Chapter Four: Wrong

I recuperated in bed for the next few days. Anthony didn't bring up Derek again and neither did I. I assumed he had left after I told him I was married to Anthony now. I was a little sad about the thought of never seeing Derek again, but I had Anthony now and I had done it before so I could do it again. I got out of bed, three days after the lake incident. Anthony was at the shop. He had gone back to going every day. Business was never good for the shop after Halloween, which was fast approaching. He would only have the shop open, Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesdays in the winter. I was looking forward to having him home more often. I went downstairs and had some cereal for breakfast. There was a knock at the door. My heart jumped into my throat. The last time I had answered the door, it hadn't been pleasant. Nevertheless, I got up and went to the front door. To my relief, it was Nikola standing on the front step. "Nikola!" I cried happily. I hadn't seen her since the wedding. "Good morning," she said brightly. I stepped back and she came inside. We sat in the living room with cups of coffee and muffins that Roberta had just made. "I heard about what happened,' she said. I looked down, feeling foolish. I didn't feel good about pretty much attempting suicide. I had put everyone through so much already. "You did," I said. It was more a statement then a question. "Why did you do it?" she asked. I told her about Derek coming back and how angry Anthony had been. I left out the part about the voices in my head. I didn't want my new friend to think I was crazy. "What does he look like?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. "He had shaggy blond hair and hazel eyes with long lashes. He's tall and lanky but muscular at the same time, but he's gone," I told her. I saw his sad hazel eyes looking at me sadly. Nikola shook her head, "No, I think he just bought the house next to me," she said, I stared at her. No, he wouldn't have done that, no. I needed him to be gone. I couldn't have him around. I knew he would be tempting and I just didn't know if I had the control not to be with him ever. Anthony would not be happy. "He just moved in yesterday and he looked like your description," Nikola told me. I dropped my head into my hands in astonishment. "Don't worry, Anthony loves you, it'll be fine," Nikola reassured me. If only she knew how wrong she was.

If Anthony knew about Derek moving into a house in Duncan than he didn't let on. I was grateful for that, because I just didn't want to talk about it. I wanted to put Derek out of my head. Halloween came and went and I started to think that maybe Nikola was wrong. I hadn't seen Derek around, he hadn't come to visit and I had been to town many times and hadn't seen him. After a while I just couldn't take not knowing anymore. While Anthony was at the store one Saturday in early November I took the car to town. I drove towards Nikola's small house. I knew that Allison lived to the right of her so Derek's house must have been the one to the left. It was very small, with a little wrap around porch and a picket fence. The air was cold and it nipped at my legs through my thin pants. I went up to the door, feeling nervous. I didn't know if I wanted him to be there or not. I hesitated before knocking on the door twice. I really didn't know what to expect if he was there. The door was pulled open and there he stood. Derek Brooks, with his blond hair and beautiful hazel eyes. "Skye," he said smiling, "I was wondering when you would visit," "You were?" I asked, surprised. He nodded and stepped back so I could come inside. The inside of the house was very cozy. There was a small fire in the fireplace and the furniture looked old but comfortable. "Sit, please," he gestured toward a worn chair. I sat down. "Derek, I--" I started sitting forward. "No need to explain, I knew you'd be mine again eventually," he said. I shook my head in confusion, "I'm not yours, I wanted to know if it was really you living here," I explained. I thought he was acting very cocky, which wasn't a part of his personality at all. His smile faltered and I felt a pang of guilt once again for disappointing him. He looked devastated. "So you chose Anthony over me," he said. "No! No Derek, I loved you, I left because I felt like I was going to hurt you, I felt responsible for Trevor's death," I said. "But you weren't anywhere near the accident," Derek protested. "I know, but it was my fault he started drinking and hanging with the wrong crowd," I said tears coming to my eyes as I remembered the day we broke up.

