�For moral support, plus, if she won�t give in you�re my eyewitness,� he said.
�But I�ll be hiding in the bathroom when she gets here?�
�Yeah because I want her to think nothing has changed. I can�t do that with you stretched out across my bed like that. She�ll immediately be on the defensive. I want to catch her off guard,� he said.
�Oh ok, I get it now. So when do you expect her back?�
�Not sure exactly. She�s supposed to be having dinner with Leighanne.�
�When did they leave?� I asked.
�About an hour and a half ago,� he answered.
�So basically any minute now.�
�Yeah something like that.�
�You sure they aren�t going to go shopping or something?� I asked.
�Naw, Leighanne took her out to do that yesterday. She took her out to �see the sites�. When Jessica got back she was loaded down with shopping bags,� he said. Birds of a feather, I thought. Not that I disliked Leighanne, far from it. If she and Jessica were twins, Leighanne would definitely be the good twin. But they still had an awful lot in common. Sometimes it was scary.
�Ok so after I kick your ass again, I�ll go hide in the bathroom,� I said.
�Whatever. You mean after I kick your ass,� he said.
�Yeah we�ll see,� I replied. Before we started playing the next game I thought I heard something or someone at the door. Nick turned and looked at me. I think he heard the same thing.
�It�s her,� he said in an urgent whisper. Then, �Go!� he exclaimed as he waved frantically toward the bathroom. I jumped up, tripped once and ran into the bathroom closing the door quietly behind me. I leaned against the door to catch my breath.
I looked around the room for a chair so I could be comfortable as I listened. I had to hear what Nick was going to say to her. It was a nice sized bathroom with a huge tub in it�s center. The shower was separate and closest to the door. There was even a small linen closet where extra towels and robes were stored. The closet stood between the shower and the door. Not seeing a chair, I opened the linen closet and grabbed a bunch of big fluffy towels and arranged them on the floor by the door. I could almost hear everything. I�ll try to rehash the whole scene of course, what I didn�t see was later told to me by Nick.
�Hey sweetie!� Jessica exclaimed pulling Nick into a hug. He didn�t return it.
�Hi,� he said.
�Hi? Is that all you can say to me? How come you don�t call me �Babydoll� anymore?� she asked pouting.
�I don�t know. It doesn�t fit you anymore,� he replied turning the game system off and putting everything away.
�Oh really? What does fit? Mommy? Mama? Maybe� mother to my child?� she said with a satisfied giggle running her hand over her slight bump.
�No, I don�t think those work, either,� he told her.
�What do you mean by that? That�s what I am,� she said slightly deflated.
�I guess,� Nick said nonchalantly.
�You guess? Nick what in the world has gotten into you? You�re talking crazy!�
�I don�t know. I don�t think I�m talking crazy.�
�What the hell is that supposed to mean?�
�Am I the father?� Nick asked suddenly. He didn�t look at her, he couldn�t. The answer to his question whether she lied or told the truth would be the final nail in Jessica�s coffin.
�What kind of question is that? Why would you ask me something like that?� she squeaked.
�Why don�t you answer the question Jessica?� he asked. I could tell he was containing his rage but it was right below the surface. She didn�t say anything for a minute. I guess she was weighing her options.
�Of course! Of course you�re the father!� she exclaimed.
�You wanna know the sad part? I think you�re actually starting to believe your lies,� he replied. Then, �Eeeeeehhhnnn wrong answer. Let�s try again. Am I the father?�
�Yes!� she cried vehemently. Nick stared at her for a minute. �What�s got into you? Who told you that you weren�t the father?�
�That�s not important right now. What�s important is that you tell me whether that person is wrong or right.�
�That person is lying! They just want to break us up! Who was it Nick? Who told you this?�
�I can not fucking believe you! You�re standing here right in my face and you�re lying Jessica! Not a small little white lie but a big one. Do you realize that I can have a paternity test done tomorrow?! Fuck it, right now if I needed to! And you�re just going to stand there and lie to my fucking face!� he yelled.
I peeked into the room by quietly cracking the door. They were both standing with the bed between them. Nick was facing me while, Jessica had her back to me. She stood firm but she was still trembling slightly. His face was blotchy and red in his rage.
�I�m. . . not. . . lying,� she stammered.
�Really? How come I know the father�s name?�
�Because-,� she started.
�If you say because it�s my name so help me God I will flip this bed over on you,� he interrupted. She didn�t say anything. Nick started toward her. She froze falling completely silent even her breathing slowed. �I�m going to ask you one-more-time,� he said standing directly in front of her. �Am I the father? If it helps to jog your memory, I�m sure Jake would love to get a call from me.�
Since they were facing each other I couldn�t make out Jessica�s face but I could see her profile . At the mention of Jake�s name her right eye must have widened five times it�s normal size. I can only assume the left one followed suit.
