Part XIV
*This I Promise You* - A fan fiction story by Tammy "Tammtamm" Frederick © Sept. 2000, thetamm@yahoo.com (inspired by the song THIS I PROMISE YOU written by Richard Marx and sung by NSYNC - from their album NO STRINGS ATTACHED, released in 2000)
Christmas Eve the guys and gals had all planned on spending together at Joey’s and Tara’s house. They wanted one last truly huge celebration of just all of them before family showed up and the weddings were held. Everyone was in good spirits.
They had turned down party invitations left and right for one last group night of just the guys and their women. Everyone was in charge of something different for the night. Lance was in charge of music; Betsy was in charge of lighting; Joey was in charge of the grill; Tara was in charge of the dessert; Chris was in charge of being in charge; Danielle was in charge of making garlic potatoes and side dishes; Justin was in charge of the Christmas tree and videotaping everyone and everything; JC was in charge of setting the table and taking pictures; and Shawn was in charge of making a salad.
“Okay, we’ve got cookies, we’ve got cheesecake, we’ve got pie.” Tara announced as the last pie was taken out of the oven. Shawn, Danielle, and Betsy were all sitting around in the kitchen as Tara finished cleaning up the baking supplies.
“I swear we’re spoiling out men!” Betsy commented.
“It’s easy to do that. Can’t help it.” Danielle stated.
“I’m not allowed to do that.” Shawn said.
“So he’s still not letting you do anything for him, get him anything?” Tara asked.
“Are you kidding? He says he’s happy and content just having me in his life. Doesn’t want me spending my hard-earned money on gifts for him. So I wrote a little something and framed it with a few pictures of him and me together from when we met up until last week. I hope he’ll like it.”
“He will love it.” Danielle squealed.
“Who will love what?” Justin asked as he came into forbidden territory.
“Hey Juju… what are you doing?” Tara asked.
“It’s your fault. You’re the one who’s been baking since Tuesday.” He replied.
“Out of the kitchen mister.” Tara frowned.
“Ok. But the guys want to know the game plan for tonight?”
“We’re still going to midnight services at the bible fellowship church, right?” Betsy asked.
“Definitely. The guys are singing “O Holy Night” to close out the services.” Shawn replied.
“Okay, well, the potatoes are ready to be started, all the other veggies can either be nuked, grilled, or boiled within ten minutes… what’s Chris say?” Danielle said.
“He’s ready for dinner and the dogs are getting restless.” Justin said.
“Well, get Joey to start the grill, we’ll get the meat seasoned oh and JC is suppose to be setting the table…” Tara explained.
“Oh, and Joey said to remind you to take a break.” Justin told Tara.
“Thanks…” Tara replied.
“Which means quiet time for you young lady…” Joey came into the kitchen.
“But I’m okay… I took my pill an hour ago and I’m not doing anything too strenuous and Danielle even helped me with putting some dishes away and such. So see, I’m doing alright.” Tara protested.
“He’s right, Tara, at least a few minutes anyway…” Betsy backed Joey up. She knew the schedule Tara had been on for the past week and knew that a cup of hot tea and fifteen minutes worth of a power nap refreshed Tara until midnight. Tara looked at Danielle and Shawn for support. They both shook their heads.
“Alright… alright… I’ll be in the den with my favorite Christmas CD.” Tara said and took Joey’s hand as he led her to the den.
Betsy put the tea kettle on as Danielle took the potatoes out of the refridgerator and put them on the stove. JC came into the kitchen and Shawn helped him set the table.
“Thanks Tara… I just don’t want you overwhelmed later, that’s all.” Joey replied when they were in the den. Marxycat was sleeping on Joey’s desk chair.
“I know… I know… and I have had a pretty busy week and it’s just going to get busier over the next few days.” Tara said. She went and put the guys’ Christmas CD in the CD player.
“One day that cat will learn that he doesn’t rule the house.” Joey chuckled.
