And The Winner Is...
by TheBucketWoman
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with LWD or the various references I make herein.
Chapter Three
Part One: George
"So," Nora said, "About this bonus?"
George and Nora often got the munchies late at night, especially after they'd had a little exercise. So there they were at the island in the kitchen with a couple of ice pops that the kids hadn't found yet.
"Don't forget the raise," George said.
"How could I," Nora said. "College funds?"
"Covered," George said.
"Bills?"
"Them too," George said.
"Savings?"
"You're just no fun," George said. "I was actually thinking that there's a bunch of stuff that the kids could use."
"Like savings bonds?" Nora joked.
"Ha," George said. "I have a plan. See, tomorrow, I will grab Derek and take him through the electronics store."
"Like taking a pyromaniac through an oil field," Nora said.
"It's a reconnaissance mission," George said. "I'm gonna end up shelling out for a couple CDs or DVDs I think, but I'm gonna pretend to linger by the printer section, like I can't remember what ink to get, and see what he gravitates toward after he's done with the music section."
"Video games, I'm thinking," Nora said.
"Maybe," George said. "Derek can be a simple creature."
"You might look at another computer?" Nora said.
"I was thinking that," George said. "Or two laptops for Lizzie and Edwin? Gotta figure out what Casey wants."
"My head is spinning," Nora said.
"Join the club," George said.
"What about Marti?" Nora said.
"Dunno," George said. "Something purple?" Nora rolled her eyes.
"Let's take our time," George said. "This is not a race."
Part Two: Derek.
There were pancakes and sausage. The smell of sausage, mixed with coffee, mixed with syrup all but lifted him out of bed. It was the smell of a thousand diners, the type of smell that used to put him in a good mood even when he had to wait for the school bus in the dead of winter in front of that ratty coffee shop. He came downstairs, hair still sticking up, but eyes wide open. Casey, who was already helping set the table, took one look at him and almost dropped the orange juice.
"You owe me five bucks, Mom" she said, laughing. Nora reached into her jeans pocket and gave her the money. Casey ruffled Derek's hair in an attempt to calm it a little, but succeeded in making it worse. She kissed him on the cheek, pretty secure in the knowledge that he had yet to brush his teeth.
"Food?" Derek said.
" 'Good morning, Casey, I trust you slept well'" she said. "Why yes, Derek, actually I had quite a pleasant night."
"Okay, what you said," Derek relied. "And food?" Nora laughed.
"Here it is," Nora said, putting a plate of pancakes down in the middle of the table.
"Isn't anyone else eating?" he said reaching for the whole stack. Nora threatened him with the spatula. He grinned and took a couple. Nora put one more on his plate and gave him another hair ruffle for good measure before she poked her head into the living room.
"Marti?" he heard her say. "It's ready, could you go get Lizzie and Edwin?" Derek noticed that Nora knew not to say "Call Lizzie and Edwin," because their ears would be bleeding. Marti had some lungs on her.
Casey opened the door that led to the basement. "George! Food!" she said. Up popped Derek's dad like he'd been launched on a catapult.
"Food?" George said.
It was quiet for a few minutes while everyone ate with an unaccustomed passion. They very rarely got a breakfast like this. Derek wondered why, fleetingly, but decided not to look a gift pancake in the stack.
"Did somebody die?" Edwin said, between bites.
"Why would you say that?" Nora said.
"Uh-oh," Edwin said. "Somebody did!"
"Somebody died?" Marti asked.
"Nobody died," Dad said. "You guys are ultra cynical; where are you getting that from?"
"We never eat like this?" Lizzie said.
"Well, next time, we'll just leave you with the cereal, then," Nora said.
"No need to be hasty," Edwin said.
"Thought so," Nora said.
"What's cynical mean?" Marti said.
"It's when people are suspicious of everything," Casey told her.
"Like parents?" Marti replied. Derek had been drinking when she said that. His dad patted him on the back as he choked on his orange juice. This set everyone else off.
"Good—" Derek squeaked, then cleared his throat a couple of times and took a sip of water that Nora conveniently placed next to him at the beginning of the coughing fit. "Good one, Smarti," he said.
"I try," she said.
"So, Derek, Casey, listen," Dad said. Here it comes, Derek thought.
"Got some errands to run," Dad continued. "Why don't you guys come with?"
"I have dance class," Casey said.
"I have..." Derek thought furiously, "to drive her to dance class."
"Um, actually," Casey said, "Em and I have some errands of our own?"
"Going to Good Deal," his dad sing-songed.
"Oh," Derek said, promptly deciding that he didn't care that Casey would have the car all day. He had a CD or three that he had his eye on.
"You might wanna go shower," Dad said.
Once they got there, the smell of new electronics was an even better mood elevator than breakfast had been.
He bounced over to the new releases while his dad headed toward the computer section. He peeked surreptitiously into his wallet, did some quick calculations and picked up the new White Stripes on sale. He went directly to the register while the line was short. As he got to the front of the line an idea occurred to him. He asked for a job application while he was there, filled it out quickly on an empty counter. The manager, not being too busy this early, went right over to talk to him. The manager was a tall red headed sunburned college student who introduced himself only as Les. He seemed to hit it off with this Les dude so the "I'll call ya," sounded pretty promising.
His dad seemed to be still hanging around the ink. Derek though he'd better get over there before his dad got any more confused. He went over to where Dad was staring at the display of ink, brow furrowed in concentration, and picked out black and color cartridges with no trouble.
"Why don't you just write down the number of the ink cartridge?" he asked, handing the little boxes to his father. "It would save time."
"The printer came with a little card for my wallet," his dad said, "but of course it's in the drawer with all the manuals." Derek shook his head.
"So," Derek said, "That it?"
"Nah," Dad said. "I think we might need a new grill. And anyway, what's your hurry?"
Derek could think of a few things he'd rather do than look at grills. Another laryngoscopy came to mind. Hell, getting hit in the throat with another hockey puck came to mind. Dental surgery, maybe. He went to check out the cameras. Maybe he'd see something that he could get once he got paid. If he got the job.
After about fifteen minutes of staring longingly at the better DV camcorders, knowing that they were forever out of his league, he turned irritably toward the appliance section.
"How long does it take to pick out a George Foreman grill like everyone knows he wants and freakin' check out already?" And get me away from these things? He thought.
He went over there and found his dad looking from one model to another. Who knew they had so many?
"Get the white one," Derek said.
"I kinda like the black," Dad said.
"So get the black," Derek said.
"Maybe the one with the bun warmer," Dad said. Derek sighed.
"What'd you get?" Dad asked.
"White Stripes," Derek said, holding the bag up.
"That all?" Dad said.
"Mhm," Derek said. His dad pulled some twenties out his wallet.
"Go on," George said. "You know you want to."
"Who are you and what have you done with my daddy?"
"You don't want?" his dad said, pretending to put the money back as Derek snatched it. "Thought so."
Derek, predictably, went back to the music section. He picked out one more thing for himself and one CD that all but screamed Casey's name, and checked out again. He was folding up the three miles of receipt and stuffing his change into his pocket when his dad finally got to the cashiers with his grill and the ink cartridges. Derek noticed that he threw in some batteries, a DVD, and a couple of candy bars, too. Dad was never one to resist impulse buys.
"Know, what?" His dad said when he met up with him at the door. "Put this stuff in the car and, how bout you get us some Starbucks, I need to use the little boys' room." He handed Derek another twenty.
Did his dad rob a bank?