*"Hey! What's up everybody!? This is Lunchtime Lisa on 99.5 WMIX, where we have all the hitz and its all in the MIX comin' atcha! Now, my next jam on this weeks top 20 is from a rising star who is going to be huge! Her debut CD, "No Shrinking Violet" debuted at number 4 on the Billboard charts this week, edging out Miss Britney Spears from her steady spot. She's number 3 this week on my countdown, it's Bittersweet with "This Is How It Should Be Done"! On 99.5 WMIX!"*

"Oh my god... KAYLA!! NICK!! SANYA!! BRIAN!! MEGAN!! AJ!! ZACH!! EVERYBODY COME HERE!!" Jessica yelled from the kitchen where she was doing dishes after lunch. All of "those people" were at her house, upstairs. This was the first time she ever had the time to even listen to the radio in months.

What sounded like a herd of elephants came rushing down the steps and into the kitchen. Almost all at once, Jessica was bombarded by questions along the lines of "What's wrong?". She dried her hands and rolled her eyes.

"Shhhhhh, Listen!" Jessica instructed and everyone settled down. The music filtered through the room and a look of recognition crossed everyone's faces.

"That's mommy!" Kayla squealed and ran over and hugged her mothers leg.

"Jess... I'm so proud of you..." Sanya sniffed walked over to her friend and enveloped her in a hug.

"Thanks, hun," she held onto her best friend tightly.

The others all came around and congratulated Jessica as the song ended.

*"That was Bittersweet with "This Is How It Should Be Done" on my weekly top 20 at number 3. I'm Lunchtime Lisa and I hope I am always your number 1 pick when you need something to spice up your life. And no one call! I will not play that song! *laughter* Well we gotta take a break now, but when we get back, I have some breaking news about our artists at number 1. So for the latest and the greatest, stay tuned to the only station you need programmed in your radio, 99.5 WMIX! I've got all the hitz in the MIX c'mon atcha! So keep it real and keep it here!"*

The past few months have gone by in whirl for Jessica. With help from her manager, Denise, Jess was quickly signed to Virgin Records under the stage name of Bittersweet. She was signed on to a four album deal and sent into the studio to work with writers like Max Martin, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. A mini tour had already gone around and Bittersweet was already a hit with fans of all ages. She co-wrote and co-produced most of the work on her debut, "No Shrinking Violet", and has no doubt made her mark on the music world quickly, yet respectably, unlike so many artists that come and go nowadays.

The phone rang and Jessica answered it because she was closest. "Hello? J.R. speaking, how may I help you?"

"Ms. Robinson. This is Kathleen, down at Mercy Hospital."

The hospital had an adult and child wing. Jessica figured it was a call about Kayci and swallowed hard. "Yes?"

"Well, I'm your doctor. Could ya perk up a little? It's not like I'm giving bad news," the woman laughed warmly. "It's about you and your health. Your daughter... Kayci, is fine," Jessica seemed to heave a heavy sigh of relief.

"Jess, we're gonna go play some ball, ok?" Nick asked quietly and Jess covered the mouthpiece and nodded. Nick leaned over and kissed her lips quickly before bolting out the door with the others. "Who's that? Your secret husband?" Kathleen asked and giggled. She sounded pretty young over the phone. Kathleen also knew of Jessica's status in the music industry. You couldn't escape knowing about her.

"He's my boyfriend. That's all," Jessica smiled into the phone and even though Kathleen couldn't see it, she knew she was.

"Does he have a name?"

"Yes, but I'm not telling," Jessica said firmly. She and Nick had decided a long time ago to keep their relationship under wraps from the public.

"Well, it doesn't matter much now. I'll meet him once you come in for your first ultrasound," Jessica's ears perked up at her words. There was a silence where Kathleen let Jess get used to the information her brain was trying to process.

"You're not serious, are you?" Jessica slumped to the floor and her body went weak. She somehow managed to keep the phone up to her ear.

"Positive," Kathleen said firmly. "Now, call me Kate from now on. Because you'll be seeing a lot of me."

"All right... thanks, I guess..." Jessica was ready to break down in tears. Her career was just beginning and now she was pregnant? This wasn't going to be good. Nick was definitely the father. That's not good either. "You can't let this slip outside of your lips, Kate. Please. For the sake of my sanity."

"Patient Doctor confidentiality states that if I slip you have the right to sue me anyway!" Kate laughed, but Jessica didn't. "Uh, sorry. Doctor jokes. Anyway, I'll talk to you later. I need to schedule you for an appointment for next week. Is that ok?"

