Chapter Eighty-Nine
Dakota sat and watched them for a long while, as she finished up her puzzle, and when she did she put it away and grabbed a bigger puzzle that is meant for the older kids — 100 pieces. She got up with it and marched on over to her daddy. When she got over there, he, Brian, Howie, Ashley, and Kevin looked at her curiously.
"Daddy will you help me put this puzzle together? Please?"
"Not right now baby…the grownups and I are discussing something important right now. I bet Ellie wouldn't mind helping you though."
"But daddy, I wants you to help me," Dakota whined somewhat.
"Okay, I will in a little while then. How's that?"
"No, now." Dakota replied, trying her very hardest to keep her temper under control.
"Dakota Ann, I already told you that I am busy."
"Nick…" Ashley spoke up, and Nick looked at her curiously.
"What?"
"I really think that you should help your daughter with that puzzle."
"I told her that I would…just not right now. I'm busy talking Ashley." Brian was about to open his mouth to say something, when Dakota beat him to it.
"But you weren't too busy to help Sarah withs her puzzle earlier!"
"That's different…she didn't come to me while I was in the middle of talking about important things."
"How come you're always busy when I wants to play withs you but you never are when Sarah does?" Dakota asked, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Dakota I…"
"-How come you were too busy to push me on the swings yesterdays but when Sarah asked you to, you said okay?"
"Dakota I wasn't-"
"-YES YOU WERE DADDY!" Dakota shouted through tears, while stomping her foot. It was too late to stop her now. Too late for any of the other guys or Ashley to step in now. Dakota was going into full on temper-tantrum mode, and there's no stopping her when she gets to that point. "I ASKED YOU TO PUSH ME ON THE SWINGS, AN' YOU TOLD ME NO! THEN SARAH ASKED, AN' YOU SAID YES!"
"Dakota Ann Carter, do not take that tone with me." Nick lectured firmly, but Dakota did not listen.
"YOU"RE SUPPOSEDS TO BE MY DADDY, NOT HERS! BUT ALL YOU EVER SEEM TO WANTS TO DO IS PLAY WITHS HER! YOU'RE ALWAYS TOO BUSY FOR ME, BUT NEVER FOR HER! AND IT'S NOT FAIR DADDY! IT'S NOT! YOU NEVER PLAYS WITH ME ANYMORE!"
"Honey I do too…"
"NO YOU DON'TS, DADDY, THAT IS A LIE!" Dakota replied, stomping her foot once again.
"Dakota, you can either stop shouting at me, or you can go upstairs to your room. There is no reason for you to be shouting at me."
"Yes there IS, because you don'ts pay attention to me!"
"I'm paying attention to you now," Nick replied gently, and he scooted forward and took her arms gently into his, as he still held Sarah in his lap.
"Why don'ts you play withs me anymore daddy? Don't you love me? What did I do wrong? Do you love Sarah more than me now or something?"
"Of course not baby I love you very much. I just...after Tom hurt the two of you Sarah had no one. She's completely stopped talking, she doesn't have any friends, and she feels lonely all the time. And it's not fair that she should feel that way…so I've been trying to make sure that she doesn't. I didn't —"
"Then why don't you go an' be HER Daddy instead?" Dakota snapped, and she threw the box at Sarah, causing the lid to fly open and puzzle pieces to go everywhere.
"DAMNIT, DAKOTA!" Nick shouted out of frustration, and Dakota yanked her arms from him and fled from the playroom sobbing. Sarah began to cry too. Nick got up and thrust her into Ashley's arms, then he bent down and was about to clean up the puzzle pieces when Kevin gently grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back up. Nick looked at him confused, and he shoved him gently toward Brian.
"I'll clean it up. You go and talk to Brian."
"But-"
"-NOW Nick." Nick sighed in frustration, and then let Brian drag him out of the playroom. Ashley handed Sarah to Howie, then she followed them out, but instead of staying to hear what Brian had to say to Nick, she immediately headed toward the elevator, as she is pretty sure that Dakota had run up to their room. Laney followed dutifully as he could just see the look of worry in Nick's eyes as she went off on her own.
"What do you want Brian? As you can see I have a very temper-mental daughter on my hands and I should really go find her and deal with her. She is in very big trouble right now!" Nick replied angrily.
"Yeah, that is why you aren't going anywhere right now." Brian replied. "You need to understand what has been going on with your daughter lately! Because obviously you're very clueless."
"What are you talking about?" Nick replied angrily.
