Jump Then Fall

4.

Derek knew that he was late. Too be specific, he was nearly five hours late in getting home after work. His mom had picked them up from school and brought them back to their house and Derek had promised that he would be home in time for dinner. Now, almost eleven o'clock at night, he was finally pulling up the house, completely exhausted after a day full of surgeries and accidents coming into the ER.

It was good to be home though he knew Leighton and Trevor would have been in bed a long time ago and like a lot of other nights he wouldn't get to tuck them in and say goodnight. He quietly let himself into the house, walking back towards the kitchen where he could see that the light was still on.

"You're finally home." He saw his mother place the last dish from the dishwasher into the cabinet. "I take it you were rather busy."

"I'm sorry." He sighed, setting his briefcase on one of the kitchen chairs.

"It's fine Dear...kids had baths, dinner, homework was finished and Hannah Montana was watched." His mother smiled, walking towards the kitchen table. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah...just a long day." Derek gave her a weak smile. "I tried to call but I got pulled into surgery."

"It's quite alright."

"They were okay...didn't give you any trouble?" Derek asked.

"There was a small bit of bickering before dinner, but I did find a letter from Trevor's teacher in his book bag." Mrs. Shepherd replied with concern in her voice.

"What did he do?" He sighed, sitting down at the kitchen table as his mother handed him a water bottle.

"He's been talking back, interrupting class and apparently let the hamster out...."

"I'll talk to him tomorrow...or try to."

"I had a little talk with him."

"Mom..."

"A simple talk, thats all."

"It's not your job to discipline him."

"I didn't discipline him but after raising you and Mark...talking is very simple."

"Sometimes I think he spends too much time with Mark." Derek laughed.

"It was just a letter to let you know what is going on and if it continues the teacher is going to request a meeting with you."

"His teacher is...she seems like a nice..."

"She does...Trevor even said she was nice...but that she was a pushover."

"He's done this every year since second grade."

"He definitely resembles Mark."

"Maybe I should have a talk with Mark." He laughed, shaking his head and taking a sip of his water.

"And Leighton..."

"Is having a tough time."

"She wanted to know why Daddy hasn't been home for dinner the past few nights."

"What did you tell her?"

"I told her that Daddy had a new job and sometimes when grownups start new jobs it takes a little bit of time to get used to them and that you desperately wanted to be home with her and her brother."

"Thank you." Derek breathed, running a hand through his year. He had known when he took this job it would mean even more time away from his kids but it was taking some getting used to for all of them.