Chapter Three-Hundred
“So…Boys,” Brian began as he, Nick, Ashley and the kids all sat at a table in the mall in front of Cold Stone.
“So…Brian” Josh repeated in a rather smart tone for his own good.
“I believe you two owe me an answer.” Chris frowned.
“How come they get ice cream and we don’t?” he wanted to know, as he sat there watching Dakota and Sarah eat their treat that Nick had bought them.
“When you give me an answer…and if it’s answered correctly…you’ll get some,” Brian explained in his usual gentle nature, but it is very clear that he is slowly getting to the point where he is through with being patient and understanding.
“You’re torturing us,” Josh informed. “You better watch it. I might report you to Detective Stabler.” Brian crossed his arms on the table in front of him and he leaned forward so he was eye level with his son.
“You don’t know the first thing about torture kid.” Josh crossed his arms on the table in front of him in the same position as Brian and he stared him down unblinking. “And go right on ahead and tell Detective Stabler. When he sees how much of a pest you’re being, he will applaud me.”
“Chris and I don’t want no stinkin’ ice cream anyway,” Josh informed stubbornly.
“Speak for yourself!” Chris snapped, as he was still eyeing the girls’ double fudge brownie ice cream. Brian turned his attention on Chris then having a feeling he might be the easiest to crack right about now.
“That ice cream sure does look good, doesn’t it son?” Chris nodded quietly, his mouth watering.
“What’s your favorite kind?”
“Oreo overload,” Chris answered. “Chocolate chips, double Oreo cookies, and fudge.”
“Ohhh that does sound good” Brian replied. “It could be yours with just a simple answer.”
“Come on Chris,” Ashley piped up, deciding she would help Brian out. “Whats the worst that could happen if you let Brian marry Riley?”
“We’d have a grumpy mom like we had today,” Josh spoke up begrudgingly. Chris frowned at Josh some, having mixed feelings about the situation.
“She’s not always like that Josh…” he defended.
“Oh no? Have you forgotten all those times before Brian?”
“Well…we were brats…”
“Brian didn’t have to yell at us to get through to us.”
“No, but I yelled at you a lot,” Nick spoke up. “You remember that right? Everytime you were a monster to Dakota. But you were so quick to accept me, weren’t you?”
“That’s different. You are Dakota’s dad” Chris spoke up and Josh punched him in the arm.
“Everybody deserves a second chance, son…I think you know that more then anybody else at this table” Brian replied. “Riley isn’t the scary monster you make her out to be. She didn’t know how to handle you back then. Things are different now though…I made them different and I think its high time you forgave her for something she deeply regrets now.”
“Just like you weren’t the scary monster you tried to be Joshy,” Dakota spoke up for the first time, and Josh looked over at her sitting in her spot so sweet and innocent as she scooped at her ice cream. He still can’t answer that question he’s been asking himself lately. How on earth was he ever mean to her?
“You were my beast, but I forgaves you.” Her beast. Oh man… Josh thought inwardly. “So if I forgaves you…then why can’t you forgives Riley?”
“Yeah, why not?” Brian repeated. “It felt pretty good to be forgiven…and to gain friends Joshua didn’t it?” Josh scowled, not liking it very much that they are all ganging up on him. Especially the one person he’s weakest to most.
“Come on Joshy, quits bein’ stubborn,” Dakota insisted, suddenly scooting her chair so she is sitting next to him and she turned it around to face him and hugged her legs to her chest as she stared at him with her innocent blue eyes.
“You know you wants ice cream.”
“I do not…” Josh insisted, trying real hard to stand his ground. Dakota scooped ice cream into her spoon and brought it up to Josh’s mouth and she stuck it in leaving him no choice but to swallow the exquisite taste of double fudge Brownie ice cream.
“Rights cause it’s not good at all is it?” she asked sarcastically.
“More,” Josh pleaded leaning over for Dakota to feed him again, but she pulled her ice cream away from him.
