Dark! Entry: All the Lilies and the Roses
Title: All the Lilies and the Roses
Author: happy_overdose
Disclaimer: Not even a DVD.
Rating: M, NC-17, stuff like that
This is the entry for Dark!fic, so the themes are kinda strong, but since I'm made of all rainbows and blue skies I don't know how successful I was.
In an alternate universe, with the city crumbling around them, Casey struggles to keep herself and Lizzie out of the prostitution gangs in Toronto. They relocate to London to get away, and move into the house where Derek, Edwin and Marti live. Together, Casey and Derek raise their siblings and keep each other out of trouble.
Casey McDonald found herself driving to the store on a Tuesday morning, singing the song on the radio. The streets of Toronto were quiet at five o’clock in the morning, and Casey needed to sleep. She had a test this morning. But this was the best time to go shopping. Afternoons were for work at the bar. In the night she had to hurry home because it was so dangerous. Plus she and Lizzie had to go to school. So, five in the morning was for errands.
Her little sister was asleep on the back seat because Casey couldn’t take the chance of leaving her at home alone. Casey heard of neighbours that did the same and came back to not find their children or siblings. The prostitution rings were ruthless. The gang’s scouts either were the recruiters or the kidnappers who patrolled the streets even in the day. Casey was constantly on the lookout for both.
Casey went to an elite girls’ school, which decided to keep her on after her mother disappeared because she was an excellent student. The class that started with her back in first grade was now cut in half, due to girls either being recruited, kidnapped or escaping the prostitution rings that were taking over Toronto. Lizzie’s class was the same.
When Nora, their mother, disappeared two years ago, Casey not only inherited responsibility for her sister and the income of their house, but also a lot of questions. Their mother had a good job and they lived in a great house. But now the only thing left from that former life was their mom’s SUV which had been parked in the front of their house with the doors open on the morning their mother disappeared. Casey had to move into a small apartment, get a crappy job and become mom, big sis and breadwinner and bodyguard. It was hard, but keeping their little family together was too important for her to consider any other alternative.
She reached the grocery store and parked at the front so she could watch the car and her sleeping sister while she shopped. It was not unheard of for criminals to have the technology to jack her car without a key. Then they would have all that Casey tried to protect in this world.
Over her short private school uniform, Casey dragged on a loud and tacky neon pink and leopard print jacket with a large, fluffy, fake fur hood. This was a trick that she got from one of her friends at school. These jackets were basically the calling card of the prostitutes in the city. Casey had topped off the look with as much makeup as she could get away with at school, barrel sized ringlets in her hair and high heels that she would switch out for her school shoes once she was there. If she looked like a tart, then the gang’s scouts would probably think she was another gang’s property. That was the idea anyway.
While she tried to get the essentials to last them for the week, Case kept one eye on the SUV. Cars drove by on the street, but none that were identifiable as gang cars. She got caught up with comparing prices, adding up her cart in her head, she forgot to keep looking out…
“Miss!” the grocer behind the counter yelled. Casey’s head shot up, and looked at him. He pointed outside.
Immediately she saw what was wrong. A car pulled up beside her SUV and four guys who were obviously from one of the Toronto prostitution gangs jumped out. Casey caught her breath as they walked past Lizzie sleeping in the car. Interestingly, the grocer joined her in breathing a sigh of relief when they walked by her window.
“Oh that was close,” the grocer declared.
In the mean time, the gang members entered the store. Casey hustled, dropping the rest of the items on her mental list into her basket and walking up to the counter to have them cashed as quick as she could so she could get out before they spotted her or Lizzie. The coat would work from afar, but she had her uniform on and everyone knew her private school didn’t allow working girls to keep going there. She was in such a hurry she dropped a packet of Rice Crispies treats and nearly slid on them. But she made it to the counter and the grocer started checking her items hurriedly.
But it was too late. The gang members spotted her.
“Hey, you,” one of them called.
Casey knew that her best course of action was to turn around, keep the fear off her face. She did so, hoping her performance was convincing.
“What crew you roll with?”
