Chapter 12
Dina Andrea Nichols
Part Two…a year and five months later
…right where we left off
Drake didn't know what to expect as he and Dina walked into the house together.
He was glad that The Creature was gone so they could have some uninterrupted
time, but Drake was certain that as soon as Mindy came back she would do
everything to undermine their efforts. Yet, he didn't want to say anything. Dina loved
her. Why? He didn't know. There was someone for everyone and he didn't want to
ruin anything between them.
"Drake," Dina waved her hand in front of his face, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine." He sat on the brown sofa in the living room.
"Then what did I say?"
"I didn't hear you. I guess there are things on my mind."
It was nothing that he wanted to go into detail about.
"I asked if you wanted anything to drink?"
"No. I'm good. Where do we start?"
He could admit that much.
Dina stayed standing up. It was even more intimidating that she was still a few
inches taller than he was.
She picked up a green decorative pillow. It was the shade of pistachio ice cream.
"How about this? You SON of a BITCH! I needed you and you weren't there and you
have no idea on how much that hurts." She yelled as she hit her brother with the
pillow.
Drake let Dina hit him. Gone were the days when they could beat each other up to
get rid of the negative energy.
"I know. Are you sure I'm welcome here, Dina?"
"Of course you are, Drake. I just had to get that off my chest. Well actually, there's
something else I have to do."
"Are you going to throw a toaster at me?"
He thought he deserved a bullet through the chest.
"Don't be silly," she toed off her shoes and proceeded to put down the blinds, "But
there are some things that you are going to understand."
"Why did you put down the blinds?"
Dina didn't answer him. She put the lamp on and proceeded to undress before his
eyes. When Drake realized this he put a hand in front of his face and closed his
eyes.
"No!" She slapped his shoulder, "You are going to see this! Dad might be gone, but
you—there's potential there, Drake—so you better DAMN well LOOK AT ME!"
Drake knew he had to if she was set on him to see her this way. If he didn't he might
not have a relationship with her and he didn't want that to happen.
"The doctor's did a fine job."
Dina almost reached for the pillow again, but refrained. He was trying. "I didn't ask
you to critique what the doctor's did. I want you to realize that I AM A REAL
WOMAN! Well, almost---"
"Almost?"
"I drive Mindy crazy sometimes. I still have to continue with my dilation. To me, I'm
not 100 there until I finish. But I AM a woman and want to be treated with respect."
"Of course. Dilation?"
"You don't want to know, Drake." She started to pick up her clothes. She hoped she
didn't ruin her corset with the swift way she took it off.
"Yeah, I do."
"It's to make the opening bigger down there."
Drake pretended to hide the wince. "I see."
"You don't have to hide being grossed out. It is rather disgusting. Now this is the last
time you ever going to see me naked. I'm going upstairs to change. I hope you'll still
be here when I return. But if you aren't my tears for you are done."
She didn't even give Drake a chance to respond. He let out a big sigh before
getting up to turn off the lamp and open the blinds. Drake felt like that child that
wanders away from his parents at the mall. They hug and kiss you upon your return
and then spend the whole ride in the car yelling at you regarding the awful thing
you've done. And Drake knew that he did the most awful thing ever. He never got to
say goodbye to Josh. He abandoned Dina. Even when Audrey sent him to live with
Uncle Richard he still could've initiated some form of contact. He deserved more
punishment than being hit by a pillow and yelled at.
Drake Parker was selfish and he knew it.
Would it ever be okay between them?
Dina changed into a denim skirt and a candy apple red v-neck t-shirt. Her heart
almost skipped a beat when she saw that Drake wasn't in the living room, but it
retracted when she heard the sound of a soda can being opened from the kitchen.
"There you are, Drake…I thought you---"
"No, I'm still here. You don't mind that I took a soda?"
It wasn't Mocha Cola. But root beer was good enough.
"Of course, not." Dina nervously put her hair behind her one ear.
"This is a nice apartment."
"It's a shithole. Are you hungry? I could use some lunch."
"Are you sure it's no trouble?"
"It's no trouble. How was Washington?"
"Terrible."
The kitchen was small. The table only had room for two chairs. Drake noticed the
claustrophobic feeling of it all when he went to get a soda out of the old early sixties
White-Westinghouse refrigerator.
"Is a grilled cheese fine?" Dina did find tomatoes at the supermarket and Mindy was
quite pissed off that she didn't buy plums instead.
"Sure. As long as you have one too."
"You didn't make any friends?"
"Not really. I never should've been there in the first place."
"How's your music?"
"I can't talk like nothing is wrong," Drake wiped the condensation off the can with his
hand, "I feel like I don't have the right."
Dina turned around making sure to turn the heat down on the stove.
"It'll take time and you do have the right to have good things happen to you, Drake."