"She's jealous Nick. And if you hadn't let yourself get so caught up in Ashley and Sarah you would know that!"
"It's my job to get caught up in Ashley and Sarah, Brian. If you hadn't noticed I am their caregivers."
"But you ARE Dakota's daddy FIRST! And FOREMOST! And if you would just open your goddamned eyes you would see how badly she is hurting right now!" Brian shouted. Nick didn't reply, he only looked at Brian in shock, as he had never yelled at him before.
"How is it that you are able to tell when something is wrong with Ashley, but when it comes to Kota, you're oblivious? The most important person in your life? Wasn't it you who said that she was your top priority? Well you sure don't act like it! For your information she is jealous. She is jealous because you used to be her best friend. You used to do everything with her yet when suddenly Sarah comes a long you don't have any time for her at all. You don't play with her anymore. Every time she comes and asks you to, you are too busy. But when Sarah asks, you suddenly aren't. How do you think that looks in her eyes? She feels like she is being replaced, Nick! If you're going to punish her, fine. But if you want my opinion, I would say it's about time she blew up at you! I've been watching her all this time and it's no wonder she finally exploded. She had a right to say how she feels and if you punish her it wouldn't be fair." Brian explained. He stared at Nick for a few minutes, and when Nick didn't say anything, he added, "Think about it." Then he went back into the playroom leaving him alone in the hallway.
~*~*~*~
When Ashley and Laney got upstairs, Ashley went down the hall to her bedroom. She could hear Dakota crying, but she couldn't see her anywhere.
"Kota?" Ashley asked gently. "Where are you honey?" Dakota didn't reply, she only continued to cry and as Ashley listened for her, she could suddenly tell that it's coming from the bed. She went over to it and crouched down, before peeking underneath the bed and she found Dakota lying there. She reached under there and pulled her out into her arms so she is cradling her. Dakota clung tightly to her and began to cry harder, and Ashley got up and sat on the bed before rocking her in her arms. She sat with her for a half n hour not saying a single word, just holding her while she cries. By the time she had calmed down to the point where she was just sniffling, Nick suddenly appeared at the doorway. Dakota took one look at him, and then began sob all over again as her heart is completely broken. She slid her arms around Ashley's neck and buried her face in her shoulder, and Ashley looked at him as she rubbed her hand over her back. Nick went over and sat next to Ashley and he gently took Dakota into his own arms. Dakota slid her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder instead, and she continued to cry. Nick kissed her forehead and hugged her tight.
"Daddy loves you more then anything else in this world, Dakota Ann," He told her softly in her ear. "You're the most important girl in my life and there isn't anyone who could ever take your place." He told her, and he gently placed his finger to her chin, before tilting her head back so that she is looking into his own watery eyes. Ashley handed him a tissue and he dried Dakota's cheeks and eyes with it. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry that I made you feel that way. I didn't even realize that I was. There is no way that I could ever love Sarah more then you. I love her…there's no doubt about that. But I've loved you much longer. You and I go way back. I will always be your best friend."
"Then how come you play withs her, but you don't plays with me? You're my daddy, not hers! I won't let her take my daddy away from me!"
"Sarah isn't trying to take me away from you, baby. That could never happen. I am just her caregiver…you know, like I am to Ashley. It's my job to take care of. I should've explained things to you before I volunteered to take over for Tom…and I'm sorry that I didn't."
"But you were my caregiver too daddy…an' then you ended up adopting me. What if you end up adopting Sarah too an' then loving her more then me?"
"I already told you that I could never love anyone more then you. The thought of adopting Sarah has never even crossed my mind…it's strictly business right now. I mean, like I said, I love her I do…but not as much as you, and no I'm not adopting her — at this time. If I ever do I will be sure to talk to you first and ask you how you feel about it. Okay? Because you are my daughter and your opinion matters first." Nick explained.
"You promise?" Dakota asked softly, and she looked up at him as more tears spilled from her eyes. He wiped them away again with the tissue that is still in his hand.
"I promise. And as for not playing with you…I'm really sorry…I got all caught up in work and I didn't realize that you were feeling left out. Will you let me make it up to you?" Dakota nodded and once again slid her arms around his neck as she snuggled into him and rested her head against his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head.
"Will you help me put a puzzle together?"
"Mhm I will. I'm all yours for the next couple of hours," he told her, and she looked up at him. He rested his forehead against hers and gazed into her watery eyes. "I love you," he told her softly.