“Nots until you say the magic word.”
“Please?”
“The other magic word.” Josh scowled.
“Do I have to?”
“If you want ice cream then yes,” Brian spoke up again rather amusedly. Josh crossed his arms over his chest holding onto what little stubbornness he has left. He rested his head on his knees and Dakota leaned forward so her forehead was rested against his leaving him no choice but to look into her innocent blues again.
“Please Joshy?” she pleaded. That did it.
“Yes, yes, yes, yes!” Dakota pulled back from him and beamed in satisfaction and Brian and Nick laughed.
“Well that wasn’t so hard, now was it son?” Josh sighed heavily feeling very defeated.
“Can I have ice cream now?”
“Yes, what kind do you want?” Brian asked, his eyes twinkling with both amusement and excitement. If he knew Dakota could get an answer out of him in less then five minutes, he would have unleashed her on him a long time ago.
“Cookie Doughn’t you want some – the french vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips, cookie dough, fudge, and Carmel.” Brian looked at Chris then.
“And do I have permission from you too?” Chris nodded eagerly. He had him at Oreo Overload.
“Two ice creams coming right up then,” he told them before getting up and walking off. Dakota beamed and pat Josh on the back.
“See Joshy? Isn’t it good nots to be stubborn sometimes?” Josh nodded weakly and she leaned over and kissed his cheek before scooting her chair back to her spot next to Sarah and Josh looked at Chris who was just grinning at his brother in amusement.
“Shut up,” Josh muttered to him as he could just see the teasing coming on.
“I wasn’t gonna say anything,” Chris lied.
“You aren’t stupid enough to say anything cause you know I’ll deck you if you do.” Chris chuckled and stuck his tongue out at him and Josh gave him a dangerous look.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Riley went into the bathroom feeling many different emotions at once. Scared, excited, anxious, and everything else. When she came out of the bathroom tears were rolling down her cheek and she was smiling. She walked into Brian’s childhood bedroom and discovered Jackie still there and she was now looking at her curiously. But one look on her soon to be daughter in law’s face said it all in a nutshell and she too broke out into a smile.
“Let’s go to the hospital and have a blood test done. There’s no doubt in my mind that this store bought test is right but it’s good to make sure.”
“Okay,” Riley nodded and Jackie wrapped an arm around her shoulders and the two of them left.
“Oh and dear?”
“Hmm?”
“You didn’t leave the box in the bathroom did you?”
“It’s in the garbage can, I covered it up with a bunch of toilet paper.”
“Okay good. While I don’t have any doubts that its right I think we should at least wait until we know for sure before we tell Brian.”
“Me too,” Riley agreed. When they got downstairs everybody looked at them cautiously, half expecting Riley to tell someone off for something but they were surprised to see tears in her eyes and a smile on her face.
“Harold Ri and I are going out. We’ll be back soon okay?”
“Where are you going? I don’t like the idea of you walking around without protection.”
“We’re going shopping” Jackie lied.
“Please take security with you” Kevin pleaded.
“We’ll be fine honey I promise.”
“Please.” Jackie sighed heavily and then looked over at Q.
“Come on Q.” Q grinned and got up from his spot on the couch and he followed the two women out of the house, Kori staring after them with a small smile on her face. Shopping my ass, she thought to herself. She recognized that look on Riley’s face. Her of all people would know what that look means as she once had it herself. It’s a look that a woman gets when she’s just found out she’s going to be a mother.
“You two aren’t really going shopping are you” Q guessed when he noticed Jackie turn in the opposite direction of Wal-Mart. Jackie and Riley exchanged glances, and then Jackie looked back at Q through the rear view mirror.
“If you breathe a word about where we’re going to anybody Q you are in big trouble,” she threatened in a very motherly tone.
“Hey, so long as we aren’t selling drugs or anything creepy and dangerous like that your secret is safe with me” Q promised.
“I’m taking Riley to the hospital for a blood test. She might be pregnant.” Q gaped.
