Chapter 9 – The Tricks Hope Plays

"That makes me worse off than you are."

Chantal Kreviazuk, "Surrounded"

April 3, 2043

Fredericksburg, Virginia

United States of America

3:20pm

Derek shook his head. "Well, you wanted to know why I didn't think we should tell this story, right? So you need to hear about that first Christmas after Michael left."

Keith nodded and waited for a story. What he got after a few moments was a "Fuck!" and the rather violent fist pound on the table.

"You…can't actually tell that story, can you?" Keith asked.

Derek merely shook his head.

"Then skip it."

"Skip it?" Derek asked.

"Yes," Keith nodded. "I might not know what happened, but it was probably hell. Two holidays without your son, not knowing where he was or how to find him? Shit. I was frantic that one Thanksgiving on a cruise when we couldn't locate Imani for five minutes; I still can't talk about that trip very well. And, as I'm sure the story was plastered all over Canada for months-"

"It wasn't," Derek corrected, "Not at first."

"It wasn't?" Keith asked, shocked. "But you were a BFD by then, so-"

'BFD?' the Canadian asked

"Sorry," Keith smiled. "Imani-isms work themselves into my speech sometimes. A BFD is a 'Big Freakin' Deal'."

"Freakin'?"

"My daughter tries to keep things clean for me, as to not shatter any of my illusions. I encourage her in this," Keith's reply was met by Derek's laughter, but the producer didn't let that side-track him. "That aside, how in the world did you keep it out of the press?"

"We told next to no one and were able to cover up the story for awhile."

"A while?"

"About a year."

"A whole year?" Keith repeated. "That's rather impressive."

Derek shrugged. "Maybe. But we couldn't hide it forever. And when it did come out, it brought one of the worst things with it.'

June 8, 2035

London, Ontario

Canada

2:30pm

"So, fucking deal with it! Now! Or else," Derek shouted in the phone before he hung up.

Normally, Casey would have verbally chastised him (at length) on his use of language. While she did raise an eyebrow at the rate at which he had dropped the f-bomb during his conversation, she was too busy having frantic conversations of her own – with her publisher, her agent, her management team, and her personal assistant. Her conversations were less colorful than Derek, but they were just as angry and urgent. The similarity in tone of the conversations was because they had the same subject.

There was a leak in Team Venturi. And it leaked the worse thing possible.

With just a note, Michael had left them a year ago. The whole family was still part of the walking wounded, especially after Christmas. Time had not dulled this pain at all. The advantage was that no one, outside of family, Derek and Casey's close friends, and their personal assistants knew that Michael had left. For some reason, Emily had not told any of her friends about her missing brother; she just went from talking about him constantly (when Mike still lived with them) to never mentioning him at all (once Mike left). And Derek and Casey had purposely not told anyone beyond their respective personal assistants about what happened. As they had become one of Canada's darling couples, they didn't want the popular press attention that having a "missing" child would bring.

They had gone almost a whole year with their private pain flying under the radar. Then, two weeks ago, TMZ had some strange rumblings about "the Great Venturi Tragedy". Neither Casey nor Derek had paid much attention to the rumors because they were on TMZ. No one took TMZ seriously. But a week ago, Kevin Fraizer ran a breaking news story on ET about Derek and Casey Venturi's missing son. Then the firestorm started. Press camped out in front of their house, in front of Derek's office, and in front of Emily's school. Photographers followed Casey to meetings, shouting questions at her. One overzealous "member of the press" almost ran Casey off the road trying to follow her.

The only thing that could have shattered their quiet grieving so spectacularly was a leak. Someone they trusted and knew and/or paid had ratted them out for money. Derek was bound and determined to find out who it was and destroy them.

The week had been very hard. Thursday had been so harrowing, between Casey's near car accident and another reporter following Emily into her school, that everyone was home that day. Emily was upstairs taking a nap. Derek and Casey were on the phone, looking for a leak while trying to make the Michael issue private again. How well they were doing varied by the minute.

The one thing they had accomplished was peace in their neighborhood. The press had been asked, warned, and forced away…and, for the moment, it seemed to be working. Derek just hoped that peace held.

Casey sighed from her position on the couch. "There has got to be a better way to do this," she whispered as she put down her phone.

Derek shrugged. "We could fire everyone. Completely clean house."

Casey shook her head. "I'm not sure that would work. And, besides, we like the people working around us. I would hate to fire someone who had nothing to do with this."

