone back home, all the hard-working people at the record company, Jeanne my manager, my wonderful friend Shannon for everything she’s done to keep my career going, the people who buy the music, gosh just everyone! But…most of all I want to thank the most amazing guy I know…who despite all my flaws loves me unconditionally and completely.  I honestly can’t imagine going through this with anybody else but you Josh.  Thank you everyone. 

     And when they attended the after parties together, the façade remained.  It was so well played that those who had doubted the validity of the relationship stopped after they talked to the two popstars.  Aliesa and JC were honestly in love, they would say after walking away.  Did you see the way he looked at her?  Did you see the way she smiled at him?  It didn’t end there.  They told him she was enchanting.  They told her she was so lucky to find someone like him.  And when he led her to the dance floor, held her close as they swayed to the music, everyone looked on green with envy.  They only had eyes for each other.  It was as if the two of them had shut out the world.  This love.  It was so pure.  It was magical.  It was official.  They were music’s new golden couple.  It was real and everyone wanted a piece.
     It was late; well into the early morning when they decided that they were calling it quits for the night.  The two had partied and mingled till they couldn’t anymore.   Aliesa yawned tiredly, leaning against JC for support as he spoke to the rest of their party.  Not caving into the protests that the celebration still had a few hours left to go, JC kissed Aliesa on the forehead and waved them off.  “Honestly guys we’re done for the night.”

His friends stole wayward glances at each other, and soon comments of understanding poured out.  It was time to let the recently married couple have some time alone.  After all, they were just newlyweds.

Chris playfully smacked JC on the back and winked.  “Be good.” 

“Oh WE will.” JC said simply, taking Aliesa’s hand in his.

     The two said the round of good night wishes, and made their way back to the hotel.  It was time to finally shut out those prying eyes.  It had been an exhausting night and they couldn’t reach the destination fast enough.  As soon as their room door closed behind them the act was dropped for the first time since the plane had landed.  Aliesa stepped away from JC, and they moved away from each other.  It was back to normal.
     Bending down and removing the shoes off her feet, Aliesa let the high heels fall to the floor with a thud next to her, as she made her way to the suite’s sofa.  Tucking her legs underneath her she breathed in and rested her head against the crook of her arm.  She was spent, emotionally and physically.  Love was draining. 
     JC placed their awards on the coffee table in front of her, draping his jacket on a nearby seat.  Sitting himself down, he ran his fingers through his hair before clasping his hands together behind his head.  He eyed Alisa with weariness.  He had to hand it to her, when she turned on the charm she really turned it on.  The night had gone off without a hitch.  He knew when it was time to give credit, and he wasn’t going to hold back despite his tepid feelings towards her.  “Congratulations,” he said nodding at her, propping his legs up on the table and shutting his eyes momentarily.

“Thanks,” Aliesa whispered resignedly lifting her head and eyeing the awards in front of her.  “You too.”

It was probably the most polite conversation they had ever had. 

     The next morning Aliesa awoke to find that JC was nowhere to be seen.  Relishing in her newfound solitude, and nothing on her calendar to attend to, she lounged around the hotel suite flipping through the television.  She needed and deserved some relaxation.  And nothing more shouted relaxation than spending a day vegetating away in front of the tube.  Before long she was engrossed in the storyline of one of the country’s leading soap operas.  Eyes glued to the television, she barely heard the knocking on the door.  But the sound was enough to snap her out of her reverie.  She turned up the volume before unwillingly getting up and making her way to the door.  Still focused on the images played out on the television, and listening intently to the dialogue she almost knocked into the large bodyguard standing in the doorway.

“I’m so sorry…” she mouthed apologetically before drifting off as her eyes focused in on what he was carrying.  She gawked at the package he held in his arms.  “Is that for me?” she asked pointing at the long white box. 

“That’s what it says on the card,” the guard joked handing it over to her.

Gleefully, like a child at Christmas she reached for it, quickly detaching the card from the box and closing the door at the same time.  “Thanks!”

She set the box down on the table nearby and plucked the card from its envelope.  Intending to read the card first, she stopped herself when curiosity got the better of her.  She opted to uncover the mysterious package before knowing its sender. 

