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Chapter One-Hundred-Seventy-Three


Meanwhile downstairs in the Littrell House AJ, Howie, Ryan Laila, Harold, Kori, Spencer, and Wiley were the only ones there aside from Brian, Nick, Josh, and Dakota who were still upstairs getting ready to leave for the mall. AJ looked over at Kori to find her sitting on the couch with Wiley and they seem to be just watching everybody around them.


“Hey Kor, do you and Wiley want to play a game of skip-bo with D and I?” Kori looked at Wiley smiling some and Wiley smirked.


“As long as you’re prepared to lose, McLean.” Wiley challenged and AJ raised his eyebrow.


“HA! We’ll see about that,” he insisted and Howie began to open the box of cards while AJ, Kori, and Wiley rearranged the furniture so that the coffee table was between them and Kori looked over at Harold.


“Hey Harold, come join us” she insisted.


“Okay,” Harold grinned and he went on over and joined the little group of adults in a game of Skip-Bo while Ryan lay on the floor nearby reading his book with Laila lying across his legs playing with her Pet shop toys that Brooke bought for her. Howie had let Ryan keep his book because it was good for him to be reading and he had to have something to do without his toys. Spencer went over and crawled up onto the couch next to Kori feeling bored out of his mind without his friends and he rested his head against her shoulder.


“Do you want to play Spence?” Howie offered as he watched Kori comb her fingers through his hair and kiss the top of his head. Spencer’s eyes lit up.


“Okay!” Howie looked over at Ryan then.


“Ryan come join us. You can be on my team.”


“That would require me to be playing something and I’m on punishment right now remember?” Ryan questioned while not even looking up from his book.


“You need to be more involved with us instead of keeping to yourself all the time. I will allow you to play group games if it keeps you from being anti-social.”


“I don’t want to.”


“I don’t care, you’re going to do it. Or I will take that book away from you too.” Ryan scowled and threw the book to the side and he got up and went over and sat next to Howie and Laila followed suit, heading straight for AJ. AJ grinned and gathered Laila into his lap and he kissed her forehead affectionately as she nestled into him and watched curiously as everybody began playing the game. Ryan narrowed his eyes at AJ and Howie who noticed this placed his hand on his shoulder in warning. Ryan looked up at Howie instead and Howie handed over a handful of cards. Ryan sighed and looked down at them and he waited patiently for his turn.


“We’ll go for a walk after this Ryan and if you play nice I will let you call your mom.” Ryan grinned.


“Really?”


“Mhm – but you have to help me win this game first.”


“You just keep living that dream that you’re going to win Howie, but you’ll be sorry.” Kori insisted.


“We’ll win,” Ryan informed, his competitive side suddenly coming to life as he gets into the game. The mention of his mom must have done the trick. Kori raised her eyebrow. “I’m the best at Skip-Bo. I used to play it with all of my friends and beat them everytime.”


“Well today you have met your match kid,” Kori replied. She had set down all five of her cards, drawn five more, but couldn’t play again so she set down a card from her hand to the discard pile and she looked at AJ.


“Your turn,” She announced defiantly and AJ chuckled. As AJ was going his turn Brian and Nick came down the stairs, Brian holding Josh’s hand and Dakota using her favorite vehicle: her daddy. He has her so she is standing on his feet and he is holding her hands as he walks down the stairs and she is giggling incessantly. When they came downstairs everybody looked at them in amusement.


“Where are you four headed?”


“The mall,” Nick answered as he scooped Dakota up into his arms.


“Yeah! We’re going to go look at pretty-“


“-Earrings” Nick cut her off. “She wants me to buy her some earrings so that when she is able to take the studs out she’ll have some others to wear.” Dakota looked at her daddy confused but she went with his lie anyway. Howie however, noticed the confused look on his niece’s face and has a feeling earrings is not what they’re going to be looking at.


