Chapter Four-Hundred-Three
“Is anybody going to tell me what the hell is going on here?” Howie asked incredulously when he recovered from his near heart attack and Brooke had stopped laughing at him. “My nine year old who only cares about lying around and reading or writing just cleaned the whole house up by himself without being asked and he was just whisked away by people that he didn’t care too much for up until now. On top of all of that here you are in the kitchen that I’ve been forbidden to go into all day long. I think it’s pretty much safe to say I am confused! And I want answers before I lose my mind people!” Brooke laughed again and came out of the kitchen shutting the door behind her. She then walked over to Howie, slid her arm around his shoulders, and turned him around before beginning to guide him up the stairs.
“All you need to worry about doing sweetie is getting cleaned up and dressed into some nice clothes,” she insisted.
“Not until I get answers,” Howie insisted when they reached the hallway and were just about at his bedroom door.
“We don’t have much time for that,” she insisted before gently nudging him into his room and turning on the light. She went to his closet and he watched her incredulously as she looked through it indecisively. After a few moments, she pulled out one of his nice long sleeved black button up collar shirts and some jeans and she tossed them at him causing him to catch them.
“I think that outfit looks really nice on you, you don’t ever wear it enough. It will be just perfect for tonight. Go take your shower, don’t mind me.” Howie eyed her suspiciously for a long moment, and then deciding he has no choice but to go with it he turned and headed for the bathroom.
“Oh and Howie?” he paused and looked over his shoulder at her.
“Where can I find that really nice cologne you are always wearing huh?” She asked him innocently.
“Night stand drawer,” Howie answered and then left the room. Brooke smirked and began searching for all of the things she needs to get Howie ready.
~*~*~*~*~
“Uncle Jerry we’re home!’ Ellie announced happily as she walked in the front door in the other room. Jerald pulled quickly away from the window he’d been using to spy on Kevin and Kristin with. He watched them get out of Kevin’s car, he watched Kevin get Ellie out, and then while holding Ellie still he walked Kristin to her own car. Jerald watched them as they said goodbye and he watched as his brother pulled her into a brief hug before she got in her car and finally left. A hug…he hugged her. Did he really allow himself to get that close to her already? He even let Ellie hug her. The nerve of him! Jerald seethed. “Gramma! Jerry! Where are you?” he heard his niece’s innocent voice call out and relaxed slightly. Not wanting to make her look for him he forced a grin on his face and walked out of the kitchen into the living room. Ellie’s face lit up with happiness at the sight of him and despite his grumpiness toward the new woman in his brother’s life, his lit up too.
“Uncle Jerry, hi!” she chirped happily, and she ran over to him and tackled his legs. Jerald lifted her up into his arms and hugged her close to him affectionately.
“Hi beautiful, how’s my favorite niece? Did you have fun ice skating?”
“Uh-huh’s, lots! Kristin is so much fun Uncle Jerry, I just loves her so much!” Ellie gushed.
“Oh yeah?” Jerald asked while tightening his hold on her just a little bit.
“Yeah! She’s nice, an’ funny, an’ easy to talks to, an’ she skated withs me lots! She held my hand an’ made sure I didnts fall when I wanted to try some ballerina moves! An’ she’s just the greatest, Uncle Jerry! We’re taking her for a picnic tomorrow an’ everything!”
“Well I’m glad to see you had lots of fun…you deserved it that’s for sure.” Ellie beamed and cuddled with her favorite uncle for a few moments and he cuddled back. After a long few moments, he sat her down. “Why don’t you go on upstairs and play while your daddy and I get dinner plans figured out and out of the way?”
“Kay,” Ellie replied and instead of simply just walking up the stairs, she danced up them and both men stood there watching her until she reached her room and they heard her turn her music on. Jerald looked at his brother then; who for the first time in for so long wore a smile on his face. He arched his eyebrow at him and Kevin headed into the kitchen.
“A picnic Kevin? You spend one day with a woman you hardly know and you invite her to go on a picnic?”
“Where is mom?” Kevin asked evasively as he got out a phonebook.
“Out with Aunt Jackie – I’ll get there in a minute. Don’t change the subject, I want to understand what’s going on here.”
