"Could have been worse," Derek said, as he started the drive home.
"George seems…better." Casey agreed, "I'm glad it helped things between you."
He glanced at her. "Nora's okay, too, Case."
"Hopefully," She wasn't convinced, "She just looked so upset when she realized I was lying to her."
"I know something that'll cheer you up," Derek suggested.
"What?" Queried the girl, not entirely out of her thoughts.
"I am formally appointing you," he responded, "with the task of planning our first official date night. Tomorrow's Friday, and they did say we got extended curfew, right? Great argument for that, by the way, I never thought to include travel time as a reason."
"Well, if we're supposed to keep it quiet in this town, we can't just go anywhere, we have to go farther than that. George walked right into that one." Casey said, shrugging.
But there were other topics to discuss. "Onto the more important subject: pick the place? You almost never let me do that." She raised her eyebrow.
"Pick a place. I'll go, no matter how many old people happen to be in attendance or whoever it is you usually hang out with. Come on, you know you're getting excited just thinking about making an itinerary," Derek said, watching the smile cross her face.
Whatever boring museum or performance art thing she had in mind, it was worth it for that.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Casey chose to keep date night a surprise, no matter how much he pestered her. At one point, he had said the phrase "date night" enough times to realize that he had become one of those lame guys that used the term seriously.
She simply told him to make sure there was enough gas in the tank and that she would take care of the rest. Whatever that meant.
Derek told Sam what she said, and asked him to decipher what she could possibly be up to.
"I understand Casey less than you do. How would I know?" he asked, "How did that…session go?"
Telling Sam about how it went was something he had been debating, but he realized trying to act okay with it all for Casey was getting difficult.
"Basically, we have to keep sneaking around like we always did but pretend we're honoring their moral code to preserve the denial that keeps them sane. Casey got us an extra hour on curfew, though."
Sam looked pensive. "So…you're allowed to do whatever you want?"
"Well, no, if we did, Nora would have a conniption, and she checked my bedroom in the middle of the night last night, saying something about floorboards. Which was probably a lie, but we'll be on our best behavior until she relaxes and then it'll be sorta back to normal, I think."
His friend looked at him with a frown. "I don't envy you at all, dude. It's got to be easier for me to sneak into some other girl's window at this point."
Derek shrugged, watching Casey say something to Emily and laugh.
"Does she even know about you and Casey?" Sam asked, finding the pair of girls he was looking at.
"Emily? No. Nora's sensitive about the issue."
"Wait, what?"
"Doesn't want us to act like a couple, around here. She has this fear everyone's going to shun us and Lizzie and Ed and I dunno, I think she needs a chill pill. I'm trying to pretend to be fine with it, in case you didn't notice. Casey's not handling her so well right now." Derek muttered, rolling his eyes.
"That's..." Sam trailed off. He'd always thought of Derek's stepmom as pretty nice, maybe a bit awkward at times, but generally well-meaning. He figured she meant well now too, but couldn't wrap his mind around her logic.
"A little neurotic? Yeah, I know." He agreed, wondering if Nora would ever truly come to terms.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
"I still don't see why you can't just tell me where we're going," Derek maintained, watching Casey drive with the zest of an elderly woman.
"I said it's a surprise and it's staying that way. I think one of Marti's activity books is in the back."
"Are you honestly suggesting I entertain myself with something designed to challenge a child?" He asked Casey indignantly.
"Yup," she responded, popping the last syllable with her lips.
Rolling his eyes, Derek fished out the book and a crayon in the cupholder. Opening the page to a crossword puzzle, he read aloud, "Four letters, name of a baby cow." Scoffing, he filled in the boxes.
Half an hour later, as Casey pulled into the parking lot of what appeared to be a simple bookstore, Derek had completed five pages in the activity book and was currently content coloring a picture of a dog.
"Come on," she said, "we're here."
"A…bookstore." He observed. A real surprise.
He felt her take his hand from the car, leading him past the main entrance and toward the side, where a large and rather menacing man eyed them suspiciously.
Casey, never one to be deterred, smiled eagerly and handed him two tickets, the stubs traded back and snatched by the same hand before he could grab one.
The large man gestured to let them in.
Inside, there were a number of booths, each draped with a poster indicating its purpose. Every poster had the symbol of a hockey team. Derek, for once, was dumbstruck as Casey pulled him past the tables to the one she knew he really cared about: the Maple Leafs' Nathan Clemson, Jersey 25.
"Case," He said finally, "this has been sold out for…for over a year. How in the…"
She gently shuffled him over to the line, swallowing a giggle at his surprise. "I brought this, too," she said, opening her purse, revealing a Leafs jersey, "to get it signed."
"Have I told you I love you today?" Derek asked, taking the jersey in his hands.
"Mm, don't think so."
"I love you, you mystical ticket-finding goddess. Seriously, how did you even pull this off?"
