OMG, so I hate lizwin, but for some reason couldn't help putting it in my story. If you also hate lizwin, please just delete the few lizwin mentions from your brain hahaha. Again, so sorry for the delay! I am really not good with the FFN formating and like figuring out where to comment and how to respond to comments (and getting notifications about comments!) so I seriously seriously apologize, and thank you soooo much to the people who commented. Anyway, thank you SO MUCH for reading! Hope you like the ending :D
I smile at Derek from across the table. We're at his place again, celebrating Queens' big win. It's the family's last night in town, and I'm surprised at how sad I'll be to see them go. I dreaded them coming, but being with everyone feels amazingly right.
Derek played the best game of his life, I'm told. Even I could tell it was good. There was a lot of scoring, and that I can follow. He's jubilant, rehashing the game with George.
He catches me looking at him and smiles. "It was definitely good everyone slept over last night," he says with a smirk. "I had no nerves at all today."
Edwin turns scarlet and looks at the table. He hasn't been able to make eye contact with me all day, and I wince slightly. We apparently were not very quiet last night. They didn't even ask if we'd made up when we emerged from Derek's room this morning. Lizzie said "I'm glad you guys worked things out," with a little smirk, and Edwin stared at his shoes.
Derek and I still haven't gotten to talk about the fact that Edwin and Lizzie know. We had other things on our mind last night, and today he was with the team the whole day, leading up to the game.
I could tell Derek wasn't surprised that they know. He didn't seem at all upset about it. I guess he really is ready for the family to know. The fact that he's ready because he believes in our relationship and wants it to last forever makes me giddy. I didn't realize, or maybe didn't let myself see it, until he said it.
He loves me. He didn't just say it once. He's said it a lot now. He even said it in a casual, offhand way, when he kissed me goodbye this morning. "Love you, see you after the game." Like it was no big deal.
I never imagined, in my wildest dreams, that Derek Venturi would ever tell someone he loved them first. And continue to say it, without reciprocation.
Being with him is the best thing that's ever happened to me. And last night was perfect. Better than all the times I've dreamed of being with him. If I'm really honest, part of why I haven't had sex yet is because I always wanted my first time to be with him.
Even the fight was ultimately a good thing. Our relationship feels a lot more real to me now. I'm no longer floating in this euphoric fantasy, waiting for the bubble to pop. The brief break up showed me that this is real, and that I have to fight for it if I want it.
I do want it. More than anything. Maybe the fact that we're step siblings doesn't have to define us if I don't let it.
It helps that Sarah took it in stride. She wasn't mad I didn't tell her, or grossed out by it, or anything. She just sort of accepted it, and it makes me wonder if other people can accept it too. And maybe it doesn't matter if they do, as long as we're happy. It's not like it's illegal to be with your step sibling.
"That's so great!" Mom says enthusiastically. "We need to come visit more often!"
I forgot what we were even talking about, but I do want them to come visit more. It feels so good to see them. I don't want to dread their visits, or pretend away the best thing in my life whenever they come.
Lizzie and Edwin already know.
Derek is ready for them to all know.
I love my family. They've always supported me, no matter what.
I love him. I want to be with him forever.
I feel myself stand up and clear my throat. Even so, no one really notices except for Derek. My mom and Lizzie are focused on Simon. Marti is sneaking peas onto Edwin's plate. Edwin, George, and Derek are deep into hockey talk, but Derek glances at me when I stand, tilting his head slightly in question.
OhmygodwhatamIdoing
"Derek and I are together."
Edwin and Lizzie freeze and turn to me with wide eyes.
My mom and George look at me, perplexed. Marti takes Edwin's distraction as an opportunity to put all her peas on his plate.
Derek raises his brows at me, then grins. He stands and walks around the table to stand next to me.
"Sorry?" My mom says. She looks confused still, but I think George gets it cus he groans and puts his head in his hands.
"We're in love." I clarify, and take Derek's hand.
"Oooooh," Marti says in a sing-songy taunting voice, like we're little kids on the playground that like each other. "Do you guys kiss?"
George looks up at Derek and shakes his finger with a glare. "Derek! What did I tell you?"
"It started this semester, I swear," Derek says, holding his hands up in a placating gesture.
George sighs and his shoulders slump. "Well, all right," he says. "As long as you're happy."
What the… what just happened?
" WHAT?!" My mom screams the question I'm thinking. "You knew about this?" She isn't even looking at us, she's glaring daggers at George.
"What? No!" George says defensively, holding up his hands, in a gesture very similar to what Derek just did. "No, of course not! I wouldn't have kept something like this from you!"
"What do you mean 'What did I tell you?' What does that mean?"
"Well, I mean, of course I had the talk with him, when we decided to get married and move in with you and your girls! I'm a responsible father!"
"What talk?!" My mom is livid, but it's not directed at us, and I kind of can't believe this is happening right now.
"The one you have with your teenaged son, when you move him in with a beautiful girl his age! I told him to leave Casey alone, and that she's off limits, of course!"
"Off limits… You knew this would happen?" She's still screaming, and she looks completely shell shocked.
"Why am I the one getting yelled at?" George asks plaintively. "I didn't know anything. I just know teenaged boys, that's all! And I told Derek, very clearly, that there were boundaries, while under my roof."
My mom is mouthing the words under my roof with a dazed look on her face.
"And that still applies!" George says firmly, turning an admonishing finger on Edwin.
What?
