“JUSTIN!” She gasped out, her hand clutching her now slightly swollen belly; she had felt the baby move for the first time and wanted him to feel it too.
She guessed that he was on the other side of the property, showing her parents around. She figured they wanted to have the “When are you going to marry our daughter” talk and they had left her napping in the bedroom to take a walk around his compound. She got up and slipped her flip flops on her feet and went out in search of them, she couldn’t wait for him to know that their little baby was moving around now. Thankfully her parents had seemed to warm up to him quickly, but he was charming with everyone, her parents included.
They of course didn't know much about him before they arrived. They weren't into the music scene in Israel and he wasn't exactly the top artist there anyway. The only exposure they'd had to him was her complaining for all those years about her horrible boss. You can imagine the suprise they felt when she told them he was the father of her baby. He had been the perfect gentleman and host since they stepped off the plane. Showing them to their rooms, taking the baggage they had. Not one scrap of evidence of the superstar attitude he had before and was sometimes prone to showing. Her mother and father had pulled her aside not long after they arrived to comment on his excellent manners, his amazing house and her mother couldn't resist mentioning how cute he was.
She couldn’t believe that only a few months ago she was wishing he would just notice her and now he was in love with her. He had been the most horrible boss though; one of those people who thought everyone who wasn’t him was an idiot. Suddenly though, something had changed and he stopped asking so much of her and started following her around just to hang out with her. She thought it was perhaps because he stopped dating Hollywood girls and wanted to clear his head. She was far from Hollywood. The only good thing about spending those years working for him was that since she had been around him so much, them being seen out together didn’t mean a thing. Photographers didn't care about getting the shot, although more rumors were floating around since he had been with her to a few doctor appointments.
She found him out on the edge of his property, out by a lake he kept stocked with fish for when he and Trace decided they were just good ol’ boys with nothing better to do than fish off sticks with string attached. Her mom was sitting with her feet in and her father was standing with Justin off to the side, deep in conversation. She walked over to her mom and sat down next to her, rolling up her pant legs and sticking her feet in too. When her mother saw her, she immediately wrapped and arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.
“Mom, I missed you so much.” Tears started to form in her eyes, this was the first time in 4 years she had her mother all to herself.
“Ah, my little Ayelet, I have missed you too. You know, you should come back home. Have the baby where you will have help.”
“I want to stay here, where I have Justin, he said he loves me.”
“Yes I am sure he loves you now, you are only 4 months along, you look fabulous and you are glowing. What about when you are covered in baby spit-up and you haven’t taken a shower in a week? Huh? What then? He runs back out to his Hollywood girlfriends and my baby and your baby are left alone. You want that?”
Ayelet looked at her mother, confused; she couldn’t believe that her mom was saying these things. She had just talked to her parents and they had been praising Justin and everything about him. She stood up and dusted herself off, she was going to Justin and she didn’t even wait long enough to unroll her pant legs. She trailed after Justin and her father, tears threatening to spill over. When she reached them, she wrapped her arms around Justin’s back and held him close. He covered her clasped hands with his and then pulled her to face him. He was smiling until he saw the tears in her eyes and then he pulled her into him and hugged her tightly, kissing her forehead.
His eyes searched her face for any clue and his stare caused her to look away, she didn’t want him to see how upset she was, but she never thought so many people would have such a problem with this. It wasn’t like she was 12 or something, she didn’t understand why everyone had so many hurtful things to say, it really was Justin and her against everyone else they knew. Thankfully, her father hadn’t seemed to turn against her yet, she was waiting for something like that though, nothing surprised her anymore.
“A?” He asked, placing a finger under her chin to get her to look at him.
“After I have the baby, are you going to run off with, like, Jessica Biel, or something?” She whimpered.
“What? No.” He scrunched his face up in confusion.
“Does this have to do with your mother?” Her father said in a gruff accent, looking over to the pond where her mother sat.
She sniffled. “Daddy, she said that I should come home because Justin is going to leave me.”
