Every Rose Has It's Thorn

24.

Chapter Twenty-Four:

"Don't tell your mother." Dan whispered conspiratorially, handing Ava a kit-kat bar.

"Thank you!" Ava grinned, stuffing it in her pocket before leading him to the living room where her mother was sitting on the couch, watching home movies.

"It's amazing how they grow up, isn't it?" He spoke as a little Lucas rode a bike across the screen.

Ava burst into laughter once Lucas crashed into the camera and fell off the bike.

"Ouch."

"Keith bought me that bike." Lucas commented as he entered the room. "Hey, Mom? Don't forget, I have to get fitted for my tux today."

"Right! The prom." Karen nodded. "You come by the cafe and we'll go take a look this afternoon."

"Alright." Lucas smiled and shoved his sister back onto the couch before leaving.

"Hey!" She playfully whined, sending him a nasty look.

"Hey, listen, uh." Dan scratched the back of his neck. "Let me take him shopping this afternoon for the tux. I've missed enough important moments in his life. I'd like to do something about that. Please?"

Karen considered it for a moment before she nodded. "Okay, sure."

"Mama? Where do babies come from?" Ava asked as she watched her two year old self tackle her brother on screen, not at all paying attention to their conversation.

"What?" Karen stopped what she was doing to give her daughter her full attention.

"Where do babies come from?" Ava repeated herself. "I asked Daddy and he got all red and he wouldn't answer me.....and Nathan, Lucas, and Haley won't tell me anything at all."

"Daddy got all red, huh?" Karen smirked in her ex's direction.

Who knew he'd get all flustered about such a topic?

Dan Scott never got tongue tied for anything. He was a strong, driven man, and nothing could get him down. But when his daughter asked where babies came from, suddenly, he forgot how to speak.

Hilarious.

Karen wished she could've gotten his reaction on videotape.

"She caught me off guard." Dan tried to save face. "How was I supposed to know she was gonna ask me that? We were just having a nice dinner and she asked me out of the blue! I mean, wasn't she just into cars and playing dress up?"

Funny story, during that summer Karen was in New Zealand, Dan had caught Lainey wearing one of his button down shirts, a tie, and his blazer.

The child giggled, her big brown eyes twinkling when she had been caught and said, "You'll never guess who I am, Daddy!"

The clothing swallowed her whole and the tie was a mess, but she looked so cute he couldn't help but take several pictures.

Of course, he knew she was dressing up as him, but he didn't want to ruin her fun, so he cranked out a couple of outrageous guesses.

Anyone from Daffy Duck to Minnie Mouse.

And he would've kept it up forever if it meant he could listen to her laugh the way she did.

Why did kids grow up so fast?

"Yeah, and he took me to the movies to see 'Happy Feet', 'Charlotte's Web', and 'Cars'." Ava ratted him out. "And he let me stay up late after."

"Honestly, Dan." Karen tried to keep from laughing. "You're the adult here."

"Can somebody tell me where babies come from?" Ava huffed impatiently.