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Chapter 1
"Mental Preparation."
-POV Change-
Why don't I feel anything? I could not exactly pinpoint when the feelings of shock and disbelief passed into the same numbness that over came me again. I swiped my fingers through my thick hair, my nails snagging on some of the knots. I knew I looked horrible, make-up nonexistent and clothes in disarray.
Yet, along with this numbness came a sense of uncaring. I did not care that I looked quite rustled and unladylike – that I could be some country bumpkin who had managed to get a bit of change to buy the nice dress on my body and shoes on my feet.
I slid into the back of the police car as one of the officers held the door open for me, I could feel the burning looks of pity digging holes into my soul. The urge to spit at him rose in my throat; I was never one for pity. The car came to life and smoothly eased away from my house and I watched as it faded into the distance.
I let go, my body slumping back into the plush leather seats, my right hand snaking its way, pressing into my side, into my heart. Darkness overcame me; my eyelids grew heavy as the muted whispers of the people in the car with me drifted into nothing.
I'm not sure what happened next, did I really take a step back into time or was it all of the emotions that I could not feel taking a toll on my mind?
"What about this one Der?" Casey shifted her pale blue eyes to gaze at the tall male seated beside her. The once excited look drained from her face as she was only matched with a look of boredom. She resisted the urge to release the sudden sigh that was building up in her throat as she calmly set down the magazine and recapped the highlighter in her hands.
She turned in her spot to face him fully, "Listen – you're the one who suggested that we finally get our own place. I mean, how long have we been splitting rent with Emily and Sheldon?"
Derek grunted in response, casting his dark brown eyes in her direction. He knew he had brought up the idea but he did not think that she would take it up as being serious – correction, the look on her face said absolutely, yes. She was serious. He shrugged, "Like… two years? Since we've gotten out of uni…"
Casey tried not to lift her well-manicured hand up to rub at the bridge of her nose in building agitation. "It was a rhetorical question Derek! I meant it as; I was actually surprised that you brought up the idea of finally becoming… well… us."
She reached over to grasp her boyfriend's hands in her own, as much as she would love to be yelling at him for his lack of attention on something that was clearly of his own mind – life had been peaceful for the past few months. Something changed about them when the thought of them coming home to their own house during an after dinner cuddle. They discussed what they wanted in a house, if they wanted a yard or not, how big it should be, what type of neighborhood they wanted to settle in, it reaffirmed her feelings that they would perhaps be together forever.
Well, of course they would be "together forever," as technically they were step-brother and step-sister, by law they were family. Yet they never saw each other as family, they never grew up together – they did not even live in the same town or go to the same school until their parents met up and tied the knot at the beginning of their high school careers. They treated each others as strangers who shared the same bathroom in the same house.
Derek looked down at their hands and back up to Casey's face before he nudged at her gently. She had gone quiet and a spacey look decorated her delicate features. "Case?" To be honest, he had been avoiding things as of last. When he first brought it up, they had both been on point – he loved their talks about a future together but as more time passed and the more than just a vague concept was beginning to come into a reality, he was getting cold feet.
"Oh… I'm sorry," Casey pulled herself from her own moment, "If this is going to work Derek… I need you here with me, okay?" She let one of her hands slide up to brush along his cheek lightly, pushing a strand of soft brown hair from his vision. "You still want this… right?"
His answer was on reflex. "Yes, of course."
By the time I had come down from the brief relapse into the past, the wafting breeze of the open door was flapping up my dress and I slowly turned my head to see the two officers looking expectantly at me. I figured I should make a move before they think I've died.
I slid my legs out, keeping them pressed together for what little modesty I could bare as I struggled to get out of the car. Something was holding me back as I gazed up into the large red letters that read, "Emergency." What was I doing here again? The two beside me grasped gently onto my arms, leading me through the doors that parted in motion as the sensitive sensors picked up on us and as fast as we had arrived there, I was soon seated with a clipboard and pen in hand, flying across all the paperwork.
Blood type, birthday, vaccinations, allergies… everything about this man, my husband, I knew by heart. Whatever you wanted, I could spit it back out to you the same way he would – but that was just technical things. Easy things, if you called his primary physician he could give you the exact same information – even what his urine color looked liked last time he had to go for a check up. I reiterated the same question to myself again, what was I doing here?
That's right, Mr. Venturi – husband to one Mrs. Venturi was in a horrible car accident. Obviously as his wife I was first notified but I am sure, if he could speak – that is, if he was even still alive – he would probably curse the ground I walked on. The breath caught in my throat as I finally caught up that I had casually brushed away the fact that my husband could be dead – in mid-walk, my knees buckled and I startled the nurse that was leading me towards the elevator. I brushed off her attempted assistance and straightened my back. I could do this, right?
Things are moving a bit slow but they should pick up within the next few chapters! I would love to hear what you guys think! Reviews make me happy, and they help me to update faster! :)
