Torn Between Two

Chapter Thirteen

Three weeks went by. Kyle and Melanie were planning their wedding. Nick went to the girls' house and rang the doorbell. Melanie opened it and saw Nick.

"Nick, hi, um, Jess isn't home, she had to go out of town, she said she would call you once she got to where she was going, she will be back in a week, she said she was working on a surprise for all of us and will show us when she gets back," Melanie said. His phone rang and saw it was her.

"Baby where are you?" Nick asked.

"I'm in Tennessee, I'm working on something and I got the week off from work, I'm sorry I didn't tell you my plans, this was something I had to do," Jessica said.

"I really wish you didn't go alone," Nick said.

"I'm not, one of my friends is with me," Jessica said.

"Jess, Melanie and Ashley are home," Nick said.

"My friend who is a music producer, he helps me with the music for the songs that I sung at open mic night, and before you get all jealous and huffy about me being with another guy, he's just a friend, he's also gay and married to a great guy, okay, nothing to worry about, Melanie knows him too, we all grew up together," Jessica said.

"Okay, just be careful anyways, okay, and call me later," Nick said.

"Okay, talk to you later, babe," Jessica said.

"Bye baby," Nick said. He hung up and looked at Melanie.

"His name is Randy, he was our neighbor when we were growing up, he's a music producer here in Atlanta, he has connections all over the country, he came out when we were in high school, he met his husband at the coffee shop," Melanie said.

"Okay, at least she's not alone," Nick said.

"She's safe with Randy, he won't let anything happen to her," Melanie said. Nick nodded.

A week later, Jessica called Nick and told him she was on the way home and to get Brian and the crew over to the house to see her surprise. Brian, Rachel, Nick, and Alex showed up at the house and waited for Jessica. She came in an hour later and Nick took her in his arms and buried his face in her neck.

"I missed you baby," Nick said.

"I missed you too," Jessica said.

"Jess, tell us what the surprise is," Ashley said. She got out a DVD disc and put it in and pushed play. They saw it was a music video.

"Jess?" Ashley said.

"You'll see," Jessica said. Then they heard the music and all of them looked at her.

"Jess, you gave the song to Carrie Underwood and she filmed the video, is that what you were doing in Tennessee?" Melanie said.

"Yeah, but I didn't give it, I sold it, she's going to put it on her album and I'll get paid for profits made from the song," Jessica said.

"This is the first song you sang?" Rachel asked.

"Yes," Jessica said. Brian told the truth about the song.

"That was amazing and beautiful," Rachel said.

"Thank you," Jessica said. An hour later everyone left except Kyle and Alex who were staying the night with Ashley and Melanie. Nick sat with Jessica.

"Stay the night?" Jessica asked.

"Yeah, I will, I want to hold you in my arms," Nick said. She smiled and they went up to her room and closed the door. She changed into her pajamas and he stripped to his boxers and they got into bed and he pulled her into his arms. She rested her head on his chest. He kissed her head.

"I like this," Jessica said.

"What, baby?" Nick asked.

"Being in your arms," Jessica said.

"I like having you in my arms," Nick said. She smiled and he kissed her softly and the kiss deepened and it became a make out session. Their tongues explored each other's mouths.

"Jess," Nick said.

"Hmm," Jessica said stroking his cheek and looking in his eyes.

"I love you," Nick said. She smiled.

"I love you too," Jessica said. He grinned and they kissed again and soon fell asleep in each other's arms.

The next morning, they woke up to Nick's phone beeping. He reached over and looked at it.

"Hello? Brian? What, what happened? Do you need me to come alone or should I bring everyone? Okay, be right there," Nick said. He hung up and looked at Jessica.

"What is it?" Jessica asked.

"Rachel was in a car accident, she's in the hospital on life support," Nick said.

"Let's go," Jessica said. They got Ashley and Alex and called Melanie who stayed at Kyle's and they went to the hospital. They found Brian sitting in the waiting room holding his head in his hands. Nick went and sat down beside him.

"Bro?" Nick asked.

"They're gone, Rachel and the baby are gone, they said there was no brain activity, her parents turned off the life support, there was nothing they could do, she's gone, my baby's gone," Brian said crying. Nick hugged him. Brian cried on his shoulder. Ashley leaned against Alex. Jessica told Melanie and Kyle who just came in and Kyle took Melanie in his arms. Jessica sat down with Brian and Nick and rubbed Brian's back. He grabbed her hand and held it.

Three days later, they were at her funeral. Nick held Jessica's hand as he stood by Brian. After it was over, they all left and went home. Nick kissed Jessica and told her he was going to take Brian home and he'll call her later.

"Take care of him," Jessica said hugging Nick.

"I will baby, talk to you later," Nick said. He kissed her and left with Brian. Ashley and Alex took Jessica home. She went upstairs and showered and laid down in bed and curled up and took a nap. She woke up to her phone beeping. She looked and saw text messages from Nick.

"Hey baby, you okay?" Nick texted.

"Baby where are you?" Nick texted.

"Jess?" Nick texted. She sent him a message back.

"Hey I took a nap, sorry, I'm here," Jessica texted.

"Alone?" Nick texted.

"Yeah, why?" Jessica texted.

"Brian took off, I didn't know if he came over thereto see you," Nick texted.

"No, I'm here alone in my room, I can send you a pic if you want me to," Jessica texted.

"Can you check and see if he's at the house, maybe he's talking to Alex and Ash?" Nick texted. She got up and went downstairs and saw Alex and Ashley on the couch watching TV.

"Hey guys, Brian didn't come over did he?" Jessica asked.

"No, why?" Ashley asked.

"Nick said Brian took off," Jessica said.

"I'll go look for him," Alex said. He kissed Ashley and went out the door. Jessica got on her phone.

"Hey, Alex and Ashley said he never came here, Alex went to look for him," Jessica texted.

"Okay, I'm on my way over to see you, baby," Nick texted.

"Okay, I miss being in your arms," Jessica texted.

"I miss having you in them," Nick texted.

"Be careful, don't text and drive," Jessica texted.

"I won't baby, see you in a few," Nick texted. She sat down on the couch.