Derek walked over to the window to look out on the street. It was finally the quiet neighborhood street it used to be before the leak. It looked like another June day, like so many he had in this house. If he closed his eyes, he was sure he could almost hear his children coming home from school. Children because part of him expected to hear Mike, too, not just Emily.

He hadn't realized the Casey had gotten up until he felt her arm around his waist. "I miss him, too, Derek."

"I just wish I knew where the fuck he was!" Derek knew his voice sounded harsh, but he felt breakable. Casey knew him well enough to know this and to pull him into a hug. He had just closed his arms around her when the doorbell rang.

"Who in the world…?" Casey asked

"Stay here," Derek insisted. "I'll answer it." If it was a member of the press, Derek was going to introduce him to Mister Fist. The assault charge would be worth it.

Leaving Casey in the living room, Derek walked to the front door. Opening it, he was prepared to tell someone off…but he wasn't expecting who was on the other side.

A kid who couldn't be more than twenty was on the other side of the door. He was just a little taller than Derek. Blond with brown eyes. He was wearing jeans, a wrinkled T-shirt, and some plastic bracelet on his wrist. The kid did look a little like…. Derek stopped that thought quickly. He'd been seeing Michael everywhere lately and he wasn't about to just accept anyone who looked a little like his son. Besides, while Derek had seen Michael everywhere, he hadn't necessarily felt Michael everywhere. Not that he shared that with Casey. It involved using the f-word and sounding amazingly girly; if she didn't tease him to death, she'd worry about him more.

"Who are you and what to do you want?" Derek growled at the stranger in front of him.

The young man looked up. Grabbing his arm in what looked like a nervous gesture, he blinked a few times. He opened his mouth a few times, but nothing came out. Just when Derek was about to order this kid off of his property, the young man finally found his voice. "Dad?"

April 3, 2043

Fredericksburg, Virginia

United States of America

3:47pm

"Dad?" Keith asked after a pause. "So the stranger was Michael coming home? But wait. That doesn't make sense."

"That's right. It doesn't," Derek agreed

"So, wait. Was that Michael at your door?"

"Yes and no," Derek answered.

"Yes AND no?" Keith sought clarification. "I thought it would be one or the other. Like a mutual exclusive thing. Either this guy was your son or he wasn't."

"Well, let's put it this way. He wasn't my son, but he played him on TV," Derek said with a sneer that ended with a flat laugh. After that, Derek knocked back the remaining water in his water glass like it was a shot of something much more potent.

Given this story, Keith almost wished he could pass the director some "top shelf shit". Unfortunately, all Keith could give him were questions. "Played him on TV?"

Derek nodded. "It wouldn't be a Hollywood worthy story without a twist, right? So, yes, I didn't see my real son until last November…but this guy? If he had had his way, I wouldn't have even been looking for Michael in 2042."

July 8, 2035

London, Ontario

Canada

1:15pm

Later he would realize that the driving force behind what happened that day was fear. The fear was buried under anger, because he was Derek Venturi and couldn't show fear, but fear was still the driving force. Fear of what almost happened. Fear of what he had been about to do. Fear of what could have happened to Casey and Emily if he had. And – at the heart of it - the continued fear for Michael. That was probably the hardest fear to handle, if only because it had begun to ebb over the last month.

He hadn't initially planned to return home that early. He had just been at his office, staring off into space and not working on any of his latest projects. He'd been thinking about Michael – about the kid claiming to be Michael – and he had been wondering why he hadn't completely accepted him. What was he waiting for? Why was there this internal pause – like something wouldn't let him accept this kid as his own? Did he just not want to be happy?

To be fair, it wasn't just Derek that had some pause. Casey had been very polite and kind, but she hadn't been as affectionate with this new kid as she had with Michael last year. Emily had smiled and seemed happier, but she hadn't been as clingy as she had with Michael in the past. Derek wasn't sure if that was because Emily had misgivings about this stranger in their midst or if she thought that Michael left the first time because she was too clingy.

And if Michael wasn't quite himself, he had a handy excuse – amnesia. It was like something out of a bad movie, which, oddly enough, was the reason why Derek couldn't reject the claim out of hand.

The only thing that seemed to make sense in all of this was that Michael had finally been bit by the drama-gene that Derek and Sally both had. Well, Sally never directed movies, danced, or acted, but she had been a television personality and she could start a hell of a fight, especially with an audience. So, the drama gene had to be in her as well. That Michael wanted to act, and wanted to work with his father on a big-time project, seemed almost normal, given everything else.

