Ashley drove into a quaint little town filled with small but simple surburban houses, looked like something that came out of a postcard, even though it was nightfall, JC could see how the neighborhood was, Thanksgiving decorations, piles of raked leaves on the front yard, everyone looked warm inside their dimly lit houses.
“Alright JC, you are about to enter my childhood home before I moved out to LA.” Ashley said, interrupting his thoughts.
“You are gonna meet my mom and our dog Rufus, now Rufus doesn’t like strangers so be aware, he’s a German Shepherd just so you know.” Ashley continued as she pulled up into a driveway.
JC looked up at the house, a single family brick house, also with the same raked leaves and Thanksgiving decorations style, the house itself looked real cozy and JC was looking forward to meet Ashley’s mom, JC noticed that Ashley didn’t mention her dad, not that he cared anyway, in his life he never knew his actual father, so he didn’t want to try to interfere.
“Ok let me just call her.” Ashley took her phone and hit speed dial, the phone rang about three times and her mom picked up on the forth ring.
“Ashley?” Her mom said over the phone.
“Hey mom! What’s up?”
“It’s almost nine o-clock, in LA it is five, you never call me during that time.”
“I know that mom, but that’s because I’m outside.” Ashley told her, trying to contain her excitement.
“What?” Her mom said.
“I said I’m outside your house mom.” Ashley then beeped the horn and she heard the dog barking inside.
“Oh my goodness, you have got to be joking.” Ashley could hear her mom rustling inside in the house and she peeked into the window curtains, and Ashley then got out of the car and waved at her.
The look on her mom’s face was priceless, she still had the phone on her ear, and went to open the door.
Ashley turned off her car and closed it behind her.
“Hi Mom!” Ashley went up and gave her a big hug.
Ashley’s mom hugged her back, “Oh my goodness!” She repeated over and over and had tears forming in her eyes.
Ashley felt something behind her when Rufus started jumping excitedly on her and barking, while wagging his tail.
“Rufus!” Hey boy! Miss me? Yes you did!” Ashley bent down and petted him, then also gave him a hug.
“I can’t believe you are here, what happened? Are you visiting? Did you move out of LA?” Ashley’s mom had so many questions for her.
“Yes mom, I did move out, it wasn’t working out for me, I missed the change of scenery, LA was nice, but it just wasn’t home you know?”
“Aww.” Her mom pulled her into a hug again, “I missed you so much!”
“I missed you too, I wanted to surprise you and I drove back, as you can see.” Ashley said showing her the car behind her.
She let out a laugh, “That car is still alive, amazing.”
Ashley forgot to mention that JC was in the car, but then she remembered.
“Oh mom, I brought someone, a friend of mine, who wanted to take this trip with me, he’s real nice.”
JC was a bit shy at first, as he was watching everything from the window, it was a nice yet emotional reunion, and he liked reunions.
“Mom?” This is JC, he’s a musician, you may know him from-
“*NSYNC” Her mom grinned at her.
“Yeah.”
“You got yourself a good one, oh yes you did.”
JC then got out of the car and introduced himself.
“JC? This is my mom Roselle, she’s a great cook, and a wonderful person.”
“Nice to meet you Roselle.” JC gave her a handshake.
Rufus, the dog growled at him first, then started to sniff his shoes.
“Rufus! No!” Roselle told him firmly.
The dog backed away but still sniffed him, he then wagged his tail and looked at him.
“Hey boy.” JC slowly petted him on the head.
“See JC, he likes you.” Ashley told him.
“I guess he does.”
Ashley, Roselle, and JC continued talking outside about their long trip.
“Well, we should take this inside so we could talk some more, I’ll help you all with the bags.” Roselle told them.
After taking the bags into the house, JC felt the sudden warmth when he entered; the living room was large enough to accommodate about five or six people, and it was carpeted, a bay leaf color, the walls were painted a cream color, and a regular TV, not a flatscreen, with a bunch of VHS tapes and a few DVDs. Photos were positioned of friends and family, JC guessed. Diplomas, certifcates, awards were also positioned on the wall.
“Mi casa es su casa JC.” Roselle told him.
“Thanks Roselle, you have a beautiful house you know.”
“Oh stop JC, I’m sure you have been to nicer ones than mines, you know with marble floors and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and a flatscreen in the bathroom.” She joked.
“Well, but your house is beautiful Roselle, I can feel the warmth and love in it, its hard when you enter a house, despite all the material things it has, you don’t feel the love in it, but I feel it in here.” JC told her.
Roselle blushed, “Why thank you JC, I’m flattered.”
JC heard the door close behind him, “Ok, that’s the last bag.” Ashley placed the bag on the floor.
“Home sweet home!” Ashley beamed and breathed in the familiar smell she once knew.
“You can make yourself at home Jace, watch TV or something, you know get comfy,” Ashley told him.
JC just smiled at her, “Thanks, but I would like to tour your house, if that’s okay.”
“Ok.”
JC followed her through the hallway, with more photos of places and paintings, and Chinese proverbs. He liked that they had an eye for detail, it was real simple, yet delicate, and he was enjoying every minute of it.
