All I have to say is...It's about to go down.

Tense Encounters

Everybody's jaws dropped. Frank was red with anger. 'How dare she?' he thought. Rachel's stomach churned like it did that morning.

"Ma, this is my home and I will have to ask you to reframe from using that language in my home; Rachel and Andre are family and you will not call them anything other than their names," Herb said sternly. If looks could kill Herb would be dead.

"I don't know who you think you are talking to Herb but they are not family they are the help. Their kind belongs in the kitchen not at the dinner table," Belle said menacingly.

"Isabelle, can you please try and get to know them before judging them? We were having a nice dinner why does that have to change?" Katherine asked.

"Because of that thing clutching onto my grandson's hand!" Belle exclaimed and she looked at Rachel, "As long as I'm here, you are not allowed in this house, now leave." Rachel tried to leave but Frank wouldn't let go of her hand.

"Don't talk to her like that, you don't even know her," Frank said fiercely.

"Frank," Rachel said softly, "I'll just go, I don't want to start any problems."

"No, Rachel don't leave," Herb said, "Ma, you are out of line, apologize to Rachel." Isabelle looked at her son shocked.

"I am your mother-"

"And I love you but this is my house and Rachel and Andre allowed here anytime, now apologize," Herb said.

Isabelle face turned redder and the snarl on her face grew more vicious.

"I'm do not have to take this, I'm going to sleep," she pushed her plate away and walked to the guest bedroom.

The room was so tense and silent. Tears were streaming down Rachel's face. Frank wrapped his arms around her and let her cry into his shoulder and whispered, "I'm sorry baby, I shouldn't have let you come. I'm sorry."

Fortunately, no matter how tense the moment was, Andre involuntarily loosened it. He started loudly eating the chicken that he had on his plate.

Rachel pulled away from Frank and scolded, "Andre, you can't stop eating for 5 minutes."

"But it's so good. She might be evil but she can cook."

Rachel wiped her tears away and sat down at the table.

"Rachel, I am sorry for the way my mom is behaving," Herb apologized.

Rachel smiled at him, "It's okay, actually it's not but it happened, I can't dwell. We'll just go back home." Andre sadly put his plate down and followed Rachel.

"I'll be over there tomorrow, I'll take you to the movies," Frank said to Rachel. Rachel nodded at him and walked out of the house.

The next morning after getting dressed, Frank walked downstairs to his kitchen but stopped when he heard Belle talking.

"Herb, I'm trying to do what's best for my grandson, is that so bad?" she asked.

"Mom, I'm sure in your own way, you have his best interest at heart but this is not one of those times," Herb argued.

"He is my grandson!"

"And he is our son Isabelle, he belongs here not in North Carolina!" Katherine yelled.

"You stay out of this, it is not of your business," Isabelle said.

"None of my business? None of my business?! He is my son not yours!"

"It's not like you have steered him in the right path, he quit football, he doesn't have a job and you let him have a relationship with that thing."

Frank felt his blood boil. He walked into the room and made his presence known.

"Honey, hey, how did you sleep?" Katherine said. Frank looked at Belle and sneered at her.

"I want you to keep Rachel's name out of your mouth, you don't know her and you never will," He walked to the front door and slammed it.

At Andre's apartment, Rachel is looking in the mirror just staring at herself. 'Ugh, I swear, these bags under my eyes are getting worse and Frank hates it when I were make-up but it is necessary today.' She thought.

Suddenly there was banging on the front door. "Coming Frank!" Rachel yelled. But the person kept banging on the door.

Rachel yanked open the door, "Gosh is it that serious Fr-". She looked up and saw that it wasn't Frank it was Nikki sobbing carrying a paper bag.

"Nikki, what are you doing here?" Rachel asked. Nikki wiped her face.

"I didn't know where else to go. I need your help Rachel," Nikki said. Rachel reluctantly let Nikki inside.

"Do you want something to drink?" Rachel asked.

Nikki shook her head. "Rachel, what I'm about to tell you is strictly between us, okay?"

Rachel nodded. Nikki slowly reached in the paper bag and pulled out three pregnancy tests.

"Oh my God Nikki!" Rachel exclaimed, "Are you pregnant?" Nikki's tears started welling up again.

"I don't know. I missed my period, I never miss my period Rachel." Rachel started pacing back and forth.