“No he won’t.” Tara replied as she sat down on the sofa. They both laughed. “Just a power nap, okay?” Tara asked Joey.
“I’ll ask one of the girls to come wake you up.” Joey assured her.
“It’s just that it’s Christmas Eve and I wanna be awake for everything.” Tara explained.
“You excited?” Joey inquired.
“Yeah. I can’t help it.” Tara said.
“Remember last Christmas Eve?” Joey said.
“I remember everything about last Christmas.” Tara smiled.
“That was one of the best times of my life.” Joey admitted.
“It was fun surprising you.” Tara said. The year before, Joey and the guys were helping deliver presents to a few Children’s hospitals and when Joey got home, Tara was waiting for him in front of the fireplace with dinner, wine, and gifts. She wasn’t suppose to see him until the day after Christmas but she blew off the family to be with him.
“Well, I’m glad that this year, we’re together with no phones between us for four hours. Get some rest… I’ll see you in a little bit.” Joey said as he closed the door on his way out. Tara laid down on the couch and closed her eyes. When Betsy entered the room a few minutes later with her tea, she was asleep.
“She’s sleeping Joe.” Betsy reported when she returned to the kitchen. Joey was standing at the doorway to the deck keeping an eye on the grill.
“No more than another twenty minutes or she won’t sleep at all tonight.” Joey explained. Betsy nodded.
Everyone went about doing their little tasks to help make Christmas Eve dinner a good one. Justin got pictures of everyone and even got a few of Tara in the den. Marxycat had moved over onto the couch with her. He took some photos of the tree with all the gifts under it before everyone would gather around later and open them.
JC went around a few minutes later with the video camera and caught Danielle and Chris smooching in front of the stove, Lance heading towards Betsy with the mistletoe and Shawn was in the midst of it all dicing up cucumbers.
“Joshua Scott Chasez… you know better than to point that thing at me.” Shawn stated straight into the camera. Dani and Chris stopped kissing to look at JC and Shawn and Chris couldn’t help but laugh as JC turned bright red.
“All of you are terrible.” Shawn replied as she put the diced up cucumber in the salad, trying not to laugh as they all were.
“Give me that video camera Mr. Chasez.” Lance instructed his friend.
“What for?” JC questioned.
“You’re taping all of us, it’s only fair that you should be on camera too.” Betsy explained. Lance gave Betsy a kiss on the cheek and said thank you. JC handed over the video camera. JC went around the butcher’s block, dipped Shawn, and gave her a juicy kiss. Lance got it all on the video camera.
Joey came in and handed off the spatula to Justin so he could go wake up Tara. He waved Betsy off when she noticed him enter the house.
“Tara… C’mon… dinner’s almost ready.” Joey said after watching her for a few minutes. He had kneeled down in front of the couch where she laid peacefully. She opened her eyes to find she was looking into Joeys.
“I like opening waking up to your voice and seeing your smile.” Tara told him.
“Me too. How you doin?” he asked.
“I’m ok…got my power nap in… ready to party.” Tara said as Joey helped her up. “Shouldn’t you be manning the grille?”
“Justin’s got it under control.” Joey said. Tara laughed.
“Let’s get out there before he burns the steak… poor guy. You know he can’t grille to save his life.” Tara laughed. Joey took her hand and led her to the kitchen. They caught the gang eating some cookies.
“You just couldn’t wait until AFTER dinner?” Tara laughed. They were all caught red-handed and they knew it.
“Sorry.” Justin said as cookie crumbs fell from his mouth. Chris’s pugs went after the crumbs that fell to the floor. Tara and Joey just laughed as everyone worked together to get dinner on the table.
Dinner was spent laughing and talking about the last few weeks of freedom before going back into the studio to begin recording tracks for the new album they wanted to put out the following summer. The girls then managed to throw the wedding and reception plans into the conversation when Joey made a comment.
“Guys, Chris and I know that you’re planning a bachelor party and we’ve come to a decision that we really don’t want one.” Joey said to Lance, JC, and Justin.