"It's fine. Thank you," Jessica said before they both said good bye and hung up. She dropped the cordless phone from her hands and laid down on the cool hardwood floor. She sighed and involuntarily rested her hand on her stomach.

"Hey, Jess!" Nick said coming through the front door laughing. He reached the kitchen where he figured she would be and saw her on the floor almost in tears. "JESS!" he screeched and ran to kneel by her side. "Babe, what's wrong?" Nick panicked and rolled Jessica over to look into her brown eyes that he couldn't go a day without. She had a slight smile on her face but it quickly went away as fast as it had come.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm fine. Kayci's fine. Everything is fine," she said quickly and sat up. Nick saw something different in her eyes that told it all.

"Something's wrong with me?" he helped her up and noticed that she kept one of her hands on her stomach the whole time. "Does your stomach hurt?"

"No and no. You are perfect and my stomach is... fine," her hesitation was noticeable.

"Jess, what's going on? And who was on the phone earlier?" Nick asked and held her body at her hips. Jessica leaned back on the counter and ran her other hand through her hair. She jumped up and sat on the counter, ready to have a little talk with Nick.

"Maybe you should sit down," she suggested but Nick didn't move. "Ok, but I warned you," she laughed to herself and stopped when he didn't laugh with her. "Ok, ummmm... Kate was on the phone."

"Kate, who?"

"My doctor, Kate."

"And what's wrong? Are you ok? You were just in for a check up before you left on the last tour. They said you were completely healthy... don't tell me you have to stop performing or something," Nick said and the words seemed to rush out of his mouth.

"Actually, I might have to stop performing for a while," Jessica winced at her own words. She didn't like the thought of not being able to sing for crowds and hear the applause that comes after a good show. Nick pulled Jessica into his embrace and rubbed her back soothingly.

"Why would you have to stop?" he asked gently.

"Because."

"Because, why?"

"You can't leave me, Nick. The last time this happened, everyone turned against me except for Sanya. I thought I had the flu last week but I guess I was severely wrong," at those words, Nick knew. He held her in silence for a couple of seconds. She was pregnant.

"Are they sure?" he asked calmly.

"Positive," she let a tear roll down her face. "What's gonna happen to me? My career? Your career?... Us?"

Nick began to rock Jessica back and forth unconsciously and didn't waste anytime with his answer. "You'll be as strikingly beautiful as you are now, and your fans will understand that you have a life and mine will have to do the same, and we will have a spoiled little brat of a child together and I mean that in the most affectionate way possible."

Jessica laughed and looked up into Nick's blue eyes that she couldn't live a day without. "Promise?"

"With all my heart... I love you, Jessica... and I'm willing to risk anything for you, whether it be my career or my life. I'd do it for you," Nick said sweetly and sincerely.

"I love you too, Nick... So, you're not mad?" she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

"Why would I be mad?! You're having our baby. I'm gonna be a father," the realization hit Nick like a ton of bricks. "Oh my god... I'm gonna be..." he began to lose the feeling in his knees. "Oh, wow."

Jessica giggled. "Don't take it to hard."

"Hey guys! What took Nick so long to grab some Pepsi's?" Brian snickered as he came into the kitchen with a bunch of thirsty people tagging along behind him. "Yo Frack, what's wrong?" Brian walked over to Nick and put a hand on his shoulder.

Nick quickly turned around and nearly choked Brian with a hug. "Nothing's wrong! The world is great! I'm gonna be a father!" Nick jumped up and down and couldn't seem to stop moving.

"Holy... You're joking, right?" Brian's eyes grew with surprise. He looked to Jessica, who just shrugged, and then at his best friend, who was merrily hugging every person in the room, his blonde hair flying in every which direction. Brian went to Jessica and pulled her into a hug. "I'm happy for you..." he looked at Nick. "The both of you."

Nick bounded to the counter and picked up Jessica and twirled her around. When he put her down he gave her a long, passionate, heart stopping kiss, not even caring about the other people in the room. When they finally separated he spoke quietly in her ear. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Jessica whispered and everyone began clapping. Her face reddened and she buried it in Nick's chest. "What am I gonna do?"

"What do you mean?" Megan asked and took a Pepsi out of the fridge and passed one to AJ.