�You�re. . . not. . . the father,� she whispered slowly.
�You�re absolutely sure about this?� Nick asked grabbing her arms.
�Yes. I found out I was pregnant right before you called me back on the tour,� she said. Nick released her abruptly causing her to drop down on the bed.
�So you were cheating on me,� he said pacing away from her. �For how long?�
�That�s not something I keep a record of Nick! It just kind of happened,� she said regaining some of her bite.
�I said, �For how long?�! Answer my fucking question!�
�Don�t you dare talk to me like that, Nickolas!�
�Are you seriously telling me what to do? You are so not in the position to do that to me. Answer my fucking question, please.� He said mockingly.
�I guess it started about five months ago. That was probably the first time but, it didn�t mean anything!�
�Five months ago? That�s almost half of this so-called relationship! So it just �kind of happed� for five months?�
�But. . . but I still love you! What happened between Jake and I meant nothing! I still love you!�
�Are you kidding me with this? At this point, you cheating on me is the least of our problems,� he told her.
�I know. . . I�m sorry. I didn�t mean to hurt you. . . I love you.�
�You must mean you didn�t mean to get caught. You could care less about my feelings.�
�I�m so sorry Nick, I really am. If I could take this all back I would. Please don�t let this hurt what we could still have.�
�You know begging suits you Jessica. It just shows how much of a pathetic slut you really are,� he said. Jessica looked at him with murder in her eyes. She raised her hand to slap him but didn�t get that far. Nick, who was watching her every move, caught her hand before it connected with his face.
�Don�t do that,� he told her releasing her hand. She sank down onto the bed, looking defeated. �I�m sending you home and I don�t want to ever see you again, Jessica,� he said coolly.
�You�re sending me home. You�re sending me home?! Just like that?!� she exclaimed gripping the edge of the bed.
�Just like that,� he said snapping his fingers.
�You can�t just send me home!�
�Why not? It�s over. The only reason you were here was because of me. Now unless you plan on shacking up with AJ or Howie or someone on the crew I think you need to go.�
�Who the fuck do you think you are? You�re just going to put me on a plane and send me home like I�m some child that has disobeyed you?�
�That�s exactly what I�m going to do.�
�Ok I made a mistake. I�ll admit that but you are not going to stand there and act like you�re all high and fucking mighty over me, Nick Carter.�
�You didn�t just make a mistake! You fucked up!�
�But��
�No Jessica, this is it! This is the end. I�ve packed your shit and Tom, you know my bus driver, will be downstairs with a car to take you to the airport. I bought you a first class, one way ticket back to California. First class, in consideration of your present condition. After you get back to LA, I don�t want to see you or hear from you ever again,� he said. Jessica seemed to be struck dumb. She sat at the foot of the bed not moving. �Were you ever going to tell me that the baby wasn�t mine?� he asked staring down at her.
�No. I was going to marry you and then have more children. . . . your children and never tell you about the first one,� she said quietly. Nick�s eyes narrowed. She looked up at him looking the part of the angel again.
�Can I ask you a question, Nick? Who told you about my little secret?�
�That�s none of your business,� he replied. Then, �I�ll get your luggage out and have someone help you take it downstairs.�
I could hear Nick pulling her suitcases from the closet into the next room. I heard him on the phone asking for a bellboy. I heard the knock at the door and the bellboy moving the luggage about. They didn�t say anything to each other during this time. Then the door opened and closed for the final time. Jessica was finally gone. Ding dong the witch is dead, I thought. After that everything was silent.
For a minute, I wasn�t sure I should come out. I wasn�t sure of what to do next until, Nick knocked softly on the door.
�You still in there?� he asked. I stood and opened the door for him.
�Yeah and I heard just about everything. Are you ok?�
�I think so. Can I come in?�
�It�s your bathroom. Who am I to say �no�?� He stepped into the bathroom tripping over the pile of towels I had been sitting on. �Sorry about that there was no place to sit except, the most obvious place,� I said looking over at the toilet.
�It�s ok,� he replied with a smirk.
�Ok so really how are you?�
�I feel wiped out. That was hard, even harder not to kill her where she stood,� he said running both hands through his hair.
�You need a hug,� I said simply. He looked at me and nodded.
I hugged him like I had many times before. He hugged me back, pulling me closer, squeezing me harder. I didn�t say anything. It was just an innocent hug. He pulled away first, slowly.
�Come on let�s go talk,� I said leading him back into the bedroom.