“Yeah but anyway, gotta gooo…” Brian announced in a singsong voice when he noticed the suspicious looks from both Howie and Kori. Howie had noticed the confused look on Dakota’s niece, and Kori noticed the look on Nick’s – the look that he only gets when he is either looking at Ashley or thinking about Ashley. Brian grabbed Nick’s hand as he held Josh’s hand in his other and he dragged his best friend toward the door before Howie could interrogate cause he could see it coming.


“Come a long Nick, we want to have enough time at the mall before we need to be back here.” The moment they were outside with the door shut Nick looked down at Dakota.


“Kota…remember when daddy told you to keep the rings a secret?”


“You said not to tell Ashee an’ Howie isn’t Ashee.”


“She’s right Nick, you did.” Brian agreed.


“Okay…well now you know…Kota don’t tell anyone about the rings okay?”


“Okay,” Dakota replied dutifully as he set her in her booster seat and buckled her up. When both kids were settled in the back seat with the door to the van shut Brian and Nick both got in the two front seats – Brian in the drivers seat and Nick in the passengers. Brian hit the button to the gate and it opened and he backed out of the yard before closing the gate again and driving off. Little did they know Howie and Kori had run to the door after they closed it and opened it just a crack and they heard the entire conversation. Kori raised her eyebrow and she looked at Howie.


“Rings? They are going to look at rings?”


“From the sound of things…yes.”


“Well it is obvious that Brian wants to propose to Riley…I mean everybody knows that no matter how hard he tries to hide it,” AJ spoke up.


“Yes but…Nick just said that he had asked Kota not to tell Ashley about it. If they’re looking for engagement rings for Riley, why is he so keen on Ashley not finding out?”


“Kori has a point…and didn’t Nick want to talk to Brian about Ashley earlier?” Wiley added. Kori looked back at Howie and she narrowed her eyes suddenly.


“I love Nick and all…but he wouldn’t be dumb enough to propose to her would he?”


“You never know with Nick these days…she has him floating on cloud 9…”


“He better not or I’m gonna kill him. It’s too soon…”


“I’m sure there is a logical explanation for them to be going ring shopping. I mean you two only heard part of the conversation.” Harold spoke up. Kori crossed her arms over her chest.


“There better be cause my baby sister isn’t getting married at seventeen.” Wiley chuckled and wrapped his arms around Kori’s waist and he pulled her into his lap and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.


“I’m pretty sure if she wanted to marry Nick there would be no way of changing her mind no matter much you tried.”


“Yeah. You can’t stop her from doing what she wants with Nick no more then she can stop you from dating Wiley,” AJ pointed out.


“Oh I will stop it I have my ways. And you will be helping me – it’s your duty as a brother you know.”


“Oh no I think I’m staying out of it. Me getting involved would make me a hypocrite.”


“I think both of you should cool it until you know all of the facts,” Howie insisted as he went over and joined them again.


“Hey I’m cool. It’s her who is jumping to conclusions,” AJ reassured.


“They were talking about rings…Nick didn’t want Ashley to know. It sounds pretty suspicious to me.”


“But like Harold said, you didn’t hear the entire conversation. There could be more to those facts that you didn’t hear.” Wiley replied, lightly poking her nose with his finger.


“I’m a sister, give me a break…It’s my job to worry.”

“And that’s okay, as long as you don’t butt in until you know all of the facts.” Kori crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly.


“I just think they’re getting too serious too fast. He is her first boyfriend…and everybody already has them married off. She’s seventeen years old…I’m worried about her getting her heart broken because she loves him so much – more then an average seventeen year old with just a simple crush.”


“Some people meet their soulmates at the age of seventeen and end up staying together their whole lives, Kor. Hell, I’ve met old people who have met their husbands when they were Sarah’s age even. How do you know that hasn’t happened with Ashley and Nick?” Wiley questioned. Kori shrugged.


“I don’t know that, but still. I don’t like how fast they’re going.”


“In all honesty, I don’t think Nick is anywhere near ready to propose to her. He knows better and he loves Ashley. There is no way he’d ever hurt her.” AJ defended.


“You’re just being a big brother right now and protecting Nick.”


“No I’m not. I’m being a person who has never seen Nick so happy until he met her.”


