Chapter One-Hundred-Sixty-One
Meanwhile at the Littrell Household, Nick sent Laney outside to keep an eye on the kids. Josh and Spencer ended up staying outside and after Elenore was set free from her punishment the two girls went back out there also. Nick and Brian went into the kitchen where Jackie and Denise were making dinner and he went over and looked out the window at his daughter. When he did he found her and Elenore lying side by side in the middle of Jackie’s garden, their arms linked and they’re gazing up at the sky watching cloud shapes go by.
“I’m glad we were able to convince Ellie that it wasn’t Kota’s fault…it would destroy Kota if she lost her first and only real best friend.”
“Yeah I know,” Brian agreed as he slid his arms around Riley’s waist and pulled her near and he kissed her forehead softly.
“Where is Sarah?” Riley asked curiously. “I haven’t seen her at all since the incident.”
“She’s upstairs in my room lying on the bed coloring. I looked in on her on my way down here. She’s back to writing things down again…I think she only spoke that one time because it was an emergency,” Nick explained.
“Damn…it would have been wonderful if it was permanent.”
“Yeah…in all honesty I don’t think she’s ready. She has nightmares at night…they aren’t as bad as Dakota’s or Ashley’s where she wakes up screaming but I notice them. She mumbles in her sleep a lot and tosses and turns and the only time I can get her to stop is when I’m rubbing her back and singing to her. She’s still very traumatized.”
“How is Kota doing?” Brian questioned.
“I think she prefers not to remember it. She’s blocked it out of her head as if it never happened. The only time she shows any sign of remembering it is when someone brings it up and then she becomes distant.”
“I wish I could just choose to not remember being raped and block it out of my mind forever…” Ashley announced softly and Nick pulled her near and kissed the top of her head.
“It’s easier for a small child to block really traumatizing situations out of their head. If she keeps it up she won’t remember it when it’s mentioned at the age of twenty. She might even deny it and swear up and down that it didn’t happen and really believe it because she has no memory of it. You on the other hand were old enough for it to stick to you…unfortunately.” Denise explained.
“It’s not fair…” Ashley vented softly and Nick noticed her eyes water up.
“I know it’s not baby…and you know if I had the power to help you forget I would in a heartbeat.”
“I know…and I love you for that.” Ashley informed him and he gently brought her over to the table before sitting down and pulling her into his lap. Just after he did that though, the kitchen door opened and Kevin walked in. Nick eyed the older man warily in fear that he might still be angry with him and try to jump him. Kevin seemed to have read his mind.
“You can relax Nick…I’m calm now.”
“Good. There will be no bloodshed in my kitchen or you will be cleaning it up,” Jackie insisted.
“Your calm? That’s good…but you might not be for long,” Brian spoke up and Nick narrowed his eyes at Brian.
“He’s calm! Let him be calm!” Kevin sighed.
“What’s happened now? No – wait. Let me guess…Ashley is pregnant.”
“I haven’t slept with her, Kev!” Nick snapped as he is beginning to become upset again.
“Well, it’s only a matter of time with the two of you isn’t it?”
“That is very uncalled for Richardson,” Ashley informed while narrowing her eyes at him and looking highly offended. Kevin looked taken aback. Sweet innocent Ashley is actually scolding him…and has suddenly reverted to last name basis with him.
“I’ve been very supportive of you and understanding because you’ve warned us plenty of times that this was going to happen but you have no right to act like an asshole and say offensive things. Nick is your little brother and clearly he is very upset over the situation. The least you could do is be just a little sensitive about it – he needs you the most out of everybody here.” She snapped, and with that she got up and stormed out of the kitchen. Kevin raised his eyebrow as he watched her leave.
“Good going Kev…when you’ve upset Ashley you know you’ve been an ass.” Nick replied, and then he got up and went after his upset girlfriend. Kevin shook his head and then looked over at Brian who would have gone after Ashley also if it weren’t for the fact that he still had to report to Kevin what happened while he was gone. Kevin noticed his cousin standing there with his arms crossed and a glare fixed on his face and he suddenly became serious.
“Okay…okay…what really happened while I was gone?”
“Ellie beat Dakota with a light saber, that’s what happened.” Shock suddenly took over the annoyed look on Kevin’s face.
“What? Dakota? …Why?”
“Because Ryan framed her…he led Ellie to believe that Kota spilled her secrets. Ellie got angry and lost control and started beating Kota and Ryan with a light saber.”
“Did you punish her for it?”
“Yes I put her in time out and took away light saber privileges until we get back to the Orphanage.” Kevin suddenly looked grateful.
