If that's what it takes

70

Derek set the tray on the table in the cafeteria and held the little girl's hand as she pulled on it slightly, lifting herself up onto the chair, she sat down and looked up at Derek as she reached for her cheeseburger and fries on the tray. "Patience... patience..."

"No, I'm not a patients... I'm your girl." She said with a giggle as she looked up at Derek and listened to his chuckle. "I like your laugh too, DD." She said with a smile.

"Well, I love yours..." Derek replied. "And I missed it."

She sighed as she climbed onto her knees and leaned over the table as Derek pushed the plate over to her and she grabbed the cheeseburger from the plate and shoved it into her mouth, munching on it as she watched Derek give her a sideways glance as he picked up his sandwich. "You eat more like a bear, less like a small child." Derek remarked as he watched her giggle with her mouth full of cheeseburger.

"DD... I'm sorry I was mean." She said as she swallowed her bite and looked up at him. "I am sorry."

"I know you're sorry, little one." Derek said as he took another bite. "I should have been more careful."

"You shouldn't go through my stuff..." She nodded.

"Well... here..." He said as he pulled the tray closer to him. "See this?" Derek said as he counted out six French fries and put it in one pile, and then started counting out another larger pile of French fries.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she watched him, setting her cheeseburger down.

"This... is you..."

"No, that's six French fries..." She giggled.

"Okay... these french-fries are like... they... represent you." He said. "Because you're six years old." He said as Zoey nodded. "This... bigger pile of French fries... there are..."

"A MILLION!" She exclaimed.

"A million? Really? Do you really think I'm a million years old?"

"You could be, you're smart...and older than me..." She shrugged.

"I'm not a million." He rolled his eyes. "Okay... so... there are twenty six French fries." He replied.

"Twenty six?" She asked as she opened her mouth wide in surprise.

"That is not a lot... come on..." Derek replied as he sighed.

"What about the French-fries, DD? You're off topic, and I'm hungry."

"Okay, okay... so like... you are like six French fries..." Derek said as he showed her pile and I'm like twenty six... meaning... I'm older, you know? It means... I'm about twenty more French fries smarter than you, and twenty more French fries more responsible than you." He said.

"Um... You lost me."

"Okay... it means... the bigger pile gets to know more... it means... you are smaller than me, so you have to tell me things..."

"I don't get it..."

"Eat your French fries..." He said with a laugh as he shook his head.

"Look..." She said with a giggle as she reached out and grabbed a fry from the larger pile. "I'm making you younger!" She laughed as she shoved it into her mouth and giggled as Derek shook his head and laughed.

They laughed and ate their dinner together as Zoey leaned her head on Derek and told him about her day at school, when Derek looked up to see Izzie walking across the cafeteria.

"HI!" She exclaimed as she got to the table. She sat down next to Derek and leaned toward Zoey. "How are you?" She said with an overly saccharine voice.

"Fine." Zoey said as she raised her eyebrows and looked to Derek, her eyes flashing back to Izzie.

"Derek... is going to have to work tonight, sweetheart, and he asked me if I would look after you at his house..." She said with a smile.

"Oh, that sounds like so much fun..." Zoey said in an almost sarcastic tone that Derek didn't miss, but flew into one of Izzie's ear and very quickly skipped its way out the other.

"We can make cookies, or play with dollies... and then we'll tell stories and go nighty night..."

"Oh goody goody gumdrops!" Zoey said in a sarcastic giggle as she looked to Derek and noticed the amused, yet stern look on his face. She giggled and tilted her head. "You're bringing me right back here in the morning." She stated and didn't ask Izzie as she shoved another French fry in her mouth.

"Oh! Of course! It'll be so fun!" Izzie said in an overly giggly voice.

"I'm excited too..." Derek said in a fake giggle as Zoey laughed and Izzie looked at him strangely as he looked down at Zoey and then to his tray. He tilted his head and looked the little girl in the eye. "Like... twelve French fries..." Derek said with a nod.

"That's what I thought." Zoey nodded as she shoved another French fry into her mouth and smiled at Izzie as they finished their dinner.