Casey was stumped. Of course she had seen the news; they mentioned the names of the Toronto gangs all the time. But at this point, not only were none of the names coming to mind, but also she had no idea which crew these guys were in. She ran the risk of blurting out their name and blowing her cover.
Another one spoke before she could answer, “You look so tight I bet nobody’s even touched you yet. You sure you don’t wanna come home with us?”
Casey gulped. She had seen girls being dragged into dark cars on the side of the road before. She was so nervous her throat went dry and she couldn’t talk.
Luckily the grocer was quick on the draw, “Stop hassling her! Can’t you see she’s one of the Black Diamond girls?”
Now that name rang a bell. Casey knew the Black Diamonds ruled her neighbourhood and were notorious for their turf wars. From the concerned looks on the gang members’ faces, they were encroaching on the rival gangs’ space by being here.
“Looks sort of clean to be a BD girl,” said another one.
“I’m new,” Casey croaked. She was in the process of buttoning up her jacket to hide her uniform’s crisp white shirt.
They seemed to take that explanation. The grocer announced her total and she paid him cash.
The air in the room seemed to have been sucked out. The silence lay thick as the grocer got her change. She looked at the gangster across the room. Two of them were looking her up and down, assessing her sale value. She felt sweat break out at her hair line.
When she got her change, Casey grabbed her groceries and made for the door. Thankfully, they let her leave. Casey nearly tripped trying to run away. She got into the car and drove off as fast as she dared.
When she got to school, she woke Lizzie up and helped her into her uniform that was stretched over the empty front seat so it wouldn’t wrinkle. Her baby sister was unfortunately used to this routine by now. She would get another hour and a half of sleep before classes started. Casey stuffed her ridiculous hot pink jacket into the back and took out her school approved sweater, pulled her hair into a ponytail and changed her shoes. From prostitute to perfect student in three easy steps.
Casey wished sometimes she could go back in time to when her biggest problem was hers and Lizzie’s father leaving their family and moving to New York. She spoke to him of course. He mostly called them on a Sunday to get a synopsis of how things were going. He sent her and Lizzie stuff like clothes, stuff, money and thankfully the payments for the SUV. His new girlfriend was part of the reason they could not move to New York to live with him. Not that Casey or Lizzie wanted to go. Toronto was dangerous but to live with her would be much worse, especially since she started to complain that she and Lizzie were ‘burdens’. Their father promised that once Casey graduated and could get a job in New York he would get her and Lizzie an apartment of their own. But that opened another can of worms; Toronto was bad but New York was worse. There were not only kidnappers but drug cartels who were on the lookout for mules and runners. It would be like jumping out of a frying pan and into a fire.
Casey had to frog march a half asleep Lizzie to her classroom and guide her to her seat. She slipped a granola bar into her loosely balled fist so she could eat something when she finally woke up. When she was walking out Lizzie’s teacher sent her a sad smile. Casey ignored her, not wanting any sympathy. She wasn’t doing anything that anybody wouldn’t do for their younger sister if they were both basically orphaned. She was getting some really piteous looks recently from the faculty and wondered if all the scholarship girls were having the same problem.
Casey went to her class room and got out the homework she had fallen asleep over the night before. She had to finish it because staying on top of her class was basically the only thing providing her with an education right now. She was almost finished when the first set of girls made their way into the classroom. They chatted and laughed in a carefree way. Casey would usually join them, but she was not in the mood for girlish gossip after her close call this morning. Ducking her head, she continued to do homework, but there was no way to close her ears to the gossip, since Susanna Beckford was talking loudly and the walls echoed with the room being so empty.
“I heard that the recruiters got to her,” Susie gossiped as she twirled her tawny hair, “Her parents watched as they rolled the car all the way down the cul de sac. I always knew she was a slut.”
“But the recruiters don’t give you a chance to say no,” said Anna Kay Bellows, shaking her dreadlocks in disagreement as she whispered, “They threaten your family if they really want you. That is what happened to my cousin. You don’t know what they threatened to do to her family.”
“Still a slut,” Susie grinned wickedly.