“Yeah… we haven’t been bachelors for a while. We just want a night of carefree fun before the big day.” Chris jumped in. Tara and Dani looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“Uh oh… don’t tell me…” Shawn said.
“What? No bachelorette party?” Betsy asked.
“Please don’t be upset… we just feel the same way Chris and Joey feel.” Dani explained.
“Trish and Tina are going to be disappointed. We’ve been planning this for days!” Shawn said.
“It’s tradition… a right of passage…” JC said. Tara began to tear up.
“Please gang… for me… no bachelor or bachelorette parties?” Tara asked as she held back the tears. Joey took hold of her hand.
“Yeah gang… no bachelor or bachelorette party.” Joey reiterated, that’s when Shawn remembered why Tara was upset.
“No problem. No bachelor or bachelorette party, but how about letting the wedding party throw a party after the rehearsal dinner instead. Everyone together?” Shawn suggested.
“I’m all for it.” Tara said. Chris, Joey, and Danielle agreed.
“Okay… then but that’s all the four of you are going to know. Got it?” Justin said.
“What, you’re gonna have junior over here plan our party? I don’t think so.” Chris commented. Everyone laughed. After dinner, they all had a hand in cleaning up so that they could go have Christmas around the tree before the guys were to go sing at the Christmas Eve service.
“Tara… you have to teach me how to make these cookies.” Danielle commented as they were enjoying dessert around the tree. CDs and MP3 players and stuffed animals and trinkets from different cities were exchanged between everyone. And then there were the homemade gifts that Tara had made for everyone. She had hand painted some wooden picture frames with easels and had placed pictures of everyone doing funny things and caught off guard in the frames.
“Tara, these are the best!” JC laughed as he looked at a picture that showed him singing next to Richard Marx on piano, both of them had their eyes closed. It was during This I Promise You.
“How’d you come up with this?” Lance asked.
“I had asked Jonathan one day what happened to all the shots that weren’t used professionally and Jonathan said that usually the company buys them. I pitched my idea to him about this and he went to bat for me and so I bought most of the pictures from the past several months and picked my favs and did this when no one was around.” She admitted.
“This is great. This is fantastic. Tina would be in awe.” Danielle said as she admired the picture of her and Chris cuddling in the bus with a big Mickey Mouse that Chris had won for her from Disneyland in California.
“I was just saying how I had wished we had some candids of the tour that hadn’t been shown to the world.” Justin said. “And these are great.” He said. He had two frames; one of him from when he got stranded up in the ropes, the other of him and Britney, laughing.” Justin smiled at that one. He got up from where he was sitting and went over and hugged Tara for the pictures. “Thanks, this means more to me than you’ll ever know.” Justin told her.
“Okay, enough with the sappy stuff… this is a party, is it not?” Joey asked everyone.
“Yeah for another hour until we have to leave for the church.” Lance said while looking at his watch.
“So let’s clean up the wrapping paper and have some more dessert and hot chocolate and tea?” Betsy suggested.
The gang cleaned up the living room and laughed and sang along to the Christmas music and even danced on occasion.
Betsy pulled Shawn aside as they were taking tea mugs out to the kitchen.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you something all night long. Is there something I wasn’t aware of when we were talking about the bachelorette parties?” Betsy asked.
“Tara hasn’t told you anything?”
“We’ve only known each other a month.” Betsy told her.
“I know, but you’re her personal assistant.” Shawn said.
“Well, I guess some things she likes to keep private.” Betsy shrugged.
“Does she ever talk about Andy with you?” Shawn asked.
“Just that he was Joey’s best friend and at one time she was involved with him.”
“Look, I shouldn’t tell you anything. You should talk to Tara about it. But not right now… try in a few weeks when things have calmed down. Then you’ll understand. I promise.” Shawn said.
“She’s okay though?” Betsy was concerned.
“She seems to be. The joint party will be cool. You’ll see. It’s what Trish and JC have been planning all along.” Shawn giggled.
