Life With Dasey (A Life With Derek Fanfic)

Chapter Six

"George, could you please take out the trash?" Nora McDonald called out for help from her husband as she prepared Marti's breakfast in the kitchen. The smell of last night's dinner was lingering in the trash and making it hard to concentrate.

"Derek, take out the trash!" George, still in his slippers and robe, pawned off the job to his lethargic son.

"Edwin, take out the trash!" Derek was knee-deep in bacon and eggs; there was no way he was going outside.

Casey couldn't help but recognize how eerily similar Derek and his father were, with the way they abused their power on those younger than them. She couldn't chastise George, an authority figure, for his behavior, but Derek was fair game. However, Derek's lecture on his dictator-like behavior toward Edwin would have to be postponed because Casey had plans to spend the day with her best friend, Emily Davis.

Casey snuck out of the house before anyone could ask her to take out the trash, and she bumped right into Emily on the way out.

"I thought we were supposed to hang out at your house today." Emily was visiting from college, as well, enjoying what little free time she had with her friends and family.

"I know, but Ralph and Sam are coming over to see Derek. I figured we could go shopping instead, if that's okay with you."

"I'll do anything to get away from my parents. They're on my case about joining their 'new' book club. They think I have too much free time on my hands," Emily sighed.

"What's wrong with joining a book club?"

"With my parents? No thanks. Besides, they hate reading. They're only saying that so I can get out of the house until I'm back in Toronto," she shrugged.

"Well, come on. Let's do some shopping!"

**

Emily and Casey rummaged through one of the sale racks at the mall, contemplating on appropriate Thanksgiving outfits.

"So, how is Derek?" Emily wondered, making small talk. Her eyes remained on the assortment of clothes, hanging a couple of shirts to her chest instead of trying them on.

"He's Derek," Casey muttered.

"Is he seeing anyone?"

"Why? You're not still into him, are you?" Please say no.

"Of course not. Derek never liked me like that, and it took me way too long to realize it." The only reason he gave Emily the time of day was to tick off Casey.

"So why so curious about his relationship status? Derek would rather be committed to a hospital than commit to a girl. Granted, there was Sally." Sally was mature and ambitious, and Derek's favorite type: blonde.

"Except that relationship needed to end, and it did, thanks in part to you."

"I couldn't let him ruin his future for a girl," Casey replied.

"Beyond his five minutes hooked on Sally, I guess I always wondered why he played the field so much throughout high school." Emily's fascination with Derek was borderline creepy at this point.