One-Hundred-Twenty-Seven
Meanwhile upstairs in the Littrell House, Nick and Ashley hurried up and got dressed — Ashley put on a white sex pistols t-shirt with the British flag on the front and their logo, and some red and gray Capri pants. She slipped on some black flip-flops too. Nick got dressed in just a plain white t-shirt and jeans. When they were both ready to go, Nick took Ashley's hand and grabbed up his wallet and the gate opener that Brian lent to him and he led Ashley out in the hall where Laney suddenly stopped them.
"Are you leaving now?"
"Yes, and quietly too. We don't want Dakota to know…as you know she's being extra clingy and emotional today."
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Laney double-checked, a sign of nervousness in his voice.
"I'm positive…as much as we both love you, we need sometime alone…" Nick confirmed, as he slid his arm around Ashley's waist.
"I hear ya…" Laney replied; though he would feel much better if he was with them and able to protect them. He doesn't want another repeat of the last time they tried to spend time alone together outside of the Orphanage. "Just be careful Nick, okay?"
"I know, I know…I've already got the be careful speech from Brian."
"Okay, well have fun then," Laney replied. Nick nodded and gently pulled Ashley toward the stairs, and they quietly made their way down them, cautiously looking around and making sure they don't run into the one little girl they are trying to avoid — even though Brian promised he would keep her occupied and in the kitchen. When they got downstairs they quietly walked to the front door when suddenly Abbie jumped up and ran over to them, and she tilted her head to the side as she looked at them curiously. Ashley stuck her finger to her lips then.
"Shhh…Abbie go lay down," Ashley whispered. Abbie noticed Nick's keys in his hand and suddenly knew that they are going somewhere and she ran over to the door and looked at them eagerly as if they are going to let her go with.
"No baby, you can't go with," Ashley told her quietly. Abbie continued to look up at Ashley with her sad puppy eyes.
"Awww…" Ashley said and looked up at Nick with pouty lips. Nick chuckled quietly, and Ashley went over and crouched down and Abbie got up on her hind legs, her paws on Ashley's knees and she began petting her.
"Maybe we should let her go," Nick spoke quietly enough so no one n the kitchen would hear him — one little girl in particular. Ashley looked up at him again curiously.
"Since the dogs seem to have bad-guy radar lately…she might come in handy." Ashley looked down at Abbie then.
"Does Abbie wants to go bye-bye? Huh?" Abbie jumped down suddenly and ran on over to the door and she looked at Ashley and Nick eagerly. "Yeah? You want to go bye-bye?" Abbie jumped at the door then even more eagerly and Ashley giggled.
"Where is her leash?" Nick asked while grinning a little.
"It should be over by her doggie bed in her bag." Nick went over and grabbed Abbie's pink leash and Abbie trotted on over to him as she knows what that is for. He bent down and hooked the leash to her collar, and then stood up with it and he went back over to Ashley who waited by the door. She took the leash from him then and he grabbed her hand, opened up the door and they hurried out before they had anymore interruptions.
"We'll walk since we have her," he announced when he noticed Ashley was headed toward one of the vans. He opened up the gate, the two of them walked out, and he closed it again before pulling out his cell phone and text messaging Brian to let him know they are gone now and that they have Abbie so they don't worry when they find her gone.
~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, in The Littrell House in the kitchen, Marcus ended up taking the kids outside to play again — even Dakota, who has now advanced, to not only clinging to Brian, Nick, or Ashley; but to Marcus now too. Marcus of course, was ever so happy to be accepted into her little circle of trust. Even Ryan and Spencer had gone outside too, though Ryan remained distant from everybody, and everybody mostly stayed clear of him too. While they all played outside, the adults — and Aaron, BJ, Leslie, and Angel remained inside but they all moved to the living room where it was more comfortable.
"So…Kori, Wiley…" Brian began, as he looked over at the two who were sitting side by side on the couch, and he noticed that they were holding hands and trying to cover it up under a blanket. Kori raised her eyebrow.
"Yes, Littrell?"
"Why did you two lock your bedroom door last night?" He questioned suspiciously.
