Chapter Two-Hundred-Eighty-Six
Meanwhile downstairs in the playroom Nick, Brian, AJ Howie, Kevin, and Scott were all sitting in the playroom talking amongst themselves as they kept close watch on the children while Brooke, Jaime, Peyton, Doctor Johnson, and Brandon all went out for the evening. Brandon has a surprise for Peyton, but apparently wanted his brother and her family involved in it. Which is pretty interesting seeing as how they just started dating – it sounded pretty serious though, and AJ pointed out that Jaime looks like he is prepared to kick some ass the moment he sees an engagement ring. But none of them believe that Brandon is planning on proposing – not yet anyway. It’s way too soon.
“So how does it feel to be kicked out of your own room, Nick?” Scott asked while grinning slightly as he sat on the floor writing something in his notebook. Wi had taken Spencer upstairs and the two of them are playing video games. Nick chuckled.
“It’s a pain in the butt, but I’ll survive.”
“He’s more bothered at the idea of Ashley being up there, while he is down here then the fact that he is kicked out of his own room,” AJ replied and Nick scoffed.
“Am not.”
“Liar,” Brian laughed and Nick stuck his tongue out at them both. “They don’t do much without each other, and when they do they don’t go very far.”
“I’ve noticed,” Scott replied, looking amused.
“They’ve been a lot more clingier then usual too, have you noticed that?” Howie asked.
“Ashley mostly,” AJ replied.
“Are you talking about me big brother?” Ashley suddenly asked, walking up to the group and everybody whipped their heads around and looked at her in surprise.
“Ashley! What are you doing down here?” Kevin asked curiously, grinning slightly at AJ’s startled look. Apparently he hadn’t expected his sister to walk in and catch him talking about her – though none of them did, really.
“I came to bring Nicky a present,” Ashley replied, looking down at Bella in her arms. “She’s fussy and misses Nicky. I know she does.” Brian chuckled.
“You know she does huh?”
“Yes. I know. You tend to learn the meaning behind your baby’s cries after awhile. I know what she sounds like when she wants Nick. I’ve tested her on it.”
“She has,” Nick agreed, chuckling slightly. “Bella is a lot like Dakota was when she was a baby. She’ll get into these moods where she wont stop crying at all – until I’m holding her.”
“I remember those mood swings of Dakota’s,” Brian replied, slightly begrudgingly. “Nick would leave her with me and go somewhere and all would be fine until suddenly she decides she misses her daddy and starts crying for him and he would be like 30 minutes away and would have to drive all the way back.”
“Well unfortunately, we have another one of those,” Ashley replied as Bella started back up again on her crying. Ashley lightly placed the infant into Nick’s awaiting arms and everybody watched as she did and the moment Bella realized who was holding her, her ear piercing cries turned to little whimpers, and then soon she was as quiet as a mouse. Nick smirked and cradled the baby in his arms and he leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her forehead as she gazed up at him contently. He looked at Ashley then, and he motioned her closer to him with his finger and she complied. He reached up and placed his finger gently under her chin and he brought her mouth down on top of his before brushing his lips lightly over it.
“Thanks for the gift beautiful. I love you.”
“Love you too,” she replied, and she pulled back from him and went over to AJ and grabbed his hat and sunglasses from his head before placing the hat on her own head and the sunglasses over her eyes. He raised his eyebrow.
“Oh yeah, totally your style sis.”
“I know, right?” Ashley asked grinning, and she turned and walked off again headed for the door leaving her brother staring after her with his eyebrow still raised.
“See how she just walks off with my things like that? Who does the girl think she is anyway?”
“Your sister,” Nick laughed. “Might as well get used to it bro, that wont be the last time trust me.” AJ shook his head and suddenly Marcus walked into the playroom.
“Yo Bri.”
“Yo Marcus?”
“There is a man out in the lobby that says he is here to see you. He has short brown spiky hair and a mustache and he is wearing a blue long sleeved shirt, black pants, and a tie. He claims that you called him.”
“Yes that’s Jonathan my lawyer. I asked him to come here so that we could talk about Riley’s husband,” Brian replied, getting up and heading toward the door with Marcus at his side. When they got out into the lobby they found Jonathan standing out there with Laney at his side waiting patiently for Brian.
“Hey Jonathan, thanks for coming. Lets go into my boss’ office and we’ll talk – she told me I could use it.”
“It was no problem, really” Jonathan replied. “Though I do have to say it’s pretty hard getting in here. You have some pretty tough security” Jonathan replied as he followed Brian to Brooke’s office. Brian chuckled.
“Yeah, sorry about that. You just happened to come on the very first night that they decided they were going to patrol the lobby doors and monitor whom comes in and out. We have a very dangerous man after one of our children here – long story.”
“Oh yeah, I heard about that” Jonathan replied as he walked into Brooke’s office and Brian shut the door behind them.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, when Brandon arrived at their destination with no one but his brother knowing exactly where they were going, they were parked in front of a museum.
“Brandon? What are we doing here?” Peyton asked intrigued.
“For me to know and you to find out my dear,” he told her mysteriously, and he looked over at her and noticed her starting to get out of the car like everybody else had.