"I love you too daddy…" He placed his nose to hers and gave her an Eskimo's kiss, causing her to smile up at him slightly. He smiled back and stood up with her and he brought her out of the room and headed downstairs to the playroom, after making sure that Ashley was following. When they got to the playroom, Brian, Howie, and Kevin all looked at them as they entered, and he took her over to the now empty puzzle area. He set her down, and then got down on the floor so that he is lying on his stomach and he grabbed the puzzle that she wanted to put together earlier. She lay on the floor next to him in the same position as him, and the two of them spent the next hour together putting it together.
"I take it everything's better now?" Howie asked Ashley, as she sat down with him, Brian, and Kevin.
"Yeah, he talked to her and made things better."
"Good…cause I was going to take a different approach if me shouting at him hadn't worked."
"Which is?" Kevin asked curiously.
"Knocking him upside the head with my hand. A little tough love never hurt anybody…and he definitely needed some tough love."
"Yes he did…" Kevin agreed. "I'm just wondering why you didn't tell him about Dakota earlier at breakfast like you said you were going to do."
"Well I was going to, then Howie interrupted me. He told me Riley needed my help bringing Brooke her breakfast, so I had to go and do that. Then I guess I just kind of forgot about it until Kota had her tantrum…and reminded me. But by then it was obviously too late. I still don't know why it was my responsibility, and my responsibility alone to tell Nick what was going on though." Brian explained.
"Because he's your best friend. You are also Dakota's favorite uncle who always seems to be paying attention at the right moment. Besides, I already told you he doesn't listen to me." Kevin replied.
"Well that's because you don't know how Nick works. He doesn't listen to you because you act like a father figure to him. You're on his case all the time telling him what he can and cannot do. I on the other hand, take the best friend approach. I don't tell him what to do, I simply make suggestions and give him advice...and since he respects me, he listens."
"Well someone has to be the father figure to that kid - especially when we're on tour and especially since he's going through a hard time with his real parents."
"I know that Kev, I'm just saying that's why he is the way he is with you. You're like his second father and like any father and son relationship, he rebels when he doesn't like what you have to say." Just as soon as he said that, they saw the door to the playroom open and Kori and Wiley walked in and joined them. Ashley raised her eyebrow.
"Where have you two been all morning? Spencer came down for breakfast and you didnt." She asked suspiciously, and she eyed Wiley. He's in the clothes that he was wearing the night before so it's obvious that he slept in the Orphanage.
"We over slept," Kori answered, and she and Wiley pulled up chairs and sat down.
"I thought that Wiley was going to get a hotel room to stay in down the street?"
"I told him not to bother. It was three-thirty in the morning before we realized how late it was. We were up til four-thirty in the morning talking, then we fell asleep. I didnt want him leave at three-thirty in the morning, so I insisted that he just stay here and share my bed for the remaining time that he's here in Florida." Kori explained.
"Oh. I see." Ashley replied, trying to sound normal, but everyone could tell that she is not okay with it at all and is being the protective sister that she is. Kori looked at her for a couple of minutes with narrowed eyes, then she grabbed her hand, pulled her up from her chair and brought her out into the hall.
"What is your problem? You said you were going to give him a chance."
"There's no problem, i'm fine."
"Liar," Kori replied.
"Kori I..."
"Just tell me what the problem is, Ashley! You said you would give him a chance. So why are you acting this way?"
"That was before I found out that you two will be sharing a bed for the next who knows how many months!"
"You and Nick share a bed," Kori pointed out.
"That's different, he's my boyfriend."
"He wasn't when you first started sharing a bed. He was just your caregiver - which is a whole lot worse then me sharing a bed with my best friend."
"Nick was never just my caregiver, Kor. Everybody knew we were going to end up a couple from the very beginning."
"Wiley is my best friend Ashley, okay? For the thousandth time already, there is nothing going on between us! We're two best friends sharing a bed together."
"Your best friend who you're in love with!"
"What do you think is going to happen Ashley? Spencer sleeps in that bed too you know. Do you really think we would do anything with him right there?" Ashley narrowed her eyes at Kori.
"Look...I am perfectly okay with your relationship with Nick. I support it one-hundred percent. I trust him and know that he loves you and would never hurt you. I even know that you two do a lot more then you should too and I have kept it a secret. I think you owe it to me to support whatever kind of relationship I develop with Wiley. You promised me that you would give him a chance."
