Author: Jess
Author�s Note: Just a quick piece of fluff I stirred up last night. Please send feedback to [email protected] Thanks!
Summary: Jessica and Nick are married and their only daughter is going to her first prom.
Disclaimer: Not mine, only Sammi and Luke are mine.
ALL GROWN UP
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�Nicholas sit down� I watch with amusement and just a bit of exasperation as he paces around the living room.
�We should put a stop to this. It�s not too late� he says turning towards me. I�m not surprised to hear this because I�ve been hearing variations of it for the last fifteen minutes.
I cross my arms �We�re not going to put a stop to it� I repeat, it�s the same answer I�ve given him each time.
�Why not?� He challenges, �She�s too young. It�s our job to protect her you know?�
I roll my eyes �First� I say �She�s sixteen, that�s older than a lot of girls start dating�..�
�Don�t use that word� He interrupts, �I don�t like it, let�s just not refer to it as a date alright?�
�Baby� I sigh �You�re being ridiculous, of course it�s a date�
�I just don�t like this Jessica, I mean, anything could happen�
�It�s a prom� I say, �At a school not three blocks away, you�re overreacting�
�I don�t like the idea of her going out with an older guy either�
I really have to shake my head at this �He�s seventeen Nick, that�s not much of an age gap�
He snorts �Yeah but you don�t know seventeen year old boy�s like I do, Jessica. There�s always only one thing on their minds�
Now it�s my turn to snort �Really Nicholas, how is that different from men of any age?�
�Exactly!� He says, as if I�m some witness he�s cross examining, and I�ve just given him the answer that will win him the case �She shouldn�t go out with any men�
I raise my eyebrow �Ever?�
�That works for me� He says with a shrug.
I have to bite my lip to prevent myself from laughing, because he is really cute when he gets in his protective father mode. �I think that�s a little unrealistic. Besides� I add before he can interrupt �You�ve never had any problem with Little Nicholas dating. In fact if I remember the night of his prom correctly, you slapped him on the back and gave him some stupid statement like �Don�t do anything I wouldn�t do�� I roll my eyes again.
He looks offended �That wasn�t a stupid statement that was father/son advise. That was a bonding moment� He points a finger at me �And you just cheapened it�
�Uh-huh, whatever� He glares at me and I stop myself from laughing again. �So what piece of father/daughter wisdom are you going to bestow on Sammi?�
�Don�t go�
I walk over and wrap my arms around his waist, after a second I feel his around me �You really are a ridiculous man sometimes you know that?�
I can feel the sigh echoing through his body �It�s just all happening so fast baby. She�s my little girl she�s not supposed to be dating yet, she�s supposed to be playing with dolls�
I think of our tomboy daughter and this time I do laugh �Nicholas when did you ever see Sammi playing with dolls?�
�Well climbing trees then, chasing the cat. I don�t care what it is as long as it doesn�t include boys�
I tilt my head up and place a kiss on his chin �It had to happen sooner or later�
�Nothing wrong with later� he mutters.
I tighten my arms around him and give him a brief squeeze before stepping back. �She�s a responsible, well adjusted teenager Nick, we�ve done a good job raising her but we can�t keep her locked up forever.�
�It�s not her I�m worried about baby, it�s him.� He starts pacing again �Maybe I should have had Drew and the guys run a make on him. See if anything popped� He starts to walk over to the phone.
�Nicholas Scott stop right there� I say, in my most commanding tone.
He whirls around, all innocence �What?�
�First� I say �If you call Drew, Lea will kill me�
�Why?� He asks.
�Because apparently they finally have the house to themselves and she has a big night planned�
�For what?� He asks. I raise my eyebrows. �Oh� He says and shudders �Well thanks for that image, that�s all I needed�
I bight my lip again �Second� I continue �You are not running a make on Luke�
�Just a quick one� he says, �Just to be sure�
I sigh �Baby you�ve known him since he was ten. He lives right across the street, don�t you think you�d know if he�d been in any sort of trouble?�
�What�s your point?�
I�m prevented from replying by a noise on the stairwell, I turn to Nick �She�s coming down� I point my finger at him �You behave� He gives me an innocent look and we both turn towards the staircase.