"I have to call Virgin and tell them. This is gonna suck. I'll probably lose my contract and go back to being a live at home secretary for the firm again," Jessica sighed and just let Nick hold her.

"You gotta call," AJ picked up the phone from the floor and put it in Jessica's hands. "Now's better than later," he said honestly from experience.

"I guess," Jess fumbled with the phone in her hands.

"It'll be fine," Nick assured her fears with those simple words. He sat down at the table and pulled Jessica into his lap. "Now call."

She knew he was right, so she dialed the telephone. As it rang, she put it up to her ear. Her hand was shaking slightly as she did so. "Don't worry, Jess. If they decide to cut their contract you can sue them and I'll be right there to bitch them out in court," Sanya laughed. "One of the many perks of my job."

Everyone laughed as the office in New York picked up. "Hello, Virgin Records. This is Sara, how can I help you?"

"Hi, Sara can you put me through. It's Jessica Robinson."

"Sure thing, sweetie," the receptionist said and put her through.

10 minutes later... "It's gonna be crazy," Jessica put her head in her hands as she tried to go over everything that was going to happen in the next couple months in her head.

"What's gonna happen?" Nick squeezed her tighter but not too tight. He was already thinking about the baby.

"A lot," Jessica confirmed. "We're not going public with this, or our relationship. The big heads wanna send me out on a US tour, probably with some other big name, and then schedule it to be over by my 5th month. They don't want me to be in the public eye with a belly," Jessica frowned. "I'm gonna get fat again!" she whined and Nick pulled the emotional girl close and smoothed her hair. He kissed Jessica's forehead.

"You won't be fat, Jess. You'll be pregnant. It's a whole different thing," he laughed at her wailing's.

"But I don't wanna be different... I don't wanna be fat!" the room erupted into laughter after that. "Fine. Laugh now, but in 7 months when I can't see my feet and I put on different colored socks and I'm in public with YOU, see who laughs then!" she pointed at Sanya.

"I'll STILL be laughing!" Sanya laughed even harder than she was before.

Kayci who had been quiet the whole time walked over to her mother and pulled herself up on her lap. "Did I make you fat before, mommy?"

"Yes," Sanya added and Brian covered her mouth.

"You need to stop before you make me bust an artery," he said between his own fits of laughter. "Besides, I wanted to go take Kayci out for ice cream. I still owe her from the last time she beat me at basketball. Even though I let you win!" he said loudly and picked up Kayci who was giggling.

"I beat you fair and square, buster! You're just upset cause I'm a girl!" her face started to turn red as he held her over his head upside down. She looked over at her best friend who was trying to hide his giggles. "Can Zach come too?"

"Sure!" Sanya picked up Zach and carried him out the door like a football. "We'll be back later guys!" she yelled back in. Brian followed her out with Kayci on his shoulders.

"They sure do know how to make an exit," Megan laughed and plopped herself down in a chair next to Jessica and Nick.

"Well, now it's our turn to make an exit, cause I have you all to myself today, now that the rug rat is gone," AJ smirked as he took Megan's hands and pulled her back up.

"TMI," Nick said quietly and Jessica nudged him in the gut. (Too Much Information, for those who don't know.)

"Don't end up like me, Megan. This is my second and I'm the same age as you," Jessica warned playfully and got up to see the two of them out. After saying good bye and shutting the door behind herself she went into the kitchen and was about to turn off the radio when something caught her attention.

*"Hey, Lisa here on 99.5 WMIX. That was my number 1 jam of the day, the Backstreet Boys with "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" Now, I know I promised you some news on my artists at number 1, so here's the dish."*

Nick came up behind Jessica and held her around her back. Jessica leaned back into his arms, against his chest. They were both wondering what the news could be.

*"Well, everyone... it appears that one of our Backstreet Boys isn't so lonely as he seems. You all must know of a certain blonde bombshell named Nick Carter, right? As it turns out, insiders say he is dating another artist on my countdown this week. Miss Bittersweet as we know her, but he calls her by her real name of Jessica. They have reportedly been together since before the boys last tour begun and have been a hot item between their close knit circle of friends. Good news, huh? Not for all you girls out there that had planned on marrying him, but good for the happy couple nonetheless. That's it for me today! Tune in tomorrow and I'll have more awesome tracks for ya, and some more awesome news. This is Lunchtime Lisa here at 99.5 WMIX, where we have all the hitz and it's all in the M-I-X, signing off. I'm out!"*

Back to Kayci and The Sunshine Band