CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO ~ The Missing Band

    "Ash, what's wrong with your sister?" Rachel asked curiously.
     "I don't know.  I'll let ya know when I find out," Ashley said running after his sister.
     "Ethan, I'm sorry, but I don't think that this is going to work out," Rachel said, thinking back to the feeling that both she and Nicole had had about him when he was first introduced to Nicole.
     "What?  I didn't do anything wrong," Ethan said protesting.
     "I'm sorry, but the way you were looking at Nicole was not an appropriate way for a teacher to be looking at his student," Rachel explained.
     "I still expect to get paid, you understand that, correct?"
     "There are terms which were explained in your contract.  That is what you will receive as a severance package from Trans-Con, nothing else," Rachel stated emphatically.  "You will leave now, or I'll be forced to call the police," Rachel added when Ethan made no effort to leave.
     "I'm leaving," Ethan said as he walked towards his car.  "But don't think you've heard the last of me!" he yelled as he drove off into the early morning traffic of Orlando while Rachel walked around the building to find Ashley and Nicole.
     "Nicole, what's wrong?" Ashley asked, still trying to find out what had his sister so frightened.
     "The...way...he...looked...at...me," Nicole choked out between tears.
     "Uhh...Hmmm," Rachel said, to let the Angel siblings know she was there when she found them sitting at the picnic tables on the side of the building.
     "Hi Rach, what's up?" Nicole asked wiping her eyes.
     "Well, your tutoring has been cancelled for today.  I fired Ethan," Rachel explained and she noticed the relieved look on Nicole's face.  "I'm sorry you both got up so early this morning for nothing, but would y'all like to go somewhere for breakfast? My treat," Rachel offered.
     "Sure," Ashley answered, thinking about how the cereal he had eaten for breakfast just wasn't holding him over today.  The trio then piled into Rachel's car and drove to a nearby Denny's restaurant for breakfast.
     "Guys, I know you don't really know me all that well, but since Nicole is staying with me right now, I think you need to trust me with everything," Rachel said after the waitress took their order.
     "What do you mean?" Nicole asked.
     "I mean, I know you two are currently, and have been for quite some time, keeping secrets from others around you.  If you don't feel comfortable right now, I understand, I'm just saying that I'm willing to be an ear to talk to if you feel the need to talk with someone else about anything," Rachel answered as the waitress brought their drinks over.
     At 9:30 Rachel, Ashley, and Nicole were waiting with M.G., the vocal coach, for the other seven O-Town hopefuls.  "Where are they?" MG asked impatiently.
     "I don't know.  I told them they had to be here on their own because Mark wasn't going to be playing chauffer anymore," Rachel explained. 
     "I know that Bryan, Trevor, and Jacob were all up earlier this morning.  They all made sure that I was up in time for my tutoring session this morning," Ashley added.
     "Speaking of that, why aren't you there?  I know you cleared it with me for Ashley to miss the first 30 minutes of our vocal training Monday thru Friday for his schooling," MG asked Rachel.
     "You'll have him back for this week probably, Mark.  I had to fire Ethan.  I didn't like the way he was looking at Nicole, whom he was going to be tutoring also," Rachel explained.
     "Oh, alrighty.  So, next week, I'll be one person short for like 30 minutes again," he asked.
     "Yep," Ashley answered, hoping that maybe he could find a way to get out of the tutoring sessions.
     "I'm gonna go call and see if the guys have left yet," Rachel said leaving the Angels with Mark to go to find a phone to use.  When she came back she reported to them all, "Well, there's no answer at the house, so they must be on the way."  An hour and a half later, they were still waiting for the missing seven members.  "I'm gonna call Mark and see if he can drop by to see if they've left yet," Rachel said finally.  "I'm starting to get worried about them."
     "Mark here, what can I do ya for?" Mark said as he answered his cell phone on the way into the Trans-Con studios.
     "Mark, where are you at?" Rachel asked.
     "I'm almost at work, why?"
     "I was hoping you could swing by and check on our boys.  The seem to be close to two hours late this morning, and MG is getting a teenie-tiny bit perturbed," Rachel explained.
     "Yeah, I'll swing back to their house and check on them.  Did you try calling?"
     "Yep, an hour and a half ago, there was no answer, but they still aren't here," Rachel replied.  "Thanks, Mark, you're saving my life."
     "Hey, I'm saving my life too.  You know Lou would kill both of us if eight guys disappeared like that."
     "It's only seven of them that are missing.  I've got one Ashley Parker Angel here with me, because he was supposed to have tutoring this morning," Rachel explained.
