The Luckiest

12

Derek sighed and stared at the book in his hands. He had read the same line about twenty times and he didn't see anyway he going to stop reading that line. He couldn't keep his mind on the book. He couldn't keep his mind on anything, it was just kind of floating around on no particular topic. It was probably exhaustion. He should sleep. Except for sleep still wasn't working that well.

It had been over a month since the divorce and it was still impossible for him to sleep. He collapsed when he was too exhausted to stay awake, but he didn't sleep every night which he knew was not a good thing. He knew he should probably take something, or talk to someone, but he was waiting for this to pass. It was going to get better. Sooner or later, he'd be able to sleep and be normal.

It had to come. People got divorced all the time and got on with their lives. Especially when the divorce was long overdue and exactly the right thing. So this had to pass and he could be normal again. He didn't need pills or to talk to someone, he just needed to let some more time pass. It would come. He moved to lay down on his bed when someone knocked on his door.

"Derbear?" the door opened slightly and Sophie walked in, dressed in a black halter dress and carrying a pair of heels.

"Soph?" Derek asked, sitting up quickly. "What are you doing here?"

"Men suck," she groaned as she came in, throwing down her heels. "They really, really suck, Derbear."

"You're talking to a man," Derek laughed gently, holding his arms open for his sister. "What happened?"

"I went on this date with this guy," she sighed, crawling into his bed next to him. "And he was late, which really, whatever. But then...he was just...an ass. He actually told me he usually dated girls who dressed more conservatively. What does that even mean?"

"It means he's an ass," Derek smiled, pulling his sister close.

"A complete and total ass," she nodded. "This dress is amazing. It's an amazing dress. Oh, and he ordered food for me. I hate when guys do that."

"He ordered for you? That's entirely...rude," Derek shook his head.

"It's him being an ass."

"It is," Derek whispered. "Men suck."

"You're a man," she giggled.

"Glad you know that," he laughed gently. "But Soph...as a general rule, most men kind of do suck."

"Great," she groaned. "I should just give up on dating now. Be a famous eccentric writer with like a million cats. Or dogs. I'm not a fan of cats."

"Don't give up dating. Don't settle for a whole crap load of dogs."

"Oh come on, Der," she sighed, turning to look at him,"what if Mom and Dad totally poisoned us and we're looking for something that's not really out there?"

"It is out there," Derek nodded firmly.

"Maybe it isn't," she shrugged. "Maybe you were right. Fairytales don't exist."

"No, Sophie. I was wrong. I was mad and...I haven't really been myself recently. I know what I said...but I was wrong."

"Maybe you weren't."

"I was," he nodded. "Soph, your prince charming is waiting for you out there somewhere. You'll get your happily ever after, I promise."

"You'll get yours too," she grinned up at him.

"Sophie, we're talking about you, not me."

"And now we're talking about you."

"Or I could just kick you out of my trailer."