CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT ~ Vacation Getaways

   Mark and Rachel both helped get everyone to the airport for their respective flights home.  Rachel was sad to see everyone, except maybe Ikaika and Malia, but especially Nicole.  In the few weeks that she had spent working with the O-Town guys, Rachel had grown to think about most of them as older brothers.  After all the flights had left, Mark and Rachel made their way back to the cars that they had each driven.  "So, what are you and Erik going to end up doing, Rach?" Mark asked.
    "I don't know.  I've got to think about what Lou said the other day when I went and talked to him about the situation," Rachel replied.
    "What did he say?" Mark asked, his curiousity getting the best of him.
    "He reminded me to keep it professional.  He doesn't want this group to be tainted by the scandal of one of the members dating their manager should Erik make the final five," Rachel said.
    "And, are you going to pay attention to that?"
    "I don't know.  I really like Erik, and want to be able to pursue the relationship, but then the one guy who is like a brother to me is telling me that he doesn't like Erik for some reason.  I trust this guy, and I keep thinking maybe I should listen to him...and not think about the feelings i have for Erik," Rachel explained.
    "Well, maybe this is a good thing for you, then," Mark said.  "It will give you time to figure out exactly what you want to do about your relationship with Erik."
    "Yeah....or give me more time to get even more confused," Rachel said as she climbed into her car.  "I'll see you later, Mark.  I'm going home to think."
    "Alright, see ya later," Mark said as he drove off.
    On the flight to California, Bryan, Jacob, Nicole, Trevor, and Ashley were all sitting near each other.  Nicole was excited about the flight and kept talking to anyone who would listen, making sure to not mention what the group of them was involved with per the stipulations of the contract that the guys had all signed after being named the eight semi-finalists for the group.  "So, Angel, are you really cool with your sister and Underwood being together?" Trevor asked.
    "No, I'm not really alright with it, but I can't deny my sister anything...including a date with Jacob.  She really has had a lot of rough times since our mom married our step-dad, and I just want her to be happy," Ashley answered, watching Jacob and Nicole engage in a passionate kiss.     After the flight landed, Bryan searched for his family who was waiting at the airport to take him home, while Trevor went to the car rental counter to get a car to take him back to his home in Rancho Cucamongo while Jacob, Ashley, and Nicole got on another plane which took them to San Diego where they were met by Jacob's father who took the trio back to the Underwood Compound.
    "Hello, it's nice meeting you, Ashley, Nicole," Mr. Underwood said as he helped them collect their luggage.  "Jacob has spoken of you two quite frequently when he's phoned home."
    "It's nice meeting you too, Mr. Underwood," Nicole said politely, while Ashley and Jacob grabbed all their luggage off the conveyor belt.
    Once at Jacob's home, Jacob gave Nicole and Ashley the grand tour, concluding with the swimming pool, where his family had all gathered for a late fall barbecue.  Everyone welcomed Nicole and Ashley and made them feel right at home.  After eating, Ashley and Nicole went to change into their swimming suits to join Jacob and his family in the pool.  While Nicole was swimming and enjoying herself with a couple of Jacob's cousins, Ashley pulled his friend aside.  "Jake, man, can we talk?"
    "Sure...what do you want, Ash?"
    "Jake...I don't think it's a really good idea for you to come back to Redding with me and Nicole," Ashley stated bluntly.
    "Why not?" Jacob asked, somewhat hurt by what his friend was saying.
    "My step-dad.  He doesn't want me involved in the music industry...and he wants Nicole to be involved with someone in the music industry even less than he wants me involved in it.  I think if you come with us, there's going to be a huge fight...and I don't want you to see it.  I know there'll be a fight anyway, but I think it will be worse if you're there, man," Ashley tried explaining.
    "Ash, I understand that, but Nicole wants me to meet your mom...I don't want Nic to feel like I don't want to meet your family."
