Suds in the Bucket
"You're sure you haven't heard from her?"
Lizzie McDonald can hear the worry and strain in her mother's voice. She's eavesdropping— naturally— and right now, she can't really bring herself to care about the invasion of her mother's privacy.
Lizzie's older sister didn't show up for her classes today or yesterday, and if that's not cause for concern, Lizzie isn't sure what is. Casey's university called her emergency contact when she didn't check in at her dorm for the second day in a row.
"Well, please, Dennis, let me know if she calls you," Nora whimpers into the telephone receiver.
Lizzie sighs, starting down the stairs, walking toward her mother, arms outstretched to hug her tightly.
"She hasn't called your dad," Nora explains to Lizzie, pursing her lips. "And her roommate hasn't seen her since Tuesday afternoon."
Lizzie bites her lip.
"George has been trying to call Derek, but it's hockey season. He never answers during practice," Nora continues, scrubbing her hands down her face.
"Maybe we should go to Queens?" Lizzie offers, scrunching her eyebrows together. "We can talk to Casey's friends and see where she usually goes and who she hangs out with? Maybe her phone just died and she's crashing at a friend's dorm. This could all just be a big misunderstanding. She could've gotten into a fight with her roommate and stormed off— wouldn't be the first time."
Nora frowns, but nods, agreeing with her daughter. Nora knows it's unlike Casey to not check in and to skip class, but she also knows it's possible she's just overreacting, as any mother likely would.
"You and I will head up there in the morning. Go pack a bag."
"Like I told the school, I haven't seen her since Tuesday. The last I saw her, she was heading down to the basement to do her laundry with that guy she's always with."
Lizzie furrows her eyebrows.
"What guy?" she asks, now thanking whoever's listening that her mother isn't here for this conversation— she'd panic knowing Casey was last seen with a boy.
Casey's roommate, Heather, shrugs.
"Don't know his name," Heather replies, shaking her head. "He's tall, brown hair. Casey's never introduced me."
Lizzie knows it's a long shot, but she has to ask anyway.
"Do you think his name might be 'Derek'?"
Heather raises her eyebrows.
"That could be it. Derek, David, something like that."
Lizzie exhales, her nerves calming slightly. If Casey was last with Derek, that means she's probably safe— at least Lizzie hopes that's what it means.
"Y'know, Derek, you could do your own laundry," Casey laughs, folding one of Derek's t-shirts and placing it in his laundry basket.
Derek smirks that signature smirk he does so well and laughs, hopping up and sitting on top of one of the empty dryers.
"But then I wouldn't get the pleasure of watching you do it for me."
Casey rolls her eyes playfully, continuing to fold the laundry in front of her.
"Plus, those definitely aren't mine," Derek points out, gesturing to the pair of women's lace underwear in Casey's hands. "Half of that basket is yours anyway. You spend more time at my dorm than your own."
Casey shrugs.
"Well, I suppose I'll probably be doing your laundry for the rest of our lives anyway, so I guess starting now is as good a time as any," Casey states, smiling at her step-brother.
Derek reaches out his hand, grabbing hold of the kangaroo pocket on Casey's sweatshirt, pulling her toward him to stand between his legs.
"The rest of our lives, huh?" Derek whispers, leaning down and brushing his lips against Casey's jawline.
Casey chuckles lightly, leaning her head to the side and exposing her neck.
"Well, one way or another, I figure I'm stuck with you," Casey explains, digging her fingernails into Derek's bicep when he presses his lips to the hollow of her throat.
"One way or another?" Derek questions, his breath ghosting over her neck as he snakes his arms tightly around her waist.
Casey smiles again, pulling back slightly and brushing her fingers through Derek's hair.
"One way or another," she confirms, biting her lip.
Derek smiles a half-smile, bringing his hand up to caress Casey's cheek as he leans his forehead against hers.
"Marry me, Princess."
Casey steps back, untangling herself from her step-brother's hold.
She picks up the laundry basket she'd been working on, balancing it under her arm on her hip.
"Name the time and place, Venturi."
Derek laughs, dropping down from on top of the dryer, taking Casey's free hand in his.
"How's right now sound?"
"I know, I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to scare you," Casey says into the telephone receiver, sitting upright in her motel room bed, clutching the comforter to her chest.
"Cassandra McDonald, you cannot disappear for almost a week and not tell me! George and I were worried sick and your father almost booked a flight here from the city to come look for you," Nora hisses, her tone stern on the other end of the line.
Casey sighs heavily.
"I promise, I'm fine. I'm safe," Casey says, standing from the bed when the person beside her stirs awake. "I just needed to get away for a little while."
Casey presses her finger to her lips, silently telling Derek to keep his mouth shut.
"So come home when you need to get away from school. Don't just take off without telling anyone!"
Casey nods, not that her mother can see it, and exhales heavily.
"I promise, Mom, it won't happen again."
Casey hangs up the phone, groaning aloud as she crawls back into bed.
"You're such a liar," Derek laughs, pulling her flush against against him under the comforter.
"I am not! I told her this wouldn't happen again— I didn't lie. It won't," Casey laughs, leaning forward and pressing her lips to his.
Derek shakes his head, still laughing.
"Oh? Not planning on running off and getting married every weekend?" Derek asks, jokingly, gliding his hand up and down his new wife's thigh.
"I still can't believe we got married," Casey states, her fingers twiddling with the hair at the base of Derek's neck.
Derek nods in agreement, leaning forward and kissing her again.
"Well, one thing's for sure," Derek starts. "Next time your mom calls to yell at you, she should at least get your name right— Mrs. Venturi."
Hello, friends. Long time, no see. Life, y'know? Anyway, this one-shot was inspired by "Suds in the Bucket" by Sara Evans. It's a good song if you care to listen.
I promise there's more one-shots coming. I'm in the process of writing one that's longer than usual, so maybe that makes up for my hiatus? Lol.
Thanks for reading.