Chapter One-Hundred-Twenty-One
"Where is Kori? Is she and Wiley still outside?" Ashley asked, thirty minutes later when she realized her sister hasn't come in yet and Spencer got off the phone with Scott a long time ago.
"They probably got captivated by those stars out there like you and Nick did the other night. It's nice and romantic out there at nighttime. The stars, mom's beautiful garden, the bench swing…" Brian explained teasingly, and he chuckled a little as Ashley's eyes narrowed. She then got up and still holding Sarah and she brought her out into the backyard with her — Laney immediately got up and followed. When they got out there, Kori and Wiley looked back just as they heard the door open. Kori groaned quietly when she realized who it was and Wiley chuckled.
"At least she didn't walk out in the middle of us kissing," He whispered softly in her ear.
"Oh man…that would have been bad."
"Mhm," Wiley agreed, and Ashley walked over to the bench.
"Hiya sis! Wiley…nice huh?" she asked, indicating toward the stars.
"Uh-huh, gorgeous," Kori agreed, as she turned and looked up at the stars too. Ashley went over and wedged herself between Wiley and Kori, as she still held Sarah in her lap. Kori rolled her eyes and moved over a little bit, making room for her annoying younger sister.
"Is Spencer off the phone with Scott?"
"Yeah, he got off the phone with him a long time ago," Ashley answered, resting her head against Kori's shoulder and wrapping an arm around Wiley, after pulling the blanket up on the four of them.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, at the mall, the moment they arrived there Nick set Dakota down and took a hold of her hand.
"Alright my little navigator, where to first?"
"Hot Topic!" Dakota insisted, and she began to drag him in the direction of where she knows her favorite store is. She's been to the Kentucky mall many times before, so she feels right at home. Nick chuckled and rolled his eyes.
"And I thought we left Ashley at home…" He muttered, as he let himself be dragged off. When they arrived at the store, she brought him inside and suddenly let go of his hand as she ran off toward the back of the store where the kids clothes were located.
"Dakota Ann, slow down!" He ordered, but Dakota kept on going as if she hadn't heard him. Nick shook his head and followed. When he reached his hyper daughter he knelt down and wrapped an arm around her as he stared into her eyes seriously.
"You need to slow down now or you won't be getting anything young lady. I don't want you running off too far ahead of me, got it?" Dakota nodded and began looking at clothes as if that lecture hadn't phased her one bit. Nick shook his head, as he knows this isn't exactly all her fault.
"I'm going to kill your uncle AJ," He muttered, shaking his head. He got up then and began looking at clothes. After a few moments, he spotted a sundress that he just had to get her.
"Aww…Kota come here, this is a cute one." Dakota beamed and walked over to him and he pulled a pink sundress down from the racks and showed it to her. It features an allover print of black polka dots, Black with white polka dot trim and black lace. There are two black crocheted bows on the straps of the dress. "This would look adorable on you," He told her, holding it up in front of her so he could see it. "Do you want to try it on?" Dakota nodded.
"Yes please daddy." Nick chuckled a little.
"Of course honey. I think this is the only way I will ever get you to let me buy you pretty dresses, is if they come from this store." Dakota continued to look around for more stuff, when suddenly she spotted a white T-shirt which has a pirate ship and mound of treasure with a banner stating Daddy's Treasure on it. She pulled it down from the racks, held the shirt up to her and looked up at him smiling.
"Daddy how abouts this one?" Nick grinned proudly.
"You are most definitely getting that one." Nick and Dakota looked at clothes until Dakota had about five different outfits in her hands. A white Hello Kitty T-shirt with multi-colored stars all over it, and Hello Kitty's face and it reads Super Cute on it, A red black and white plaid dress with a skirted black underlayer, buckle accented straps, and black ribbon up the sides. A white Disney t-shirt with Pluto's face on it, a t-shirt that features a red plaid print around the shoulders and neck, and the front features a red plaid skull and crossbones, and a matching red plaid belt skirt to match it. When they had all of that, Nick went to the front desk and asked for them to open up a dressing room for them. When they did, Nick led Dakota into it.
"Do you want me to help you get dressed into them, or can you do it yourself and come out and show me?"
