Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews! I'm totally floored by all the amazing people on this site. It's a huge community of crazy Dasey lovers.
Also, on a little off note, Ashley Leggat's official myspace is www. myspace .com / ashley leggat online. But with no spaces. Anyways, she posted some pictures from the set of the Vacation with Derek movie. Jordan looks so different! Anyways, I suggest going and checking it out.
Disclaimer: I own zip.
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Marissa gave a weak wave at the taxi, zipping her jacket a little tighter around herself as the cold December air whipped around through the yard. The moon shone brightly in sky and turned the snow into a pale grey, the porch light shone down the empty drive way, creating a spot light where she stood. A dog barked somewhere in the distance and the young girl quickly bent down to grab her bags and jogged up to the front steps before dropping them impulsively on the cold stone steps. Carefully avoiding the slick layer of ice that covered them, she reached for the small brown flower pot full of frozen dirt that looked out of place on the porch of the cold Canadian home. Marissa lifted it up to grab the small silver key hidden underneath it.
"It's open!" She jumped at the voice that called from inside the house. It was probably her Dad. Figures, she thought with a roll of her eyes, he won't open the door for me, but yells instead. Slipping the key and flower pot back into their usual spot, she stomped to shake the snow off her boots before opening the large, front door.
Throwing her bags inside, she stepped in after them, scrunching up her nose as the warm air hit it. The blue glow from the TV was on in the living room to her left, so she headed in. Derek Venturi looked up at her from the sleek leather couch her Mom practically begged him to buy because his old recliner didn't go with the freshly painted walls. The Television remote was in one hand, cup of coffee in the other; he was wearing his old grey shirt and faded blue plaid pyjama bottoms, legs stretched out on the coffee table.
"You're back later than I thought you were going to be."
Marissa flopped down on the couch beside him, grabbing the coffee cup out of his hands and taking a little sip. She stretched out, placing her feet beside her Dad's on the coffee table in front of her. She reached behind her head to pull out her ponytail since it was falling out anyways.
"I told you my flight was getting in late. It's only," I looked at the clock on the TV screen, "11:09pm; I got back early than I thought I would. My suitcases were the first ones on the carousal." She turned to look at her Dad, shooting him a sour look. "Thanks for picking me up, by the way."
Derek raised his hands up, trying to look apologetic or defensive. Marissa was never sure.
"I made sure there would be a cab waiting for you." He whined.
The young girl shook my head at him. "Not the same thing, Daddy." And with that, they both entered a comfortable silence.
Marissa took another sip of the coffee before handing it back to him and extending her legs farther on the table. Leg room, or the lack of it, was one of the reasons she never liked plane rides. She felt the embarrassment from a couple days ago flash through her as she contemplated her trip. The worst part of the whole trip was going through those stupid metal detectors. I really need to remember not to wear bras with the wire in them; so embarrassing. Mom would laugh when she heard about it. Marissa shuddered as she thought this, trying to distract herself from the terrible memories. The family pictures on the walls, the Kleenex box on the coffee table, covered with green and red ladybugs. All so normal, yet something was out of place.
When it hit her, what was so odd about this picture, she turned to look at Derek. Here was Dad, sitting on the couch drinking coffee, which he never does this late, and channel surfing. He never channel surfs, it's like a huge "no" in his books. He can't even be in the same room if one of us our channel surfing. So why was he doing it? Why was he channel surfing?
"What's up?" He asked, once he caught me staring at him.
"Why are you channel surfing?"
He raised his eyebrows, taking the last swig of coffee before leaning forward and placing the empty mug beside out feet, on the end table.
"Is that a crime?"
"No, it's just weird because you never do it. You hate it..." Realization dawned on me and I gave my Dad a slow, smirk that looks very similar to his own. One of the many things I got from him. "Were you waiting up for me?"
"Nope." He said it so matter-of-factly and turned back to the cheesy soap opera that was on. I felt my face drop. Ouch. My Dad must have seen the look on my face, because he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to him.
"I'm am waiting up, but not just for you. I'm waiting for two of my favourite three girls. Now that you're home I only have to wait for your Mom. " Derek was never good with words, but I got the message.
I thought over what he told me and suddenly remembered the empty drive way.
"Where's Mom?" I demanded, panic flooding through me. Mom was never out this late by herself, leaving Dad sitting at home looking all anxious and channel surfing. Something was up.
