Yeah, I'm back. Sorry for taking so long on getting this chapter done. But my favorite writer is back and I'm out of mourning, lol, plus I had a good day yesterday shopping in Seattle with my sister and best friend for Christmas. Hope you like the chapter, I'm not so sure about it, let me know if you think it worked.
The dinner was going as well as it should be. Casey had managed to avoid looking at Derek—at least without him knowing it, at least she hoped. It was after they had eaten that the toasts started for the well wishes on the next day.
Casey was hoping her dessert would come soon while she saw her dad stand to give a toast.
She gave a smile as she looked at her dad. He had been tossed between his feelings on Max especially since he had been idiot enough to pass her over back in high school. When they started dating two years ago, she was certain her father was glad just to see her date again after being so devastated over Derek for so long.
Dennis raised a glass.
"Here's to the happy couple. I hope that they find joy in their lives. Good wishes to the both of you," he said.
There were cheers and toast to them both.
A few more toasts followed.
Casey tried to sit there contently as Max occasionally squeezed her thigh as they were toasted to.
She gave a smile when he nudged her and raised a glass and tipped it towards her.
Soon the desserts arrived and Casey was enjoying her cheesecake; the only true delight of the dinner. There were no feelings involved in enjoying the divine cake. She savored every bite.
"Casey, what kind of cake did you get?" Vicki said looking down at her plate.
"The Brandy turtle's cheesecake," she said. "do you want to try a bite?"
Vicki shook her head. She leaned down with a smug smile on her face.
"I cant have it," she said.
"Why, not good for your figure?"
Vicki laughed as she shook her head again.
"I cant have it because of the brandy," she said quietly.
Casey frowned. "That's never stopped you before."
Vicki grinned then. "That's because I found out I'm pregnant."
Casey's eyes widened as she looked at Vicki with awe and surprise.
Vicki grinned even wider. "We found out just this morning and I didn't know when to tell you."
Casey clasped her hands. "Oh, it's so exciting. I'm so happy for you."
"What's exciting dear?" her mother asked as she sat down after returning from the ladies washroom.
Vicki looked at me and beamed. "Do you mind?"
Casey shook her head. "No, please worry about it. How often do we have all the family together in such a calm and friendly way?"
Vicki chuckled as she stood and walked over to her man. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Well, I was just telling Casey our good news and she wants me to share it with you all."
"What is it Vicki?" Aunt Fiona said as she frowned at her daughter.
Vicki positively beamed. "Well Kevin and I are proud to announce that we're pregnant!"
Suddenly the couple was surrounded with people wishing them well and congratulating them on the good news.
"So, should we expect a wedding for you two sometime soon?" someone asked.
Casey was sure it was one of Max's older relatives.
She laughed. "Maybe she and Kevin should get married tomorrow. Heck, we've got all the stuff for a huge wedding."
There were a few chuckles.
Soon it calmed down, but Fiona and Harry were talking excitedly with Vicki and Kevin over the prospect of the first grandchild.
Casey rose from her seat and made her way to the washroom.
She stayed in the room for a few minutes. She stared at her reflection then sighed.
She was coming out of the washroom and just down the hall when she crashed into someone.
"Are you alright klutzilla?"
Casey felt infuriated with the name but felt tingly at the close contact between her and Derek.
She stepped back a step. "How are you Derek?"
He looked her over. "I should be asking you that."
She frowned. "What do you mean?"
Derek gave her a pointed look. "Case, I have known you since we were fifteen, I can tell that there's something wrong with you. You have that look."
The frown etched on her forehead.
He chuckled. "You look as though you are thinking long and hard…"
"I don't know what you mean."
"Casey," he said softly. "I have known you through many moods and many passings of your life; I know that there is something up."
"I'm getting married tomorrow, isn't that enough?" she snapped.
He looked at her long and hard. "Yes, you are getting married tomorrow."
She felt just awful. She knew that she was having huge concerns about whether she could get married to a man that she may not love as much as she should.
He stroked her arm. "Case, if there is anything that you want to talk about, you know that you can come to me."
