"Mmmm...I love being lazy with you on Sundays." Rachel mumbled as she moved her body back closer to JC's in bed.

He wrapped his arms tightly around her waiste and kissed her shoulder lightly. "I can get my mom and dad to take Nikky with them to the church picnic and then we can really stay in bed for the rest of the afternoon."

Rachel smiled at thought of spending the entire day in bed with her fiance. "I wish I could. I have to run a few errands today. Then I have to meet with Jerry to retrieve the rest of my things with our lawyers."

The divorce became rather ugly after Jerry found out about the paternity results. He didn't want to give her any of her belongings. He had made threats to have a bonfire with all the expensive items he had acquired for her in his backyard. The lawyers made arrangements to have them both go through what was to be split between the two of them. The only thing Jerry did not object about were Nikky's things. He personally made arrangements with JC to hand over what belonged to the baby.

"How long do you think you'll be?" JC asked as he slid his tongue across Rachel's ear lightly.

"I don't know....Not too long though." she giggled. "I'm mostly worried about all my files that are in the house. My portfolio is there. I have audition tapes that I really need to look over. You know I have that big audition in Chicago soon."

JC was barely listening to her as he continued to run his tongue along her collar bone, letting his hands slowly slide down the sides of her thighs as he gently rubbed himself into her ass. Rachel could feel herself becoming rather wet when she felt his cock growing harder and harder with each touch. Her eyes began to flutter as she struggled to talk, "....Speaking of Chicago. Are you coming with me?"

"Yeah, Joey was invited to some big Escalade show there. I said I would tag along with him while you were doing your thing. I have to make sure that Laticia can come with us so that Nikky is taken care of while we're both out."

"I talked to her yesterday about it. She said it would be fine." Rachel stretched before getting up out of bed.

JC whimpered when she moved away from his touch.

"I have to hurry up before I am late, baby. We'll have plenty of time for that later."

After finally getting out of bed himself, JC turned on the radio before putting on a pair of sweatpants and tidying up the bedroom. Jodeci's unplugged version of "Lately" was playing softly throughout the room. JC sat on the edge of the bed and started to put on a pair of socks. He then sat there and studied Rachel as she went through the closets searching desperately for something to wear. He wondered why she was taking so much time to pick out an outfit and perfume. She was only going to see Jerry. His insecurities got the best of him as his mind drifted back to when he caught Jerry and Rachel together.

Far more frequently you're wearing perfume

And with you saying 'No special place to go'

But when I ask, will you be coming back soon?

Saying you don't know, never know

I'm a man of many wishes

Hope my premonition misses

But what I really feel

My eyes won't let me hide

Cuz it always starts to cry

Cuz this time could mean good, goodbye.

JC shook his head and blocked out the visions that were running around in his head. He reminded himself that he wasn't going to go there. They had made a promise to each other that things from the past would remain in the past. He got up from the bed and headed down the hallway to make breakfast.

The doorbell rang about 45 minutes later while JC was setting the table. When he opened the door he noticed a woman standing there nervously smiling at him.

"Hi. Can I speak to Rachel please?"

Just as JC was about to ask who she was, he heard Rachel say, "Cassandra? What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you. It's very important."

Rachel noticed that JC seemed curious about the woman who was standing in their doorway. "JC this is Cassandra. I met her while working on that Lifetime movie last week. Cassandra, this is my fiance, JC."

"Nice to meet you." they both said in unison as they shook each others hand.

"Could you excuse us for a minute, honey?" Rachel asked.

JC nodded and headed back towards the kitchen. He was surprised when he heard the door shut and saw both women on the other side of it.

"I thought I told you never to come here."

~~~~~~~~

"How did you get my number and address?"

"I have endless connections, Laura."

"Well I'd appreciate it if you kept this information private. What is it that you need, Jerry?"

"I just need you to sign some consent forms for some footage that we have of you and Michael in the studio and various other places. We're putting together a DVD for his album release."

Laura was very upset over the fact that Jerry had tracked her down the way he did. "Well just FedEx it to me. I'll send it back the same day."

"I also wanted to see if you and JC would get together for a few tapings. We just need some short interview clips and a mock up studio session. A lot of the video we have of you from the studio is unusable. You were cursing like a sailor."

"No. I can't. It's nothing against you at all, Jerry."

Jerry could sense the emotion in her voice. "Well, just thought I'd ask. I'll just stick with JC then."

Laura felt bad that she was being so short with him. "I'm sorry Jerry."

"It's okay, Laura. I understand."

"How have you been by the way?" she asked with concern.

As much as Jerry tried to put on a front, she knew that he was a big teddy bear down deep inside.  She knew how much he adored Rachel and Nikky and knew he was having just as hard a time as she was with recent events.

Jerry slightly smiled as he turned in his chair and stared out the window. "Been okay. Trying to keep busy with work. How about yourself? Chicago treating you right?"

"Yeah, it's ok. Still haven't decided whether or not I want to make it permanent."

"I heard you got offered your own studio there."

"Who else knows?" Laura asked nervously.

"No one else knows. I talked to Frank. Why are you being so secretive these days?" he questioned.

"I need to be by myself for awhile. I don't want the attention right now from the media. I'm still surprised that they haven't tracked me down yet like you have."

"Yeah I've read all the tabloids..." They both were silent until Jerry came back and said, "Well I won't take up anymore of your time, Sweetie. I just wanted to send you over that information. I'll talk to you soon."

"Hey Jerry?" Laura called after him.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for calling."

"I was only trying to talk you into helping me out again." he lied.

"Yeah, but you didn't have to. I'm obligated to do this whether I want to or not. And you actually saying it's ok, is a really huge thing for me right now...So thanks."

Jerry smiled. "You're welcome. Just remember that time heals all wounds, Laura."

Her smile faded as she thought about the advice he had just given. "Nah...The wounds are still there. They're just below the surface."