“Hey Lenni!” Uncle John called. “There’s some guy on the phone who says his name’s JC and he’s from some group, N’SYNC. Wants to know if you’d like to go to one of their upcoming concerts in Ottawa.”

“Uncle John, I’ve never written JC, so how in the world did he get our phone number?” Lenore asked. “I know I never gave it to him, and Nikki doesn’t really like N’SYNC, so I know she didn’t give it to him.”

“He said he got it off Brian,” Uncle John told her. “Brian gave it to him because he remembered how highly you’d spoken of him.”

“Yeah, sure, and I’m the Tooth Fairy,” Lenore returned. “Uncle John, JC is not on the phone.”

“I’m sorry JC, but she doesn’t believe it’s really you,” Uncle John informed the guy he was talking to. “Maybe if you had Brian or somebody call here to tell her it was you, then she’d be more convinced.”

“Wait a minute,” Lenore thought. “Uncle John was telling the truth the last time he said Brian was at the door. I didn’t believe him then, but a few minutes later, Brian had walked into my room. Maybe he really is talking to JC on the phone.”

“Well, it was nice talking to you too JC,” Uncle John said. “Maybe you’ll have better luck next time.”

He was about to hang up when Lenore came running into the room.

“UNCLE JOHN!” She shrieked. “WAIT! I WANNA TALK TO JC!”

“And what makes you think now that it is JC?” Uncle John wanted to know. “Hmm?”

“The last time I didn’t believe you, Brian walked into my room,” she said simply. “I figured it has to be JC, as it was a long distance ring, and you wouldn’t know his name otherwise. Unless, of course, Nikki told it to you, so you could tease me about my fave groups again.”

“Well, Nikki hasn’t told me anything,” Uncle John rejoined. “Therefore, your first theory was right.”

She anxiously grabbed the phone from him.

“Hello? JC?”

“Hi Lenore,” JC said. “Sure took you long enough to come to the phone.”