The next morning I woke up thinking of Brian.  I replayed every moment we had shared in the past two years.  Weighing the good versus the bad.  Connie, the lady I hired as a nanny but in reality became more of my assistant, asked where he was.  I said I wasn’t sure but he would be back that afternoon.  Then he didn’t come back.  I figured he just had some thinking to do.

He still wasn’t back by lunch the following day.  I picked up the phone and called AJ.

AJ – “Hello.”

Me – “Hey AJ.”

AJ – “Hey.  Excuse me for a sec guys.  How are you doing?”

Me – “Okay.  Um do you have any idea where Brian is?”

AJ – “Yeah he’s here.  We have to lay down a few more tracks for Shape of my Heart for the video.”

Me – “Where’s here?”

AJ – “Orlando.”

Me – “Oh.”

AJ – “He didn’t tell you.”

Me – “No we kinda had a fight.”

AJ – “I figured.  Brian’s in a lousy mood.”

Me – “Well don’t tell him I called.”

AJ – “Aren’t you guys tired of going back and forth like this.”

Me – “yeah I am.  I gotta go AJ. I’ll talk to you later.”

AJ – “Alright.”

I hang up with him and then call the airline and make reservations to Orlando.  After making that call, I packed up the boys and told Connie that she could have a few days off.  I called Stephen on the way to the airport.

Stephen – “Hello?”

Me – “Hey Stevie.”

Stephen – “Hey Jessie what’s up?”

Me – “Um do you think you and Reece could watch the boys for a couple days.”

Stephen – “Probably what’s up?”

Me – “Brian and I had this huge fight a couple nights ago.  I haven’t seen him since and I was going to fly to Florida and talk to him.”

Stephen – “You two haven’t run out of things to fight about yet.”

Me – “Stevie please.”

Stephen – “No problem bring them over.”

Me – “thanks.  It will only be a couple days I promise.”

Stephen – “Take your time and get things figured out between you two.”

Me – “I will.”

The next morning….

I was nervous the whole way to the studio.  I didn’t know exactly what I was going to say to him.  I just knew that I needed him.  I walked in and the receptionist directed me back to the studio they were using.  AJ and Nick and some producer guy were standing at the mixing board and Brian was in the recording booth.  Everyone except Brian stopped when I walked in.  He was singing with his eyes closed like he always does.  I walk over and watched him through the glass. 

Baby please try to forgive me
Stay here don't put out the glow
Hold me now, don't bother
If every minute it makes me weaker
You can save me from the man that I've become
Oh yeah

He finished his line and opened his eyes and met mine.  I opened the door and shut it behind me.

Brian – “Jess.  I’m so sorry I didn’t mean any of it.”

Me – “Just don’t say anything okay.  I might lose my nerve.  I love you.  It feels like I’ve loved you forever.  I’m tired of fighting it.  I want to be with you.  I want to see you wake up every morning and fall asleep every night.  I want us to raise our boys together.  But more then wanting you I think I need you.  I need you to love me.”  He comes to where I am standing and takes my hands that are shaking in his.

Brian – “I do love you.  And I need you as much if not more then you need me.”

I bite my lip and then smile my courage at it’s max.  “So you want to get married?”

Brian – “Are you asking?”

Me – “Yeah.”

Brian – “yeah.”  He kisses me.  “I love you.”

Me – “I love you.”

He kisses me again and I kiss him back.  His arms go around me and pull me tight up against him.  We start getting a little carried away.

Nick – “Should we remind them that we can see them?” 

AJ – “Nah I think we need a coffee break.”

Nick – “Coffee sounds good.”

The three of them leave and turn off the light on their way out.

Me – “What happened to the lights?”

Brian – “I think Nick and AJ left to give us some time together.”

I smile at him – “Well that was awfully nice of them.”

Brian – “yes it was.”  He kisses me again and then works his way down my neck.

Outside the building….

Howie had just pulled up.

Howie – “What are you guys doing out here?  We have to have this done by tonight.”

Nick – “We needed a break.”

Howie – “Well break’s over.  Come on.”

AJ – “I wouldn’t go in there.”

Howie – “Why did Nick blast ass again?”

Nick – “No!  Jess is here.  Her and Brian are…  AJ?”

AJ – “Jess and Brian are in there making up.  We need to give them some time.”

Howie – “Oh.  Ohhh!!!  In the studio?”

AJ – “Well you know when the mood strikes you should act on it.”

Nick – “Oh fuck.  Did you turn off the tape?”

AJ – “No I thought you did.”  Nick shakes his head.  They all start laughing.

Half hour later, (Hey we were in a public place.)

Brian and I are cuddling on the couch.

Brian – “So you sure you want to do this?”

Me – “Do what?”

Brian – “Get married.”

Me – “Definitely.”

Brian – “Good.”  He kisses my nose.  “When?”

Me – “Let’s go get a license and do it like by the end of the week.”

Brian – “That soon.”

Me – “Neither one of us has a good track record when it comes to weddings so I’m thinking the sooner the better.”

Brian – “Good point.”  Howie, Nick and AJ come back in the room.

AJ – “We figured that the light was on so it was safe.”

Me – “Hey guys.”  Nick runs over and turns off the tape, rewinds it and gives it to Brian.

Nick – “I do not want to hear this so what ever else might be on it we’ll have to do over again.”

Brian – “This was left on?!?”

AJ shrugs his shoulders “Sorry man.”

Me – “What is it?”

Brian – “I’ll tell you later.”

Nick – “So is everything good with you guys now?”

Me – “Do you want to tell them or should I?”

Brian – “You guys want to come to our wedding?”

Howie – “You guys are getting married?  Oh that’s great.  Come here Jess.”  He hugs me.  And then so do AJ and Nick.

AJ – “When are you guys doing it?”

Me – “Soon.  I’m going to go check on a marriage license while you guys finish up.”

Brian – “Hopefully by the end of the week.”

AJ – “This week!  Shit you two don’t waste time do you?”

Me – “Nah.  I think we’ve wasted enough time.”

Brian – “yeah.  Anyway you know how she is she’ll change her mind if I take too long.”  I elbow him in the stomach.  “Ouch.  Hey I’m just telling the truth.”

Me – “Well I’m going to go and make some calls.”

Brian – “Okay just don’t call our mothers I want to be there.”

Me – “Okay when are you guys going to be done?”

AJ – “Well since Brian’s in a better mood now we should be done in like an hour.”

Brian – “Okay I’ll just met you at Howie’s”

Me – “Okay.  Bye.”

Brian – “Bye.”  I give him a quick kiss and leave.  “Isn’t she great?”

Howie – “Yes she is.”

Nick – “I knew you guys would get back together.”

Howie – “yeap it was meant to be.”

AJ – “So you ready to do this man?”

Brian – “yeah.”