"She's not in any trouble." He reassured me, grabbing the remote off the cousin beside him and turning the two women fighting over a blue top, off.
"Then where is she?" Dad looked a little hesitant.
"Promise you won't tell? I know your Mom wants to share the news, but I'll tell you now if you keep it a secret and still act surprised."
"I promise." I whispered. He smiled that little smile that only happened when he was talking to Nathan, Olivia or I. Mom said it's just because he's so excited that he has such wonderful kids, but I figured that that was a "Mom Saying" and didn't look much into it.
"Okay, the real reason I never picked you up was because Mom got a call last night from Edwin, saying Lizzie had gone into labou-"
"Auntie Lizzie had her baby?" I bounced up and down slightly, smiling. Aunt Lizzie and Uncle Edwin had been trying for quite a long time, to have another baby. Alex was seven now, so when they shared the news with him, that he would be a big brother soon, I remember how happy he looked. I remember how happy we all looked.
My Dad shot me an annoyed look. I recalled how much he hates when people interrupt him in the middle of a story, so I ran my finger over my lips, and threw the invisible key over my shoulder. He smiled that smile again, before clearing his throat and continuing.
"I'm assuming so and before you ask, I don't know if it's a boy or a girl. Your Mom left in such a hurry last night and I had no idea how it was going to go or when she would be coming back that I really didn't want to leave Nate home alone late at night with Livia, so that's why I called the taxi. Casey called an hour ago, though, and told me she was just leaving the hospital and should be back around midnight. That's all she said."
I nodded my head, glancing out the window, almost wishing my Mom's car would appear on the driveway. The nice part about living a little out of town was that you could see headlights from quite a ways off. Sadly, the only light I saw was from the bright moon and stars as they twinkled at us from up above.
"Did she say how it all went?"
My Daddy sighed, turning to look out the window with me. The look in his eyes was sad and a little scary. He wanted my Mom home too, really badly.
"No, but I assume it went alright if she's coming home now. If there were any major complications she would have stayed behind to help." That made sense. When Auntie Lizzie had had Alex it was an emergency caesarean.
---
I remember sitting in the hard waiting room chairs, colouring in my colouring book; I was eight at the time. Daddy was sitting next to me holding a small, sleeping Olivia. Nate was sitting on a chair across from us playing his game boy. Uncle Ed kept pacing back and forth, looking restless. Daddy finally told him to sit down, since his constant jerky movement was stirring Livia; my little sister always took a long time to fall asleep, it was an exhausting thing for all of us to go through, especially more than once.
When he did take a seat his leg was still bouncing up and down, like it didn't know he had stopped walking. I placed my little hand on his knee, trying to get him to stop moving. It was very distracting when you're colouring. Uncle Ed turned to look at me and smiled, it looked a little funny though, since it never reached his eyes.
I remember I was just reaching for the pink crayon, when Auntie Lizzie's door burst open. Mommy came out first and darted towards us. Several other nurses followed her. No one was saying anything, but they were all moving pretty fast.
"Lizzie needs an emergency caesarean." Uncle Ed looked up from the floor and immediately began shaking his head, whispering "No" over and over again. Daddy looked sick, and held Livia a little tighter. Someone called her, so Mom placed a kiss on all our foreheads before heading back into the room. I had no idea what she was talking about, but it sounded bad. I abruptly didn't feel like colouring any more, and threw my crayons back into the box. I laid my head on my Daddy's arm and squeezed my eyes shut as I prayed, asking God to please keep my Auntie from dying.
"I can't stay here." Uncle Ed stood up and almost knocked the chair down. My Daddy started to protest but he held up his hand."I'm just going to take a walk, bro. I'll be a mess if you just leave me sitting here."
Daddy nodded understandably though he still looked a little of out-of-place, too me. My Daddy was never good in hospitals. "Go. I'll call you when they get the kid out." Daddy gave his weird laugh, whenever he was trying to be funny. It must have been a bad joke, because no one laughed.
I watched my Uncle put on his jacket. Nate came and sat by me, his video games forgotten. He looked a little shaken and I wondered if he knew what Mommy was talking about. I would ask him later. Uncle Ed turned to look at my Dad as he zipped up his coat.