“Oh my…” she breathed as she stared at the contents entranced by the beauty.  Parting the tissue, she lifted the flowers gently from its holding and brought them to her nose.  “Pink roses,” she sighed breathing them in.  They were here favorite flower.  But who could have possibly?  Her hands flipped open the discarded card.

Dumfounded Aliesa read the card once more just to make sure she wasn’t seeing things.  “Well I’ll be…” Who knew he could be thoughtful?  He didn’t seem the type at all.  “Looks like hell has officially frozen over,” she mumbled as she slipped the card back in the envelope.  Lifting the roses up again, she scanned the room for a vase. 

The phone rang.

Still attempting to find a vase, Aliesa reached for it. 

“Did you get the flowers?”

She pulled the phone away from her ear.  Aliesa blinked rapidly; shocked he’d be calling.  Then she stared at the roses.  Nothing would surprise her at his point. 

“Aliesa you there?”

She pulled the phone back to her ear.  “Are you trying to get on my good side?”

“It depends-is it working?”

“No just proves to me that you’re just an ass 99% of the time,” Aliesa replied still aimlessly moving around the room in search for a container.

“There’s a vase over by the awards.  I had them send one up this morning.”

Aliesa’s eyebrow arched up as the vase came into vision.  “Okay.  I take it back.  You’re an ass 98% of the time,” she corrected as she placed the roses in them.  “But thank you for the flowers.  It was very….”

“Nice?”

“Possibly.”

“Possibly?”

“Don’t push it JC,” Aliesa huffed as she picked up the TV remote and turned the volume down.  “So what’s this all about?” she continued as she made herself comfortable on the sofa twirling the cord around her fingers.

“What do you mean?”

“Save the act for the teenies.”

“But pumpkin!”

“Where are you calling from?” Aliesa asked suspiciously at his use of the endearment.

“Why do you miss me?”

Aliesa stuck her head in a pillow and silently screamed.  “JC.”

“I’m at a studio.  We have a press junket.”

“Are people around?”

“A few…”

“Okay.  What have you done?”

“Nothing.  I’m just calling to say hello to my wife.  Is that a crime?”

“Don’t make me say things we both already know.”

“I got a call this morning.”

“Could you be more vague?”

“My mom Ali.  She wants to meet you.  Tonight.  And apparently so does the rest of my family.  It seems they’re upset we skipped that crucial step in a relationship. I never brought you by.”

“Tonight!”

“So you’ll meet them?”

“JC you haven’t even met my family!   Can’t you make some excuses up?  That’s what I’ve been doing….”

“I have been.  But this time she won’t take no for an answer.”

“I don’t think that…”

“Come on don’t be difficult about this one!  I’m not asking you to accompany me to a media event...” 

“Hey I resent that!  I’m not trying to be difficult…it’s just…we both know where we’re going to be in a year…I don’t want them to get used to us and then have there be no us.  It’s not like the media.  It just feels wrong to deceive them,” Aliesa answered honestly pressing her back against the sofa.

“Well what about the guys?  Jeanne?”

“That’s different.  That’s work.”

“And this is too…sort of.  Alright look.  How about if we make a deal?  You meet mine and I’ll meet yours.  Then we both won’t have to make any more excuses.  Think of it this way we’re going to have to do it sometime and…”

Aliesa sighed, listening to his rant.  She knew he was right.  They were going to have to do it sometime.  “Okay…” she interjected.

“Okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Great!  We have a couple more interviews, but I’ll be back at around 7:00.  I’ll meet you in the room and we’ll go from there.”

“Can’t hardly wait,”Aliesa replied dryly.  She heard a shuffling in the background.

“Okay HON then I’ll see you then.  LOVE YOU TOO.”

A click and all she heard was a dial tone.  She placed the phone back on the cradle. 
She stared off idly at the flowers in front of her.  You Aliesa are just a sucker for pink roses! 
How did she get talked into this?  And oddly enough without the usual kicking and screaming. 
“Got to hand it to him.  For a jerk, he sure does have good taste in flowers.”

Chapter 10
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