“Good. Sooo I don’t have to do anything then?” Brian rolled his eyes.
“Well you could go and talk to her…I sort of saved most of the lecture for you since you are her caregiver and all.”
“But I don’t have to punish her. That’s all that matters.”
“Mhm,” Brian replied. Kevin headed for the backyard but Brian gently grabbed his arm and Kevin looked at him curiously.
“Ashley first. You owe her an apology. You better do it now before you lose her trust forever.” Kevin nodded and then turned and headed up the stairs to apologize for being an ass.
~*~*~*~*~
Later on that day, in New York, after having dinner with Brooke and her family AJ took Laila upstairs so that he could pack up his things and Brooke followed him up there. She sat on the bed in the guestroom and together they folded up the clothes.
“Well, here we are again…you aren’t going to get upset on me again are you?” AJ double-checked as he looked at the girl that he could finally call his girlfriend. Brooke laughed a little bit and shook her head.
“No I’ll be fine…it’s going to be hard seeing you off but I know I have to.” AJ smiled a little and reached over and gently combed his fingers through her hair as he leaned forward and kissed her.
“You are going to be okay without me I promise you. You have Jaime and Peyton to keep you company and I will call you every day.”
“Do you promise?”
“I cross my heart,” he told her while making an ‘x’ over his heart with his finger as if he is talking to his niece. Brooke smiled at him and he slid his arm around her waist before pulling her closer to him and she rested her head against his shoulder.
“I’m going to miss you,” she announced softly.
“I’ll miss you too – every single day. But it won’t be long before I am meeting you back at the Orphanage I promise you.”
“You make sure you give these papers straight to your mom so she can fill them out. It is very important that you do…Backstreet news travels fast – especially when they are rumors.” Brooke explained while sticking the files safely in his backpack.
“Oh you don’t have to tell me that,” AJ insisted. “Plus I’m anxious for her to fill them out…I’m actually going to have a little sister.” He added, a proud look on his face that Brooke has seen so many times on Jaime. Brooke laughed a little.
“Just don’t go turning into Jaime okay? I don’t think Ashley would appreciate that too much. I’ve lived with Jaime my whole life I’m used to it…but her…not so much.” AJ chuckled.
“I think Kori has the whole protective thing down. She nearly bit my head off at Mc Donald’s on our trip up to Kentucky.”
“Why? What’d you do now?” Brooke sniggered.
“Nick…the stupid ass got it in my head that Ashley was cheating on him with me behind his back.”
“Whaaat? Why would he think such a thing?” AJ shrugged.
“Long story…but anyway, I managed to convince him otherwise and afterward when he went to apologize to her, Kori who was still clearly angry at him for making her sister cry demanded to know why he was near her. I told her that he was apologizing and said to chill in defense of Nick and she got all pissed off at me in defense of her sister.”
“Wow…”
“Yeah.” Brooke then lay down on the bed placing her head in AJ’s lap and he smiled down at her before bending down and kissing her forehead softly before going back to folding up clothes and putting them in his bag. All the while Laila sat on the floor playing with blocks. After thirty minutes had gone by Jaime and Peyton walked in the room to find Brooke still lying with her head in AJ’s lap and AJ just zipping up his bags. Jaime raised his eyebrow and was about to open his mouth to comment about how close the two of them have become in the past two days but Peyton elbowed him hard in the side before he could.
“Ow! That hurt!” He whined, but Peyton paid no attention as she went over and sat on the bed.
“Are you about ready to go? We should get going if we want to make your plane on time.”
“Yeah I’m ready.”
“Well I’m not…” Brooke pouted and she slid her arms around his waist. AJ wrapped his arms around her in return and leaned forward and rested his forehead against his.
“Honey he has to go…” Peyton insisted though she gave her sister a sympathetic look.
“I know…I just don’t want him to,” Brooke whined. AJ swept her bangs to the side and not caring that Jaime is standing right there he brushed his lips lightly over hers. Jaime’s body stiffened and he looked away pretending not to have seen.
“You don’t have to say bye to me yet baby…we’ll wait until I have to board the plane okay?”
“Kay…” Brooke replied softly.
“Come on…let me up. I have to get Laila’s hoodie on her.” Brooke sat up then and she watched as he got up from the bed, grabbed hold of Laila’s pink hoodie and he went over and knelt down in front of her.
“Hey sweetie, come here.” He told her gently. Laila stood up and went to AJ and allowed him to put her hoodie on and zip it up. Knowing exactly what’s going on she looked up at AJ with pouty lips.
“What’s the matter baby? Huh?”
“No weaves Bwookie…” Brooke laughed a little.
“That’s my girl…you tell him.”