“And why isn’t Brian going on this trip with us?”
“Because he doesn’t know yet and we’d like to keep it that way until we know for sure.”
“Even if I am pregnant I don’t want him knowing at all. I want to tell him myself on Christmas Eve.” Q grinned in silent amusement at that announcement. Brian has been planning a big surprise for Riley for months now and has no idea that he is about to get the biggest surprise of his life. Which is saying something since it’s pretty hard to surprise Brian Littrell. Q has a feeling Christmas Eve is going to be very interesting.
~*~*~*~*~
When Brian, Nick, Ashley, and the kids all finished their ice cream they threw their empty cups away and Nick looked at Brian.
“Well Bri, I believe I owe you.” Brian raised his eyebrow.
“For what?”
“You helped me pick out Ash’s promise ring and I promised you I would help you pick out Riley’s engagement ring. So let’s go” Nick explained with a small grin on his face. Brian beamed.
“Okay but we’re not going to Kay Jewelers. I don’t want to risk getting that same bitchy saleswoman we had when we got Ashley’s promise ring.”
“You had a bitchy saleswoman?” Ashley asked in amusement as she draped her arms over Nick’s shoulders and rested her head on his back as he pushed Bella’s stroller.
“Mhm. You wouldn’t believe what I had to go through just to get your ring.”
“He did very well though I was impressed. Sales lady totally got told” Brian replied.
“Kota almost attacked her too,” Josh added, grinning at the memory of his sweet Belle almost jumping the sales lady.
“Ah yes. Her and Nick made a good team,” Brian added.
“Mhm. She may be sweet but you don’t wanna mess withs her. She’s a cute little bunny rabbit with fangs” Josh replied. Brian, Nick, and Ashley all laughed and Dakota blushed at Sarah’s side as the two sisters walked next to Bella’s stroller holding hands. Sarah smiled at her mockingly then and Dakota rested her head against her shoulder as they walked attempting to hide her red face. When they walked into the nearest jewelry store – Shane Co, they went inside and walked over to the ring cases and they began to look while the saleswoman was in the process of helping someone else. But they didn’t miss her eyes nearly bulging out of her head upon them walking in.
“You have got to be kidding me,” Brian whispered. “What is with fans working in jewelry stores? With our luck, this will be that other lady’s sister – or best friend.” Nick rolled his eyes playfully and he reached over and scooped Dakota into his arms.
“Come here my little ferocious bunny rabbit. Help daddy look okay?” Dakota slid her arms around Nick’s neck and rested her head against his shoulder and he brought her over to the finest engagement rings in the store – because of course, Riley deserves the best and they began to look together. Brian went up beside him and together the two of them began pointing out and narrowing down the possible choices and Dakota would add her feminine input as if they were professional ring buyers. They might as well be, because this is their second time in a ring store. Eventually the saleswoman turned her utmost attention on them and much to both Brian and Nick’s relief she was very professional and supportive. Ashley on the other hand walked around the store carrying a less then pleased Bella in her arms and Sarah at her side clutching her pant leg as she looked at necklaces and such. Little does she know, Nick has one eye on her and the other on the engagement rings and he is secretly taking mental notes of what she lingers on the most.
~*~*~*~*~
“How soon can we get the results back?” Riley wanted to know as she and Jackie sat in the hospital room and the doctor had just finished doing the blood test on her. Q had gone off to look for a vending machine as he was having a hard time being in a room with blood and needles.
“In a few hours. Either you can wait around here and I’ll tell you as soon as we know, or you can go home and I can give you a call later.”
“We’ll go. We have some grocery shopping to do and such” Jackie replied, looking at Riley and Riley nodded.
“I provided my cell phone number on the form I signed in the waiting room. Call that not the home number.”
“Got’cha,” the doctor replied. “Well then I guess you are all set to go” he grinned.