Roselle followed close behind her daughter, the two of them were telling which rooms were and weren’t used. JC noticed that they had three bedrooms and two bathrooms; the third bedroom was actually for a guest, since when Ashley was growing up, she had friends over from High School and Elementary school.
“You can use that room right there JC.” Roselle said, pointing the last door down the hall. JC opened it, it was a plain, but the sky blue painting did the trick, a queen size bed sat in the middle, two pillows were fluffed neatly, and two sheets were folded on the end. The room was also carpeted. It looked real cozy, and welcoming.
“I know its not much JC, but if you don’t like it you can-
“Roselle, its okay, I love it.”
“Oh okay, I was just worried because you are a celebrity and all, and this is not your thing.”
“I don’t even see myself as a celebrity Roselle.” JC told her quietly, I know wonderful people when I see them.
Roselle smiled warmly at him and motioned to Ashley to go check out her room.
“Is my room still the same mom?”
“Yes, just the usual house cleaning and vacuuming every weekend, but everything else is still there.”
Ashley wondered for a moment, she had a bunch of *NSYNC posters on the wall, and drawings that she left on.
JC just grinned at her, “Are you hiding something Ashley?”
“Um-no.” She stammered and opened the door slowly but cautiously.
There they were, all of them, posters from *NSYNC circa mid-nineties and two-thousands.
“Oh how embarrassing.” Ashley hid her face while JC let out a hearty laugh in the background.
“So you are a fan, a secret fan, and you didn’t really tell me anything?” JC asked pretending to be hurt.
Ashley looked around the room, more photos of High School, and when she was a little girl, there was photo where she looked like she was in her teen years eating a slice of pizza at a restaurant with a bunch of friends.
“Are these your friends?” JC asked.
“Yeah. That’s Derek, Jay, Tina, Lisa, Jennifer and Mike, freshman year of high school.”
“Do you keep in touch with them?”
“I tried, some are on Facebook, they were sad that I was leaving to LA, but thrilled in case I was gonna meet a famous person, looks like I found one.” She gave JC a wink.
“Uh huh.” JC crossed his arms in front of him.
“So there you have it JC, my room.”
“I like it, its simple and pink.”
“So did you kiss my poster every night?” JC couldn’t help it, he was on a roll.
Ashley blushed and looked away from him.
“I’m so much better than that poster am I, don’t you know it, like that night.” JC whispered.
Ashley felt weak in the knees, a sense of warmth filled her body, this was not happening right now, JC was teasing her, let alone tempting her, in her own childhood room, wrong, cause it was working.
“Hey guys?” Ashley and JC heard Roselle calling them from down the hall.
“Saved by mom.” Ashley thought breathing a sigh a relief.” She pushed JC aside and headed to the door.
“Just a reminder I placed JC’s bags in the guest room, so he can sleep there, and your bags would be here in your room Ashley, and I left more towels in the other bathroom JC in case you need it.
“Thanks Roselle.” JC told her.
“Yeah thanks mom.”
“If anything, I’ll be in the kitchen making a cup of tea, would any of you like some?”
“Tea sounds wonderful right now.” JC responded.
“I’ll go take a shower mom, I’m tired, long drive you know.”
“Ok, you go ahead, you let me know if you need anything okay?”
“Alright.” Ashley went back to the room to grab her things and headed to the bathroom, locking it behind her.
JC joined Roselle to a cup of peach tea, the TV was showing the weather.
Roselle then started making conversation with him, “You know, you seem like a nice gentleman, you like my daughter don’t you?”
JC was taken aback but continued to sip his tea, “Is it that obvious?”
“Oh I see it, the feelings are there, there’s no denying it, believe me, I’m a mother, I know.”
“Well, I like her as a friend.”
Roselle nodded but continued speaking, “Ashley can be stubborn sometimes, she likes to do things her own way, and doesn’t like to admit her feelings, she’s not that emotional, she’s strong, and gets that from me, unlike the father who was a bit manipulative, so that relationship wasn’t working out, so on he went, I am so much happier like this.”
“So that’s what happened to Ashley’s father.” JC thought. “Sorry.” He told her.
“Oh no child, don’t be, there are people who are far worse, I’m sure you have had your on and off relationships with women.” She asked.
“Yeah, some were just flings others were just wanted publicity because of my status.”
“I understand, its hard to find someone in the spotlight and all you want to do is love someone for who you are, not just for your finances, and I’m glad you found Ashley, she’s a sweet girl, once you get to know her better.”
“Oh yes Roselle, I do know her after I was on top of her and we made sweet passionate love in that hotel room that one night, that was epic, and he told her he loved her and she loved him.” That is what JC wanted to say, but he didn’t, he kept quiet.
Roselle and JC talked some more then she was gonna head to bed.
“Ok JC, if you are hungry you can help yourself, it was nice chatting with you.”
“It was nice chatting with you too Roselle, have a good night, sleep tight.” He smiled at her.
JC was left alone with Rufus and couldn’t stop thinking about what Roselle said about Ashley.
Maybe Ashley was the right girl for him, no more searching, no more flings, no more one-night stands, and in the back of his mind, while looking around the simple yet warm house, LA seemed like a faraway place, and he wasn’t thinking of returning back anytime soon.