"You have no idea how lucky you are, Derek. You and Casey have three beautiful children. " He gestured to us and then he walked out.
Of course, Alex was born and it all went smoothly after that. Daddy called Uncle Ed back as soon as they heard the good news. Uncle Ed came running back so fast, he ran to Auntie Lizzie and gave her a huge kiss. She was sort of funny though, all drugged up, Daddy said and Mommy smacked him for it. Baby Alex was tiny and red and made gurgling noises when he wasn't crying. He didn't look that much like my dolls but I still thought he was pretty cute.
---
My Dad looked anxious back then, and he looked anxious now. I can grasp why now; he loves Auntie Lizzie as a sister and I would be scared for my sister too, if she had to go through something like that. And my Dad was lucky, my Mom had all of us fairly easily, she was only in labour with Olivia for five hours.
"Why don't you go to bed?" I turned to look at my Dad.
"But I want to stay up and wait for Mo-"
"Bed time, Mar. You look exhausted, and Mom will tell you all the dirty details tomorrow morning, you know that."
I sighed. I hated how my parents did this. It was probably because my Dad hadn't seen my Mom for a day and was missing her like crazy, which was sweet and all, but I detested being sent to bed.
"Fine. You're just doing this so you and Mom can make-out when she gets home."
He stuck his tongue out at me and I laughed. I stood up, straightening out my sweat pants and grabbing his coffee cup to take to the kitchen. I was just about to leave when he grabbed my arm and pulled me back down for a quick hug.
"I missed you, Mar. Don't leave your poor, old man again."
I gave him a disbelieving look.
"For more than three days, then."
"That's better." I smiled and kissed my Dad's cheek before standing up.
"I missed you too. Night, love you."
"Love you too." He turned back to the TV, grabbing the remote. I rolled my eyes as I left the room.
I walked quietly up the stairs, trying not to make too much noise. I passed my sister's door first. It was open a crack, like usual, and I slipped inside. I missed the little girl like crazy. Her never ending energy and constant stealing my clothes was something I had gotten so use to, that I missed it when it wasn't there. I walked up to the Tinkerbell bed, trying not to step on any of the dolls she had lying around. I picked a small, purple bunny up off the floor where it had fallen out of the bed, and placed it beside her.
She was sleeping so soundly, her little hands under her head, dark brown hair spread out over her pillow. Olivia looked exactly like my Mom, it was almost scary sometimes. Nathan had my Mom's hair and nose, but looked more like my Dad with everything else. I had my Dad's hair and chin but all my other features, especially my eyes, were exactly like my Mom.
I kissed the top of her head and crept out of the room, I didn't have the heart to wake her. I walked past my brother's room, and saw light shinning out from under the door. I knocked quietly and entered, closing the door shut behind me.
"Hey Da...Oh, it's you."
I rolled my eyes and picked my way across his messy floor. He was sitting at his computer, playing some odd game. I stood behind him, watching the characters dash around, the swords in their hands waving wildly.
"What game is this?" I questioned, picking up the box on his desk.
"Death March II, Revenge of the Ghouls."
I placed the box back down and wrinkled my nose. "Sounds lovely."
Nate smirked. "Oh it is...Die you stupid, little...Die...Damn it!"
I chuckled quietly. "Do you always play games like this?"
"Do you always have to be in my room?"
I shrugged "I'm not always in your room." I replied.
I watched him click on some things and then the screen whizzed to a different scene. A large room filled with leather couches that were full of tiny girls wearing tight armour bikinis.
"Eww, Nate. Gross. Mom and Dad let you buy this?"
"Correction, Dad let me buy this. Mom knows nothing about it." He paused the game and turned around so he was looking right at me. "See, I told you it was lovely."
I smacked his shoulder and he turned back to his game.
"You better hope I don't tell her."
"Goodnight, Marissa." Nate pointed to his bedroom door over his shoulder, eyes glued to the screen. He always got annoyed quickly.
"Night, Nate." I said just as snarky as I made my way across the floor.
I closed his door and walked down the hall to the door covered with Orlando Bloom and Alex Pettyfer pictures. I opened it, breathing in the sweet smell of oranges, the scent of my body spray. I never even bothered to change in pyjamas; in fact, I don't even remember getting to my bed. I just crumpled down into the sheets, yawning as I reached over to flick off my lamp.
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