“Is that a good thing?”
“Sorta.”
“Hey… what are you two discussing out here?” JC said as he came up behind Shawn and wrapped his arms around her.
“You look so happy, you two.” Betsy observed.
“Thanks.” JC and Shawn said at the same time and giggled when they realized what they had done.
“Okay, what have we done with our coats?” Chris entered the hallway towards the kitchen.
“Try the den.” Shawn said. Betsy looked at her watch.
“Oh my… it’s that time already. We should go.” Betsy stated.
“C’mon you slow pokes… Church awaits.” Joey shouted down the hallway from the foyer. The entire house echoed from everyone’s laughter.
When church was over, everyone parted their separate ways with promises to be over at Tara and Joey’s for dinner at 4pm on Christmas day with family and friends. Joey and Tara were safely escorted to their door by Randy and Tiny before Joey dismissed both men for the holiday. Tiny of course insisted that they were not to leave the house for any reason without security.
“Yes Tiny. We swear.” Tara gave him a kiss on the cheek before he left with a glance back at two of his favorite people.
“So… how are you holding up?” Joey asked Tara.
“Is it really one thirty already?” she asked as she tried to hide a yawn.
“Yes, it is. We should get to bed. If we’re not up by ten, my mom will have our hides.” Joey chuckled.
“Wait… there’s one gift I wanted to give to you without anyone else around. Just you and me.”
“Honey, we promised each other that we wouldn’t get each other anything because of the wedding and everything. Nothing elaborate.” Joey pretended to be shocked that she would do something like that. He couldn’t wait until after they got up in the morning. She was in for the surprise of her life.
“Well, what’s done is done and I can’t take it back.” Tara explained. She walked over to the Christmas tree and took out a small box from between some branches.
“After what happened with Kim, I called this jeweler back home to make this for me.” Tara said and handed him the box. Joey couldn’t even begin to imagine what it was.
“Thank you.” Joey told her before he even opened the box.
“Silly, open it.” Tara said as she stifled another yawn. Joey opened the box to find a money clip and it was engraved.
“You are my strength, my hope, my faith, my love – now and forever, Tara”.
“Wow, Tara, I don’t know what to say.” Joey said. He was deeply affected by those words coming back to him from her.
“You don’t have to say anything. Just accept that from me. I knew that no video game or trinket could ever express how much you mean to me and I wanted something like the clip to have it engraved in stone if you will for this Christmas is truly a start of our life together here and now.” Tara explained.
“You are the strength in this relationship woman. Never forget that.” Joey said as he kissed her. “C’mon, time for bed.” Joey said as he picked her up and carried her up to bed.
Joey and Tara were awakened by the smell of fresh coffee and cinnabons in the air. Joey looked at the clock.
“No one’s due here until noon. It’s not even nine.” Joey said calmly. His parents and his brother were probably already there.
“Who’s here Joey? We did turn the alarm on, right? And Aida won’t be here until Wednesday.” Tara was a little afraid.
“It’s okay… it’s probably just my parents.” Joey stated. “I’ll go check, you stay here. I’m sure it’s only my parents.” Joey said.
“Alright.” Tara said, trying not to sound nervous.
“Go take a shower… lock yourself in there until I get back.” Joey suggested.
“Okay. Don’t be long.” Tara said.
“I won’t.” Joey tried not to laugh. He knew his family was downstairs helping with his Christmas present for Tara. He changed into some sweats and grabbed his shoes before running downstairs to the kitchen. His father and brother were already outside with the machine. His mom and sister were in the kitchen making Tara’s favorite Christmas tradition, Cinnabons and hot tea.
“Did you bring the movie?” Joey asked his sister.
“It’s all set up in the den.” She replied.
“Thanks.”
“Can she hear that thing?”
“No, I suggested that she take a shower.” Joey smiled and began to make Tara’s tea.
“That’s my boy.” Mrs. Fatone laughed.