“No no, stay put” he told her, before getting out and shutting the door behind him, and Peyton watched him amusedly as he rushed around to her side and opened the door for her. Peyton laughed as he took her hand and helped her out.
“You don’t have to do that for me everytime you know,” she told him smiling.
“Sure I do, I’m old fashioned that way” he replied, leaning forward and kissing her cheek, and just that alone made her swoon. He squeezed her hand gently then and brought it up to his mouth and kissed it before leading her toward the entrance to the museum with everybody else following. Brandon not missing the fact that Jaime was watching him as he had rushed around and opened the car door for his sister with a look on his face like he is seeing Brandon in a whole new light. Brandon grinned to himself at this thought, as he knows his plan is working. He had purposely invited Jaime a long so that he could prove to him just how much he loves his sister – to prove to him that he has no intention in hurting her. And Brooke…well, she has always wanted to see his art. And even though she has the key to his office, it was always covered up when she came in.
“That’s my brother for ya. You handle it quite well Pey, girlfriends in the past got annoyed with him after awhile” Doctor Johnson informed and Brandon raised his eyebrow.
“Girlfriends from the past? What girlfriends?” he asked while playing dumb. He slid his arms around Peyton’s waist and pulled her around in front of him and he kissed her forehead softly. “There is only one girlfriend worth remembering, and she’s standing right here.”
“I think it’s cute actually,” Peyton replied to Doctor Johnson’s comment and she slid her arms around Brandon’s neck before resting her head against his chest. “If he wants to open doors for me, who am I to try and stop him?” Brandon chuckled and then continued to steer her toward the entrance to the museum as she still stood facing him with her arms wrapped around him and he had her walking backwards. When they walked into the museum, they noticed how full it is and Brooke raised her eyebrow.
“What is this, hang out at the museum night?” she whispered to Doctor Johnson and Doctor Johnson chuckled.
“There was an art show earlier,” he whispered back. Brooke nodded and looked around, but then it hit her when those words sunk in and she grabbed Doctor Johnson gently by the arm before he could walk off and he looked at her curiously as she whispered in his ear once again.
“Was Brandon’s art in it?” Doctor Johnson just flashed her a grin, before walking off after his brother and Brooke raised her eyebrow. She hurried up to catch up with them and just as she had a woman who was walking by suddenly stopped and she gaped in surprise.
“You’re her!” she exclaimed, while looking directly at Peyton.
“Huh? What? Do I know you?” Peyton asked confused.
“You’re the beautiful woman in the paintings.”
“What paintings?”
“You mean you don’t know about them?” Peyton looked at Brandon confused, and so did the strange woman.
“You’re the artist aren’t you? Brandon Johnson.”
“What is she talking about Brandon?” Brandon chuckled and he again slid his arms around Peyton and guided her off in the direction of his paintings.
“Come here,” was all he said, and an amused Doctor Johnson followed, as well as Brooke and Jamie. As they walked, Peyton couldn’t help but notice people staring at her in wonder and awe, and it made her all the more curious. When they came to a stop finally, she looked around and found herself standing among many other people who were gazing at some artwork on display. There were a few framed work hung on the wall, and a couple on easels and when she took a look at it all, she gasped as she realized they were all of her and she heard Brooke mutter ‘oh wow…’ from behind her. On the wall was the painting of her lounging on the rock on Doctor Johnson’s beach gazing out at the ocean with her camera in her hands. The one where he had conveyed her emotions so well on her face that anyone who looked at her would see how she feels inside. A painting of her standing on Brandon’s boat with her back turned as she stood at the railing and she was gazing at an orange and yellow sunrise and she had nothing but bed sheets wrapped around her to cover her naked body. Brandon had put so much details in her golden curls and the sunset she was gazing at. The third picture on the wall is of her sitting on the blanket on the roof in Brandon’s favorite spot wearing a dress with orange flowers on it. She is sitting on her knees barefooted and looking to the side laughing and in the background is the view of the ocean. On the easels were four different portraits of her waist up. Peyton turned and looked at Brandon who was just standing there waiting on her reaction, and it seemed like everyone around her was too.
“Brandon…you painted all of this?” she asked in astonishment, as her eyes welled up with tears, and Brandon nodded.
“Why me?” she asked softly, struggling to keep her emotions at bay.
“Before you entered my life Peyton Morgan, I wasn’t able to paint a single thing. You can ask anyone who knows me and they will confirm that I was struggling big time with my artwork. But the moment you entered my life that all changed. Since then all I’ve ever been able to paint or draw is you. And though you don’t believe it, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on and if you can’t tell from the paintings, I am hopelessly in love with you. My Peyton series…I can honestly say is the best work I’ve ever done.”
“I have to agree with that,” a man suddenly spoke up, and Brandon and Peyton turned and looked to see a judge standing there. “I was just looking at some of your other paintings in this museum and I have to agree that not only is it the best work you’ve ever done Brandon Johnson, but it is also the best of this entire art show.”
“Thank you,” Brandon replied softly, never taking his eyes off of Peyton.