As he walked in the house and toward the living room where Michael spent a lot of his time, Derek found himself pausing at the open door. Maybe he should just take a deep breath and stop questioning that Michael was back with them. He could redo his will (again) and go ahead and cast Michael in that short film based on a script from the Tony-winning playwright.

As Derek opened his mouth and began to cross the threshold into the living room, he stopped as he overhead an on-going conversation. He knew wasn't supposed to hear the one-sided conversation. The mark is never supposed to hear what the hustle was, but, apparently, this hustler had gotten lazy.

"Yeah, it's working like a charm," the kid claiming to be "Michael" said into the phone as he walked into the living room without paying any attention to his surroundings. He was totally engrossed in the phone call. "Any day now, he'll be announcing that he found his son and that he's so happy to have me back."

The stranger laughed after pausing to hear something the caller said. "You are a genius. I mean, I didn't even have to do so much research. Anything I don't 'remember', I can blame on the knock on my head. I almost had the whole family crying when I pulled out the sitting in the hospital alone story. Who cares that I lifted the story word for word from some crappy tween novel-"

The young man stopped as he listened to something being said on the other end of the telephone. "Please," the kid sneered into the phone, "that's not going to get me caught. It's not like it is something Casey Venturi wrote herself. Besides, it is worth it for a little risk. You know how much Venturi is worth! If he accepts me as his son, I'm set for fucking life! And, he can definitely help me break into the biz. With his rep, I'll get cast in any show I want. It's a shame about the stepmother thing though-"

The young man laughed and Derek felt his stomach turn. "No, not that. It's just that she's hot as hell, even though she's older. Dude, I'd let her go all cougar on me. I'd love to pull out my patented charm, but, as the stepson, can't do that. Fucking shame, because I'd love to tap that a-"

Derek was across the room before he realized he'd moved. He'd grabbed the portable phone from the lying fuck in his living room, ending the call and throwing it across the room with his right hand. His left hand had grabbed the stranger by his shirt and pulled him forward violently. "Get out of my house."

"D-d-dad," the charlatan managed to get out. "What are you doing home?"

"Shut up and get the fuck out of my house."

The imposter blinked and tried to look innocent. "Dad, I'm not sure why you are acting this way or what you heard-"

Derek growled, "I head enough to prove that you aren't my son, you wanna-be actor piss-ant. So, stop insulting my intelligence."

As if realizing the game was up, the stranger dropped the innocent act. His body language seemed to change and an ugly sneer took the place of the previous nervous smile. "Why can't I continue to insult your intelligence? It's worked so well this past month."

"Get the fuck out of my house or I will call someone and have you removed."

The young man managed to squeeze out a laugh, even though Derek's hold on his shirt was clearly beginning to choke him. "You wouldn't want to do that, Venturi."

"Why the fuck not?" Derek asked in a dangerously calm voice.

"Because, you don't want to explain to dear Casey and Emily that you kicked out their beloved Michael…again. I mean, I'm helping you keep peace in your household. Keeping all the ladies of the house, well, satisfied, as it were."

All it took was the word satisfied and a replaying of this stranger saying that he wanted to sex Casey up and Derek got physical. He punched the kid so hard, the stranger ended up on the other side of the room. Ignoring the throbbing in his fist, Derek repeated himself, "Get out."

"Fine, I'll leave, after we settle up."

"Wait, after we settle up? What the fuck-"

"Hey, I helped you have a happy home for a month," the stranger pointed out. "You owe me."

Derek stared at the little fuck, amazed at his audacity. "You want me to PAY YOU for lying to us and trying to defraud us? For trying to steal my son's identity?"

"You owe me that at least. And, I doubt you want the story out about how you harbored a stranger in your house for a month. Some out their might even think you endangered poor sweet Emily Venturi-"

Derek growled and took two steps toward the stranger. That was enough for the "actor" to stop talking and back away. From this angle, it was easier to see the beginnings of brown roots on the kid's blond hair. And, it looked as if the punch shifted the contacts in the kid's eyes, showing some green under the brown. So, that wasn't even real.

"Get out," Derek said softly, "or you will be removed by medical personnel."

That and whatever look Derek leveled at the young man seemed to get through to him. Slowing getting to his feet, he said, "Fine. Just let me go pack-"

"Hell, no," Derek said as he herded the stranger to the door, only not touching him because he was afraid he'd kill him. "I'll pack up your crap and leave it for you at my studio, along with a notice that we will never work with you. In fact, I'll make sure that no one in Canada or Hollywood ever does."