Sammi and I spent days shopping for this dress, and looking at her in it now, I know it was the right choice, the soft blue fabric, that drapes over one shoulder, and gathers at the waist to fall into a straight skirt, suits her body shape perfectly. I�m unaccustomed to seeing my daughter in a dress and makeup, she looks so grown up and I find myself more affected than I thought I would be.
I find myself with all the worries that Nick�s just spent the last twenty minutes talking about. But I bite them back because I still remember what it was like to be invited to my first prom.
Sammi finishes walking down the stairs and Nick steps forward, I can�t really see his face because I�m standing slightly behind him to the side, but I do see him swallow. For a second I�m frightened he�ll say something to ruin the moment, because he has a habit of doing that. But instead he holds out a hand to Sammi and when she grasps it he says �You look beautiful, sweetie�
I feel tears welling up in my eyes, but Sammi gives him a big grin and leans in for a light hug �Thanks, daddy� she says, and I can�t help myself, suddenly I�m remembering the first time she took a step, or said a word. Her first day of school, and tears start flowing down my cheeks.
She leans back from her father, still holding his hand and looks over at me �Mom, why are you crying?� If I didn�t know better I�d swear she was laughing at me.
�I�m not crying� I say dabbing my eyes with my sleeve. It�s a ridiculous thing to say because I am so obviously crying, but when your daughter�s standing there laughing at you, it�s seems like the right reply.
Nick and Sammi share an amused look �What?� I ask defensively
�Mom, you always cry� Sammi says. �And then you always deny that you�re crying�
�I do not� I say out of reflex
�Would you like me to get out the photo albums?� She asks �It�s all there, first day of school, my band recitals, Little Nick�s prom, his graduation, there you are with red eyes�
�Little league games� Nick adds �Learning to ride a bike, I think she may even have cried when you lost your first tooth�
I glare at him. �Well if you�ve finished having fun at my expense, I want to take some pictures� I walk into the kitchen to fetch the camera using the opportunity to dry my eyes some more.
�Luke�s not here yet� Sammi says, �Shouldn�t we wait for him?�
�He�ll be here in a minute� I reply walking back into the room �But I want to get a couple of you on your own first anyway�
�Speaking of Luke� Nick says taking the camera away from me -- It�s a long standing joke in our family that I take bad pictures -- �I want you home by 10.30�
�Dad!� Sammi cries �You�re kidding, right?�
He shakes his head �No� I kick him in the shin �Oww!� He says glaring at me. I glare back. �Alright fine� He grumbles �Midnight� I raise my eyebrow �12.30 and that�s final�
Sammi smiles again �Thanks Daddy� I have to stop myself from smiling as I notice he�s back to being Daddy again, Sammi�s always known exactly what buttons to push where Nick�s concerned. Then she looks at me �Thanks Mom�
Nick�s only taken a couple of photo�s when the doorbell rings, I take a step forward but Nick stops me �It�s alright� He says �I�ll get it�
I give him a measuring look �Baby, be nice�
He�s all innocence again, a look I have to say years of living together has taught me not to trust �I don�t know what you mean� He says, as he walks over to open the door.
�Luke� He says, as he opens it, and while his tones not exactly welcoming it could be a lot worse, I guess. �Come on in�
�Thanks Mr Lachey� Luke replies, and I can tell he�s nervous. He walks into the living room and stops when he sees Sammi �Wow� He says, �You look great�. Uh, I mean beautiful�
She smiles herself, and even thought she looks composed I can tell she�s nervous too. �Thanks�
He walks over to her, extending the clear plastic container he�d been holding. �I brought this for you� He fumbles with the opening, then pulls out a beautiful white orchid. I know I�m going to start crying again any second.