    "Jake, please...we need to give my dad more time to get used to me being involved with the O-Town project.  Maybe the next time we get a break you could come with us...but right now, I think that it would be better if you didn't come with."
    "Ash, if that's what you want...fine...but you explain it to your sister," Jacob said, looking to where Nicole was standing trying to find either himself or Ashley.  "Listen, Ash, you figure out how to explain to your sister that I'm not going home with you....but I'm gonna go and have some fun with her.  Who knows, maybe she'll become a part of this family someday." Jake added silently as he ran around the pool to sneak up on his angel.
    The next day, Jacob and several of his cousins took out the golf carts that the family kept around the house, and drove around, taking turns pulling different people behind the carts on skateboards.  Nicole was enjoying herself immensely, while Ashley sat on the front steps of the house, thinking about how he had let his step-dad down by letting his sister get involved with a musician.
    "Hey, Ashley, what's on your mind?  Why aren't you having fun with the rest of the group?" Mrs. Underwood asked.
    "I was just thinking.  Nicole had invited Jacob to come back to Redding with us, but I don't know if it's a really good idea," Ashley said, not really realizing that he was speaking outloud.
    "Ashley, I know it's hard on you...but if Nicole and Jacob feel the way I think they do about each other, it would be better for your family to meet him now rather than later," Mrs. Underwood said before going back into the house.
    Meanwhile, back in Orlando, Rachel was enjoying the vacation she had gotten by house-sitting at the O-town home.  Sitting in the hot tub, she thought again about what Lou had said about keeping everything professional, yet knowing that her heart kept telling her that she had never felt the way she felt about Erik before with any of her boyfriends.  Finally she felt like her decision was made, so she called Trans-Con and set up and appointment to meet with Lou the next morning.
    "Well, have fun in Redding, you three," Mr. Underwood said as he dropped the group off at the San Diego airport for their flight to go to the Angel home in northern California.  When they arrived, Mrs. Angel was waiting at the airport for the group to arrive from San Diego. 
    "Nice to meet you," Mrs. Angel said to Jacob.  "Jacob, I hope you don't mind, but I got a hotel room for you to stay at.  My husband wasn't exactly happy to hear that you were coming," she explained as she pulled into the hotel parking lot. 
    "But Mom...he's here as my guest!" Nicole exclaimed, upset that her mom was making Jacob stay at a hotel.  She had been hoping that by the time they got back to Orlando, they would officially be dating.
    After getting Jacob checked into the hotel, Ashley and Nicole went home with their mother.  "You're dad isn't too happy that you've brought another of the group members home," she said before they pulled into their driveway.
    "But, I really like him, mom.  I wanted your approval, because I really want to date him," she added softly.
    "Nicole, he seems really nice, but I don't think it was a good idea for you to invite him up here just now.  You know how upset your father was when you went to visit Ashley...and when you didn't come home, he became even worse," their mother explained as they pulled their luggage out of the car.  Once they walked in the door, Mr. Angel started going on about how "his" children disobeyed him by going to Orlando.  Nicole was startled, having forgotten exactly how bad her father could be when upset, so she turned around and ran out the door. 
    "How could you?" Ashley yelled at Mr. Angel.  "You may be married to our mother, but you have no right to interfere in our lives!" he added before running out the door to his car.  He couldn't immediately find his sister, so he went back to the hotel, hoping that she had maybe found a ride there so she could be with Jacob.  As he and Jacob were ready to walk out the door, there stood Nicole, tears running down her face.
    "Ash, I hate him," Nicole sobbed.  "He's ruined our lives, and our relationship with our mother.  She favours him over us!"
    "Ah, Nic," Ashley embraced his sister, tears welling up in his eyes.  "You know that mom loves us, she just doesn't understand why her husband, whom she loves very much treats us the way he does," Ashley tried explaining to his sister who was in hysterics and depending on him to hold her up.
