Evergreen (sequel to Green for Good?!)

Famous

"Hello?" "Caitlin? It's Melissa." "Oh! Hi Mel!" Melissa was Caitlin's publicist and the two had become fast friends. "Ok, so I have some news!" "Good or bad?!" "Oh good! Very, very good!" "Really?! What is it?" "Your novel, has officially sold over 13 million copies worldwide!" she announced, and Caitlin could literally hear her smiling through the phone from her tone of voice. "Really? A-are you sure? Mel, you better not be lying to me right now!" Mel chuckled loudly. "I'm not, I promise! Really, it's all true." "Oh my gosh, this is incredible!" "Yep! And there's more!" "Ok?!" "Jimmy Fallon has personally requested for you to appear on 'The Tonight Show' later this week. What do you think?" "Um, wow!" "So will you go?" "Of course! I'd be honoured! When shall I be there?" "Tomorrow morning, around 8 am. We'll have a car pick you up." "That's great! Wait, what about Jax and the kids? Can they come too?" "Of course Cate!" "Ok. So I guess I'll see you tomorrow then!" "Sure will. Bye honey." "Bye Mel!"

"Jax, Jax, Jaxxxx!" Caitlin exclaimed, running over to her husband who lifted her into his arms and span her around. "Jax, Jax, Jaxxxx!" Austin mimicked, rushing over to his dad much like his mum had. Both Jackson and Caitlin looked at their son, shaking their heads and smiling him. "Jax what have you done to him?!" Cate joked. "Whatever, you love mini me!" he teased. "True!" "Now, you were going to tell me something!" "Yes! My book has sold over 13 million copies worldwide, and, I've been asked to be a guest on 'The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon' and you guys, are coming with me!" "What?! That's amazing! Congratulations baby!" "Thanks honey!" They both leaned in, entranced. And the kiss they shared in that moment was pure love.

* * *

"Now. Our next guest released her debut novel aged just 21, and it has recently sold over 13 million copies worldwide! It's the incredible Caitlin Rivers!!!" Jimmy Fallon introduced.

"Hi Caitlin!" "Hello Jimmy! It is so nice to meet you, I have been such a fan for so long now!" "Thank you so much, that really means a lot. Now, 13 million copies huh?" "Yeah! I know, it's crazy. I am just so grateful. I mean, I truly never thought anything this huge would come out of a teenage girl scrawling into a notebook as a way to relieve herself of all the usual teenage angst!" At this, Jimmy, and the audience, laughed. "Well you deserve every ounce of the success you're getting, and I've no doubt you'll have many more successes coming your way! The whole novel is just so amazingly well written." "Thank you! You have no idea how much that means to me! I really just want to thank every single person who went out and bought my book, especially those who actually took the time out to read it!" "Well that's what it's for right?!" Caitlin laughed. "That's true! But you'd be surprised how many people buy books and never actually get around to reading them!" "I can't argue with that. So, you recently had twin girls, right?" "Yes, I did!" "Congratulations!" "Thank you!" "Am I right in saying their names are Taylor and Autumn?" "Yes, well remembered! They're just over 10 months old now and they're almost walking!" "Are they here now?" "Yes they are, along with my husband Jackson and my son Austin." "Shall we bring them out?" "Sure!" Caitlin replied with a smile.

Jackson arrived alone at first.
"So, Jackson, what's it like being married to America's new favourite author?" "Horrible! I mean, Cate's loud, bossy, irritating, the list goes on!" Jackson turned for a second, daring to look at his entirely unamused wife. He suddenly grinned, and beamed brightly. "No, I'm kidding! Honestly? It's amazing, I've never been so happy. Hell, I never knew it was possible to be as happy as I am right now. Every day, when I wake up next to Cate, I thank the world for blessing me with her and our beautiful children. And I honestly couldn't be more proud. " "Aw! Baby!" Caitlin exclaimed with tears in her eyes as she pecked her husband on the lips quickly and hugged him. Jimmy smiled at the cute exchange. "Those were very special words Jackson. It's great to see a couple like you who are so young, yet clearly so happy and deeply in love." Caitlin smiled at this, and rested her head on Jax's shoulder. "Thank you for saying that!" "So, your daughters are staying backstage, but shall we bring your son Austin out with us?" Jimmy asked the couple. "Yes! Let's!" Jax answered. "Oh gosh," Caitlin began, putting her hand on her head faux-dramatically. "Jax and Austin are like double trouble! I don't think the world can handle it if I'm honest!" Jimmy laughed. "I think we'll manage! Lets bring him out!"