     "Alrighty, I'm looking for seven of our eight responsibilities.  I'll go find em all for ya."
     "Thanks Mark.  Luv ya buddy," Rachel said before hanging up her cell phone.
     Mark finally arrived at the studios 45 minutes later, without the missing hopefuls.  "Looks like you may need to call the next seven on Lou's list from the auditions here in O-town," Mark said.  "I couldn't find the guys anywhere, including in the house."
     "Well, where the devil could they have gotten too?" Rachel asked herself more than anyone else.
     "Does anyone know what time Malia's flight was coming in from Hawaii?" Ashley asked.
     "Nope, I didn't even realize that Ikaika was getting a visitor today," Rachel answered, "Did you know, Mark?"
     "Nope, he never said a word to me."
     "Well, maybe they all got dragged to the airport to pick her up?" Ashley suggested.  "I know Ikaika was being a real jerk about letting anyone else use the van that Rachel dropped off for us to share last night," Ashley added.
     "That could be it.  I'll call the airlines and see if they are all there," Mark said as he pulled out his cell phone to dial Orlando International Airport.  "Yes, could you please page Ikaika Kahanoe for me?  He should be there waiting for a flight coming in from Hawaii," Mark asked when someone at the airport answered the phone.  "Ikaika, where are you?"
     "I'm at, ah, the airport, dude.  Isn't that where you called?"
     "Yeah, but where are you and the others supposed to be right now, and for the past two hours?" Mark asked, upset with the way Ikaika was acting.
     "I'm supposed to be here picking up Malia.  The others are supposed to be at rehearsals, but they insisted on coming with me, man."
     "Yeah, because you have their sole means of transportation.  Ikaika, why didn't you tell anyone that you had company coming in today?"
     "Why should I?  Lou said we could have visitors."
     "When is Malia's plane due to arrive?" Mark said, realizing that he wasn't going to get his point across to Ikaika over the telephone.
    "Ummmm...about 3.  There was a delay."
    "So you were going to sit AT THE AIRPORT instead of coming back to Trans-Con until closer to when her flight arrived?"
    "Well....yeah.  I don't want to miss her," Ikaika responded.
    "Get yourself and your six compadres to Trans-Con NOW!" Mark yelled into the phone.  "I don't want to hear any arguments about it either!"
     Twenty minutes later, the group of seven came slowly walking through the door of the room they were using for their vocal lessons.  "Well, nice of you to all show up, FINALLY!" MG stated.  "As I told you all on day one, you waste my time, I'm going to waste yours.  With the exception of Ashley, who was here working with me alone since 9:30 this morning, you will all be having your vocal training sessions this evening after you finish with Tyjuan.  You made a late night for yourselves, gentlemen, I hope you're all happy about it."
     "But, Ikaika wouldn't let us come here," Paul whined.
     "Whoa.  Hold up right there, all of you," Rachel interjected.  "I distinctly remember leaving TWO sets of keys for the van yesterday.  Why didn't y'all leave Ikaika at the airport after he parked to wait for Malia?"
     "He has both sets of keys, Rachel," Erik tried explaining.
     "Good attempt at an excuse, Erik, but it isn't going to fly with me, I'm sorry.  All of you have cell phones, and I'm assuming you're all carrying them right now," Rachel said as she noticed them clipped to belts or stuck in pockets of all the guys.  "You all have the number for Trans-Con, you could have called really easily and Mark or I would have come over and fixed this at the airport.  Now, as for you, Ikaika.  You do NOT keep both sets of keys, is that understood?"
     "But I needed to make sure I could pick up my Malia."
     "There lies my second problem with this.  If you have guests coming, you are responsible for letting us know.  Guys, we need to know who's in the house at all times, for liability reasons.  Now, Ikaika, you won't be able to see her when she gets here until late tonight because you'll be here working with MG," Rachel responded.
     "Umm...I hate to interrupt this lecture, but I kinda have a date tonight," Jacob said.  "Is there anyway I could make up my missed time with MG later this week instead of tonight?"
    "MG?  That call is yours," Rachel said.
    "Sorry, Jacob.  The time you wasted was today, so the time I waste will be today also.  You'll pay all your bills the day you get them here, my friend," MG answered.
     As all the guys walked towards the dance studio, Jacob fell behind to talk with Nicole.  "I'm sorry, sweetheart.  Maybe we could go out some other time?"
     "I'd love to Jacob.  I know it wasn't your fault that you have to stay late," Nicole answered as she stood up on her tippy-toes to kiss him lightly on the cheek.  "Maybe I could stay and keep you company tonight?" she suggested.

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