“I’m sorry sweetheart, but we have to. We have to go back and see Ryan.”
“No.” Laila pouted while knocking his hand away as he tried to zip her hoodie up a little more. AJ raised his eyebrow and then brought his hand back up to her zipper and he zipped her hoodie up more before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her near. He rested his forehead against hers.
“Yes ma’am I’m afraid so.” He stood up with her and she suddenly burst into sobs while reaching for Brooke.
“Awww…my poor baby…” Brooke said sympathetically and she went over and gently took the baby into her arms and she pulled her near her for a hug.
“It’s okay baby…Shh…” she soothed and she rubbed her hand over her back. After a few moments when she had finally calmed down some Brooke looked at AJ and Peyton.
“Come on…let’s go get this over with,” She told them and she carried Laila out of the room. AJ sighed and then grabbed up his bags and Peyton grabbed Laila’s stroller and the two of them followed Brooke’s lead.
~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile in Kentucky, after everybody had their dinner and sat around talking for awhile, they all decided that they would head to the store. They decided that they would all go – the entire Littrell Family, The Carter Clan, Ashley, Denise, Riley, Kori, Wiley, Howie, Kevin, and the kids. They ended up having to take three vans in order to get them all there, which worked out because right after spending time at Wal-Mart, Nick, Marcus, Ashley, Denise, Howie, and Ryan are all going to the airport to pick up AJ and Laila. When they all got inside Ashley and BJ linked arms with Aaron and they escorted him over to the flower section with Nick and Laney following close behind. When they got there BJ went up to the lady at the cashier desk and smiled at her.
“Hi how can I help you this evening?” The lady asked readily.
“We would like the best dozen red roses you’ve got – my little brother here has a girl to impress,” BJ told her with a smile and the lady nodded understandingly.
“Well you’ve come to the right place,” the lady insisted, and while BJ was talking to her Ashley led Aaron over to the teddy bears. She grabbed up a red bear that is wearing a white t-shirt which reads “I’m sorry” and holds a big and round multi-color lollipop in it’s hand. She flashed Aaron a smile.
“Stacy strikes me as someone who would love this.”
“Really?” Aaron grinned.
“Yeah of course – and it even says everything you need to tell her right here,” Ashley answered, indicating toward the t-shirt.
“Okay I will get it for her,” Aaron replied while taking the teddy bear from Ashley.
“And how about this balloon to attach to the bear?” Nick suggested while grabbing hold of a string to a balloon that just happened to be swinging around literally right in front of his face. He had looked up at it and saw that it also read ‘I’m sorry’. “Incase…you know she doesn’t get the picture when she looks at the bear.”
“You don’t think balloons, a dozen red roses, flower petals spread out all over her door step, a teddy bear, and a box of chocolates isn’t a little too extreme?” Aaron asked self-consciously.
“Well you want to make a very big point.”
“Yeah…and it’s not extreme, it’s romantic…and sweet – and you need as much romance as possible. From the sounds of it this girl is pretty angry at you,” Ashley added.
“Exactly,” BJ agreed while coming back with a dozen red roses in one hand and two bags of rose petals in the other. “And how about a balloon that tells her you love her? The teddy bear will be enough to let her know you are sorry.”
“Do I want to tell her I love her already? I mean we just reunited after all these years…”
“Do you love her Aaron?”
“As much as a thirteen year old can love another thirteen year old.”
“Then tell her that. Life is too short for you to leave things unsaid…and you’ve known her since the two of you were three years old I think it’s okay” BJ answered.
“Okay,” Aaron nodded. “I’ll do it…” Nick grabbed up a red balloon that was shaped in a heart and said in white letters ‘I love you’ and he looked at his little brother.
“Is this one okay bro?”
“Yeah, perfect.” Aaron nodded.
“Okay,” he replied and he went over to the cashier with the balloon and Aaron followed him still holding the teddy bear. They paid for it all and then Nick looked down at Aaron.
“Now for the chocolate.”
“And jewelry daddy!” Dakota reminded.
“And maybe a nice charm bracelet,” Nick added in order to please his daughter. Dakota smiled up at him telling him that he had succeeded. Aaron chuckled and scooped Dakota up into his arms.
“How about I add a little note to the charm bracelet telling Stacy that it was from you because you wanted to help me cheer her up. Would that be okay sweetie?” Dakota’s eyes widened in excitement.
“Really Uncle Aaron? I can help?”
“Of course. You are my buddy,” Aaron reassured and he walked off with her toward the candy isle.
“Please don’t go too far ahead with her Aaron,” Nick pleaded as he wrapped an arm around Ashley and he followed.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