“There’s nothing to understand. We’re going to the park for a picnic tomorrow why are you getting your panties all up in a bunch?”
“Oh I don’t know…maybe because you just got out of a really bad relationship yesterday, and here you are making plans with another woman already? Does that not concern you at all? That doesn’t seem a little too soon to you?”
“Ellie asked her out not me, what did you expect me to do, be rude and tell her no?”
“You could’ve said you had other plans or something…made it seem like Ellie acted before asking you first.”
“That maybe would have worked if I didn’t make plans to go on a picnic with Ellie just a few moments before while Kris was in the bathroom. Ellie would’ve thrown a fit and given me away.” Kevin looked away from the phonebook at Jerald then.
“Would you have told her she couldn’t come?” he challenged. Jerald opened his mouth to answer, but then shut it again when he couldn’t come up with a solution. “That’s what I thought.”
“Kind of weird weather to go on a picnic isn’t it? The sky has been gray for days.”
“Yeah – and that’s all its been,” Kevin shrugged. “Waiting on this storm is like waiting for snow in Gilbert Arizona.” Jerald snorted.
“You’ve never even lived in Gilbert Arizona.”
“No, but I imagine the wait is pretty heartbreaking. Year after year and yet, no snow.”
“You’re such a drama king” Jerald laughed as he looked out the window at the ever so gloomy sky. “Talk like that, and its bound to hit right in the middle of your picnic.”
“Something gives me the feeling that you wouldn’t mind that so much.”
“I’m just saying.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I’m not so sure if any of us want it to hit…God is being too much of a drama king here...something doesn’t feel right.” The two of them were silent for a long moment as those words hung in the air.
“Anyway…seriously Kev, talk to me here. What do you think of Kristin? Where does she stand in yours and Ellie’s life?”
“I think she makes a very great friend. Is that what you wanted to hear? Does that make you feel better?”
“Just a friend? That’s all you see her as?” Jerald asked doubtfully. If only his youngest brother could see the way his face lights up just at the mere mention of her name. Jerald doesn’t even think he’s aware of it.
“As of right now, yes. Like you said I just got out of a really bad relationship and I’m not really emotionally stable enough for another one right now. I can’t even bring myself to look into her beautiful caring blue eyes for too long because I don’t trust them – at all. If I had it my way, Kristin wouldn’t be apart of our life so soon, we wouldn’t have gone ice skating with her today but Ellie seems to have other plans.” Jerald eyed him for a long moment.
“Just be careful Kev…please. For both yours and Ellie’s sake…you hardly know this woman.”
“Ellie seems okay with her…” Kevin reminded, sounding as if he were trying to make up reasons on why he should trust her.
“Yeah, well, just because she’s capable of wining a five year old over with hot chocolate and sprinkles that hardly makes her worthy of being in my niece and baby brother’s life.”
“And just exactly what does, Jer?” Kevin asked feeling somewhat amused with this new protective side of his brother. “What are your standards for someone worthy of me?”
“She has to love you for starters,” Jerald insisted seriously. “I mean really truly love you, and not just because you’re a Backstreet Boy with lots of money either. And not only does she have to love you, but she has to love Ellie too. Ellie is most important – number one in your life and if she can love her as much as she loves you, then she’ll get some kudos. But that is only the start of it,” He insisted. “She has to be sweet, kind hearted, and fun…but at the same time well balanced and with her two feet on the ground. She must have goals and values for herself; it can’t all be about partying and money. And it helps if she shares some of the same goals and values as you. It helps majorly if she is family oriented because that’s what you’re all about.” Kevin silently gazed at his brother feeling highly impressed that he’s put so much thought into this. “But most of all I just want her to have the ability to make you happy – and not just in bed like I know Summer had the knack for, but all the time. I want you to find someone that you have a connection with…you know, like Nick and Ashley…I remember you telling Ashley you wanted what she has. Well, I want you to have that too. You’re my brother and you deserve nothing less.” Kevin turned around then and he slid his arms around Jerald and pulled him into a much-needed hug taking the older man completely by surprise. He’s spent so much time arguing with him that he almost forgot what hugging his younger brother was like. He returned his hug nonetheless and gently patted him on the back. “I’ll be damned before I ever let another Summer come between us again Kevin.”