Casey sighed. There was no way any of the girls that were kidnapped could be blamed for their predicament. All they were guilty of was being female. Susie was just perpetuating the misinformation that women were somehow to blame for men’s objectification of their bodies. Casey was one of the few who believed in the power of the female. The very fact that so many of them still survived in such a perilous environment was testament to how strong women were. Her faith in feminism was not shaken. Her faith in other things however…
Like parents. Not necessarily her mother, because whatever happened to her, Nora was always there for them. Her father’s continuing neglect made her angry. She lost faith in the government, because with all the kidnappings being committed on a daily basis, they were still too busy pointing fingers to do anything concrete about it. She even lost faith in neighbours. They turned a blind eye to everything, especially the screams of another woman being taken. Casey feared the day they decide to take her, because there would be nobody around to save her.
Casey was finished with her homework by the time classes started. This was the best part of her day by far. With all the things going on in her life, being simply the girl who was here to learn not only made her feel normal but happy. She was able to go back to a time when her biggest problem was her A minus in History. Some teachers were surprised that she was maintaining her grades. They had no idea how therapeutic it was to just sit here, worry free, and learn like a normal teen, especially in the middle of the chaos that was her life.
She was in the middle of Math when one of the lower classmen walked into the class with a note. Mrs. White their teacher opened the note and read.
“Casey the headmistress needs to see you,” she announced.
Casey got up and walked to the door to a chorus of “ooooohhh...” from her classmates. She wasn’t sure why. Maybe they thought she was going to be expelled. But the only thing that got you expelled from their school in recent times was if they found out that you had any gang ties, and that was because that meant that you were going to try to recruit girls from the school. One girl from their class got expelled for that three months ago. Casey wasn’t doing that. And she wasn’t the type to get in trouble. This was her third time being called to the principal’s office in all her years of being at this school.
When she got there, the secretary ushered her through the headmistress’ door immediately. She was barely able to spot Marlena McCarty in the outer office bawling her eyes out as they went in. They were both scholarship girls. Casey really started to worry now.
“Casey, sit down please,” Headmistress Jacobs indicated the seat in front of her desk. Casey sat and crossed her legs at the knee like they were taught in grade seven etiquette.
“I have some news for you,” the headmistress opened a folder on her desk, “The board of directors is making a decision to close the school. Having such a high concentration of girls is only a lure for criminals. We are looking for alternative schooling for all the girls, but we are starting with the students on scholarship. We have been able to find a school that is willing to take you and your sister, however it is in London. The school itself is a public school, but as you’re a top student here at our school, we did strive to find a school that had good academics. Their pass rate is above average. London also has less of the… problems that are here in Toronto. We also found accommodation for both of you. I know that it is very hard on you to be switching schools at this time, but we have to think of your safety. There have been threats to school already and we have to make tough decisions to protect you girls. Any questions?”
“Just one,” said Casey, “When do we leave?”
…………………………………….
The car was filled with their clothes and possessions. Their furniture was all sold to a second hand store or given away. Lizzie and Casey were loaded in the front with provisions for their trip and other stuff on the back seat. They were heading out of Toronto for the first time in a long time. As the passed the city limits, it was as if a weight had been lifted off their shoulders. They were free.
Lizzie had been all in when they got home the night after the headmistress spoke to them. She had no objections at all. She helped Casey pack and organize what they were going to take with them. She remembered at the last minute to call their father in New York to tell him what was going on. She loaded the car while Casey went to collect the money from selling their couch bed. And now that was on the road, she was smiling as she watched Toronto get smaller and smaller.
“What’s this house like where we’re going?” Lizzie asked, grabbing an energy bar from their stash.
“I’m not sure. Headmistress Jacobs said that a lawyer and his kids live there and they’re willing to take us in. Just being nice, she said. I spoke to him. He is actually one of the lawyers on that big prostitution gang case in the courts right now. He is also investigating along with the police a few abduction cases.”
Lizzie looked off into the horizon, and Casey could feel the question coming.
“Do you think he will find mom?”
Casey was silent for a while, “You never know. But just in case, I don’t think we should ask him about it.”
Lizzie nodded. Casey wasn’t sure which was right, giving Lizzie hope that they would be able to find Nora back or taking that hope away. Casey missed their mother just as much, maybe more than Lizzie. The thought of where she could be, what they could be doing to her, forcing her to do, drove Casey crazy half the time. She didn’t wish that worrisome burden on her little sister.
