Family Ties

Chapter Two New Years Eve


Jessi looked in the mirror for the fifth time. Her curls were pulled into a lose bun on her head with a few strands hanging down. She wore an above the knee black dress that was low cut with spaghetti straps. She sighed as she slid her shoes on and headed toward Justins room. She knocked on the door pushing it open.
"Hope you're dress. I'm coming in."
Justin laughed as he stepped out of the closet. "Good thing I am because you sure didn't give me time to get something on if I wasn't."
She sat down on his bed looking at him.
"You look handsome. Got a date."
He shook his head no sitting down next to her. "Nope. Going stag. Maybe i'll pick me up a hot chick while i'm there. You look great."
She smiled looking down. "Thanks."
Justin grabbed her chin pulling her face up. "Hey wanna tell me what has been bothering you since i've come back?"
She shrugged. "Don't know."
Twisting his lips he nodded. "Ok. You can tell me when you are ready. I won't push."
She sighed. "That's not it. I don't know what is bothering me."
Justin grinned. "Lance?"
She cut her eyes at him. "Maybe. I don't know. How come you never told me he was questioning you about me and Chris."
Justin shrugged. "Don't know what you mean."
"Come on Justin." Jessi sighed.
"He only asked if you and Chris were happy. Why? Is he bothering you?"
"No. Not really. Just annoys me that he want's to be around all the time."
Justin nodded. "Yeah, I noticed that. Want me to talk to him? I will ya know."
Jessi shook her head. "No. I don't want you getting him worked up. Just leave it alone."
Justin tapped his fingers on his knee. "So. What about Chris?"
Jessie stared at him cautiously. "What do you mean?"
He stood up quickly. "Nothing. I was asking."
"No you weren't. Come on Justin. Has he said something to you?"
Justin crossed his arms across his chest twisting back and forth. "No. Well. Not really. It's just....well did you ever talk about Lance when he got back and found him?"
"Found him?" Her voice was shocked. "You make it sound like we were caught doing something. Come on Just, tell me what Chris said."
Justin paced the floor before finally sitting down next to her. "Well I kinda get the impresion that Chris doesn't exactly trust Lance's intentions. You really need to talk to him."
Jessi rubbed her forehead. "Oh my God. I told Chris we would discuss it later when he brought it up Christmas and we never did. I didn't know it bothered him that much."
Justin nodded. "Yeah it did. He trust you. Don't get me wrong. It's Lance. I don't think he's hanging around for Kendal's sake."
Jessie laughed. "Give me a break Justin. Lance is not after me. Don't even think that."
Justin raised his eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
Jessi hesitated a moment. "Yes I'm sure. That is just rediculous. He just finally decided to be a father to Kendal. Come on. None of us expected Lance to react the way he did over this. He's really taking responsabilitynow."
Justin cleared his throat. "Lance is one of my best friends. Don't get me wrong. But be careful. Ok?"
They both turned as they heard a knocking sound. Chris stood in the doorway knocking on the wall.
"Hello. What's up?"
Jessi stood walking to him. "Nothing handsomeust ust chit chatting with my bro."
Chris lightly kissed her. "You look beautiful."
She wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him passionately.
Justin cleared his throat. "Excuse me you two perverts, but i'm going down stairs to wait on everyone. They don't come soon, I go without."
Chris laughed pulling away from Jessi. "Yeah you better get down there. Lonnie came in behind me and now he is raiding your fridge."
Justin ran down the stairs yelling Lonnie's name. Chris and Jessi behind him.
They all sat in the den talking when Lance opened the door walking into the foyer. Jessi raised her eyebrow when she saw the blond attatched to his arm. She laughed under her breath and shook her head. Justin looked at Jessi and smiled. "Hey dude,in here."
Lance closed the door and led the blond into the den. "Hey you guys. This is Ashley. Ashley this is Justin and Chris and that is Justin's twin sitter Jessi."
She smiled at everyone sitting on the couch next to Lance. "It's nice to meet all of you. I'm a big fan of yours."
Chris raised his eyesbrow. "A fan huh? How did you meet Lance."
"I was at a charity event he was at and we got to talking. He's really sweet. We went out that night but he's been so busy we haven't been able to get together since. I was surprised he when he called me up to ask me about tonight."
Chris nodded, his eyes growing wide in disbelief as he looked around the room. Jessi slapped him on the knee and took a deep breath.
"So what time are JC and Joey supposed to be here?"
"JC is probably still primping in the mirror and Joey is probably still trying to get Kelly to hurry up." Chris groaned.
Jessi laughed. "And i'm sure Kendal and Briahna are driving him crazy too."
Justin and Chris laughed with her.
"So Kendal is at Joey's?"
Jessi looked at Lance and nodded. "Yes. Kelly's mom is watching them tonight. So she gets to go to her first sleep over."
Justin groaned "And mommy is not handling it well."
"I am too." Jessi whined. "I've only called twice since I took her over."
"Twice in two hours sis. She is gonna be just fine." Justin laughed.
Ashley smiled. "So you have a daughter?"
Jessi nodded.
"How old is she?"
"She'll be three May 4th." Jessi said cutting her eyes to Lance.
Ashley turned to Lance and smiled. "That's your birthday." She turned back looking at Jessi and Chris. "So she belongs to the two of you?"
Lance quickly cut Jessi off before she could open her mouth. "No. Chris is not the father. He was someone she knew before Chris came along."
Ashley nodded and pointed to the picture on the piano. "I just thought Chris was the father. I saat pat picture of the two together. I knew I hadn't heard of anyone but Joey having a baby. She is a pretty little girl. Doesn't look like Chris, but that doesn't mean anything. Sorry for being nosy."
Lance quickly looked over at the picture he had never noticed before.
Jessi grinned a mischevious smile. "No. But he sure acts like a good dad. Kendal thinks the world of him and loves him very much."
Chris smiled. "She is very pretty. She looks just like her mother. The only thing she got from her father was the green eyes."
Lance cut his eyes at Chris who smiled the cheesies smile he could.
Joey, Kelly, and JC made their way into the den with Joey grumbling.
"We finally made it. I didn't think we would, but we did. Kelly took forever then the car came and got us and we had to wait on pretty boy to get ready."
Kelly and JC hit Joey at the same time.
Justin stood up "Can we please just get going? I am ready to partay."
Jessi eyed him. "I only have one thing to say to anyone who feels the need to get plastered tonight. I am not your alchoholic councelor. I will not take care of any of you when you can't see straight and are sick."
Joey rolled his eyes. "Look Sandra D, just because you don't drink is no reason the rest of us can't have a good time."
Jessi lau sar sarcastically. "Fine. Get drunk and stupid. Enquiring minds want to know."
She grabbed her jacket and walked out to the waiting cars.
Lonnie stood behind Joey laughing. Joey turned glaring at him.
"What? She's right. I wouldn't get too waisted until I got home if I was you Fatone."
Joey wrinkled his nose "Great. New Years eve and I get the bobsy twins baby sitting me."
Chris laughed and shoved Joey out the door.