“I will be too,” Kevin insisted. “But I don’t think Kris is another Summer bro, so you can relax some all right? I may not know her that well, but I do know she’s a lot different.”
“I just don’t want you to rush into a relationship with her the way you did with Summer. I can see she definitely has a talent for putting a smile on your face…that’s for sure. And that’s great, but there’s no rush okay? You have all the time you need.”
“Oh don’t worry, I’m definitely not rushing” Kevin insisted. “I think its going to take me sometime just to be able to hold her gaze…I’m going to need to learn how to trust again, and in the mean time I want to take my sweet time getting to know her. She’s definitely someone I want in my life…just not as a girlfriend…right now.” Jerald smiled some and gently squeezed Kevin’s shoulder. That was all the reassurance that he needed. Now maybe he’ll be able to get some sleep at night.
“What were you looking in that phonebook for?” Kevin looked down at the phonebook in slight surprise. He forgot that he’d been looking in it.
“I thought maybe we could just order some pizza. Do you want to tell me where mom is now by any chance? I told you what you wanted to hear, I think I’ve earned it.”
“She’s at Howie’s house with Brooke, Jackie, and Riley” Jerald answered and then finally began to tell him that they would be having a nine year old houseguest later on.
“Ellie is going to be mad at yoooou…” Kevin taunted looking at his brother highly amused and Jerald sighed.
“Yeah, yeah but I didn’t have a choice. With Nick and AJ in Jersey and Josh on House Arrest, the kid has no where else to go.”
“When are you planning on telling her?” Kevin chuckled.
“Not sure yet…”
“On telling her, who what?” Ellie wanted to know as she walked into the kitchen and looked back and forth from one man to the other.
“Ellie!” Jerald greeted in an over exaggerated cheerful voice. “Good to see you baby girl! Why don’t we go rent some movies at blockbuster huh? And maybe we’ll get some candy while we’re there too.” Ellie beamed excitedly.
“Gummy Bears an’ Mini-Butterfingers?” She asked hopefully as her Uncle scooped her up into his arms.
“Anyhing you’d like” Jerald insisted while carrying her out of the kitchen as Kevin laughed at him.
~*~*~*~*~
“Marcus!!!” Ashley squealed happily as they arrived at the Barbeque and found the security guard, Aaron, and Angel all three standing there waiting. She gently handed Bella over to Nick and ran on over to her favorite security guard flinging herself into his arms. Marcus chuckled and returned her hug.
“Hi sweetheart,” he greeted gently as she clung to him and snuggled and everyone else caught up.
“Aaron, Angel…I didn’t know you two were coming with him,” Nick greeted while pulling his twin siblings each into a hug.
“Neither did I,” Marcus was the one to reply looking at the twins slightly begrudgingly and they both stared up at Nick sheepishly.
“What did they do now?” Nick groaned.
“They snuck in the back of my trunk and hitched a ride. I didn’t know they were back there until we were halfway here and Angel crawled through to the back seat and announced she had to pee really bad.” Nick laughed amusedly.
“Yes that sounds like my brother and sister all right.”
“Why didn’t you two just ask if you could come and ride in the comfy back seat the whole way?” AJ asked incredulously. “Wouldn’t that have been a lot easier?”
“They did and I told them no. I know Kori has very little room in her diner, I figured she had enough guests to deal with.”
“I’ll give you money for a joint motel room Marcus. Is it all right if they stay next door to you?” Nick asked while hugging his siblings’ closer. He is always happy to see them.
“They might as well share my room, I probably won’t be in it as much anyway. I’ll probably sit in a booth at the diner all night just to be close to Ashley.” Nick rolled his eyes.
“No you will not. I won’t let you trouble yourself like that. You’re going to go to your motel room and sleep in a nice comfortable bed every night. It’s an order mister.”
“I drove up here to protect Ashley.”
“And we didn’t ask you to do that,” AJ insisted gently. “We love you and we’re really happy you’re here – I know Ashley is ecstatic. But as long as you’re up here you’re strictly on vacation. You do so much for us, you deserve it.”