"I can do it's," Dakota insisted.
"Alright, I'll just be right here," he reassured her. "I'll come in and help if you need it." He added. Dakota nodded and then went into the dressing room and shut the door behind her and she began changing into her clothes. Nick smiled a little and knelt down next to the door to wait.
"Daddyyyyy…" Dakota called a few moments later, and Nick opened the door a little and peeked his head in so he could see her, and he saw that she has on her red plaid dress but it's not zipped up yet.
"What's up squirt?" he questioned.
"I can'ts reach the zipper," She pouted, sticking her lower lip out and all. Nick chuckled a little bit.
"Okay, it's not a big deal honey," he told her, and he scooted into the dressing room and shut the door behind him and she turned around to allow him to zip the dress up. When he finished, he moved her over to the mirror so that she could see herself and he remained behind her and looked at her through the mirror also.
"Awww baby your adorable." Dakota beamed.
"Remind me to take you to buy some black ankle boots to go with that dress later okay?"
"Kay," Dakota replied happily, as buying shoes is her next favorite thing to do besides jewelry.
"Okay now try that sundress on next," Nick replied excitedly. He has been trying to get her to buy dresses ever since she was old enough to decide what she likes herself and she just won't do it. But now he's discovered a way to compromise with her and he is excited. Dakota waited for him to unzip the dress and then when he took it off she grabbed the pink polka dot sundress off of the little bench in the dressing room and she began to get dressed into that. Nick stayed in there sitting in his spot on the floor just incase he is needed, but he gave her the freedom to dress herself, as she so badly wanted before. They spent a half n hour looking at and trying on clothes, and then when they finished, Dakota went on over to the jewelry — skipping might I add, and began looking at stuff. Nick chuckled a little and followed. A few rubber bracelets, bangles, necklaces, and earrings later, they were walking out of Hot Topic, Nick with several bags in one hand, and Dakota's hand in the other as he's afraid if he lets go of her she'll take off like a rocket.
"Where to now baby?" He questioned.
"Pet store! Daddy please? We hafta gets Lily some new toys! And then we hafta goes an' gets me new toys too! An' then we hafta gets mine an' Ellie's prize for winning the quiet contest." Dakota rambled off.
"Okay, okay, the pet store it is then." Nick laughed, and he led her off toward the direction of the pet store. "And then maybe after we do all of that, if you are a good girl daddy will buy you some ice cream." Dakota looked up at him a little surprised and he narrowed his eyes down at her.
"What?" he questioned.
"I thoughts I wasn't allowed to have anymore sugar."
"Well…the damage has already been done, I might as well give in. But you need to be good in order for that to happen."
"I'll be good daddy, promise!"
"Okay, you show that to me," Nick replied, smiling down at his little angel as he brought her into the pet store and she gasped as she saw a whole window full of Chihuahuas.
"Puppieeeees!" she exclaimed, and she ran over and pressed her hands and face to the window, as she peered in at them all, a big smile plastered on her face. Nick rolled his eyes smiling, and he went on over to her.
"They're so cute daddy, aren't the cute?!"
"Mhm, adorable."
"Lily needs a friend," she informed him, as she looked back into the window again, a look of want in her eyes. Nick noticing that look right away, widened his eyes in horror.
"Ohhhh no you don't young lady. One puppy is enough." Dakota turned and looked at him, sticking her lower lip out in a pout.
"Aww…please daddy?"
"No way," he replied, scooping her up into his arms, and placing his forehead against hers as he grinned at her.
"Buts dad-dyyyyy…Lily needs a friend."
"Lily has plenty of friends. She has you; she has me, the rest of the gang, and all of the many other puppies that we have. Trust me Dakota Ann, she has all the friends she could want."
"But she wants another Chihuahua friend daddy," Dakota insisted, as he brought her over to the dog toys.
"She has Tyke."
"But Tyke is like a daddy to her. She needs a friend, a puppy who is her age."
"If I knew you were going to beg me for another puppy I wouldn't have brought you in here Dakota Ann," he told her, smiling into her eyes. Dakota stuck her lower lip out even further and did her best to look more pitiful.
"Pleeeease daddy?"