"Nikki, you are 18 years old, you can't be a mother now! What about your career?"

"You don't think I've thought about that? I mean I can only imagine what Mom and Dad would do to me if they found out. That's why I'm here Rachel. I don't want to do this alone."

Rachel sat down on the couch and ran her fingers through her hair.

"What about the father? He should know that he is going to be a dad," Rachel said.

"I don't know who the father could be, I mean I can narrow it down to about two guys but I want to see the results first. There is a chance that it's just stress. Mom and Dad have been prepping me for the festival next week. I just want to rule this out."

"But Nikki, why do you need me?" Rachel asked.

"Rachel, you are my sister. We are supposed to be there for each other. If you thought were pregnant, wouldn't want me there to help you?"

"I would want Frank there. We don't have secrets," Rachel said, "but I guess I would want you there in some way, I mean you are my big sister."

"Please Rachel I need you to be the big sister now. Just stand outside the bathroom and read the results. That's all I need you to do." Rachel could see how desperate Nikki was. Her whole life could be changing and all she wanted Rachel to do was be there.

"Okay. I'll help you. Just don't pee on the toilet seat."

"Thank you so much Rachel, I owe you," Nikki grabbed the tests and took them into the bathroom with her.

"So tell me about this festival," Rachel said as they waited for the timer to go off.

"It's a community thing, they have a stage for singers who sign up and, well, you know Mom and Dad signed me up. Maybe you could sign up. They wouldn't know what hit them if both of us where on that stage."

Rachel smiled at thought. "Nah, I don't know," she said.

"Come on, you can invite Clive Davis and Frank's family and-" Suddenly the timer went off and both of the girls froze.

"I guess this is it? The moment of truth," Nikki said. Rachel put her hand on Nikki's shoulder.

"Hey no matter what, I'll have your back." Rachel went into the bathroom and read the results.

"What do they say?"

Rachel laughed as she walked out of the bathroom. "You're not pregnant, you're just fat." Nikki sighed in relief.

"Oh my God I can hear my heart pounding. Thank you God!" Nikki cheered.

"Next time be more responsible Nicole, condoms are your friend," Rachel threw a pillow at her.

"You know, you should do the last one. I mean I spent 50 dollars on these might as well use them all and I'm all out of pee," Nikki suggested.

"First of all I don't need to know about your urine, and second of all I don't think I'm pregnant," Rachel said.

"Who cares, I'm not wasting 50 dollars." Nikki handed Rachel the third test. Rachel shook her head and laughed.

"I'm only doing this because you want me too," she took the test from Nikki's hand and went into the bathroom.

While she waited for Rachel, Nikki made herself at home and walked around the apartment. She had never been inside Andre's apartment. While in the kitchen she heated her up a TV dinner since she hadn't eaten anything that day. As soon as the food was ready Nikki heard someone knocking at the door.

"I'll get it," Nikki called out. 'I wonder what's taking her so long time was up for a minute,' Nikki thought. She opened to door and as she thought, it was Frank.

"Nikki? What are you doing here?" Frank asked surprised.

"Well it's good to see you too Frank, won't you come in," she let Frank into the house but he was still confused on why she was here.

"Where's Rachel?" he asked.

"She is in the bathroom. She'll be out in a minute, I was making something to eat you want anything?"

Meanwhile in the bathroom, Rachel found herself staring in the mirror again, and this time she was paler.

"Rachel, Frank's here," she heard Nikki called.

She jumped out of her thoughts and threw all of the tests away and covered them with toilet paper.

"Here I come," she looked herself one more time and exited the bathroom. When she saw Frank she smiled.

"Hey baby," she gave him a peck on his lips, "Come on let's go."

"Yeah, you wouldn't believe what happened this morning," Frank said walking out of the door

Before stepping out of the door Rachel, looked back at Nikki and asked, "Uh, before you leave can you take the trash in the bathroom out?"

"Is everything alright?" Nikki asked.

Rachel looked down at her feet and shook her head, "No." Before Nikki could say anything, Rachel left.

Oooooh the suspense, oooh the cliffhanger. And I am just getting started. If you want more soon I suggest you review as much as possible because the last two reviews I got made me want to finish this chapter because I didn't know how obsessed people were with this story. Smooches!