"Fine...whatever." Ashley replied, and she turned and went back into the playroom. Kori followed her in there while rolling her eyes. When they got in there, they joined everybody again. Meanwhile, in the puzzle area, when Nick and Dakota had finished putting their puzzle together they cleaned it all up, then Nick got up, scooped Dakota into his arms and he brought her over to the empty book center. He sat down on the bean bag and laid back with Dakota rested comfortably against his chest. She looked up at him and he leaned down and kissed her forehead softly.
"Daddy will you sing to me? Please?"
"Sure baby, what should I sing?"
"Anything..." Nick lay there looking down at her for a couple of moments, then when he thought of a song he began to sing.
"I know you worry sometimes [sometimes you worry] that some other girl will make me forget your mine. There's not a doubt in this world, that anyone could take, the place of my number one girl. oh, it's true. i'm all about you...." By the time Nick had finished singing the song Dakota had fallen asleep. He once again kissed her forehead, before resting his against hers, and he rubbed his hand over her back. Ashley who noticed Nick sitting in the bean bag, got up from her chair and she went over to him. He saw her coming and smiled up at her, before moving over a little. She lay next to him and rested her head against his shoulder and she looked up at him, just as he bent down and brushed his lips softly against hers.
"How's Kota?" She asked softly, as she combed her fingers lightly through the little girl's hair.
"She's doing better now that i've explained things to her...though maybe I should ask Brian about that, seeing as how I am oblivious to her and all..." Nick replied in a slightly grumpy tone directed toward his best friend.
"Well, you were," Brian defended himself, as he had come over and sat next to Nick just as he had said that. "Everybody knew what was wrong with Kota except you."
"Even you?" Nick asked, looking down at Ashley with a raised eyebrow.
"I knew since the day you replaced Tom as Sarah's caregiver..."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Well I didn't think it would get this bad...I thought she would get used to it, or Brian would talk her out of feeling jealous. We all kept waiting on Bri to tell you, and he never did."
"I tried to this morning...but got distracted by Riley."
"Why just this morning? Why didn't you tell me this sooner? Your my best friend, your supposed to tell me these things..."
"Because...I don't know I guess I thought I could fix it myself. Besides...no one likes to report bad things about Kota to you...it's not an easy thing to do."
"I want to know things like this Brian...I didn't realize how hurt she was."
"I'm sorry...i'll let you know right away next time. But you need to do your part and make sure there's not going to be a next time." Brian replied. "I mean I highly suggest it." He quickly added. "You shouldn't let yourself get so caught up in Ashley and Sarah...don't forget you have a daughter who loves you more then life. Who always wants to be with you. You should take advantage of that. It's not always going to be like that you know."
"Yes it is," Nick insisted firmly, though he knows Brian is right. "She will always be my little girl." Brian chuckled.
"Okay Nick." The two of them were quiet for a couple of minutes as they watch Dakota sleep, then Nick looked down at Ashley, who was lying there snuggling close to him.
"So what were you and your sister fighting about this time?" Ashley looked up at him with a 'how-do-you-know-this' kind of look.
"Oh don't give me that look. I saw you go out in the hallway earlier and the annoyed look on her face."
"Wiley," Ashley answered finally, not sounding very pleased at all in the least bit. Nick shook his head.
"Figures. I thought you said you were going to give him a chance?"
"That was until I found out they're going to be sharing a bed for the next few months."
"Honey...I think you're just going to have to get used to the fact that she's in love with him."
"I'm trying...I really am..."
"That means you have to stop arguing with your sister about every little thing she does with him. You may not like her decisions...but you have to at least be supportive."
"How can I be supportive about something I don't like?"
"He's a great guy honey..." Brian spoke up. "You just have to give him a chance."
"He makes her happy. Don't you want her to be happy?" Nick asked, looking over at Kori and watching her laugh over something Wiley had said. "The only time I ever see her smile like that is when he's around."
"I do...I know he's a great guy..." Ashley admitted softly. "I guess it's just the rape victim in me that's talking..."
"Not every guy is a rapist Ash. Not every guy is bad."
"I bet you wouldn't be saying that if you were the one that got raped instead...if you got treated the way I was."
"I don't know what I would be saying honey. I can't even begin to imagine what you've been through." Brian replied gently. "I do know that it's hard for you...especially when it comes to trusting people. But I know you can do it...you've let the five of us, and Riley and Brooke in...so I know that somewhere deep down inside you, you can learn to trust someone that means the world to your sister." he told her, and he leaned over Nick and wrapped his arms around Ashley for a hug. Ashley wrapped her arms around him in return and hugged him back.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