"What?" Edwin says defensively. "I didn't do anything!"
" Edwin?" My mom voices my question out loud, before turning to Lizzie with sudden clarity. "And Lizzie?!" She glares between them. "Don't you dare! We're moving your rooms as soon as we get back home! Edwin is moving to the basement!"
"Hey!" Edwin protests.
"And we're not leaving you home alone anymore!" My mom goes on fiercely.
"That is so unfair!" Lizzie protests. "Why are we being punished for what Casey and Derek did?! We've never even kissed!"
The whole room freezes. Lizzie slaps her hands over her mouth as she realizes what she just admit to. Edwin blushes bright red.
Derek snorts out a laugh. George groans and puts his face in his hands again.
"Gross!" Marti says.
"Kiss…" my mom sputters incoherently. "Your brother ."
" STEP brother," Derek, Lizzie, and Edwin say it at the same time as me and it comes out in a resounding chorus.
My mom might actually be going into shock.
"It's all right, Nora," George says. "I'm happy for Derek and Casey. I'm sure they've thought this through and they didn't do this lightly."
"We are very happy," Derek says.
"And we have thought it through," I add.
"Our children," my mom says numbly. "How are you okay with this?"
"I can't really blame them," George says with a shrug. "Mcdonald women are irresistible to Venturi men." He grins at her.
She stares at him for a second and then bursts into hysterical laughter. "Oh my god," she murmurs over and over again.
"Men, not boys," George says sternly to Edwin, who is now so red, he looks like he might combust.
"Mom?" I ask softly. "Are you upset?" I'm relieved that everyone else really does seem fine, and not even very surprised by the news. But my mom's opinion is the most important to me, and my heart is still racing, waiting for her to talk to me instead of yell at George.
"I…" She looks at me helplessly. "Honey, I'm too shocked to be upset. I want you to be happy, of course. I just need to adjust to the fact that my daughter is with someone I think of as my son."
Derek blinks at her. "You do?"
"Of course I do!"
Derek blushes and looks at the ground. "That's cool," he mutters. "I think of you like a mom too. You're a great mom. I… we're lucky," he gestures to Marti and Edwin.
My mom smiles and lets out a shaky laugh. It's not hysterical this time.
She looks at me and Derek for a long moment. "I love you both, very much. If you've thought this through and you're happy, then… of course I support you."
Happy tears spring to my eyes, as she pulls us both in for a hug. Derek squeezes my hand and smiles. The others all pile around for a group hug.
"For the record," George says. "I think of Casey and Lizzie as daughters too."
"George," I let out a sniffle and hug him. He's been the best dad to me.
I can't believe me and Derek getting together is not a disaster for our family. It's maybe even bringing us closer together.
All the times I longed to be with Derek, I never let myself dream it would happen. I could scarcely believe he wanted me back. I certainly never thought we'd be here, telling our family. And I couldn't have imagined it would go this well.
I'm with Derek. And our family knows. I couldn't possibly be happier.
The next morning, we wave goodbye long after they're out of sight. Derek wraps his arm around me and kisses my head gently as we walk inside.
"So…" he grins at me. " We're in love, huh? This is news to me. I was under the impression that I was in love with you. Since you've never mentioned otherwise. And I assume, you normally being so quick to tell me every single opinion you have, that I would be the first person to know if the feeling was returned."
"Der- ek, " I blush and shove him lightly.
"I love you Casey."
I smile at him. "I love you too Derek."
- EPILOGUE -
I check and double check the decorations.
Giant penis balloons, check.
Giant poster of Chris Hemsworth and pin the cock game pieces, check.
Giant penis straws, check.
Giant penis cake in the fridge, check.
I'm nervous. I've never planned a bachelorette party before. Being Sarah's maid of honor is such a huge responsibility and I want to get everything perfect. I have to show how much I support her and Michael.
I run through the list again.
Bachelorette sash, check.
Overly strong punch reminiscent of our college days, despite the fact that we graduated four years ago, check.
Horderves, check.
"Casey!" Sarah calls my name. She's early. Thank god everything is already ready. "WOW! It looks amazing in here! Penises everywhere!" She laughs.
"Sarah!" I give her a big hug. "Did I go overboard? I want it to be perfect!"
"It's going to be a blast," Sarah says. "You're the best maid of honor."
I smile. I think this is my segue. I've been wanting to tell her forever. It's the best, most exciting news I've ever had, but I didn't want to jinx it by telling anyone. But I finally can, officially, as of yesterday. I waited a whole day so I could tell her in person.
"I hope so! You're my best friend! I'm sorry you weren't my maid of honor. I know you were sad that I picked Lizzie, even though you helped Derek and me so much in those early days. You totally called it from the moment you met us that you were going to help us "see the light."
"What! Why are you bringing that up? Your wedding was like four years ago? I was joking, I wasn't actually sad. Of course Lizzie was your maid of honor. Just like you'll be hers! I can't believe she and Edwin are actually getting married in a few months. How crazy is that?"
"So crazy," I agree. It is. There will officially be three McDonald-Venturi marriages in just a few short months. "But anyway, remember how I said, I'd make it up to you one day? For not making you maid of honor?"
"Casey, what are you talking about?" Sarah laughs. "If this party is making it up to me, you're already doing a great job, but you don't need to!"
"This party isn't it," I say. "I'm making it up to you by asking you to be godmother."
She gives me a puzzled frown. I guess I have to spell it out.
"I'm pregnant."