"I thought that would've been obvious…to teach my sister a lesson," Kori answered innocently.
"We all know that isn't the entire reason," Brian replied, laughing some.
"Well the entire reason isn't your business," Kori replied laughing a little too.
"So you two are dating then? You know Ashley is going to throw a fit." Kori rolled her eyes.
"Ashley isn't going to find out, is she Brian?"
"She'll find out sooner or later and you know it. You can't hide it from her forever."
"We don't intend on it," Wiley spoke up for the first time. "Starting today I am going to work on that…on winning her trust. But she is not to find out what we are doing until we know she's not going to kill me and throw me in with the bloody sharks or something like that…" Riley laughed.
"Honestly hon…I don't see her killing anyone no matter how protective of her older sister she may be. She is too sweet and innocent for that." Kori rolled her eyes.
"Don't let the whole I'm-a-rape-victim side to her get to you, she has a dark side deep inside her that you all haven't seen before." Brian laughed.
"I'm sure she wasn't that bad."
"All I'm saying is…she can be devious when she wants to be. Sean may have squashed that for her by hurting her…but it's still there and every now and then if she feels safe enough she lets a little bit of that side to her out. Only I've noticed it so far because I for one recognize it, and two as angry at me as she is right now, she still feels safest around me."
"How are you going to win her trust Wiley?" Brian replied. "It took me a long time to get the kind of relationship that I have with her — hell it took Nick a long time even."
"I don't know, I'm still trying to figure that out…"
"When she first arrived at the Orphanage Nick and I discovered that the more you spend time with her and talk to her the easier it gets," Riley explained. "Also, the more you know about her the better."
"Unless she's royally pissed off at you," Kori pointed out grudgingly. "Then you just can't get through to her at all no matter how much you talk to her and know about her — cause I know practically everything about her and she shuts me out all the time."
"It's gotten better between the two of you though, you have to admit," Howie reassured. Kori nodded in agreement.
"Yeah…but it's not the same…like I wish it was."
"So, what do I need to know about Ashley to get her trusting me?" Wiley asked suddenly, as he rubbed his finger over the back of Kori's hand after bring it up and kissing it.
"She loves music with a passion," Kori answered softly. "That's pretty much the key to a successful conversation with her right there — she can talk about it for hours."
"What kind of music?"
"That can be something you could ask her," Kori replied, smiling up at him some and he kissed her forehead affectionately.
"But you know, right?"
"Course I do. Who do you think got her into it all?"
"So she likes the same stuff you do?" Kori shrugged mysteriously as she smiled up at him.
"You are really going to make me work for this, aren't you?"
"Yes sir I am."
"Whhhy? Wiley whined pathetically. Kori laughed.
"Because, in a way, you are working hard for me…"
"Then on second thought…it's totally worth it," he told her sweetly, and he rubbed his nose lightly over hers. Howie laughed.
"Good response..."
~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, out in the backyard, Dakota and Elenore were sitting on the ground by Marcus' feet drawing on the sidewalk, the two best friends each glowering but at completely different people. Dakota is looking in the direction of the play structure that's been in the Littrell's backyard since Brian and Harold were kids where Josh and Sarah are playing house together. Elenore however, is looking in the direction of Ryan who is sitting in the sandbox and is naturally, too preoccupied in his own brooding thoughts to care what's going on around him. Spencer is sitting across from the girls and he too is drawing on the sidewalk.
"Why is he playin' house withs her?" Dakota suddenly complained a few moments later. "He never plays house withs us…willingly anyway…you usually have to force him to." When Ellie didn't answer her Dakota turned and looked at her best friend and she lightly poked her in the side. Elenore flinched a little and looked at her.
"Hmm? What? Oh…maybe he is just bein' nice…he feels sorry for her." Elenore didn't even hear what her best friend was saying. She's gotten so used to her complaining about Sarah that she can pretty much guess what it was anyway.
"Why?" Dakota asked irritably.
"Because you are so mean to her." Dakota shrugged and looked over in the direction that Elenore's eyes were in and she noticed for the first time just exactly who she was looking at.