“But Sean—“
“—Doesn’t know where we’re at,” Kori interrupted. Marcus arched his eyebrow at her challengingly.
“She’s right, he doesn’t” Scott added as he subconsciously moved so he was standing beside her. It is just a natural habit for him; he never lost the sense of comfort of having her at his side. “He doesn’t have the slightest clue. Kori picked the smallest town in the world for a reason. He spent four years searching for her and never even came close. I know, I made sure.”
“But he has spies now, he could’ve had us followed.”
“Sean and Trevor are completely alone,” Detective Stabler spoke up as he watched Kori quietly glance at Scott through the shield her hair was creating over the side of her face as she wore it down and straightened. He can tell that she is hating herself right now for loving the fact that Scott had been protecting her all these years from afar. He can just see the battle going on in her head right now and was silently grateful that Wiley was off with Chris and Isabel getting tickets for the kids to go on all of the rides. The last thing they need is more drama and he could just see Wiley fuming now. “Olivia and I interrogated Max for days until we knew we couldn’t possibly get anymore information out of him. He says everybody in baddie world has turned their backs on him. Infact, most of them want him dead, they hate him so much. No one followed us.”
“Unless Conner runs off and tells him…” Aaron replied begrudgingly
“Aaron that’s uncalled for,” Nick lectured immediately when he saw his baby sister’s face fall. Aaron shrugged his shoulders.
“I’m just saying…”
“Yeah well as you can see it’s not something that is open for discussion. So keep your anger to yourself,” Nick insisted sternly and he motioned toward Angel and gave Aaron a serious look.
“And besides, Olivia has teenager duty right now while I’m gone so you are wasting your time making false accusations based on bitter resentment.” Aaron scowled and gathered Dakota up in his arms.
“Come on buddy, lets go find us some cool rides to go on,” he told her and he walked off with her without another word. Nick rolled his eyes.
“I sure did miss him but I didn’t miss the teenage hormones that came a long with him” he muttered and he leaned down and kissed the top of Angels head softly.
“You ask for Aaron and you get the whole package deal,” Angel insisted.
“I’m gonna go see what’s taking Wiley so long with those tickets” Kori piped up and she gently grabbed Spencer’s hand and walked away with him leaving Scott gazing after her.
“And Nick, I’m stealing your girlfriend for a few moments. I have a couple of surprises for her in my car. I have one for Kota too, but she’s been whisked away so she’ll have to be surprised later.” Marcus added and he took Ashley’s hand as she looked up at him curiously and he lightly tugged her in the direction of the car. Nick arched his eyebrow as he stood there watching from a distance as Marcus and Ashley reached his car. As soon as she reached the window of the back door, she squealed excitedly and opened the door.
“Abbieeeee!” they all heard her exclaim and they watched as the little white puppy leaped into her open arms. She plopped down on the ground beside the car sitting on her bottom then and allowed Abbie to greet her happily with her tail wagging rapidly and she gave Ashley relentless kisses making her giggle in delight. Just then they heard a smaller puppy yapping from in the car causing Ashley to advert her attention to it.
“Lily!” she exclaimed once more. “Oh Lily, hiii! Come here baby” she insisted while patting her knee and the little Chihuahua hopped out and tackled her happily too. She glanced up at Marcus then who was standing there watching the scene before him with a small grin.
“I was going to leave them home. I filled their water and food up so they would be good until Q came by to take care of them but they somehow knew I was coming to see you. They could sense it so they followed me around all over the house as I got ready, begging and pleading with their eager little eyes and I just couldn’t bare it. I caved. What can I say, I’m a sucker for puppy dog pouts.” Ashley got up then with a puppy under each arm and she leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
“Thank-you Marcus, it made my day to see them and I know it will make Kota’s too.” Marcus reached into the car then and pulled out two leashes.
“I suggest you put them on leashes if you are going to let them run around this place. There are people everywhere they’ll for sure get into mischief, especially since they’ve been cooped up in the car all day.” Ashley took the leashes from him then, hooked one to each of their collars, and then set them down. As if noticing Sarah and Nick are across the way for the first time, both puppies shot off like a rocket in their direction leaving an amused Ashley no choice but to follow.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
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