Chapter Nine

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Chapter Nine

Derek groaned and banged his head against the table. A giggle was all he got for his efforts, “Really Der, THAT is going to give you a major headache and nothing else. Now tell me how my brother of another mother got forced into chopping off his veil of security? ” she said in an extremely frank manner.

Carmen Jones Sparks was a small petite woman who basically ruled the lives of all the men in her family. Somehow along the line, Derek had become family and in turn becoming her plaything.

Looking at her, most people saw a beautiful blonde, a little short who had sparkling green eyes and a beautiful smile. The world knew of her as the charming publisher who had taken the spot of the most eligible woman for three years straight before she got married. The family knew her as the annoying sister who couldn’t stay out of anyone's business and who all of them loved a lot. Derek had once congratulated her husband, a man who looked for the world extremely strong but was in reality completely at his wife’s mercy. She had him on a tight leash but he seemed happy to not be the one in charge all the time.

She was all of the above things. But presently, for Derek, she was a pest and nothing else. He turned to see Carmen walk in with her husband Jeff trailing in behind her. Sam and him had termed Jeff an angel when he not only succeeded in standing Carmen's dry humor for several dates but actually eventually married her.

Sam answered before Derek could, “You won’t believe it !”

She raised a delicate eyebrow before saying, “Try me.”

Derek sighed and got up, his appetite had disappeared. Carmen pulled him back down and said, “Now don’t be like that, Der. Alright, I won’t ask .”.

Derek glared at her, she was one of his best friends in the world along with her brother, but she made it so difficult at times.

“Anyway, I got to say you look so much better and you have clothes that complement you in your wardrobe! will wonders never cease to exist “ she said sighing dramatically and winking at Derek.

Derek rolled his eyes at her and began to eat again. Hannah who had watched the whole scene unfold, just gave a warning look before setting a plate of freshly baked cookies in front of him.

Derek smiled at her and pulled one, his smile growing larger when Hannah slapped away both Carmen and Sam’s wrists, stating that this batch were only his.

After dinner, Sam and Leila sat curled up on the couch watching TV, Carmen and Jeff had a call to make and Hannah sat with her husband playing chess.

Derek smiled and walked out sitting on the porch swing and staring off into space. He was surprised when Carmen sat next to him, now bundled in a thick red shawl.” Aren’t you cold? You have been out here for hours now.”

Derek startled and finally felt the cold air biting at him. This happened to him fairly regularly where he got lost in thoughts and time slipped by him.

“ You want to know how I ended up getting a haircut?” he asked almost regretting it when her face broke into a huge grin and she leaned over him completely interested.

He began to tell her, starting from how Rachel left to the extremely drunken phone call and then about Vivian.

She began to laugh when he talked about Vivian moving in, before she became serious,” Does that mean she knows what you do?”

He looked at her confused, “ Yes, she knows I am a teacher.”

She shook her head and smacked him on his arm, “ Don’t try to act stupid, Der. It doesn't’ suit you. I asked if she knows what you

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