Her father ruffled her hair like she was still a little girl and wiped her tears away with his hands.
“Ayelet, your mother wants her daughter home. She wants to see your child grow up, but I will have a talk about the things she said to try to get you to do so.” He smiled at his little girl and left her and Justin to go sit with his wife and discuss things.
“Justin, I came out here because I wanted to tell you that I felt her move.” She took his hand and placed it on her belly. “Maybe she will move for you too.”
“So we’re having a girl, huh?” He said, not moving his hand and just waiting.
“Well, I don’t know for sure, but I feel like it.” She looked down at her belly and whispered. “C’mon Lila, Daddy wants to feel you move.”
Justin knelt down and started singing a song to her in Hebrew that Ayelet’s father had just taught him while they had been standing outside and suddenly the baby moved. It would’ve been hard to feel it if he hadn’t been paying close attention, but he felt it for sure. He looked up at Ayelet and took her hand in the hand that wasn’t resting on her belly.
“Oh my God, there is really a baby in there. I can’t believe it. This is incredible.” He stood, open-mouthed.
“That’s our little baby, me and you together.” She ran her hand over his scalp as he stayed with his head right by her belly.
“I love you, you know that?”
“Yeah, I know that, and I love you too.”
“And no matter what your mom says, I am not going to leave you for Jessica Biel, Simpson, or Alba.”
She chuckled and looked down at him. “And I won’t leave you for Usher.”
He kissed her belly and then stood up to kiss her mouth. “Marry me.” He murmured against her mouth.
She pulled away from him and shook her head. “No. Not like this. You can’t ask someone to marry you while you make out with her.”
He sighed. “Why not? I thought it was a romantic time.”
“Justin, you just had a conversation with my dad where he practically made you agree to marry me I bet, so it’s just bad timing.”
“No he didn’t, he just asked me when I was going to and I told him I would, I didn’t tell him today or something, so give Timberlake a break.”
“Yeah, maybe when you stop referring to yourself as Timberlake.” She said, kissing him.
Her parents came up from the pond, her mother immediately reverting to Hebrew to apologize over and over. Ayelet embraced the two of them and all was forgiven, she couldn't stay mad at her parents. After all, they would only be here for a week and it was pointless to stay mad at them the entire time. Justin decided it would be a great time to have his mom over and they could all meet. The result was a dinner party featuring both southern and Israeli courses since both mothers refused to let the other one cook and refused even more about calling food in. They all stuffed themselves so full with dinner, it was like that after Thanksgiving feeling where nobody can move. The entire week was like this, both families spending as much time together as they could, amazed at how instantly they clicked.
After her parents left, she tried to get into some routine. She wasn’t allowed to work now, compliments of Justin and she didn’t really have much to do, so she tried to get into things around the house. She tried sewing, hated it. She tried writing, hated it. Scrapbooking, painting, hell even color by number, she couldn’t get into anything.
And to make matters worse, she was pretty much alone out in Los Angeles except for Justin and Trace, but Trace still wasn’t speaking to her and she was really starting to miss him. She had thought that after he had a little time to think about things he would finally come around and help her out with everything. She knew he was Justin’s best friend, but shouldn’t Justin’s best friend be happy for something Justin was happy about? She had to figure out a way to make everything ok, Justin was going to suffer if she didn’t. Justin would be leaving for those club dates in a week and he was stressing about who was going to take care of Ayelet. She kept counting on Trace, hoping he would change his mind, but so far he still hadn’t said anything to either of them past leaving a message about the clothing line on Justin’s voicemail.
Ayelet decided that she would go over to Trace’s house and talk with him, Justin wouldn’t even have to know what she was up to. She hoped that when she left, Trace would be okay with the situation, she was really just hoping he would at least hear what she had to say. When she got to his house, she was scared to walk up the driveway, but she didn’t need to, he was sitting on his front porch drinking a bottle of beer. She waved at him from the street where she parked her car and he waved her over to him.
“Trace, how’ve you been?” She asked, embracing him when she got up to the porch.