They drove into London that afternoon and after getting a little lost, they finally found the right street. For two hardened city girls, used to grit and urban decay, the suburb they were to now call home was almost false in its quaintness. Children played in big grassy yards. Teens rode around on bikes. Soccer moms rode around in minivans. It looked like something out of a movie. Lizzie’s mouth fell open when she saw a fully functional playground, complete with a basketball half court and batting cages. There was even a soccer field nearby.
Casey stopped and parked in front of the house and sat there staring. Living in an apartment had desensitized them towards what a real home normally looked like. It had red bricks and real trees in the yard. Casey could see a swing set in the back.
A voice had both girls jumping.
“Hey, what are you two doing?”
Casey looked out her window to see a boy of her age. He had on an expression that was not welcoming at all. He had a shovel on his shoulder, wore jeans slung low on his hips and sneakers. And that was all he wore.
Casey took a second to ponder why the half-naked guy was greeting her with such hostility. Maybe he worked here as a gardener.
“My name is Casey McDonald. Is this the Venturi house?”
His eyes narrowed, “Yeah. Why do you ask?”
Casey hopped out of the front seat, saw the look he gave her tiny school uniform skirt in tandem with her streetwalker jacket. Oh great. Now he thought some hooker was looking for the respectable lawyer that employed him. That had political scandal written all over it.
“Um, my sister and I have just come from Toronto. We are to be attending Sir John Thompson Sparrow next week. Mr Venturi offered to let us live with him and his kids.”
Now he looked really surprised.
Casey huffed. She was not getting through to him. And really he wasn’t the one she was supposed to be speaking with.
“Is Mr. Venturi home?”
The guy shifted his weight, “Uh, no. He’s not.”
“What’s going on?” Lizzie emerged from the SUV. The guy gave her little sister a disapproving look. Lizzie was wearing her shiny blue vinyl streetwalker jacket with her PE shorts, as PE was the last subject she did today on their last day of school, and her boots to complete her disguise. Casey glared at him, though she really couldn’t blame him for having the exact reaction that they were going for.
“Seems Mr. Venturi didn’t inform his staff that we were coming,” Casey watched the guy’s face as she fished her phone from her pocket. His eyebrow rose a little at ‘staff’. Casey suppressed an eye roll to punish herself for being so presumptive. She didn’t know what he was; he could be a handyman or just a neighbourhood kid who worked to get extra pocket money.
Casey dialed Mr. Venturi’s number. He answered after five rings.
“Hello.”
“Mr Venturi I’m here at your house. Your gardener doesn’t seem to have known we were coming.”
The guy huffed. She was wrong again.
Mr. Venturi guffawed, “My gardener?”
“Um…” Casey looked over to see the guy giving her an unfriendly smirk, “I’m not really sure who he is.”
Suddenly Mr Venturi’s gasp cut through the phone line.
“Derek! I forgot to tell him! I’m so sorry Casey, you’re probably talking to my son Derek and I completely forgot to tell him about you!”
As Mr. Venturi continued to spaz out on the phone, Casey lowered the phone and looked over. The guy was still looking at her; she could see the judgment in his eyes.
“You’re Derek?” she asked.
………………………………
He let them into the house after a lengthy talk with his dad on the phone. Lizzie kept throwing glances back at Casey, seeking assurance no doubt. She tried her best to put it on her face, but how successful she was in doing so was unclear. She played with a curl of her hair as they crossed the threshold.
It was… not bad. For a jumbled, untidy mess. Casey made mental notes of all the things she was itching to straighten, clean, and organize when the novelty of her being here wore off.
“Marti and Edwin are next door. We usually eat dinner with the Davises on a Friday.”
“Oh. You can go ahead and eat. Lizzie and I will be fine,” Casey said to try to be nice. But the look he gave her said it all; if she was a prostitute, she was maybe a thief too. Casey sighed. This was getting old fast.
“Where are we going to sleep?” Lizzie asked. She had taken off her hoochie boots and placed them in a corner near the door, putting her jacket beside them. Now she looked normal. Dirty from a game of volleyball in PE, football socks up to her knees, school bag slung over her shoulder. Casey smiled at the image her sister made.
