Hi everyone...
I'm a bit nervous--so if people could please e-mail me at bwicub@hotmail.com--I'd really appreciate it. I love e-mail!!
DISCLAIMER: The names of the people are fictional (well, except for the members of the group). This is a fictional story that came right out of my own mind. I have no knowledge if any member of N Sync are gay or whatever. That being said, please enjoy the story and remember--write me!!! (Especially write me if you're a member of the group! GRIN)
Thanks guys and gals, Hope you like it.
Dale
--THE LOTTERY WINNER: A New Start?--
"This is Joey, I'm out of here for the night... remember to smile, and if you're going to party. Play safe."
click
"Wow, that was an incredibly boring shift. Janelle, hurry up! I have to go, today's Dale's birthday party and I have to pick up the cake!"
She came into the booth, giggling, as she got ready for her shift. "Wow, you're so tame now. Whatever happened to the hot guy from N'Sync?"
Joey's smile faltered slightly, then recovered. "I'm still here, just gone domestic."
The phone in the booth began ringing. Janelle answered it, and then turned to Joey. "It's for you."
"I'm off the clock!"
"He said it's important."
Joey stopped, then counted to ten. "Fine." Reaching for the phone, he sighed. "Hello, this is Joe."
"You sound good on the radio. Really good."
"I have to go pick up the cake, call me on my cell Lance."
Joey made good time down to the parking lot, he was in his car when the phone rang again.
"Lance, what's up homeslice?"
"Weirdest thing. I was at the movies and I'd swear that I saw Dale there."
Joey sighed, and felt a tear threaten to drop. "Lance, I've done that too. See a guy who I'd swear was Dale. But it's not, Dale's dead. I have a new Dale, and he needs me to bring him a birthday cake so he has a good party. Are you coming?"
"Yeah, I'll see you there. I'm bringing Dale a rocking horse. If he's anything like his dad he'll like the motion." Joey heard laughter on the other end of the phone, but his face went numb.
"See you then Lance."
Joey picked up the cake, then drove home singing along to the radio. Since the group had unofficially retired he'd been busy. He'd done Broadway, he'd acted, and he was now working at an Orlando radio station. He wasn't sure when he'd fallen into radio, but it seemed to be a good match. It was a good schedule with raising his son, and it allowed him to be there for anything in Dale Joseph's life.
He pulled up into the driveway, whistling as he got out of the car. He noticed a car on the street in front of the house, but didn't think much about it. He went into the house, calling out that he had a cake for a special boy.
A small boy came running from the kitchen, giggling. "Daddy! Daddy! You're home!"
Joey put the cake down, scooping up the boy in his arms. "Of course I am. Where else would I be?" He gave his son a kiss on the cheek. "Where's your sitter? Did you put her in the toilet again?"
Dale giggled. "That's silly, how could she fit?"
"You're so smart Dale. Just like your other daddy. Now, let's go clean up before everyone starts arriving." Joey picked up the cake with one hand, and balanced cake and kid as he walked into the kitchen.
"Look daddy, there's my friend."
Joey noticed his son pointing to the glass door, so he followed the gesture.
The cake dropped as Joey saw the man standing in front of the glass door. His brain didn't register at first, but it finally did.
"Daddy, why you crying?"
Joey quietly put Dale down on his own feet. "Do me a favor, go upstairs to your room. You didn't do anything wrong, I just have to know you're upstairs, okay? Promise me you won't come down no matter what you hear."
"But Daddy!!!!"
"Dale Joseph! Do what I say. You're a good boy, nothing will ever change that."
The little boy went quietly upstairs, convinced that he'd done something wrong. Joey looked at the man outside the door (who hadn't moved) and then to the boy.
Joey then went and stood in front of the glass door, looking at the man. After a few minutes of neither saying anything he opened it. After the man didn't move, Joey walked outside, brushing past him. He felt a familiar tingle in his body, which didn't make any sense. Joey closed the door, then walked to the railing.
Still silence. Okay, Joey has to start talking if he wants answers.
"Look, I don't know who you are... but you're not him. You're not Dale. You may look a lot like him, a lot... but you're NOT HIM! Go away and leave me and my family alone!"
He took a swing at the stranger, but the man grabbed his arm lightly. That's all it took. The man then started talking.
"I'm so sorry. Oh my god you have no idea how sorry. It was the only way, they told me that I'd be able to tell my loved ones... but then I couldn't. I had to wait until the whole thing ended before I could return."
The man leaned in, whispered softly as his face got near Joey's. "You still wear the ring I designed. Does that mean I have a shot of getting you back? I miss going to sleep with you singing to me... oh god Joe, I miss you."
The man started crying softly, sinking to his knees. Joey went right with him. Joey's hands came up to the man's face, they were shaking as he fought the urge to touch the face. Finally he did. After a few seconds he leaned in close. He was surprised to find himself kissing the man, tears streaming down his face.
"Dale? Oh my god... it's really you."
Joey's tears flowed... and for once, he didn't care.