Wow. His self-confidence seemed to have taken a direct hit. Mindy would have
thought he deserved it, but Dina didn't believe in an eye for an eye.
It was also noted that Drake was truly sorry for the hurtful things he did and said.
He smiled a faint smile, "To answer your question. My music got nowhere in
Washington."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Do you want chips with yours?"
"No." He felt like a heel eating their food.
"Honey barbeque. I know you like those."
"Okay, as long as you're having some."
Dina wouldn't argue with the "as long as you're having it" mentality that Drake was
sporting. Her brother was coping the best he could under the circumstances and
Dina wouldn't fault him for his nervousness.
He was here and that meant more to her than getting to meet Oprah Winfrey
someday.
"Do you want a pickle?"
"If you---"
"Drake you can have a pickle even if I don't want one right now."
"Josh," Drake wished he could just disappear in a cloud of smoke, "Oh, Dina…I'm
so sorry."
"It's all right. Stop beating yourself up over an honest slip of the tongue." She put the
two plates on the table and sat to join her brother. Only to get up a minute later
because she forgot the lemon-lime soda for herself and another root beer for Drake.
"Thanks for making me lunch. You didn't have to."
Sometimes Dina was a better cook than Audrey.
"I know I didn't have to. I wanted to. Big difference."
"So, what are you doing with yourself? Work? School?"
"I work for Jewelz4U. I assemble jewelry at home."
"That's---nice?"
It couldn't have been what she wanted.
"It pays the bills. Do you want the rest of my chips? I can't finish."
"Sure. I'm going to have to leave soon, I have to see Mom and Megan too."
"You didn't see them first?"
"No. No one was home when I went to the house. I was surprised when my key still
worked."
"Mom wouldn't change the locks on you."
Dina hoped that Megan would snap out of her mini rebellious phase once she saw
Drake again. She got caught smoking, skipped a few a classes, and although she
didn't get caught. She admitted to spray painting school property.
"That's good to know."
"You saw me first? Thanks." And it was an eight hour drive from San Diego.
He must have dug around in Audrey's desk drawer and that's how he found the
address.
"You're welcome. I wanted to. Now, you'll have to excuse me," Drake stood up, "I
need to get something out of my car."
What was he up to?
Dina didn't feel like doing the dishes. She just put them in the sink and lightly rinsed
them with the sink hose.
"Dina, you can come into the living room now."
"Drake, you didn't have to buy me anything." She replied upon seeing the tall purple
and pink shopping bag with the words 'Happy Anniversary' on it.
"I know. I wanted to. And there seems to be a lot of that going around lately." He
reached in and handed Dina a small square package wrapped in white wrapping
paper with pink stripes on it.
It was a bottle of Tiffany Sheer perfume.
"Oh, Drake, this is nice."
"I don't know what fragrance you like…but I figured you'd need to start your perfume
collection."
"Thank you," A quick kiss on the cheek for the best brother in the world.
"Well, there's more, but you're going to have to close your eyes."
Dina liked seeing a little bit of the famous Drake Parker spark in his eyes that she
happily obliged.
Mindy came in through the back door of the kitchen and was beyond pissed that he
was still here as she watched Drake bribe Dina with gift after gift from the archway.
Dina felt a square shaped box on her lap. It was empty because Drake wanted to
assemble whatever was in it.
"You can open your eyes now, Dina."
It was a Gamesphere Special Edition.
Not only was it spherical but it was green.
"The new Gamesphere!" She put the box off to the side next to the sofa.
He had already hooked it up to the TV.
"Do you want to play?"
"I haven't played video games in a very long time." Or did any magic tricks. Drake's
eyes went downcast.
"Oh, I didn't know you don----"
"Drake, I didn't say I didn't like video games anymore. I said I haven't played video
games in a very long time. I would love to play and beat your ass at all these
games—but you have a long drive to San Diego."
Mindy slithered back into the kitchen. He was certain he'd be leaving out the front
door since that's where his car was parked outside.
She grabbed her black sweater and put it on as she walked Drake to his car.
Mindy returned to her spot by the window where she was painting. Her stomach
feeling sick watching them hug goodbye. She was going to have to put a stop to this
before Drake could cause Dina and herself any more pain.
"I love you." Dina said
"I know."
Drake put the window down when he got into the car as they discussed future visits
and plans.
"As long as you're not a stranger."
"I won't be," Drake held Dina's hand tight. He was grateful for the second chance, "I'll
call you tomorrow."
"Have a safe trip. Say hi to Mom and Megan for me. Tell Mom I'll call her
soon."
"I will. I'll see ya later."
"Bye, Drake." She started to turn around to walk towards the porch so she could
wave to him from a distance to try and camouflage the recent flow of tears.
"And Dina?"
"Yeah?"
"You're beautiful…"