Jessi slid into the booth and kicked her heels off under the table and looked at her watch. "30 more minutes till midnight. I am exhausted."
Chris sat down next to her and took a quick of of his drink. He looked over at Jessi's glass then up at her.
"Baby what are drinking?"
Jessi grined. "Sex on the Beach."
Chris looked surprised. "What? You're drinking? I thought those were virgin somethings. You've had three of those."
She nodded taking a drink. "I know how many i've had. I like them. And i'm starting to feel pretty damn good too."
Chris laughed and chugged the rest of his drink. "I see some folks over by the bar I wanna say hi to. Wanna come?"
"No. I wanna sit here and rest a minute before the countdown begins."
Chris quickly kissed her and headed for the bar.
Lance grabbed Chris's arm stopping him. "You mind if I dance with Jessi?"
Chris eyed him, looked at Jessi, then back to Lance. "Sure why not. That is if she'll dance with you. Besides she's going home with me."
Lance let Chris go and he continued to the bar.
Jessi was drinking down the last of her drink when Lance slid into the booth next to her. She set her glass down and sighed.
"Where is your new friend? She's not the same one you had back at Christmas. What happened to that one?"
Lance smiled placing his arm behind her and moving closer. "Why do you care?"
She leaned in closer to him glaring. "I don't. Just making conversation. Or would you rather discuss why you don't want Kendal mentioned around this one?"
Lance glared at her. "Drop it. I just came to see if you wanted to dance."
"No. Thank you tho."
Lance stood up grabbing her hand pulling her with him. She yanked her arm back. "Excuse me. What do you think you are doing?"
Lance turned looking at her. "We are going to dance. There is no reason for you to be so damn hateful."
Jessi laughed. "Me? Hateful? I don't think so."
Lance sighed. "Jess please. One dance. That's all i'm asking."
Jessi sat back down sliding her shoes back on. She stood looking at him.
"One dance. That's it."
Lance nodded. "That's all I want."
When they reached the dance floor a slow song began to play. Jessi rolled her eyes and Lance wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer. She placed her hands on his chest trying to push him away.
"You know I think you've had just a little too much to drink."
"Nope. I can handle whatever I drink. Listen Jess I want to take Kendal to see mom and dad. I would like it if you would take a couple of days and go with me to Mississippi. I would be greatful to you for it."
Jessi sighed. "Lance, I don't know. I'll have to see."
Lance pulled her back to him leaning down. She turned her ahead away causing his lips to land on her cheek. She began pushing him away again.
"Stop it Lance."
"Come on Jess" Lance glared at her with blood shot eyes.
She reached behind her trying to move his hands. "I said quit it. NOW."
Justin stood across the room watching the couple carefully. He noticed Chris across the room his hands folded across his chest watching Lance. Justin sighed and setting his drink down on the bar making his way across the dance floor avog ang any eye contact. He stood behind Lance tapping him on the shoulder. Lance turned his head looking at Justin.
"Hey man. Having fun yet?"
Justin smiled. "Way too much. I'd like to dance with sis please."
Lance shrugged. "Sure, but can we finish this dance?"
Justin shook his head. "Nope, songs over. Bye bye."
Lance let go of Jessi backing away. "Ok, but I get her later."
Justin grabbed Jessi's hand laughing. "Some how I doubt that."
He led her back to the bar and turned facing her.
"What the hell was all of that?"
Jessi shrugged. "Him being an ass basically."
Chris stormed over to them, eyes blazing. "What the FUCK? He's asking for an ass beating."
Justin patted Chris on the back. "Calm down man. Just don't let her out of your sight."
Chris slid his arm around Jessi's waist. "Trust me. I won't. After midnight we are out of here."
Jessi turned facing Chris pressing her body to his. Her hand rested on his side, his shirt clenched in her fist. "Don't let him get to you. That's what he wants. You guys have to work together. You're friends. I'll talk to him Chris."
Chris shook his head. "No you won't. I will."
Jessi smiled up at Chris as the countdown began. He wrapped his arms around her waist brushing his lips against hers.
"Five."
He lightly kissed her.
"Four."
She sighed and tightened her arms around his neck.
"Three."
He kissed her lightly running his tongue along her lips.
"Two."
She opened her mouth intertwining her tongue with his.
"One."
She tilted her head deepening the kiss as his hands roamed.
"Happy New Year."
Chris pulled away taking a deep breath. "Let's go home."
Jessi nodded and slid her hand into his. They hugged everyone on their way out the door wishing everyone a Happy New Year.