And The Winner Is...
By TheBucketWoman
Disclaimer: I do not own Life With Derek, Forbidden Chocolate Ice Cream, or Guitar Hero.
Chapter Seven
Part One: Derek.
Somehow he should have known they'd end up pulling into the parking lot of Good Deal. He knew what he was there for, and suddenly he wished he hadn't eaten that order of onion rings with his soup. His stomach was starting to churn a little, the way it did before hockey playoffs or exams. He reached into the pocket of the car caddy that hung behind the driver's seat of the station wagon and rooted around until he found a mint to suck on. He hoped that would settle things. He couldn't afford to puke right now.
He hopped out and closed the door, so that his dad could boop the car alarm.
"You want me to talk to your boss for you?" His dad said. He shook his head. That would be the cherry on his indignity sundae. He swished through the automatic doors, his dad and Casey somewhere behind him, he didn't look.
"Hey, Noob," said Michael, who'd apparently pulled the short straw today and had been stuck as a greeter. "Welcome to Good Buy where all the yadda yadda...So whatchoo doing here? I took your shift." He pushed his hair out of his eyes and it flopped back down. Derek didn't know how he could see to drive home every night.
Need to talk to Les, Derek wrote. Michael held the note pad practically up to his nose to read it. He never wore his glasses on the floor.
"He's over by the gaming section, was there any doubt," Michael said. "I'd say take all the time off you need; I could use the overtime. Daddy needs new contacts." Derek nodded and patted him on the shoulder as he took off toward the gaming section. Jacinta was working the register and waved him over.
"Thought you were out sick, Papi," she said. He nodded and gestured to the pad.
"Damn," she said. "Eat soup. Lots of soup—NEXT ON LINE—And my pasteles when I make em." She started to ring someone up. "So what are you doing here when you don't have to be?"
Must discuss something with Les, he wrote.
"Not too cryptic," she said. "Are you quitting?"
He didn't answer.
"That'll be 35.90," she said to the customer. To Derek, she said. "Well, you suck. Are you gonna come visit us? I'll email you when I make the pasteles and you're coming in for them unless you want me on your doorstep with a casserole dish." She swiped the customer's credit card and handed him the stylus to sign his name. "Now gimme a kiss," she said finally. "Not you," she said to the customer, who laughed. "Him." Derek obliged.
He found Les demonstrating Guitar Hero, clearly in a state of bliss. He waited until Les's song ended and he noticed Derek standing there. He turned back to his customer.
"Now, after that, can you think of a better birthday present for your son?" Les asked. "Derek here's crazy about the thing, aren't you, Derek?" Derek nodded. "So," Les continued, "Take your time, play with it a little yourself, and come find one of our lovely salespeople when you're ready."
The woman looked a little dazed. "Thanks," she said, picking up the guitar like she'd never seen one before.
"Okiedokie," Les said, "What can I do ya for on this, your lovely, unexpected day off, Der?"
Derek took a minute to scribble as fast as he could.
"Take your time, kid, I wanna be able to read your writing," Les said. Derek handed him the note.
Went to doctor today. Voice is baked. Need speech therapy so it doesn't happen again, he wrote.
"This is true, kid, you really don't know how to yell," Les said. "Gotta project, from the diaphragm. Haven't you ever done a school play?"
Derek shook his head.
"Is this the first time you've had this happen?" Les asked.
Yes and no, Derek wrote. Few months back, got hit with hockey puck. In the throat. Thought I was better.
"I heard about that," Les said. "That was you?" Derek chewed on his lower lip a little and nodded.
How'd you hear about it? Derek wrote.
"Local news," Les said. "They didn't name names, though. If it had been during a game, your name would've been everywhere." Derek thought this over. This day just kept getting better and better. He started scribbling again.
I need to quit, he wrote.
"Knew you were gonna say that," Les said and sighed. "So go ahead, leave me in the lurch with only Michael to keep our heads above water, God help us."
Derek grabbed the pad back and started again. Les put a hand on his arm.
"I'm kidding," he said. "Gonna miss you. If there's any chance of you coming back next summer, or possibly for the holiday rush? Maybe yes? We'd like to have you back."
Derek's stomach settled a little.
"Is that your dad over there?" Les said. Derek turned to see his dad and Casey in the camera section, talking to Brian like they'd known each other forever.
Part Two: George.
George figured that now was as good a time as any, so while Derek was off wherever he went, talking to his boss, George beckoned Casey over to the cameras.
"This was going to be a surprise for Derek. I was supposed to get it the other day, but I couldn't make up my mind."
"What, exactly?" Casey said,with interest.
"This," he said, indicating a very expensive looking HD camcorder.