Sammi looks down at it �It�s beautiful� she carefully takes it out of the container and holds it up for him, �Would you pin it on for me?�
He looks down at the little pin on the back �Uhh��
I step forward, as much to take pity on Luke, as to give myself something to concentrate on in a desperate attempt to stop the flow of tears. �I�ll do it�
Luke gives me a grateful smile �Thanks Mrs. Lachey�
I smile back at him, even though mine�s a little shaky, because I�ve always liked Luke.
After the bouquets pinned on Nick takes some more photos. Luke looks at his watch �We�d better get going�
�I want her home by 12.30� Nick says.
Luke frowns �12.30� I watch as Sammi kicks him in the shin, much the same way I did to Nick earlier. I don�t know if I�m thrilled or terrified that they seem to be mimicking us. �Uhh, 12.30�s fine sir�
Nick nods and we both watch as they walk to the door. It barely closes before the phone rings. Nick walks over to answer it.
�Hi Lea� I hear him say �What are you doing calling, I thought you had a big night planned?�
I don�t know what her reply is but I hear him laugh, they talk for a minute and then he says �Yeah hang on a sec, I�ll get her for you� He holds out the phone towards me �It�s Lea�
I nod and take the receiver from him �Hey, what�s up?� I ask
�I was calling to wish my God daughter well tonight but apparently I�m a couple of minutes too late�
�Yeah� I sigh �She just left�
�I bet she looked beautiful in the dress� I nod even though she cant see me �Casey was asking me today if we could go shopping for her prom dress, she nearly scared Drew to death� She laughs at the memory, and I laugh along with her because I know she�s trying to distract me.
�Well she is only twelve, so I can imagine Drew wouldn�t have taken it too well�
�That�s a bit of an understatement� Lea replies, �He started raving on about the evils of teenage boys� She starts laughing again.
�God has he been talking to Nick?� I ask, �I�ve been getting that all night.� I change the subject before I do start crying �So where is Casey?�
�She�s at a sleepover with friends�
�So are you all set for your big night?�
I can hear her chuckle �I�ll say, I�m so glad my mother was able to take the terrible two for the night, I was going crazy�
I can�t help but laugh �I�m sure it�s not that bad�
�Not that bad� she replies �Yesterday Toby decides to polish his father�s shoes right in the living room, now I�ve got brown shoe polish all over the carpet, which will not come off. Don�t even get me started on what Matt�s been up too.�
�Well if they�re anything like the stories of your childhood I�m not surprised�
�Funny that�s what Drew says. Speaking of which, he�s home with the food so I�d better go. I just wanted to make sure you were okay�
I�m touched by the thought �I�m fine, thanks for calling�
�No problem, take care�
�Oh Lea� I say just before she hangs up �Enjoy tonight� I hear her laugh as I place the phone back on the cradle.
Nick�s sitting in the living room waiting for me, he stands up as I walk in �Are you okay?� He asks.
I nod.
He puts his arms around me, loosely �No more tears?�
I shake my head
�You know this is a pretty one sided conversation?� He waits for me to nod again, and smiles. �Well I guess I should take advantage of this rare opportunity to be the one to talk,� He makes an oomph sound as my elbow finds his ribs, and laughs �And� he continues, holding my wrists �make a suggestion�
�And what would that be?� I ask
�Well� He says �It occurs to me that we�ve also found ourselves with an empty house�
I look up at him amused �Oh, and what�s your point?�
�My point is that maybe we should take advantage of this situation�
I pretend to ponder this for a moment �Hmm well that would all depend�
�On?� He asks
�You said you had a suggestion?�
He nods �I do indeed�
�Well I�d need to hear it first�
�Well then� He leans down and whispers in my ear.
�Wow� I say �That�s a good one�
�So you approve?� He asks
I pull him closer �I certainly do�
The End. Just a quick piece of fluff. Let me know what you think!