~~~~~Chapter Sixteen~~~~
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Jessica and Nick's vacation from touring had been blissful so far. After the initial picnic with the rest of the group they had been left alone to enjoy each other's company. Nick had taken Jessica out on the boat several times and they had often made love on the private beach in back of the house. Things had been going well during their brief holiday and Jessica thought they were growing even closer together. Jessica's parents had called often to make sure she was alright, which was driving Nick insane. The Saturday before the tour resumed Nick had gone out for the morning, shopping. Jessica had decided to stayed home to clean and pack their suitcases. Nick had called around lunch time telling her he was going out with some friends and would be home "later". Jessica sighed as she hung up the phone. This gave her some more time to pack, but she really would have preferred to have Nick around.
Jessica quickly rinsed her hands off when she heard the telephone ring again. "Always when you're washing dishes!" she exclaimed. "Hello?" "Hey Jess! It's AJ, is Nick around? "No, he's been gone all day, out with some friends last I heard. I don't know when he's coming back." "Shit, alright. Do you mind if I deliver something for him? It's just some new costumes for the second leg of the tour. No idea why I got his!" Jessica laughed at the mental image of size small AJ swimming in Nick's size extra large stage clothes. "Sure, no problem J. I'll be here for the rest of the day." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AJ rang the doorbell around nine that night. "Still no Nick?" he asked, after greeting Jessica and entering the house. "No." Jessica frowned. "Would you like to stay for a bit? I just made some tea and popped a movie in. I'm getting awfully bored all alone." AJ's mind wandered back to the intimate last time they had been alone together. "I don't know if that's a real good idea, Jess." "I'm not coming on to you, J." Jessica smiled. "That last time with you, was the last time. I told Nick that. I really am just lonely." AJ drew his hand over his brow in mock relief, laughing. "Not that I didn't like being with you, but you know..." his voice trailed off. "I know." Jessica ushered him into the living room. "Let me get you some tea while you get comfortable." AJ set the box of costumes on the table and settled into the overstuffed chair in front of the TV, pulling his legs up Indian style. "Hey this is great Jess!" he yelled into the direction of the kitchen. "I love this movie!" Jessica curled up on the couch after she gave AJ his tea. They chatted during the movie, sharing stories about Nick, the group, themselves and various other things. Before they knew it the movie was over. AJ stood to stretch and yawn. "Thanks for the movie Jess. I should be going. I'm sure Nick will be home soon." "Yeah, me too." Jessica shook her head. "He'll be here soon." AJ reached over to give her a small hug. "See you in a few days, dear. Take care of yourself." Jessica shut the door and had barely sat down when it was thrown open wide, banging on the wall behind it. "What the HELL was AJ doing here?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "How was she?" "Kevin, will you give it up! She's with Nick, for Christ's sake! Deal with it!" "J, I can't help but worry about her, not after last time." Kevin walked across his living room, staring out the window into the starless night sky. "She's fine Kevin, honestly. She was really happy, just lonely because Nick had gone out. I stayed and watched a movie with her and left." "Was Nick home when you left?" Kevin asked. "He was just getting home as I was leaving. He seemed cool." "Okay, I'm sorry J, it's just hard for me to believe Nick has changed that much in such a short time." "I hear you, Kevin. But you have to stop obsessing over her and let her live her life. She's not your's to worry about." Kevin said his goodbyes and hung up the phone. "I know she's not...and it kills me to say that. I love her so much." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nick had Jessica backing up against the couch, sobbing his name. The backs of her knees hit the couch and she toppled backwards and sat abruptly. He towered over her with his fist raised. "I said...tell me why AJ was here, you bitch!
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