Casey put a hand over her mouth and jumped up and down a little. Pretty much the reaction he'd been hoping for.
"He's gonna freak," she said.
"Mr. Venturi," Brian said, as he popped over to them. "Good to see you again."
"You too," George said. "This is Casey. Casey, this is Brian."
"You're Casey?" Brian said. "Wow." Then he seemed to remember why he was there. "Have you had a chance to look at any of these?"
"As a matter of fact, yes," George said. He indicated the one that he wanted. "I was hoping you had some of these on hand."
Brian whistled. "Umkay," he said. "Are you sure?"
"Yep," George said. "Wrap 'er up." Brian scampered away to get one from the stock room.
It took Brian five minutes to come back with the camera. George might just have made his day.
"It comes with a carry case, tripod and software," Brian said, a little unsteadily. "And of course, you get Derek's discount, and—"
"And I'm going to need the two-year warranty," George said.
"Um, okay," Brian said.
"Breathe," Casey said.
"Maybe later," Brian said. Casey laughed. Brian brought it to Jacinta, who rang it up, and George handed over his card. Casey blinked at the total, and when George tried to hand her the box, she backed up.
"Uh-uh,"she said. "I'm Klutzilla, remember?"
"Warranty," Brian sang.
"Still terrified," Casey sang back. "Um, Brian," she said, after a minute. "What exactly have you heard about me?"
"Derek's mentioned you," he said. He leaned in close for a second. "Boy is your slave, but I didn't say that."
"Wait," Jacinta said, "This is Casey?" Brian nodded.
"You are a lucky girl," she said.
"Yeah," Casey said. "Don't tell him that."
"Course not," Jacinta said. "Boy's crazy about you, though."
"It's obvious," George said.
"But still good to hear," Casey said. Then she saw Derek approaching with another guy. "Speak of the devil."
"And he shall appear," said the guy. "I am Les, by the way. Lester Cunningham." George and Casey shook his hand.
"George Venturi."
"Casey MacDonald."
"You're Casey?" Les said, with interest. "The Casey?" Derek covered his face. George snorted into his hand.
"That I am," she said. She snaked an arm around Derek's waist.
"Out of your league, Der," Les said. Derek nodded.
"Quit it," Casey said.
"He knows I like my little joke," Les said. "It's all out of love. And I will miss the little bug when he's gone."
"Where's he goin?" Brian said.
"He quit," Les said. "Couldn't stand your ugly face anymore."
"Bite me," Brian said. Then he turned to Derek. "Well that sucks, boy. Now we're stuck with only Michael. And a sea of women, none of whom will date me."
"That's right," Jacinta said.
"I heard that," Michael called from the door.
"Well, Der," Les said. "I think I speak for everybody when I say that as long as you spend your money here, you will always be loved by us."
I'm touched, Derek wrote. He held it up for them to see.
"Speaking of money spent in here," George said. "Why don't you bring this to the car." He handed the bag with the camera in it to Derek, who didn't peek into it at first. The suspense drove George mad.
"I've just broken in your discount," George said. That did it. Derek peeked. He looked up puzzled.
"Will ya just bring your camera to the car already?" George said. Casey laughed at the look on Derek's face.
Les, who had looked over Derek's shoulder said: "Looks like Mr. Venturi's your new best friend, Brian."
"Come on," Casey said. "Before you pull a me and fall down. Let's go sit in the car." She began to lead him out of the store. Derek looked over at George in disbelief as Casey dragged him out.
Part Three: Casey
"Well?" she said. Derek clutched his chest and pretended to keel over in his seat.
"That's pretty much what I thought," she said.
It's a bit much for a pity gift, though, Derek wrote.
"George was going to buy you one last week," Casey said. "He just didn't know which one. Said he had to do research."
Derek raised an eyebrow at her.
"I know for a fact he's spoken with that guy—Brian before," Casey said. "That day when you both came in? When you filled out the application?"
He still looked skeptical. "It's true," she said. "And anyway, no one spends this kind of money on pity. So I think you should just enjoy it. You deserve it," she said as she leaned him to give him their usual peck, but he pulled her in and kissed her until she had to pull away, gasping for air.
Then the car door opened and George got in. He started the car without a word and pulled out. As they waited for the light at the exit to turn green, he got the giggles.
"What's so funny, George?" she said.
"I just wondered if you were giving him CPR back there is all."
"George!" she said, turning pink.
After they got home, she caught up with Derek in the driveway. She took him by one shoulder and turned him around
"So, Scorcese," she said. "Am I in your first film?"
You and a bowl of Forbidden Chocolate ice cream, he wrote. She smacked his arm.