Chapter 2: Your Kidding, Right?
"No, Derek!" Casey refused pushing open the back door of the house. She frowned at the laundry room which was still full of Derek's hockey equipment, since he thought he was too precious to carry them back to his room. He followed behind her, tossing his book bag onto a pile of smelly socks. No doubt Edwin's.
"I really think you should give him a chance." Derek insisted following her into the kitchen.
"For the last time I will not go out with Ralph!" Casey nearly shouted, turning on him only to find him stumble to a stop lifting his eyebrows suggestively. She rose hers challenging him to continue. They heard an angry sigh from the couch, but neither of them turned, too busy with their stare down.
"And why not?" He asked, finally looking away to plop down onto his chair and in turn look at her expectantly.
"Because," She said simply shrugging before continuing. "He can barely count to ten." With that she turned, making sure her brown hair flipped in just the right way, before marching up the stairs.
"Well isn't she a piece of work." Derek mumbled reaching for the remote only to find it already in Marti's hand. She was lounged on the couch, a frown furrowing her small features. "Can I have that Smarti?"
"No." She answered, flipping her hair in a mocking of Casey before turning on the tv to a cartoon.
"I said please." He persisted, standing up and kneeling next to the couch. Marti had to turn her head so she didn't have to look at his face.
"No you didn't." She corrected finally looking at him. He gave her a small smile, and a wink. She giggled handing him the remote and winking back.
"Thank you." He replied turning to a more manly station.
The front door opened loudly, and two kids entered. The same in height seemingly discussing something that had just happened. Derek coughed loudly to warn them that he was there and watching tv. Still they ignored him, too engrossed in their conversation to notice him.
"No Liz, it was like the fifth time." Edwin continued, nodding at her in a know-it-all fashion. She frowned before saying something.
"Are you sure?"
"Nearly positive." He reassured her, as he took off his cheap imitation at a leather jacket. He had begged Derek to let him keep his old one, but Derek still had a few years left in it, there were two many memories of precious make outs. So Edwin finally gave up and bought his own.
"Well that's not good enough; you have to be completely sure." Lizzie replied smiling teasingly as her best friend. He smirked back before they were interrupted by a loud hacking.
"Could you guys, like take your conversation somewhere besides here." Derek asked rudely, turning up the tv as loud as the volume would allow.
"Don't be mean Derek." Casey reprimanded coming down the stairs, a book in arms. She smiled in greetings at Lizzie and Edwin before continuing into the kitchen.
"I can if I want to." He shouted after her, turning the tv down. "What were you two talking about anyway?" Derek looked briefly at his younger siblings, only to see them wide eyed and staring at each other in a guilty way.
"Oh, nothing important." Edwin attempted to shrug it off, only to receive a glare from Derek.
"You can't lie to the master." He responded turning back to the tv. "Besides I'll just find out from Casey once Lizzie spills the news to her."
"I don't tell her everything you know." Lizzie snapped, making an attempt at smacking him on the back of the head but being too quick for her she just got air.
"Uh, yeah you do." Casey came from the kitchen, a bottle of apple soda in hand. "And Liz you know I would never tell Derek anything that we talk about."
"Yeah, but what about that one time with her boyfriend?" Derek piped in, smirking at her.
"Or when you couldn't help shouting the good news that Lizzie was finally a woman?" Edwin replied, frowning in thought.
"Hmm," Marti started to nod opening her mouth to add on.
"Those were different." Casey cut in, after gaping like a fish at her family. "They were special."
"Were not!" Lizzie disagreed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Whatever." She mumbled plopping down next to Marti on the couch. She opened her book to where a page was bent at the corner and began to read. Her nose scrunching up at certain parts.
Derek shrugged, turning the tv up again and going back to his women's volley ball game. Lizzie and Edwin smiled secretly at each other before rushing up the stairs, a door slamming in there wake. Marti, who was generally confused about this interaction, stared at Casey expectantly. As if willing her with her small mind to answer her questions.
"What was that about?" She finally asked. Casey looked up at her, brows furrowed in confusion.
"What was what about?" She asked.
"With Lizzie and Edwin?" Marti clarified rolling her eyes in exaggeration.
"No idea." Casey shrugged, returning to her book. An angry sigh escaped Marti's lips, but it went unnoticed by the other two in the room.
The front door opened for the second time in the last ten minutes, a groan was heard from Derek as the parentals entered through it; shrugging off their coats. Casey looked up briefly from her book, smiling at them, before returning to its small printed pages.
"Where are Lizzie and Edwin?" George asked, smiling at his family as he entered the archway into the living room.
"Upstairs." Casey answered, without looking up.
"Can someone go get them?" Nora urged, her smile growing to a broad grin when Marti got up and bounded towards the stairs, skipping them up as quickly as her little legs would allow.
"Oh god, don't tell me there's going to be a family meeting." Derek's eyes were glued to the screen even though he was clearly talking to George and Nora.
"Actually, yes." George frowned at his eldest son, before snatching the remote away and turning the tv off. "Now go sit at the table."
Casey snorted from her seat only to be reprimanded by Nora, who too took away what the young woman was doing. "You too."
"What?" Casey argued reaching for her book. Nora held it just out of reach pointing towards the dining table. She grudgingly stood up and plopped down in her normal seat across from Derek. He made a face at her, which she gladly returned.
"What's up?" Edwin's voice came as he leaped the last three steps onto the floor. Upon noticing where Casey and Derek were seated her let out a small "oh" and followed their lead. Lizzie and Marti were shortly behind him, and seated themselves in the appropriate seats.
Once all the kids were seated, George and Nora stood at the head of the table, beaming down at their children. George placed his arm around Nora hesitantly only to be encouraged by her smile. "We have an announcement." Her voice was clear, and bursting with excitement.
"Which is?" Lizzie waved her hand in an encouraging motion, urging them to continue.
"We just got tickets to Louie's Carnival in Toronto." George replied, pulling something from his pocket. In his hands were seven tickets each labeled with cartoon script.
"Whoopee!" Edwin's voice was dripping with sarcasm as he said this, his smile clearly screaming that he was too old for carnivals.
"You're kidding right?" Was Lizzie's response as she eyed the tickets wearily.
"When are we going?" Derek asked, his mind reeling.
"Tomorrow." Nora answered, clapping her hands together.
"Oh well it seems I'm busy." He lied easily, shrugging innocently.
"Naha Derek, you're not getting out of this one." George scowled tossing the tickets onto the table. They slid in front of Marti whose brown eyes grew glassy as she stared at there paper surface.
"C'mon Dad," Derek started. "I am way too old to go to a carnival. I mean the squirts, yeah, and I mean Casey just loves feel good family moments. But me, you've got to be pranking."
"No Derek, I'm not." George ground out, his teeth clenching. "It's time this family spent more time together. And less alone doing everyone's own thing. You are going."
Derek rolled his eyes looking over at Casey for help. She was still staring at her mom, with what looked like begging eyes. She was the only one, besides Marti who had at least squealed, who hadn't said anything about the family trip. She was just smiling uncomfortably.
"Hello," Derek waved a hand in front of her face, her eyes immediately shooting to him. "Space Case, do you have a comment."
"I guess it's a good idea." She replied after shooting a glare at Derek.
"Then it's settled, we're leaving tonight to go stay in a hotel near the carnival so that we can get a head start on tomorrow's activities." Nora beamed, as she grabbed up the tickets and headed toward the kitchen. "Start packing!"