"Wait!" the stranger paled as he got to the door. "You can't do that! You bastard! You'll destroy my career."

"That's the fucking point," Derek replied as he pushed the vermin out the door. "You see, you will quickly learn that Venturis always win. And, since you aren't a Venturi, you are shit out of luck. Have a crappy life." Then Derek slammed the door.

He didn't realize he wasn't alone until he heard the soft, "Oh, Derek."

Turning around, he saw Casey standing a few feet behind him. Derek blinked. He opened his mouth to say, well anything. Only to find he didn't have to. Casey just crossed the room, kissed him, and pulled him into a hug. Amazingly enough, she didn't say anything or ask any questions. Derek knew those were coming, but, for right now, he was just grateful for the hug.

He wasn't sure what was worse, losing Michael again or realizing that he hadn't had him over the past month. Either way, although he'd sneered at the imposter that Venturis always win, he once again wasn't so sure that was true anymore.

April 3, 2043

Fredericksburg, Virginia

United States of America

4pm

Keith knew he had fallen into shocked silence.

"It's very Lifetime movie, isn't it?" Derek said with a laugh that didn't sound amused or healthy.

"My God," Keith finally managed to breathe out.

"Yeah, so there were a few not so happy years in there," the Canadian shared in a massive understatement.

"How in the world did you get through all of this?"

"Work," Derek shrugged. "The huge London history doc I did was released a few months late, after Michael had left. After the whole thing with the asshole…well, that's when I started the whole doc on teen drug use-"

"And when you created HFM?" Keith asked

Derek looked at the producer, apparently surprised.

"Honestly, I don't know more than that. All I know is that you started some foundation last decade. I don't even know what HFM stands for or what it does."

"It's a foundation to help teens sucked into the Canadian drug culture," Derek explained after a pause.

With that answer, things began to fall into place for Keith. Pretty sure he already knew the answer, Keith quietly asked. "And HFM stand for…?"

"Hope for Michael," was Derek's soft response.

"So, with the doc and the foundation, you were…looking for your son?"

Derek shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Not consciously. I wasn't aware enough of how I was f-f-f….how the whole thing was effecting me for it to have been a conscious effort. But, yeah, I was looking for my son. That's not who I found, though."

"Wait, what do you mean?"

"During a special premiere for the drug doc in Toronto, I ran into Sally of all people."

"Sally? Your ex?"

"Yeah," Derek shared. "She came up and congratulated me on the film and mentioned she was there with friends from AA."

"So she had gotten help?" Keith asked.

"So she said. I'm not sure I believed her then…or now. But she was calmer than the last time I had seen her. Of course, the fact that Casey was across the room when she came up to me might have had something to do with as well."

"And after the drug doc was the award-winning blended families piece. I assume that had something to do with Michael as well."

"Yeah," Derek shrugged. "For all the insanity Case and I caused when we were teens in the same house, combining the McDonalds and the Venturis seemed to work that time. My attempted at a family where I was the Dad blew up in my face. Guess I wanted to find out what I did wrong."

Keith wished that moment that he could channel his Amanda. She'd know the right thing to say at that moment. All he could do is raise an eyebrow and hope that would convey to Derek that he didn't need to be so hard on himself. "That documentary did win a lot of awards."

"Yes. It was in the Toronto Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival. It won a Golden Globe. It was nominated for one of your Academy Awards. There were a lot of press appearances related to that project."

Something in the way Derek uttered that last sentence pushed Keith to ask, "How did the press appearances go this time? Given the whole thing with the leak earlier…."

"The Canadian ones were fine. Subdued, but fine."

"I hear a 'but,' in there," Keith prompted after a pause.

"It was the press coverage south of the border. It started, once again, with Entertainment Tonight. It was almost as if they over corrected. To avoid mentioning my missing son; they reported as if I never had a son. All of the talk shows in the States followed suit. To the point where one of those inane shows where a bunch of has-been female reporters sit around and talk pop culture actually called Emily an 'only child'. It was good thing Casey was with me in the green room…because I didn't take that so well."

Keith nodded. "In part because you thought it might hinder finding your son even more?"

Derek blinked and then shook his head. "I don't think I thought about it that much. It was just really important that Michael was still acknowledge and still acknowledged as my son. It has been so long since…since I'd seen him…and…" Derek just broke off and fell silent.

After a few minutes, Keith finally asked, "So what was it like?"

"What was what like?"

"When you saw your son, your real son, for the first time in November; what was that like?"

Derek sighed. "Nothing like I'd thought it would be in my head.

to be continued –