“You’re in the spare room downstairs. I guess that’s why my dad asked me to clear it out last week,” Derek muttered, turning in the direction of the kitchen. He had one of their duffel bags on his shoulder and Casey could see the ripple of muscle across his back. She looked down, embarrassed for where her eyes automatically went and followed him, Lizzie at her heels. She tucked a stray broom back into its cupboard as she passed.
When they got down to the basement, Casey was surprised. She was expecting dingy and dark, but there were enough lights in here for her to read and get dressed and do homework by. There were two good sized beds and a writing desk and a wardrobe that looked a bit banged up but solid.
“Wow,” Lizzie sighed, “it’s bigger than our old apartment.”
“Pretty much,” Casey agreed. She looked over at Derek, who had unceremoniously flung her bag on one of the beds.
“I’m gonna go pick up the younger ones,” he announced, “You’ll have to get the rest out of the car yourself.”
“Fine. Thank you for your help,” Casey knew he was just determined not to get along with her, and she decided she was going to be the bigger person if it killed her. She watched him climb the stairs, wondering what the rest of her time here was going to be like.
…………………………………………
Edwin and Lizzie seemed to hit it off immediately. As soon as Lizzie mentioned that they were going to going to the same school, Edwin started lecturing about all the best spots to have lunch, and where to avoid the bullies. Marti was adorable, inviting Casey to have a tea party with her and saying she looked like a princess. She liked them both. It seemed that they were better adjusted than the kids she saw in Toronto, whose lives were hardened by crime.
She helped put Marti to bed (or as much as Derek would allow her to. He was more protective of his little sister than a mama bear with her cub) and then made her way down to the kitchen to get some tea before bed. Lizzie saw her coming down the stairs and didn’t have to be told once. She turned off the game she was watching and made her way towards their room.
When the tea was made, Casey stood there and drank it, savoring the silence. Back in Toronto, Mrs. DiMaggio would be waking up right around now to have a shouting match with her husband as he came in from work. She would not miss that, nor the couple above them, who thought it was fun to see who could kill the other first. She was about to wash her cup when Derek walked in.
He was fully clothed, scowling at her in a way that made her know he had something on his mind.
“Whatever it is you want to say to me, you might as well say it,” she told him.
“I don’t like the idea of Toronto hookers living here,” he said, “I don’t know what my dad is up to, but he’s hardly here and I run this place while he’s gone. So let us set up some ground rules. Number one, no johns in my house. I don’t want Marti exposed to that kind of thing. Number two, when we get to school, I don’t know you. Don’t talk to me, don’t walk with me in the halls. I don’t want my friends thinking I associate with your kind. Number three; I don’t want you plying your little trade in the neighbourhood or at school, because of Marti and Edwin. Number four, if your sister ever messes around with my brother I’m going to kill you where you stand. Number five…”
“You can stop now,” said Casey, who had gotten angrier with each new rule, “I have a few rules for you too. First and most important is that I am not a prostitute and if you accuse me of being one again I’m going to…do something unsavory to you too! My sister and I had to wear those stupid jackets as disguises, so people wouldn’t kidnap us off the street! You think to be watched and harassed and threatened everyday is a walk in the park? Lizzie and I barely made it out of Toronto with our heads on our shoulders not to mention not trapped in a brothel somewhere! I am not going to have you spreading around that I’m a slut!”
Derek blinked, “You expect me to believe you?”
“I don’t care what you do. I’m telling you the truth and if you can’t see that, screw you.”
“How much is that gonna cost me?”
“Shut up!” she pushed him back into the refrigerator. The bang of the appliance against the wall startled them. Some of the cereal boxes rattled and fell off. Bright coloured cereal bits scattered all over the floor.
“Now you see what you’ve done!” Casey yelled, grabbing the boxes off the floor. She grabbed a broom and swept violently. Derek got the dust shovel, trying to help. Casey glared at him and grabbed the shovel away.
“Just go. I’ll do this,” Casey grumbled at him.