Austin came running out and immediately high-fived Jimmy and then went to sit on his mummy's lap. "So Austin, how old are you?" "I'm three now and I'm a big boy so I can eat all by myself!" "Really? Wow! And when are you going to be 4?" "Soon, so I get lots of presents and new books so I can play teacher with Tay and Aurie!" At this, Jimmy, and the audience, softly awed. "That's sweet. So guys, what are your plans for Austin's birthday? It's soon, right?" "Yes, it's next month, on the 13th." Jackson answered. "We're having a little picnic on the day cause we'll still be over here, and then when we get home Austin's having a party with his friends and family." While Caitlin was talking Austin and  Jackson were whispering and giggling. "That sounds nice. So you guys live in Oxford, England right?" Caitlin nodded; "Yes, we do".  "So what's it like being so far away from home?" "It's been hard, but we've all come to love it over here and it's going to be so hard to leave." "When are you going home?" "Me and the kids are leaving at the end of December and Jax is leaving in early January." Jimmy nodded appreciatively. "So I hear you guys are over here for Jackson's work?" "Yeah, which is why we're leaving at different times." "That must be hard, especially for you being alone with your kids." "I mean, yeah it's bound to be, but the bond between the kids and I has grown so much stronger, and all three of them have gotten so much closer which has been incredible to watch. It's been truly rewarding; it's just we've all missed Jackson so much, which is why having all of us together, under one roof, here in New York has been so precious to us." "I can imagine. Now Jackson, would you like to tell us exactly what you and Austin have been doing while Caitlin and I have been talking?" Jimmy asked, his curiosity peaked.

Jackson and Austin looked at each other, grinning and laughing, and then sheepishly glanced at Caitlin who, like Jimmy, was understandably curious.

"We were just talking about different ways to embarrass Caitlin and remembering this one time when she was pregnant with the twins and she had this tube of coffee creamer..." Jackson began confessionally. "No, no, nooooo! I don't think anyone wants to hear this story!" Caitlin interrupted. "Yes we do!" argued Jimmy. "Right guys?" He continued, speaking to the audience, who responded by cheering and clapping rambunctiously. "Babe, we've got to give the people what they want!" Jax said, turning to Caitlin with a wink. "Why did you even have to bring this up in the first place? I don't know what I'll do with you two!" She said with a sigh, grabbing Austin and tickling him. Jackson looked at her again, pleading, and finally she conceded with a very exaggerated sigh. "Fine, go ahead!"

"Ok, so Caitlin is obsessed with coffee, and it's the one thing our cupboard is always stocked with, even if there's nothing else in there. And there was this one time where she was ecstatic because she'd found the non-caffeine version of her favourite caramel coffee creamer, and she was pregnant so she couldn't have the normal version. So Austin and I went out, and we came back to find a pregnant Cate lying on the floor covered from head to toe in caramel coffee creamer! It turns out she'd been curled up on the couch, and was squirting coffee creamer into her mouth when she lost her balance and fell on the floor, forgetting to take her finger off the button of the coffee creamer. It was hysterical!"

Jackson paused for effect, allowing the audience to absorb the full hilarity of the story, and then he turned to his son. "Do you want to tell the next part bud?" Austin nodded eagerly. "Ok, go on then."

"Cause mummy loves coffee creamer, one day me and daddy took two of empty tubes and fill with shaving cream. One of them, daddy used shave and mummy saw and said daddy yucky and weird, but she tried a bit on tube and said tasted funny. Then, mummy had tube and was eating a lot and said it taste different but nice and she might buy more!!!"

"Those stories sure were interesting, but unfortunately that's it for today. Caitlin, thank you for coming, we'd love to have you guys on again! Many thanks to all my guests: Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lawrence, and Caitlin Rivers! Goodnight!"

The entire Rivers family had a wonderful time (though Caitlin feared she'd never get over the utter embarrassment of the day's events) and chose to end the day with a lovely dinner in a quaint restaurant downtown. And the whole family couldn't have been more proud of Caitlin, or more willing to share in her success.