"No, No, and no…that is final. So you might as well stick that lower lip back in because I am not going to fall for something as adorable as that — not this time." Dakota scowled then.
"I bets Uncle Brian would buy me another puppy," she pointed out.
"Well I am not Uncle Brian, am I?"
"No, you are just mean daddy."
"Oh I am mean am I? Who is the one who just bought you all of these clothes hmm? And who is it that said they would buy you ice cream hmm?" Dakota pouted some, and she rested her head against his shoulder.
"That's what I thought," he replied. "Now how about we look for toys for the puppy that we do have and be thankful for her, eh? I can always take you home Dakota."
"Noooo…" Dakota whined.
"Okay then, don't start acting like a brat." Dakota slid down from his arms and she went over and began looking at dog toys, and he did also a couple of feet away, though he made sure to keep a close watch on her. They spent awhile in the pet store and by the time they had left, they had two bags full of dog toys. Nick scooped her up into his arms and kissed her cheek.
"I love you," he informed her, as he placed his nose to hers. Dakota stubbornly pulled her face away from him.
"Hey — hey," he replied, and he placed his hand to her cheek, and brought her face around so she's looking at him again.
"Let's not fight okay? This is supposed to be a fun evening, let's not turn it into a sour one."
"You're the one turning it sour by nots getting Lily a friend." Dakota insisted.
"Dakota…"
"Okay…okay…fine."
"I have to say…you and the puppy are both very spoiled — I bought Lily the same amount of things I bought you almost." He pointed out, making a goofy face at her and she couldn't help but giggle.
"Lily will appreciate that," Dakota admitted softly.
"I bet she will," he told her, and he tickled her sides, making her squirm about in his arms and giggle some more.
~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, back at The Littrell House, Kori, Wiley, Ashley, and Sarah came into the house and Kori and took Spencer upstairs to put him in bed, Wiley following her. Ashley went over and sat next to Brian on the couch, as Riley sat on the other side of him and she rested her head against his shoulder. He smiled down at her and brushed her hair to the side.
"Hey you…are you done driving your sister bonkers now?"
"For now…" Ashley replied, with a playful pout on her face, and he chuckled and kissed her forehead.
"What were you four doing out there?"
"Looking up at the stars…which only made me miss Nicky. This is the first time he's ever gone somewhere without me…its kind of new."
"Yeah I know, I'm a little surprised he actually went through with it. I was so sure he would end up bringing you a long."
"How long do you think he'll be?" Ashley asked softly, as she snuggled closer to Brian.
"I don't know…he can't stay out too long though, he has to come back sometime to put Kota to bed."
~*~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, in New York, Brooke, AJ, Jaime, and Peyton took Laila to Ben & Jerry's ice cream. They all ordered their favorite ice cream, AJ getting Laila some of her very own as Peyton promised to feed it to her for him. When they all had their own ice cream, they took a walk down to Central Park and Peyton sat at the bench next to Jaime and turned Laila's stroller around to face her so that she could spoon feed her ice cream. AJ slid his hand into Brooke's.
"Will it be okay if I take a walk around the park with AJ, Jaime?" Brooke asked, being completely obvious that she is slightly annoyed with her brother right now.
"Yeah that's fine…"
"Thanks," Brooke replied.
"Are you going to watch Laila for me?"
"Mhm," Peyton nodded.
"I won't go very far, but you have Brooke's cell phone so you can call if she should need me, right?"
Yeah, of course. Go ahead and go," She smiled, waving them off and AJ allowed Brooke to steer him away from her siblings.
"I can't believe I agreed to let them come…"
"They are just worried about you, that's all Brooke…be patient with them. This was very big news that you dropped on them…give them sometime to cope."
"I'm fine...it was years ago, it's not like it just happened…"
"Yeah, but you see, you've had time to cope with it…they haven't. They just found out about it…you just need to give them sometime, okay?" Brooke sighed.
"I know…I just hate it when people fuss over me…"
"I know, I know…" AJ replied understandingly, and he slid his arm around her waist and kissed her forehead softly.
"At least we have free baby sitting though, right?" He asked, smiling at her some, and she smiled back.
"Yeah…you have a point there."
"Mhm…"
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
