THE UNEXPECTED GUEST

Ashley stood before an easel with a painted canvas on it.

"Don't move, I'm almost done" she said to Cole who was holding a sleeping Kai in his arms.

She was painting a portrait of the two special people in her life; her pet who she called her baby and her….well…her close friend.

"Are you done?" Cole asked in a bored-to-death tone. "I've been in the same position for two hours now"

"You know a normal portrait is completed in about a month or so," she said.

"And you've been doing this for weeks, aren't you done yet?" he whined.

"You're just whining like a little kid 'cause you haven't seen how you look yet," she said. "I'm just trying to add some details."

They were both interrupted when they heard a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"There is a message for Master Hendrix" a servant replied.

"Come in," Cole said.

The servant came in to meet the two expectant eyes.

"Sir I have been asked to inform you of Miss Madden's arrival"

"Miss Madden?" she said to herself.

"Okay, I'll be down in a minute" Cole said.

The servant left the room and she turned to Cole in confusion.

"Who is Miss Madden," she asked.

"She was a friend of mine," he said.

"Was?" she asked "Why was?"

"Well the friendship didn't work out," he said and left the room.

With the way he sounded, she knew it was not really a friendship. It must have been his ex-girlfriend or lover. But why was she here?

Ashely speed walks down the stairs and mixed into the group of maids standing and waiting by the main door which was wide open. She didn't want to attract attention. Just then a beautiful lady walked through the open doors followed by some servants who held two huge traveling bags.

She had a scarf tied around her face like a hijab and wore huge dark shades. Her lips were crimson, obviously the work of lipstick. She was in a fancy jumpsuit that showed off her curves and to top it all off she wore really high heels. Ashley could see a honey blonde colored hair peeking out from under her scarf.

Ashley had a sudden feeling of insecurity just by seeing how good she looked. She knew she was far good-looking than her and this mustered up some feeling of ….she didn't even know how to explain.

"Cole honey," she said walking over to him with open arms. "I missed you"

She walked up to him and then wrapped her arms around him but he didn't return the greeting.

Ashley felt a sudden feeling of jealousy, why was she so close to him? But she was happy that Cole didn't show any interest.

"Why did you bring so much load knowing you're only here for a week?" he said not caring about her feelings.

"I haven't even settled in yet but you want me to go," she said coyly.

"Didn't you miss your Aria?" she said coquettishly while hanging her arm around his neck.

Ashley felt so jealous that she wanted to go up to her a tell her to take the hints Cole was giving her, it was obvious she was shamelessly throwing herself on him.

She looked up at Cole's threatening eyes. He was only holding himself as he didn't want to embarrass her in front of the workers. She took her hands off his neck after getting the sign.

Her eyes fell on the brunette standing amid the maids but wasn't in her maid's attire.

"You," she said. "Where's your uniform?"

Ashley felt a bad aura from this woman they called Aria. Why would she ask about her uniform, did she look like a maid to her? Wasn't she just a guest?

"Well…" Ashley said before she was cut off by Cole.

"She's not a maid," Cole said plainly.

"Then who is she?" She asked turning to Cole.

"She the master's new blood bag," Catherine said abruptly.

"Blood bag?" Ashely exclaimed in her mind.

"Oh," she said with a disgust-filled voice as she scanned her continuously. "Then she up for death"

Ashley really felt helpless and clueless. It was like a drama-filled soap.

"Aria, watch what you say in my house" Cole said in a bloodcurdling tone. "Just remember you're nothing else but a guest here."

"Whatever" she replied.

She took off her scarf and glasses and then handed them over to Ashley.

"Here," she said. "Take it to my room"

This angered Cole. He walked up to Ashley and then took the scarf and glasses from her.

"Take it," he said giving handing it over to Aria. "She's not a maid, take it to your room yourself."

"I do not appreciate you treating my things like trash," he said

He held Ashley's fragile wrist and walked out of the busy room, he couldn't bear to see her being insulted in such a way.

"I think she doesn't like me," Ashley said. When they had gone far enough.

"Why do you care if she likes you or not?" Cole said.

"I just don't like the way she looks at me," she said.

****************************************************

Janet had heard a sharp impatient knock on their doors. She walked up to it and opened it to see an angry woman staring right at her with two hefty men behind her.

"Are you Mrs. Barlow?" she asked.

"Yes," she said in anger. "Call Mrs. Katz out now"

"Tell me, I'm her daughter" "I'll handle it," Janet said calmly.