“Yes he loves her I get that – I see that in him everytime he looks at her and I see that in him even when she isn’t around. But things change.”


“Not with Nick and Ashley. They were meant to be together. And I wish you would quit being so negative and doubtful of Nick.” AJ replied, trying to strain himself from getting angry. The last thing he wants is to have a fight with her when he’s only been her brother for a day.


“I am just being protective of my sister. I know you’ve only been her brother for a day, but I’ve been her sister her whole life and know her just a little more then you do. She loves him very much and it would kill her if she lost him.”


“She’s NOT going to lose him! And in all fairness you were absent for five years of her life so don’t you dare tell me how much I know and don’t know.”


“That does not mean I didn’t lose my sisterly instincts,” Kori replied hotly.


“Oh yeah?” AJ asked.


“Alex, don’t…” Howie spoke up, deciding this argument was getting very dangerous.


“Yeah,” Kori answered.


“Then where were you when Ashley needed you the most?”


“AJ” Harold spoke this time.


“Where were you when your parents died? When Ashley was hurting over the loss? When she landed into Sean’s hands…when he hurt her for five years straight? She was hurting and wanted you but you weren’t there.”


“AJ ENOUGH,” Wiley demanded as he could see Kori’s eyes clouding up with tears.


“She needed you the most right then and you were in New Jersey hiding from Sean like the coward that you are. She went through so much stuff that you don’t even realize. While you were hiding away in New Jersey I was at the Orphanage helping Nick comfort her when she woke up screaming everytime she had nightmares…or had one of her breakdowns. At least I was there for her unlike you.” Kori could not take the abuse anymore. It is bad enough that she has to hear it from Ashley herself, but to hear it from someone else hurts more then anyone could know. Raising her hand she smacked AJ hard across the face and then got up and went upstairs and a few moments later they heard a door slam. AJ placed his hand to his cheek and rubbed at it painfully and Wiley glared at him.


“That was low…” he told him, and then got up and went upstairs to comfort his girlfriend.


“He’s right J…that was uncalled for,” Howie added.


“I’m sick of her always doubting Nick’s love for Ashley. Anyone can see he loves her and would never hurt her, I don’t know why she can’t.”


“Same reason you can’t stand the fact that she is that way with your little brother.” Harold nodded his head in agreement.


“You two are a lot more alike then you realize…and that’s why you fight.”


“I am not a negative bitch like she is.”


“She is not a negative bitch. She is protective of her little sister like you are protective of your little brother.”


“And since both of them are dating…it causes you and Kori to snipe at each other.” Harold agreed.


“Ashley is my sister now too,” AJ pointed out.


“Yes, but the point is you both get pissy when anyone messes with either one of them.” AJ crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly and looked over at Laila who was sitting on the floor and was back to playing with her pet shop toys.


“And it was out of line for you to say those things to Kori. You know how badly it gets to her.”


“So what.”


“So I think you should apologize.”


“Well you want to know what I think? I think you are out of your mind,” AJ insisted and he got up and went over to Laila before scooping her up into his arms.


“Alexander James…”


“If I apologize right now I won’t mean it,” AJ interrupted before Howie could say his full name and he headed for the front door.


“I will call your mother…” Howie threatened.


“So call her then, I don’t care. Just be sure to tell her I said hi and that I love her.”


“Where are you going?”


“Out.”


“You’re not leaving this house with that child without security!”


“Watch me,” AJ replied and with that, he opened up the door, stepped out and slammed it behind him.