“Tara? Tara…” Joey asked as he entered the room a few minutes later. He could still here the shower going and could hear her singing along to the guys’ Christmas CD. So while he waited for her, he went through his closet to find something festive and comfortable to wear for the day. When he heard the shower turn off, he knocked on the bathroom door again. “Tara? It’s me, I brought you some tea.” Joey explained. He heard some rustling in the bathroom as Tara hurried to the door.
“Thank you.” Tara said as she opened the door. “Is everything okay downstairs?” she asked.
“Yup, my parents and brother and sister are here is all. You nearly done in there?” Joey asked.
“Mmm hmmm. Just let me grab the hair dryer and a pick so that I can do my hair out here.” Tara said and quickly got the items she needed.
“Wait for me… I won’t be long.” Joey asked as he kissed her.
“Sure.” Tara said as Joey went into the bathroom and left the door open a crack. By the time Joey was done with his shower and shaving, Tara had dressed, put on a little bit of make-up, and done her hair. She was just putting on some jewelry when he came out of the bathroom. He whistled at her as he fastened the bracelet she had given him for Christmas.
“C’mon you too… breakfast is ready!” Steven yelled up the stairs.
“Well, guess we’d better go.” Joey held out his hand as Tara stood up from the make-up table.
“Yeah… busy day ahead.”
“Let’s go have a nice Christmas…”
“I already have.” Tara told him which made him smile.
“Why are all the curtains drawn?” Tara noticed immediately as they descended the stairs.
“That’s a good question.” Joey replied. “Hey dad? What’s going on? It’s Christmas… were there people in front of the house again?” Joey questioned as he held on to Tara’s hand and led her to the kitchen.
“I don’t know son.” His father replied.
“Dad? Have you seen Boo?” Steve asked. Boo was Joey’s parents’ lab dog.
“He’s out in the backyard.” Mr. Fatone replied.
“I’ll get him.” Tara said as she went to open the drapes to the sliding glass door. As soon as she did, she noticed snow on the deck. She gasped which made Joey panic.
“Tara?” he asked.
“This isn’t real.” Tara replied as she opened the door and stepped out onto the deck. She looked around at her surroundings. There was enough of the makeshift snow on the ground in the backyard to not show any green (about two inches). Tara looked over at the machine. “Joey?” she then turned around as he came over to her. She had tears in her eyes. He had made her Christmas a white Christmas.
“I know how much you love the snow at Christmastime. This was the only thing I knew I could ever do for you that would mean much more than any gift I could ever give you.” Joey explained as he wrapped his arms around her as the whole family stood at the doors to the deck. They watched as Boo played in the snow.
“Hey! What are you kids doing in here for… go out and play!” Joey’s mother stated.
“First though, gotta have something to eat.” Joey said.
“I have to help with dinner.” Tara stated.
“Oh no… Joe and I prepared most of the stuff yesterday… Everything’s right on schedule.” Mrs. Fatone explained as she took the cinnabons out of the oven.
“Well then, help me eat my cinnabon, Joe so we can go out and play.”
“Wait… I have one more gift for you… C’mon.” Joey said as he took the tray that had their hot chocolate and cinnabons on it and led Tara into the den.
“Joey, the snow is melting.”
“We’ve got the machines all day, don’t worry. They’ll be working all day long Tara.” Joey smiled.
“So what are we doing in here?” Tara then asked.
“Have a seat and turn on the TV.” Joey suggested as he placed the tray on the coffee table in front of them.
`Lord, what’s he gone and done now?’ Tara thought to herself. Once they were both seated on the couch, Tara turned on the TV.
“Now the VCR.” Joey said. Tara turned on the VCR with the remote.
“Now press play.” Joey instructed. Tara pressed play. A few minutes later she saw the opening scenes to her favorite movie to watch at Christmas, Home Alone. She hadn’t watched it since the last time with Andy.