She smiled. "Thanks Derek. I'm surprised you can make that offer with your busy schedule as a big hockey star."
He grinned. "Well, I always told you that I would make it into pro hockey."
She smiled probably what was the most real smile in a long while. "Yes you always said you would make it."
She could run through a million memories of Derek in his determination to go pro.
She leaned against the wall. "Well, we're all very proud of you."
He gave her a careful look. He could tell there was something off with his Casey but he knew better than to push her.
"I know I was proud to hear that you had gotten signed onto the Leafs. I can only imagine the feeling of a dream coming true…"
He smirked. "I didn't have any doubt that I would achieve my dreams…"
"Have all your dreams come true?" she asked him.
He looked at her. She felt his eyes searching hers, almost like he was reaching into her soul. He always had a way of making her feel like there were no secrets from him.
It scared her a little that at that moment Derek might be able to see all of her secrets. To feel as though all of her thoughts were open for him to see, she wasn't sure if that was a good thing.
"I think I have done well for myself. Some of it has felt very hollow since I did not get the chance to celebrate the good news with my loved ones."
"You got to celebrate the good news with George and Mom and everyone."
"Almost everyone."
Casey swallowed nervously. God, it was hard to look at him knowing that she was still in love with him. She was almost tempted to tell him all about her doubts about marrying Max and telling him to take her away.
Instead she managed to make small talk with him. But she could still feel the closeness between the two of them. It was almost like they never were apart. She felt like it was only yesterday that they were together—yet she knew that the three years of separation had created enough of a gap in their lives.
Casey had set her life up in New York just to be sure that she would be able to cure her broken heart while Derek had started his life in Toronto. They had gone their separate ways. Perhaps there was no going back. They could only go forward.
"Well Casey, I guess all I can say is that I wish you well for tomorrow and that I hope you will be happy."
Casey felt her heart break as he said those words. She knew she was not happy in her quasi perfect life that she had created to live with Max. her life was not as she imagined it would be—probably all because she had taken a very wrong turn in life by being so stubborn and difficult and having that horrible misunderstanding with Derek all those years ago and ruining her life in the process.
Derek stroked her arm once again. "Be happy Casey, you deserve it."
He turned and started walking back towards everyone else on the other side of the restaurant.
She heard herself screaming internally. Derek, I need you! I need you to stop me from this huge mistake! I need you to love me back!
The thoughts were entwined with memories of their great moments and a time she knew where she was happy, truly happy.
Knowing that Derek was walking away from her made something snap inside of her, she just knew she couldn't let him do that.
"Casey, sometimes you have to live," Derek said as he dragged her along.
"Oh Derek I don't know," she said as they got closer to the dock.
He grinned at her. "Come on Case, we can do it together."
She frowned.
"You have been more risqué than this with me in the car," he smirked.
They reached the end of the dock and Derek went to look over the edge. It was pitch black except for the moonlight cast from the full moon above their heads.
Derek started tearing his clothes off.
"this will be the most invigorating moment of your life. Trust me."
She frowned and pouted as she looked down at the water she knew would be cold.
Derek was almost naked—the boxers were left and he had his hands at the waist.
"Come on Casey, you jump I jump, we'll do it together."
She grinned. Yeah, he was cheesy but she felt empowered by his words. She stripped her clothes off too. They stood there naked, holding hands.
"Alright, here we go," he laughed as he pulled her along.
Together they jumped.
Casey shook her head, clearing the memory from her mind. They had joked throughout their relationship about that "you jump, I jump" mentality. They would use it as their grounds to agree to disagree or determine that they would venture through any decision together. They used it saying they would survive anything.
Well, she was going to have to jump.
"Derek," she called out.
I know I know, very mean of me. But you will have to wait and see what happens next. So I hope to see at least 5 reviews otherwise no new chapter and you will just have to wait and wait, dying to know if Derek heard her or not. So please review and let me know what you thought of the chapter. I was tired and just kept typing… I hope everyone enjoyed it.