“Ohhh!” Howie growled. “That is it!” He added and he pulled out his cell phone and got up and walked out of the room. When AJ got outside he fished in his pocket for the remote to get out of the gate. When he didn’t find one he groaned realizing he had left it in the house. He’d attempt to climb the gate if it weren’t for the fact that he has a two-year-old in his arms. It would make it pretty hard. So he is stuck. But he can’t let Howie know that, he is on a roll with being rebellious. He looked down at Laila for a couple of moments, and then he went to the door to the house. He opened it up and peeked in and much to his relief Howie wasn’t in there. Harold however, still was and was watching him with a raised eyebrow. AJ grabbed the baby backpack off of the coat rack and walked back outside and shut the door. He stuck Laila inside it and then placed it on his back and he set off toward the gate. When he got to it he began climbing. When he had reached the other side he headed off for the park after bringing Laila around in front of him. He hates having her behind him. He for one likes to be able to see her and talk to her and two he’s heard horror stories about parents carrying kids on their back. Anyone could just sneak up behind them and pick their kid up out of it without you realizing it and kidnap them. That is just plain scary…especially when Sean’s spies are out running about. He kissed her forehead softly as he wrapped his arms around her protectively.


“How about we go into town and get us some milkshakes. Hmm baby? Would you like that?” He asked her gently.


"Meeshakes Jay! Meeshakes! Pease!" AJ grinned at her and rubbed his nose over hers affectionately.


“Milkshakes it is then. You’re too cute Laila. I’m glad I brought you a long…you will certainly brighten my mood I know that for sure. There is no way I can stay mad around you. I mean, sure, I know it was wrong for me to say those things to Kori but she was wrong too – and I’m allowed to be mad for awhile, right?” AJ confided in the two-year-old, as if she knew exactly what he was talking about and could give her advice. “I mean no one doubts my little brother and gets away with it. No one. Only I am allowed to pick on him. I had every right to get protective of him.” Laila smiled up at him and planted a big slobbery kiss on his cheek. AJ smirked and tightened his arms around her.


“Loves J.”


“I love you too squirt,” he told her and he kissed her cheek in return. “You are a good listener.”


~*~*~*~*~


Meanwhile at the hair and nails shop, the lady doing Ashley’s hair had finished dying it and had rinsed it clean and when she finished doing that Ashley stood up with her towel wrapped around her shoulders keeping her hair from staining her clothes. Ashley walked over to the mirror and looked in it and she could slightly see the dark red – black cherry color in her hair but not much because it’s still wet.


“I will blow dry your hair and cut and style it in a few minutes sweetie. Just let me rinse my other customer’s hair out okay?” she asked. She had been multi-tasking. While Ashley was sitting around with hair dye in her hair talking to Denise, the lady doing her hair had worked on another customer.


“Sounds good,” Ashley smiled. “I can’t wait to see the color, I’m excited.” The lady smiled at her and walked off to take care of her other customer. Ashley went over to Denise and smiled at her.


“So what do you think momma Denise? I know you can’t see the color yet, but from what you can see?”


“It looks nice honey,” Denise complimented. “I can already tell that it’s going to look great once it’s dry.” Ashley stepped in front of the mirror and continued looking at it and as she did she noticed her belly button ring shining in the mirror and smirked. The belly button ring that she had suckered Nick into letting her get because he refused to let her have a tattoo. She wonders if Nick will allow her to have one now that he isn’t her caregiver anymore. It’ll take lots of begging but she knows she’ll eventually talk him into it. The question is though…what would Denise say about it? Her son is covered in them after all…so why can’t she have one? Denise’s cell phone rang suddenly and she pulled it from her pocket and placed it to her ear being careful not to get it in the hair dye and she began talking to the person on the other end. Ashley glanced in the mirror and noticed Marcus sitting in a chair with her Sarah in his lap and they’re talking. She smiled and went on over there and Marcus smiled up at him.


“Sarah is getting hungry sweetie. I thought maybe Id take her over to Port Of Subs for a sandwich, but I can’t leave you here by yourself. Are you hungry too? Maybe you could run on over there with me real quick and we’ll bring some over here for your mom.”


“Is it safe?” Ashley asked cautiously looking over at the window and she saw that there were no fans in sight. Marcus nodded. “


“They all gave up and left when they saw that you weren’t coming out anytime soon.”


“Kay, just let me go run it by momma Denise.” Marcus nodded and Ashley went over to talk to her mom, feeling a warmth rush through her at the fact that she has to go to a motherly-figure and run it by her where she is going. She hasn’t done that in five years.