Spaces In Time

Justin’s little hands grasp onto his older brother, Jonathan’s, as he lifts Justin into his loving arms, “No buh byes,” Justin babbles teary eyed.
“Not yet, Justin,” Jonathan smiles patting his little brothers back, as he searches for Steven to put Justin in his crib. “Looks like I have crib duty tonight,” he chuckles, as he reaches for the baby blue blanket, and begins singing a lullaby.
Jonathan has a busy life, and is sad that he will not see Justin until Christmas. Justin is too young to understand why he only sees his brother a few times a year.
Steven 16 helps with his 1 year old brother, as he tries to complete homework.

Justin scribbles on a piece of paper, unaware that Jonathan is gone. Putting down his crayons, he moves toward the soft play structure his brother bought him. He loves crawling in and out of the holes.

Returning with a girlfriend in toe, Jonathan holds his youngest brother in his arms. The near two year old, sleeps soundly, as Jonathan grabs Justin’s baby supplies, for the concert venue.

Justin looks around, at the familiar setting, and set of faces. “My voice,” he tells himself.
“No Justin,” a woman says, “This is Jonathan’s voice. You are a baby.”
He shrugs his shoulders remembering his birth, and going to the nursery. His features relax bringing his birth to memory.
Jonathan and a pretty girl come into his mind. They were first to visit him in the nursery.
They talked of getting married, and having their own child.
Jonathan sang a funny lullaby that sounds familiar. Justin’s can’t place it, His memory is too fuzzy. He hopes when he is older and can read that he will figure out where the song comes from. He believes he sang the song, but does not understand how, since he is just a baby.
Going further into his memory Justin recalls being inside of a warm, dark, tight space, before coming into the world. He could hear faint voices from within the womb. He liked hearing his brother’s voices, especially Jonathan’s.
He stares sleepily at the lady, fighting to stay awake. His eyelids close, and he wakes in the womb. Thinking that it is a dream, Justin’s body relaxes, as he listens to Jonathan’s voice trying to stay awake, and remember what is said. It sounds jumbled, as he drifts to sleep.
The woman smiles at Jonathan. “You take good care of your brother.”
He nods, “I love him, and being the older brother. He can come on tour when he is old enough.” He grins tiredly singing the lullaby.

When Justin’s speech improves, he tries to talk to his older brother, but it is still too hard to get the right words out.
Jonathan is promoting a new album with a musical group he is close too *NSYNC.
Talking to another baby Justin admits, “I should be the big brother.”
The baby coos, “But it is funny being the baby. Lance is my older brother. He is in *NSYNC. There is an older Justin too. They call him Randal. Sometimes the *NSYNC guys call him J.J. I bet he would like you. He has curls too, but has no siblings. He seems lonely.”
“Where is he?”
“He is sick a lot. He had a doctor visit.”

Jonathan attempts to cheer up J.J., after his doctor appointment. He asks what J.J. stands for.
Justin chuckles “Just Justin. It probably sounds corny, but that’s my pet name. They always make me out to be the boss. There is no boss in *NSYNC.”
“I call my younger brother Justin all sorts of things. He loves it.”
Running his fingers through his new set of curls Justin laughs. “That’s cute. Do you believe in time warps?”
Jonathan stares at him, “Time what?”
“It is a mystery thing you get trapped in time, and can’t get out. Lately things have been awkward. Maybe it is the medicines. I just don’t feel like me. I don’t believe Justin the singer is supposed to be sick.”
“I find it odd,” Jonathan shrugs. “I saw you on the television doing “Rock Your Body,” and a strange feeling came over me, as if I had seen it before, but it was a lot different than your version. There was no flash of lights. You were at a club having fun, and at the end we discovered you were dreaming.”
Justin takes a deep breath, “And what is up with this lady I have been seeing all over the place? She is just bizarre. She speaks in a monotone voice, and gives weird presents.”
Jonathan asks, “What kind of presents?”
Justin pulls a necklace out of his pocket, “Stuff like this. I like the color, but will not wear it.”
“I have a necklace like that too. Mom and Dad gave it to me, before they passed away.”
Justin sighs, “I don’t know how I could ever find out if this is really my life.” He closes his eyes.

People are talking, as he glances around the nursery looking for the baby. A young couple he over hears chatting about desiring a child, as they admire a new baby boy entering their family.
The sound of a woman’s voice echoes in his mind, as he looks her straight in the eye, and she hands him a necklace, telling him to use it wisely or he would be sorry.
Thankful for the gift he praised the woman putting the piece around his neck, but removing it when out of eyesight.

Opening his eyes, Justin eyes the woman. “You are mad at me, because I did not keep the necklace on. Am I even Justin?”
Jonathan shakes Justin, “What is wrong with you? There is no woman standing here.”
“I saw her,” Justin cries. “I wish this all could be explained.”
“Do you believe we are not who we say we are?”
“Honestly Jonathan, I do not know what to think. I get these daydreams, of being at the hospital nursery, and they spook me out, every time. I think they are a message, or warning of some sort.” He pauses, “When was Justin born?”
“He was born about two years ago! Why?”
“That was around the whole time this mess started. Why did your parents give you that necklace?”
“I really don’t know,” Jonathan sighs. “He told me it was a good luck charm, but I do not get into all that stuff, so I only wore it for them. I took it off the day I found out they had died.”
“The other four members of the group think I have lost my marbles. Maybe, they are right. Only I see her, and feel as though life is not what it should seem.”
He runs his fingers along the metal of the bed, smelling the scents of the hospital, as Jonathan enters the room, with his youngest brother.
Randal grins, looking into the small child’s eyes. “I think he knows the truth, and with that we can get out of this time mishap.”
Jonathan sits in the chair holding his brother. “You are stuck here, and my brother can’t help you. You cannot rely on a baby!”
“What if I told you Jonathan that your brother is not a baby at all?”
“That makes no sense. I just want you to get better Justin.”