CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN ~ Almost Home
"Wow," Ashley gasped. "I honestly had no idea that Rachel would be our manager. Now the whole Erik thing makes more sense."
"I guess we all owe her an apology, huh?" Bryan asked looking to Tyjuan for some kind of answer.
"Well, I'm not sure you owe her an apology because none of you knew, but from now on I think its in your best interest to treat her with the upmost respect. You have to start treating Rachel like you treat Lou, Mark, MG, and myself rather then the friend that she has been to you all. Now let's get back to work, and remember when y'all are on vacation I want you to practice atleast once a day so we don't have to start from scratch again once you return," Tyjuan finished as everyone got back into position for their dance rehersal.
Out in the hall Carrah and Nicole stood talking while Malia glared at the two of them from a distance. "When are they going to let me back in to be with my baby," Malia whined.
"When they are ready for you to rejoin the group then they'll let you know, until then I suggest you either take a picture of Carrah and I if we're that interesting, or stop staring!" Nicole growled as her and Carrah made their way down the hall to look at some of the pictures and awards hanging on the wall.
"Miss Angel, so we meet again," Nicole heard a voice say.
"Rich, it's wonderful to see you," Nicole smiled as she greeted her friend with a hug. "Carrah, this is Rich Cronin from LFO, Rich this is Carrah, Paul's girlfriend one of the hopefuls for O-Town."
"Miss Carrah, it's nice to meet you. Where are you ladies off to?"
"We were just going for a walk around waiting for the guys to finish. Are you hear practicing?"
"Yeah, I just made a water run. Would you like to come and watch some of our rehearsal?"
"Actually, I just saw Rach going up the hall so I'm going to go back and watch O-Town. Carrah your free to do what you like."
"Nah, I'll stay with Nicole. I don't want to get lost from the others. It was nice meeting you Rich. Hope to see you again sometime," Carrah smiled as she started off down the hall.
"Nicole, wait," Rich pleaded. "Are you sure we can't be more then just friends?"
"Rich, for the time being my friendship is all I can offer you. If you can't handle being just my friend then..."
"No, Nikki, I can handle that, if I can't have you as my girlfriend then I'd love to have you as my friend," Rich smiled. "Promise me you'll phone and let me know how your doing every once in a while?"
"I promise Rich, but you must do the same," Nicole slipped him a piece of paper with Ashley's cell phone number on it so that he could get in touch with her if she wasn't at Rachel's place.
"Nikki, come on we're going back to the house now," Nicole heard her brother call from down the hall.
"Rich, I have to get going, keep in touch," Nicole yelled over her shoulder as she ran down to join the group. "How did you guys get out so early?"
"Ty, let us go as long as we promised to continue practicing durinng our break. We have to get back and start packing to go home. Rach gave me the plane tickets."
"Ash, hasn't Jacob talked to you?"
"Talked to me about what?" Ashley questioned as Jacob joined the siblings.
"I invited you and your sister to come and spend a few days with me and my family."
"Oh," Ashley mumbled. "Nikki, can I talk to you alone please," he pulled his sister into the rehersal room. "Nic, we have to go home and visit Mom. Don't you miss her at all?"
"Ash, I miss mom more then anything, but I really don't want to spend a whole week with Dad. I was thinking that maybe we could spend a few days with Jacob and then fly home for a few days."
"Nic, I don't know about this. Don't you think that maybe you and Jacob are moving a little bit fast?'
"Ashley, I'm 18 years old and I really like this guy, besides what harm is it going to do meeting his family? Please Ash," Nicole batted her eyelashes. "Just for a couple days?"
"Fine, but I'm going with you."
"Of course you are, silly, Jacob invited you."
"Angel, I hate to interrupt, but our ride is about ready to leave," Jacob poked his head in the door. Ashley was the first out, and Jacob pulled Nicole aside as she exited the room. "Is everything cool, sweetheart?"
"Everything is cool," Nicole smiled. "Ashley and I would love to accept you invitation.
Rachel left her office just after the hopefuls for O-Town left and went home to get ready for her dinner with the Dorough's. She put on a pair of black slacks and a light green blouse, before making her way out the door and to her car to drive to Howie D's.
"Rachel, so nice of you to join us," Momma D greeted at the door.
"Thank you for inviting me," Rachel smiled as she made her way into the living where Howie was seated. "D, what's up?"
"Not much, but I want to know what's up with you and that Erik dude."
"Howie, nothing is up just yet, but you have nothing to worry about."
"Well, Rach, I do worry about you. You're my little sister and I don't want to see you get hurt. That guy gave me the creeps from the moment I laid eyes on him."
"Howie, I really like him and whether you like it or not I'm going to eventually pursue a relationship with him."
"I'm sorry, Rach, I'm just looking out for you. Promise me that if he does hurt you though that I'm the one that gets to beat him up."
"I promise," Rachel laughed just before Momma D called in that dinner was being served.
The next morning Rachel woke up and headed over to the house to say goodbye to everyone before they departed on their vacations. "Y'all are going home right? So I have numbers to contact you all incase of an emergency?"
"Ash, and I are first going to Jacob's house then he's coming back to our house with us," Nicole blurted out hoping that her brother wouldn't catch what she had said.
"WHAT!?! Jacob is coming home with us?"
"Ash, if you don't want me then I won't, but Nicole asked me last night," Jacob came up beside Nicole.
"I just don't think thats a good idea with our dad and all," Ashley said calmly.
"Ash, I thought that maybe if Jacob came with us dad wouldn't be quite so crazy."
"Nic, we'll talk about this later. Right now we have a plane to catch."