    "Nicole, come sit on the bed and talk to us," Jacob said watching as Ashley slowly made his way with his sister over to the bed, wishing that he could be the one holding Nicole, but not wanting to intrude.
    "Jacob, I'm sorry," she cried.  "I'm so emberassed.  First my mother makes you stay in a hotel, and now this.  I'll understand if you hate both Ash and I from this day forward."
    "Angel, I love you," Jacob admitted hoping that he wasn't saying the wrong thing.  "And your bro, Ash, here is the best friend I've made since we started this whole O-Town procedure."
    "Nikki, your not only my twin sister, your my best friend.  I love you more then anything, and I won't let that man hurt you."
    "If he hurts you, I'll hurt him," Jacob assured.
    "But, its so emberassing.  Jacob's family is all so welcoming and loving, and then there is our family.  I want our real dad back!  I see Jacob's family and its the family I've always dreamed about having.  I just for once want everyone in our house to get along.  Just for once, Ash," Nicole sobbed laying her head on her brother's shoulder.
    "Ummm...Ash," Jacob said after Nicole had fallen asleep.
    "Yeah, Jake."
    "What did happen to your father?"
    "Our real dad was killed in an accident when Nicole and I were really young.  We don't really remember much about him, but we know that he wouldn't allow anyone to hurt us the way our step-dad does sometimes," Ashley answered quietly as he tucked Nicole into the second bed in the room.  "Jake, I hope you don't mind, but we're gonna sack out here with you.  I don't want to wake Nikki up to go and deal with our step-dad again tonight."
    "That's fine, man.  Maybe I should just go back to Orlando a little early?" Jacob suggested, "just to keep from causing any additional probs with your family?"
    "No, Jake, it won't help.  Dad knows that you were invited to come...and leaving now won't make any difference," Ashley replied as he and Jacob both got ready to go to bed for the night.     The next morning when they had all woken up, the three of them went back to the Angel residence where Mr. Angel was still fuming over the fact that both Nicole and Ashley had disobeyed him...and then stayed out all night the previous evening.
    "Just where the hell have you two been all night?" he yelled as they walked in the door, not recognizing that there was an extra person there also.
    "Don't yell at them like that!" Jacob said, upset because his girlfriend was getting upset again.
    "Just who do you think you are telling me how to discipline my children?"
    "I'm Jacob Underwood...and I don't like you upsetting my girlfriend like you have been.  She just wants you to love her," Jacob answered, not prepared for the sneer that appeared on Mr. Angel's face.
    "So my daughter has decided to defie me again and date a musician!!!!!" Mr. Angel said, even more upset.
    "Daddy....Jacob isn't like the musicians that you knew when you were in a band!" Nicole said, realizing what was making him so upset, yet shocked by the fact that Jacob had called her his girlfriend. 
    "I don't care.  I forbid you to see him again. Don't think that you're going back to Orlando with your brother either, young lady."
   "No, daddy. I'm going back with Ashley...and I'm going to see Jacob any chance I get," Nicole shot back.  "I don't care what you say...you're not my father and you can't control me!!!"
   The rest of the vacation time that the guys were given was uneventful, as Nicole and Ashley joined Jacob in the hotel room during the evenings, yet they spent time with their mother and with Shelli, during the day.  Finally, on Sunday, the trio made their way to the airport where they flew back to Orlando, upset because they hadn't been able to patch up the fight with their step-father before they left.

HOME ~ CHAPTER 37 ~ CHAPTER 39 ~ FEEDBACK

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:  I DON'T KNOW WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO ASHLEY'S REAL FATHER...I AM JUST MAKING UP SOMETHING THAT SEEMS REASONABLE BASED ON WHAT I'VE SEEN ON MAKING THE BAND ALSO, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ASHLEY'S STEP-FATHER IS ACTUALLY AS MEAN AS HE'S BEING PORTRAYED...IT'S JUST FOR THE STORY!!!!