Casey shrugged. "I knew a guy, who knew a guy, and may have had to sell a kidney."
"I know you're kidding but please don't ever sell your kidney for anything less than four tickets to something like this," he responded, leaning in to kiss her.
"I'll keep that in mind," she replied solemnly, watching the photographers take pictures with fans.
"I don't see how we'll get to the booth before we have to leave for curfew, though," Derek said, furrowing his brow.
Casey shrugged, "Okay, I'll own up to it, I might have asked George if we could have an exception this time if I brought him back a signed photo. He said yes, of course."
"Well," he said, "Consider me quite surprised, McDonald."
It took an hour of waiting in line to finally reach the booth, and the hockey player smiled at Casey, teeth impossibly white, sporting a short blonde buzz and hazel eyes. She gave him the photograph, told him to address it to George, and stepped behind Derek.
"Derek Venturi. You a hockey player too?" The man asked, signing the jersey carefully.
"Yes. For Thompson High." He confirmed.
"I think I heard about you, knew a college scout at the game. Scored the winning shot for the final game, didn't you? Impressive." Nathan commended him, handing him the jersey.
"Thanks," Derek managed, whilst looking flabbergasted.
The athlete waved him over for the picture, standing beside him.
Casey caught his eye, and he gave her a crooked grin, motioning for her to come forward. She did, taking the place beside him, her hand clasped with his, and the shutter flashed.
They left the building, smiles still on their faces, the cool air a welcome change compared to the stuffy building inside.
"Did you tell him to say that?" he asked, "about the game?"
"No," Casey said, shaking her head, "That was all you."
"Well," he said, "Just lucky, that's all."
Derek drove on the way home, still a little starry-eyed, she could tell.
Casey looked at the Polaroid of them together, smiling softly. It would be her favorite picture of him for quite some time, because it was the happiest she'd ever seen him.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
George waited for them at home, like a kid on Christmas Eve.
When they arrived, he grabbed the both of them in a bear hug, and watched as Derek held up the jersey in admiration. Casey gave him the picture, and left the two to talk about the events of the night, joining her mother as she watched.
"What did you get?" Her mother asked curiously, spying the Polaroid tucked in her hands.
"Oh, it's just…" Casey trailed off, as her mother took it and looked closer.
To her surprise, she laughed. "He looks just like George. So happy." She glanced over at her daughter, still hesitant, and said, "You do too."
"I am," she said softly.
Her mother wrapped an arm around her. "That's all I want, Casey. For both of you."
"You're not mad?" Casey asked quietly.
"No," Nora murmured softly, watching the two Venturis animatedly converse across the room, "I'm not mad. Just promise me…if you need me for anything, you'll say so."
Casey nodded. "I promise."
Meanwhile Derek was beginning to plot.
"So, where are you taking her next week?" George asked, following his stare, "Going to be a hard one to top."
"I'm thinking…" he glanced over with a half-shrug, giving him a hesitant smile, "…that new art museum we saw in the paper Saturday?"
"That's a three hour drive," he looked at him sternly, but broke the expression to smile and whisper, "but yeah, you're right, she'll love that."
"Maybe you love me enough to lend me fifty bucks for the tickets?" Derek suggested.
"You mean Casey," George corrected him, "for that picture. Don't tell Nora."
"You're the best, dad." He said, hugging him briefly, flashing him another big smile.
"No, you're not getting extra money for gas."
Derek sighed. "It was worth a try."
"All right, I'm off to bed." George finally said, "Don't stay up too late."
"Sure," he replied with a salute.
"Good night, Derek," Nora said, a knowing look in her eyes. Remember the rules.
"'Night." He replied with a nod, watching her disappear into their bedroom.
Casey sighed as she sank into the couch.
Derek followed her cue, leaping over the back to sit beside her.
"So," he murmured, "everybody seems happier."
"Looks like it." She agreed.
Derek glanced at the family portrait on the wall. "Do you think picture-Nora will mind if I kiss you good night?"
"Mm, not sure. But I'll mind."
"Hm, can't have that." He murmured, and leaned in, pressing his lips against hers.
Pulling back, he sighed. "Good night?"
"My turn," she responded, pulling him close enough to return the favor.
A girl had to bend the rules sometimes, Casey thought.
Derek kissed her back, smiling at the way she responded to him.
Then Derek's phone buzzed, and a moment later, Casey's.
The two teens pulled apart, sharing knowing glances as they picked up their phones.
Derek read aloud, "Kiss is singular, not plural, Derek. Feet on stairs now. GOOD NIGHT."
Casey followed up with, "What George said. Love you! PS Derek remember you have to mow the lawn tomorrow."
"Lovely," he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes, "Perfect grammar and synchrony. They're obviously working together with the portrait. This is unholy."
Casey stifled her smile and led him up the stairs.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Fin.