“I’ve been ok A, how about you? Still pregnant I see.” He placed his hand on her bump.
She nodded and covered her hand with his. “Trace, I wanted to talk to you about the fact you haven’t been around lately.”
“What? You want to now complain about being pregnant since you are done complaining about Justin. A, all I heard for 4 years was how annoying he was and now all of the sudden you tell me that you’re pregnant with his baby. I mean, it is a little shocking.”
“No, I don’t want to complain about anything, I only want you to be around. Even if you don’t talk to me, please talk to Justin. You’re his best friend and he needs you, you know that.”
The baby kicked against his hand, almost as if hearing her plea and begging herself. His smile brightened a little and his eyes met hers.
“Was that. . . ?”
She nodded and pressed his hand down harder.
“Oh my God!” He exclaimed.
"Trace, we want you to be around, we want Lila to have an Uncle Trace and there are going to be times when Justin is out on tour or something and I am going to need a support system, someone who Lila knows and trusts to help me raise her when he can't be around. Does that sound like something you can do?"
Trace seemed to sit back and think about this, and she was starting to get worried, but then he stood and embraced her, kissing her cheek.
"So, you're in?"
He nodded. "Yeah, I'm in. I'm so sorry I acted like an ass, I just. . . I don't know what my problem was, just know I'm sorry. I needed time to process this whole thing and do some thinking of my own. I would love to be a part of her life, and yours too."
"God Trace, this is the best news I've heard in a long time. And we're used to you being an ass, don't even worrry about it. Why don't you come back to the house with me? I'll completely forgive you if you'll come. Justin is probably waking up from his nap now and is starting to wonder where I am." She took his hand and drug him towards the door.
"Hold up woman, let me put shoes on!" He stopped in the doorway and slid on some flip flops before following her to the car.
On the way there, Trace kept his hand on her belly, hoping to feel the baby move again. She didn't mind his hand being there, she and Trace were close, maybe closer that she and Justin were. It was weird to think of something like that, but it was most likely true, maybe that's why she was so upset that he wasn't around lately and took it upon herself to get him to come back.
"Trace, I really missed you, I don't know if I told you, but I did." She said, clasping her hand over his.
He smiled over her way. "I missed you too, it just wasn't right without you around to laugh at Jay."
When they got to the house, Justin was outside looking for her. She was worried that he was going to be mad, with reason because he looked to be a mix of anger and worry, but when he saw her pull in the driveway with Trace in the car with her a large grin broke out on his face. He jogged up toward her car, pulled the door open and yanked Trace out of the seat.
"You mother fucker. I can't believe you had to get A to come pick your ass up before you'd come over."
Trace shrugged but Justin embraced him anyway, tighter than usual. Then he realized that perhaps he was coming cross as a little gay so he dropped his hands to the side, both of them dusting their hands on the back of their pants and looking up to the sky for a moment before embracing again.
"God I missed you around here, c'mon let's go fish in the pond and shoot the potato guns at squirrels that we'll never hit." Justin said, grabbing his arm and dragging him toward the backyard.
"Dude, what about your girl?" Trace asked, pointing back to Ayelet.
"She'll be glad that you're here so that she doesn't have to go fish with me, she hates it when she actually catches one, and she feels bad for it so I have to toss it back."
Ayelet let them go to enjoy their day and she went to work on the nursery. She knew she had time but she realized that time would eventually fly past her, and she would be too big to do anything. She was right, it wasn't long before her belly was rounded and the baby kicked her all day and night long, like a little soccer star, she hoped. Everything seemed to be perfect, except that Justin spent more and more time away than he ever had, even when he had worked in the past. She knew, she used to be right there with him. Maybe that's what bothered her most.