"Tell that mother of yours to pay my rent right now" she yelled.

"How much?" Janet asked hoping she would say something less than@200"

"@200," she said staring at Janet in anticipation.

Janet handed over a bunch of money to her and she counted it.

"This is just @150, I asked for 200," she said.

"Can you take @150 for now" she pleaded. "I'll give you the remaining before the end of this month"

It was obvious her plea got the middle-aged woman really angry.

"It's obvious you're not ready to live in my apartment," she said angrily. "Throw out all their belongings."

The two men stormed into the room, brushing frail Janet's shoulder. Her mother and sister were inside. Elena was cooking while Janice was studying.

"Wait, I told you I'll pay the money before the end of the month" she begged.

"That's the excuse your mother gives every time," she said. "I won't fall for it again."

Elena and Janice rushed into the Livingroom to see two muscular men scattering and rough handling their belongings. Janet was standing at the door begging the landlady to make them stop.

"Please I promise, just a week," Janet said.

All her begging and pleas were falling on deaf ears. They didn't have so many things but the little they had were thrown out on the road.

"Don't forget them" the landlady said. "They're also loitering on my property"

One of the men led Elena and Janice.

"Get out of this place," he said as he gave Janet a little push.

Janet refused still laying at the feet of the landlady who didn't care.

"Ma'am, we don't have anywhere else to go please" she begged.

"Didn't I say to take this pest out?" she asked. "If she doesn't go peacefully then treat her like an animal"

Janet still kept on reciting her plea in the hope she would just listen. Her family was outside with their belongings thrown out. She still persisted to keep pleading.

Suddenly, she felt a strong arm drag her wrist. She knew it was the man so she held the doorpost tightly. The grip became stronger and took her off the floor when she realized she was struggling on the shoulder of the man. She continually beat his back crying and shouting to let her go.

Her wish came true but at the wrong time. He let her go by throwing her off his shoulder, and before she knew it she was in the air falling to her doom. It felt like time slowed down and she shut her eyes tightly awaiting the pain that would come when she falls to the hard ground. She knew her face was going to be scarred after this fall.

To her surprise, neither did she fall on a hard surface nor fall at all. She could feel her body being held up by another. Her face was buried in his or her chest but she senses it was a man as the chest was completely flat with no sign of a grown breast. Her heart kept beating hard.

"You do know you can be sued for manhandling her," a deep male voice said.

She knew that voice so well and she looked up to the person to be sure of who it was. It was just the guy she thought, Tegan Fox. She slowly got off him still examining his face. He looked serious and angry, this was the first time she saw Tegan being angry. He was always playful, or flirtatious but never angry.

She turned to see the faces of the two people who mistreated her, they looked pale.

"They had been owing me for three months now." The landlady said.

"How much?" Tegan asked.

"@200," she said hoping he would take her side knowing how huge the amount was.

"I'll give you @500," she said taking out a thick black leather wallet from his pocket.

They were shocked to the core, they just had twice what they asked for with an extra. He threw the money at their faces.

"Don't worry, they won't be living here anymore" he said.

By the time Janet knew it their scattered belongings were now neatly placed in Tegan's car and her mother and sister were sitting there excitedly. She could see the excitement and happiness on their face as this may have been their first time in a luxurious car.

Tegan held her by the hand and walk into the car. He held the door open for her to go in and went into the front passenger seat.

Janet had not seen this side of Tegan it made her smile slightly. He seemed so concerned about their matters like he was a member of their family.

She shuddered when she felt a tap on her shoulder, it was her sister Janice.

"Janet," she said in with a teasing smile. "You didn't tell me you had such a handsome, rich and caring boyfriend"

Janet rolled her eyes at her naughty sister.

"Look, he's not my boyfriend," she said in irritation.

"Then what is he?" she asked.

Janet couldn't really answer that question. He wasn't a friend neither was he a stranger and she couldn't say he was an acquaintance as an acquaintance wouldn't do this much.

"He's just a friend," she said.

"Are you sure?" Janice said in a more teasing manner.

"Stop it" she snapped at her.

Janice receives a painful slap on the head from her mother.

"I see you've become naughty" she yelled. "Don't annoy your sister"

"Oww… mom" she cried in pain.

Janet nodded her head in embarrassment, her family were behaving like barbarians in a car. They couldn't just keep their fighting for later.

"But honey," Elena called Janet. "Is he your boyfriend?"

"Mom!" Janet exclaimed in frustration and embarrassment.