CHAPTER FORTY ~ Unexpected Guests

   "Ummm...I'll go get her for you, come on in," Mike said, not sure whether he should let this stranger into the house or not.  "Nicole...you have a visitor," he said as he walked into the kitchen, not noticing that Nicole's visitor was following him.
    "Hi, Nicole," a recognizable voice said before Nikki could ask Mike who would be visiting her at their house.
    "Aaron?" Nicole said, surprised that he would fly all the way across the country to see her, since they had broken up because she insisted that she was going to go and stay with her brother after he left Redding to join the group.
    "Ash, who's Aaron?" Jacob asked quietly, noticing the reaction that Nicole had when she heard his voice.
    "I'll explain later," Ashley answered quietly, hoping he could keep from having Jacob's feelings hurt if Nicole decided that she really did still 'love' her most recent boyfriend from school.
    "Is that really the way to greet your boyfriend who came all the way from California to see you...and work things out?" Aaron asked, not paying attention to the surprised looks on everyone's face.
    "Aaron, this isn't the time or the place to talk about this," Nicole whispered, ashamed that she had never even mentioned Aaron to Jacob, and realizing that Jacob would be upset to know just when the break-up had taken place.
    "Ohhhh...hey, Ashley.  How you doing, bro?" Aaron asked when he recognized Nicole's brother.
    "I'm doing fine, Aaron.  Why don't you two go out back and talk?" Ashley then suggested, knowing that what they needed to say also needed to be done without the intruding cameras and the guys from the O-Town project.
    "Yeah, I think we need to talk," Nicole said leading him towards the back of the house and out the door.
    "Alright, Angel, who was that...and why was he hanging all over your sister?" Jacob asked when the backdoor was shut tightly.
    "That, Jacob, is Nicole's ex-boyfriend," Ashley answered.
    "Just how ex?" Jacob asked, still upset.
    "Huh?"
    "I mean, how long ago did they split up?  He acted like it wasn't all that long ago, yet Nicole hasn't really ever mentioned him...or any other ex of hers other than to say that they all seemed to want her to sleep with them right away," Jacob said.
    "Listen, Jake, I know that you want to know all of that....but honestly, I think that is something you need to discuss with Nicole, not her brother," Rachel said, trying to deflect the anger she sensed from Ashley who was standing there stunned from the verbal attack Jacob has just unleashed.
    "Just how the hell am I supposed to do that when she obviously doesn't want to talk to me about it, Rachel?" Jacob yelled.
    "Jacob, I understand you're upset about this...but don't take it out on ME!" Rachel shot back.  "I'm not the one that you have the problem with.  Give Nicole time to deal with and get rid of Aaron...then you take the time to talk with her," she then suggested, thinking that it would probably be better if they talked at the house that she and Nicole were sharing where the cameras wouldn't be around to intrude on what needed to be a private moment.
    "Great...we'll just have the discussion and let the whole world know about it!" Jacob shot back.
    "That's it.  Jacob--your room, NOW!" Rachel yelled, trying to regain her composure.  Once they were in the room, Rachel made sure that they were left alone by the camera crews and said, "Jacob, first of all, don't you EVER, EVER think of yelling at me like that again.  I know you're upset, but for you to do it twice, when I'm only trying to help you is completely unacceptable, do you understand me?"
    "I'm sorry, Rach, it's just that I really care for her and now I wonder if she returns the feelings at all," Jacob said, hanging his head because he was embarrassed that he had tears in his eyes.
    "I understand that.  Now, as far as the discussion I suggested, I never said it had to be here.  Get a small bag of clothes and you can come back to my house...and talk to Nicole there--without the cameras around  and since it's gonna be late when we finish, you can just stay in one of my spare rooms.  And Jacob, with the way you're feeling right now, I do mean SPARE rooms, NOT Nicole's," Rachel said, sitting next to Jacob on the bed and putting her arm around him to let him know she understood what he was going through.
    "I understand, Rach.  Right now, I don't think I'd want to stay in her room anyway, obviously we aren't ready to do that just yet, if she can't talk to me about her ex-boyfriend," Jacob said, wiping his eyes and getting a small bag ready with what he would need for the next day.
    "Well, just be prepared for anything she has to tell you, alright?  And remember, you can't let what happens between you and Nicole affect your relationship with Ashley," Rachel reminded him as the doorbell rang yet again.  "Geez, what are you guys, the Howard Johnson?" Rachel asked joking.
    "Sure seems that way tonight anyway," Jacob said joking back.  "I think I'm ready to face everyone again."
    "Let's go see who else decided to show up on your doorstep then," Rach said as she opened the door and walked down the hallway towards the living room area of the house where she heard Ashley raising his voice at someone.
    "What do you mean you just decided you were gonna come out here and visit me?  Don't you think it would have been a good idea to ask me if I WANTED you to come and see me?"
    "Whoa, Angel, cool down," Mark was saying.  "Rach...help me get Ash cooled down will ya?"
    "How?" Rachel asked running to the kitchen where everyone was gathered.  "Who are you?" she asked the girl standing with her hands all over the youngest of the finalists.
    "Hi, I'm Ashley's fiancee, Shelli," the girl replied.  "So you can just keep your hands off of my man."
    "Shelli, you are NOT my fiancee, at least not right now.  I haven't even finished high school yet...and I'm not ready for that kind of commitment yet," Ashley protested as Nicole and Aaron walked in the backdoor.
    "You...why didn't you let Ashley call me while you were home?" Shelli asked slapping Nicole across the face.
    "Don't you ever touch my sister again!" Ashley yelled dragging Shelli away from his sister as Aaron quietly made his way to the door and let himself out.
    "Nic, why don't we go ahead and head home...we've got an early morning tomorrow again.  Ash, I'll be by to pick ya up at 6:30 again.  Mark, you deal with the houseguest," Rachel said as she and Mark walked out of the kitchen..."Oh, and Jacob is stayin at my place tonight, so ya know," she added before she followed Nicole and Jacob out the front door.

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