It had started with those club dates. He had called every few moments for the first week, calling Trace for updates as well and then the calls came less, sometimes missing days altogether. She tried to tell herself that he was busy, he was performing and she knew how touring was, not a moment for anything, but she knew he would make time if he had really wanted to. And then the tabloids started with the rumors, unidentified woman on Timberlake's arm they said. She knew they had met at some function or another and had talked a few times, Justin had mentioned her in passing. She tried not to focus on this though, stress wasn't good for her. Trace had been staying with her and keeping her company, trying to give her reasons he thought that Justin wasn’t calling so much, but she knew he just couldn't keep himself away from her, she’d seen it all before. He got so wrapped up in whoever it was, he had done it with Alyssa, Cameron, and lately he had done it with her, until now.
"Hello, Ayelet...”Trace said, rubbing her swollen feet from the other end of the couch.
"Sorry, I was thinking about Justin, you haven't heard from him today have you?" She looked curiously at him over her feet.
"No, but he should be home today anyway, I talked to him last night for a few moments."
"Yeah that's what he told me too, told me he would be home in the afternoon but it's almost midnight and he isn't here yet."
”I just can't lie for him anymore. He's my best friend and I'd do almost anything for him, but what he is asking me to do now is crossing the line. You need to know the truth."
"That Justin is seeing someone else, I know Trace. I never should've done this with him; I knew what kind of man he was even when he said he wouldn't do this to me." She choked out.
Trace hung his head down and couldn't meet her eyes; he knew they were swimming in tears. He hoped she didn't think he had said something because he didn't want them together. He didn't, of course, but he never would've done anything to break them apart. Justin was the one that had suddenly started acting like an ass and there was only so long Trace could cover for him. He was running out of excuses anyway, how many times can you say someone fell asleep after a show? He kept rubbing her feet silently until they both heard the door unlock. Justin walked into the living room, looking at the both of them, eyes set in a glare at Trace. He had been drinking, and was past the buzzed, happy stage.
"What's going on here?" He asked with an eyebrow raised.
They looked at each other and shrugged. "What are you talking about Jay?" She questioned, cautiously.
"You know what I'm talking about, you sitting here all cuddled up with my best friend."
"I would like to be cuddled up with you, but you're all cuddled up with every other woman in Los Angeles."
Justin just stood staring at her. She got up with a little struggle and went upstairs to the nursery, where she spent more and more time the closer it got to her delivery date. Her Lila, she thought, placing her hands on her belly and rubbing lightly. She spent lots of time in the rocker, rubbing her belly and talking to her daughter. Lately though, she had been planning on how she was going to leave, she didn't want to raise her daughter with a man who couldn't commit to her after he promised her he would. She wouldn't have expected him to except he said he would, told her she was all he wanted.
She heard him standing outside the door and knew he was watching her, she could feel his gaze on her. She looked up and met his eyes, his were tear filled and hers were angry.
"Yeah?"
"A, I'm sorry, nothing was going on. I swear."
"Liar. Nothing was going on with me and Trace, but something is going on with you and whoever she is. What the fuck Justin?”
He didn't know what to say, he just watched her, her hands never leaving her belly. He stepped closer to her and covered her hands with his. She looked up at his face and he kissed her temple, running his hands over her belly.
"Justin, do you want to be with me, or do you want to be with other people? You will be able to see the baby either way so it's all your choice."
"A, I want to be with you, I really do. I got distracted, I was away and people were pushing her in my face I guess. I swear I don't want to be with her. I just want to be with you and my baby, our baby." He looked around the room for the first time and noticed that everything was pink. He pulled her up from the chair and hugged her tightly.
"I'm trusting you Justin, I'm trusting you with everything I have. Please don't make me regret that." She whispered.
"Never, I'm so sorry."
"I'm tired of everyone saying they are sorry. I can easily forgive misplaced anger or hurtful words, but I can't easily forgive you being with another woman. Justin, please don't hurt me. I have more than myself to worry about now."
"I know, our little Lila, right? I won't screw this up again, I promise." He kissed her, holding her as close as her gigantic belly would allow.
"I hope you're right, there is too much at stake for you to be wrong."
Chapter End Notes:
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Story Tags: assistant justinandtrace justin pregnant