"Oh Skye," he came over to be and held me in his arms. It felt like I had gone backing time, back to before Trevor had been in the accident and Derek and I were so happy. We stayed like that for a long while until I caught a glance at the clock on the mantel. I jumped up in alarm. Anthony would be coming home in less than ten minutes! "What is it?" Derek asked. "I have to go," I said, I grabbed my coat and ran out the door. "Skye! Wait!" Derek called from the doorway. But I didn't stop. Anthony would wonder where I had been all day. I had to get home before Roberta or Rachel told him I hadn't been at the house all day. I sped down the road, way over the speed limit. I screeched into the driveway and breathed a sigh of relief to see that Anthony's car wasn't there. I got out of the car and hurried into the house. I found Roberta in the kitchen, making lasagna for dinner. I could smell garlic bread baking in the oven. I caught my breath quickly, "has Anthony been here?" I asked. Roberta gave me a strange look, "Yes," she answered. My heart sank. "He left after receiving a phone call, he was asking where you were, I told him you hadn't been home all day, he said to tell you he would be home shortly before dinner," Roberta explained. I turned away from her. My heart was pounding. Anthony could find out where I had been all day. That would be a disaster. "And," Roberta added before I left the kitchen, "You are having guests," I turned around in surprise, "Who?" I asked. "I don't know, Anthony wanted it to be a surprise for you," she said. I left the kitchen. Who could be coming to dinner? Who would Anthony want to surprise me with? I decided to dress up a little for dinner. I didn't know who it would be but I thought I might as well look presentable. I showered and put on a blue blouse that matched my sky blue eyes. My eyes had bags under them from all the stress. My jet black hair was knotted in places and it took me awhile to get out all the tangles. When I got out of the bathroom Rachel was waiting for me. "Anthony is back with the guests, they are waiting in the living room," she said. "Who are these mystery guests?" I asked her. She smiled mischievously, "You'll see," she said and left the room. I got ready as fast as I could. The suspense over the guests was killing me. I just hoped that the dinner guests would help Anthony forget that I hadn't been home all day. I went down the stairs and entered the living room. Sitting on the couch were a young girl and an even younger boy. The girl had lovely, curly brown hair and the most familiar brown eyes. The boy looked about eleven. He was small and he was huddled up against the girl. His hair was straw coloured and his eyes were.gray. I would always remember those sad gray eyes. "Tyler! Erin!" I cried. Erin smiled a little but Tyler didn't do anything. "What are you-Anthony what-what's going on?" I stammered. "They are going to live with us, the foster center found out they had relatives and called me today, I went to pick them up from the city an hour from here," Anthony explained. I was so surprised to see my half sister and brother I could hardly speak. I hadn't seen either of them since I had left the trailer park in Monkton almost ten years ago. I ran over and hugged them. Erin was stiff and rigid and she didn't hug me back. I ignored her strange coldness towards me. "How have you been?" I asked. "Since Anthony left we have been in five different foster homes," Erin said. She had a little bitterness in her voice. I glanced at Anthony quickly, "Oh, I'm sorry," I said. Everyone was silent for a minute. Finally Anthony stood up and clapped his hands together, "Well, isn't this great? All of us together again?" No one said anything. "Uh, Skye, why don't we show them what rooms they can have," Anthony said. I brightened a little, "Rooms, yes," we headed upstairs and showed them the four guest rooms. None of them were decorated. We hadn't had the time or energy to decorate them and we really had no reason to, no one ever came to visit long enough to stay over night. "We can decorate them however you want," I told Erin and Tyler. Erin looked excited about getting a room so large. There were walk-in closets and each room had it's own bathroom. Erin chose a room with a large canopy bed and white walls. Tyler chose a room with a double bed and a very large desk. We ate our dinner in an uncomfortable silence and after dinner I was very tired. "Well, I bet you two are tired, so we'll see you in the morning," Anthony said. "Goodnight," Erin said. Tyler just walked off in the direction of his room. Anthony and I went to our room and got ready for bed. I crawled into bed next to Anthony and snuggled under the covers. "I'll take them to the city tomorrow and get them new clothes," I said. I was excited to go shopping for someone other than myself. "And I'll get some paint and new blankets for the beds, and get them enrolled in the school in Duncan, and show them around town and--" "Skye!" Anthony said laughing, "There is lots of time to do all of that, we're together again, that's all that matters," "Your right," I said. I turned off the light and closed my eyes. "Hey, where were you all day today?" Anthony asked. I froze. "Um, I was just uh, hanging out with Nikola," I answered. "Did you two have fun?" he asked. "Yes," I said. He fell asleep after that. I was glad that it was dark enough in the room for him to miss the blush that stained my cheeks. I hated lying to him, but I didn't want him to be angry. This was for the best? I was only protecting him. Wasn't I?