“Cool” Riley replied and she slid down from the examining table and she and Jackie left the room only to run right into Q – almost literally as he was standing right outside the door as if someone might actually try to mess with his charges in a hospital.
“Ready to go?” He asked.
“Mhm,” Riley replied and she wrapped her arm around him and rested her head against his shoulder as they walked. “Ya know, I never suspected such a tough man like you would ever squirm at the sight of blood and needles.”
“I may be tough on the outside but I do have weaknesses just like everybody else” Q replied amusedly.
“True.”
“Like Marcus for example. He doesn’t leave Ashley’s side for anything after the shooting incident – or the Pearlman incident. The thought of her getting hurt again under any of our watch haunts him day and night.”
“Yeah I can tell it really eats him up inside…I always feel so bad.”
“He cares very deeply about her. It would kill him if anything fatal happened to her.”
“Yeah well, we aren’t going to let that happen. We’ve made mistakes but we learn from them everytime and it makes us that much stronger.”
“I keep telling him that but he wont rest until Sean is put away. He’d put her in a bubble if it were possible. He’s even thought about putting a bullet proof vest on her.”
“We’ll get him someday I just know it” Riley reassured.
“I hope so. For both Marcus and Ashley’s sake.”
~*~*~*~*~
“How about this one?” Nick questioned, suddenly pointing to a calla-cut round diamond engagement ring in platinum. It features two hand matched calla-cut diamonds with twenty eight-carat TW, and ten round diamonds with .06 carat TW. The total diamond weight is 34 carat. The center diamond is two hearts and a square – the square having an ‘x’ design in the center of it. Dakota gasped.
“Daddy that’s beautiful! Uncle Brian you haves to get that one. Riley would loves it!” Brian leaned over and looked at it and so did the sales lady.
“You are right Kota, I think she would. How much does it cost?” he asked, looking at the sales lady.
“1,660” She answered.
“I pick that one – in words of Kota, Riley would love it.”
“What is her ring size?”
“Seven” Brian answered without even having to think about it. He’s spent a lot of time studying his girlfriend’s hands. While the lady was busy getting the ring ready, Nick set Dakota down on the counter in front of Brian and he walked up behind Ashley and slid his arms around her waist from behind as she was looking at charm bracelets. He kissed the back of her neck softly and she smiled some.
“Did you find a ring?”
“Mhm Kota and I did.”
“Good,” Ashley replied while leaning back against him comfortably, as she isn’t holding the baby anymore. Sarah is actually sitting on the floor with her and is feeding her bottle. She wanted to help and Ashley couldn’t very well tell her no. When Brian finished paying for the ring and having it put in a box and into a bag he joined Nick and Ashley’s side with Josh, Chris, and Dakota. Ashley gently took Bella from Sarah and continued feeding her while Nick pushed the empty baby carriage. As they were walking out of the store, Brian handed Nick the bag.
“I need you to keep it for me until Christmas Eve, can you do that? I don’t want to risk Riley finding it.”
“Of course,” Nick nodded while feeling glad that he can help. They all then continued to walk around the mall just looking at things, occasionally the kids would point out what they really liked and the adults would take note of it. Nick paid close attention to the things Ashley was interested in, as he still has yet to finish shopping for her.
~Three Hours later~
Meanwhile Riley, Jackie, and Q were all sitting at the food court in Sams Club eating churros when suddenly her cell phone rang. She fished around in her purse for it and when she found it she pulled it out and looked at the caller ID and she saw that it was an unknown number. Knowing that it could be the hospital she flipped it open and placed it to her ear.
“Hello?”
“Hi is this Riley?”
“Yes it is,” Riley answered, recognizing the voice of the doctor that did the blood test on her and she looked at Jackie and Q anxiously.
“This is Doctor Smith. I’m the one who did the blood test on you earlier to find out if you were pregnant or not.”
“Yeah I remember. What are the results?” Riley questioned while biting her lower lip nervously.
“Congratulations Riley, you are a five weeks pregnant.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
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