“Now before you get all sappy on me and cry, let me explain something. This use to be one of your traditions, first with your Auntie and Unk and their family and then with Andy. This is a tradition that I want you to keep because I like the movie too and I know that it’s what you want as well.” Joey said. Tara turned and looked at him.
“Thank you for a wonderful Christmas, Joe, and for allowing me to have the memories of Andy and for including him in our life together. You are amazing. And how did you know that I haven’t watched this movie since the last time with Andy?”
“Well, I called up your Aunt a few weeks ago from one of the concert shows and asked her for her advice on how to make this Christmas feel like you were back home in Pennsylvania so she told me about your favorite things to do around Christmas and how you always love a white Christmas, making cookies, and newest tradition of cinnabons and watching Home Alone.”
“Thank you.”
“Just wanted to give back to you what you give me everyday.” Joey replied. They ate their cinnabons and watched a little of the movie before Tara persuaded Joey to go out and play in the snow with her until the rest of their family and friends arrived for dinner and football.
“So, before we start dishing out the food, Joey and Tara, and Chris and Danielle wanted to tell us all something.” Mr. Fatone announced to the house full of people. Justin had led everyone in a very beautiful prayer after Mrs. Fatone announced that dinner was ready. “Son?” Mr. Fatone asked Joey. Joey was nervous.
“Oh my, I um… where do I start?” Joey said as he looked at Tara. His eyes were tearing up.
“C’mon, we’re hungry!” his brother, Steve, yelled from the front door.
“Hey… you try telling everyone you and one of your best friends are marrying the loves of their lives on New Year’s Eve.” Joey responded to his brother. Everyone burst into cheers and congratulatory hugs and well wishes.
“Well, honey, that wasn’t so bad now was it?” Tara said as she gave him a hug.
“Nothing like that brother of yours to get you worked up!” Chris laughed.
“Hey, could we like eat now?” Steve asked when he got up to the foursome.
“Yeah, let’s eat!” Some of the kids chanted.
Later that night…
“Tara… I have one more gift for you.” Joey said after everyone had left and it was just the two of them in the house together. He led her out to the back yard where there was still snow on the ground. He made her close her eyes before he ran over to the PT Cruiser to get the gift he had for her out of the car. She had told herself earlier in the day that this was the best Christmas she ever had and had thought that they were all done with Christmas gifts.
“Keep your eyes closed Tara.” Joey instructed from the Cruiser. Tara closed her eyes obediently. A few moments later Joey was up on the deck next to her with her gift. “Okay, you can open them now.” Joey said. Tara opened them to see Joey holding a big, rectangular package.
“Joey, what have you done?”
“I saw it and knew that you didn’t have this one yet. Open.” Joey instructed as he placed it on the picnic table. Tara excitedly opened the package to see the Kim Anderson photo of a little girl in a yellow-polka dot dress leaning next to a little boy as they sat on a bench.
“It’s beautiful Joey.” Tara was amazed at the picture.
“I thought you’d like it.” Joey was pleased. “There’s more though.” Joey said and turned the picture over so that she could read what was written on the back. Joey had hand written the words to This I Promise You, Now and Forever, The Way You Do , and What Makes You Different, Makes You Beautiful on the back of the frame. He also wrote:
“I may not know what to say vow wise when we’re up in front of our family and friends on our wedding day, but you know you have my heart and you know that I love you with every ounce of my soul. All I know when I think of you is that every moment I have with you is one more moment of my life in happiness. Merry Christmas darling. I love you, Joe.” Joe also dated it December 25th, 2000.
“You’re amazing, Joe. Truly amazing.” Tara said as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him.
“You’re freezing.” Joey said.
“Well, it’s not seventy degrees out here, ya know.” Tara giggled.
“C’mon, let’s go back inside.”
“But the snow won’t be here tomorrow. Let’s just stay out here a little longer? I just want to live in this moment for a little while longer. The next several days are going to be so hectic with friends and family and the final days up to our wedding.”
“Okay, sounds good to me.” Joey said as he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
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