“And since it is the best, I must tell you that your entire Peyton series has won first place,” the judge added, before sticking a blue ribbon on the frame of one of the portraits on the easels. Peyton’s hand flew to her mouth in surprise as she glanced back at the paintings of herself on the wall, not believing that she is the center of all of Brandon’s work, and he still managed to win first place in an art show.
“Thank you,” Brandon replied again, beaming with pride, and he slid his arms around Peyton and pulled her near. “I owe it all to my muse…Peyton Morgan,” he added, and she gazed up at him not knowing what to make of all of this. She is flattered very flattered that’s for sure. The judge chuckled slightly.
“You are one lucky woman Peyton Morgan…it’s obvious he really loves you,” was all he said, and he winked at her before walking away to leave the couple alone. Brooke looked at her brother then, for the first time remembering he is there and wondering what he thinks of all of this, and she found him standing there just gazing at the paintings with many different emotions displayed on his face. Awe, wonder, completely shocked, and impressed. That’s a very good thing coming from Jaime. She’s surprised he isn’t flipping out over the boat painting. Brooke looked at Doctor Johnson then.
“Did that judge say some of Brandon’s other paintings are hung up here Steve?” she asked curiously, and he nodded.
“The people who own this museum are quite fond of him – they weren’t allowed to come anywhere near the paintings during the judging incase anyone tried to accuse them of favoritism,” he explained quietly.
“Will you show them to us?” she asked, linking an arm with Jaime. “I think these two lovebirds need sometime alone, don’t you?”
“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Doctor Johnson replied, and he linked his arm with Brooke’s other one before leading him off in the museum to look at Brandon’s other work. When they were gone, Brandon pulled Peyton closer, tightening his arms around her somewhat and he rested his forehead against hers.
“What are you thinking?” he asked gently. “I want to know what you are thinking.”
“A hundred different things at once,” Peyton answered softly, as she slid her arms around his neck and gazed into his eyes. “They’re beautiful Brandon,” she whispered and he smiled at her some before giving her a light peck on the lips.
“You are beautiful,” he insisted.
“Is this why you refused to let me into your studio?” she asked softly.
“Mhm. I wanted the first time you saw my paintings to be special. I share my work with Ashley all the time, but its you I wanted next to me when I won first place.”
“I love you Brandon Johnson,” she informed him, and she gently placed her forefinger and thumb to his chin before pulling his lips down onto hers for a passionate kiss. He returned it making it much deeper as he led her backwards headed for some privacy, knowing exactly where he is taking her without having to even look. He knows this museum inside and out. He brought her around the corner never once breaking their kiss and when they were away from all of the watchful eyes; he lightly pressed her up against the wall. When they pulled apart he rested his forehead against hers and lightly caressed her cheek with his finger.
“Can we go stay on the boat again tonight?”
“We can do whatever your heart desires honey. If you haven’t noticed yet, tonight is all about you.”
~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile back at the Orphanage, Brian and his lawyer were sitting in Brooke’s office, lounging on the couches and Brian had just finished telling him all about Riley’s relationship with Chase and the way he treats her and his plans of proposing.
“That’s just ridiculous,” Jonathan insisted when Brian was finished with his story.
“I know, right?” Brian asked.
“There is no reason why he shouldn’t sign those papers. He is just harassing her.”
“Can you do something about it?”
“The only way I can see you getting him to sign those papers is if a judge ordered him to. I’ll pull some strings tonight and by tomorrow morning he will have a letter delivered to him ordering him to go to court. How does right after Christmas sound for a court date? It will give Riley a chance to have a perfect holiday without having to worry about all of this mess, and then afterwards we’ll do it.”
“That sounds good but there is just one thing. I’m planning on proposing to her on Christmas Eve.”
“That’s fine, you go right on ahead and do it. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be allowed to and the day after Christmas we’ll have it all taken care of so that she can marry you.”
“Thanks Jonathan you are the best,” Brian replied, making it very clear that this is a desperate situation for him.
“No problem Littrell, you know I always have your back.” The two of them talked for a few moments more and then they got up and Brian escorted him back out to the lobby to the door. Jonathan said bye to Marcus and Laney and then was gone. Marcus looked at Brian curiously.
“So? Can he do anything for you?” he asked curiously, and Brian nodded while smiling some.
“Chase is going to be served tomorrow morning with a letter stating that he is to be in court the day after Christmas. Jonathan says this is ridiculous – there is no reason he shouldn’t sign those papers, but he believes the only way we will get him to is if we present the case to a judge.”
“That’s great,” Marcus replied while smiling some. “I’m sure everything will work out fine in the end Bran” he reassured.
“I hope so,” Brian replied. “The guys still in the playroom?”
“Mhm,” Marcus replied, and Brian turned and headed in that direction. When he reached the playroom he opened the door and walked in just on time to see shock form on Kevin’s face as he dropped his phone.
“Kevin? What is it cuz, what’s going on?” Brian asked, rushing over to his cousin, and the rest of the group around them sat there alert.
“Lou…” he muttered.
“What about him?” AJ asked, slightly annoyed at the mention of the man he never wanted to hear about again.
“He’s dead.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