"How come you are always watching him?"
"Who? Joshy? I'm not…you're the one who is always watching him. If I didnts know any better Id say you have a crush." Dakota blushed as Elenore finally really tore her eyes away from Ryan and she looked at Dakota, now somewhat amused.
"I do nots!" Dakota insisted. Elenore giggled and Dakota narrowed her eyes. "Well I don'ts!"
"Well that's too bad…" Elenore replied in a disappointed tone, playing a long with her denial.
"Why?"
"No reason," Elenore shrugged, and she looked back at Ryan again. She could just feel Dakota's confused eyes fixed on her and it was taking everything in her to keep a straight face, though she somehow managed.
"Are you going to answer my question or nots?" Dakota asked a few moments later, somewhat irritated with her best friend now.
"I told you…no reason."
"Nots that question!" Dakota replied exasperatedly. Elenore once again tore her eyes away from Ryan and at Dakota once again, but now incredibly confused.
"Just because you are in a bad mood today it doesn't mean you can takes it out on me! Sarah is one thing, but NOTS me. I have no idea what you are talking abouts Kota, so why don'ts you tell me instead of getting all mad at me?"
"Well maybe if you were paying attention to me, you would knows!" Dakota insisted indignantly.
"I was paying attention to you!"
"No you were nots!"
"Fine then…I'm paying attention now…so why don'ts you tell me what your question was?"
"Why do you keeps on staring at him?"
"I answered that question already!"
"Not at Josh!"
"Then who?"
"Ryan!" Dakota said, raising her voice so much that it caused Ryan to turn his head and look their way confused. Elenore and Dakota both looked over at him sheepishly when they saw him turn and look at them, and then they both looked at each other, both of their faces bright red.
"Nice going Kota…"
"Well maybe if you were paying attention to me, that wouldn'ts have happened!" Dakota snapped somewhat, though she was highly amused at how shy her friend suddenly got — and that is not like Elenore at all. She can only recall one time that she was like that…and that was her first day at the Orphanage.
"You likes him don'ts you?" Dakota interrogated. Elenore blushed an even brighter shade of red, which only made Dakota smile even bigger. "An' you accused me of liking Joshy!"
"I do nots," Elenore insisted unconvincingly, and she glanced over at Spencer who was near by quietly listening. Elenore suddenly wished with all her might that he hadn't over heard that…she does like him — a lot. But she also likes Spencer too…is it possible to have a crush on two boys at once?
"Then why do you stare at's him all the time?" Dakota continued her interrogation, wanting Elenore to admit it.
"Why do you stare at's Josh all the time?"
"Because…I just do okay? That's nots what we are talking abouts here! We are talking abouts you."
"Well maybe I don'ts want to talk about me anymore," Elenore insisted, and she got up and stormed off. Dakota dropped her chalk and got up and hurried after her. By the time she caught up to Elenore, she was on the porch and about to go into the house. She grabbed her arm and gently pushed her back up against the wall.
"What's wrong withs you?" Dakota asked concerned, as she suddenly noticed the stressed look in Elenore's eyes.
"Nothing okay? It's nots important. Just goes back to drawing on the sidewalk withs Spencer…I'm gonna goes to see Kevy."
"It is too important, you're my best friend incase you've forgotten!" Elenore sighed in frustration. She looked at Dakota for a moment as if contemplating on whether or not she should reveal her secrets. After a few moments of thinking about it she finally spoke.
"Okay…I'm just really confused…"
"How come?"
"Because I'm five years old an' haves a crush on two boys! Okay?" Dakota's mouth dropped at this new information. Two? she didn't even know about the first crush! How could she have not known?
"You do?"
"Yes…"
"On who?"
"I've liked Spencer ever since the first day he arrived…an' then Ryan had to show up an' now I thinks I like him too…" Dakota's mouth dropped even bigger, as she tried to process this information. After a few moments she spoke up again.
"Kay…I can understand Spency…But Ryan? Why? He's a big meanie head to you…an' he doesn't likes to play withs us."
"Exactly…"
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