“It’s my kitchen,” Derek pointed out. She gave him a look that clearly refuted that. He was trying way too hard to push her away, she realized, almost as if he was forcing himself not to be her friend. Well, that was alright with her, because she definitely did not want to be his friend.
“Speaking of whose kitchen this is,” Casey threw the cereal in the bin, “when is your dad getting home?”
“He stays in the city mostly. The case he’s on keeps him working so late that he just stays in a hotel.”
Casey blinked. She was under the impression that Mr. Venturi would be home soon, so she could talk to him about school and getting a job. She didn’t exactly have her bartending license- she had been working on it in Toronto- but if she got another bar job she could finally get one. It would serve her well when she was off to college and needed to get extra money. Her scholarship would only go so far.
“Do you know when he’ll be home?” Casey asked.
Derek shrugged, “Could be a week or two.”
Casey rolled her eyes. She had to survive with this jackass for another two weeks before his father could intervene. She would have to make the best of it, she guessed.
“I’m going to bed,” Casey muttered, “It’s been a long day.”
“Lots of Johns you had to satisfy?” Derek quipped. Casey flung the dustbin at him.
…………………………..
Over the weekend, Casey and Lizzie took the opportunity of their new found freedom to visit the park and the mall. They took Marti, who pleaded to be included. They had to sneak her out of the house, because Derek kept trying to talk Marti out of it. They had a lot of fun. Casey hadn’t seen her sister smile so much in a long time. Derek was upset when they got back, interrogating the little girl on what they did and where they went. Casey couldn’t believe that Derek thought she would put his sister in danger. He probably though she was brainwashing her or something.
They mostly kept to themselves or to their own siblings over the weekend. Casey cleaned the main level of the house, and even convinced Edwin and Marti to clean their rooms (though Marti needed a lot of help and Edwin basically moved his junk out of sight). She even bought grocery out of her own money and made dinner. Derek still gave her dark looks over his lasagna. She told herself that it didn’t matter that Derek didn’t trust her. She wasn’t going to make it bother her.
On Monday morning, pure anticipation coaxed Casey out of bed earlier than usual. Not only was she going to a new school, but also it was going to be the first time that she went to school with boys. She had not so much as kissed one before. That coupled with the fact that she now had not one but three kids to get ready for school had her throwing off the sheets and jumping out of bed.
At least she didn’t have chores and uniforms to deal with anymore. She made coffee and poured orange juice, made bacon and egg sandwiches, packed snacks for Marti and did some light cleaning before Derek made his way downstairs.
“What the hell are you doing?” he asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes.
“Making breakfast. Grab a sandwich. I’m gonna get the kids up,” Casey whirled to get a mug for him.
“Edwin and Marti are awake. What I should ask is why are you doing this? We usually just eat cereal.”
Casey rolled her eyes, “It’s nothing. Sometimes Lizzie has her days when she demands French toast or hash browns. This is just a few fried eggs.”
“Okay,” Derek tried again, “What I really should ask then is why are you being so nice?”
Casey stopped pouring coffee and frowned at him, “This is how I figure it. We have to live together, mainly because I want to go to school and your school agreed to take me. We both have to take care of our siblings since our parents are MIA. And we both have to make sure we do these things without burning the house down. So, I suggest a truce. You think I’m a streetwalker, I think you’re a moron. We will just have to live with it, especially since fighting will distract us from the kids.”
Derek looked her over, “Nice speech. Did you rehearse all night?”
Casey sighed and pushed the mug along the counter towards him, “I’ll take that as agreement.”
They got the kids bathed and dressed with their rooms tidy within good time to get them to school. There was only one hiccup; Marti began whining when she saw Lizzie and Casey’s hair in French braids, even though Derek put her hair in pigtails, which was her current favourite. Casey did her hair for her and the crisis was abated.
They would have driven to school separately if Derek’s car hadn’t refused to start. Edwin and Marti jumped out and ran to the SUV as soon as they realized this, but Derek took his own sweet time. By the time they dropped off the kids and got to school they were a minutes late, which may as well been an hour in Casey’s opinion. She hated being late. When she had worked out her schedule and other administration things and finally got to her first class it was halfway done.
“Hey. Come sit here,” said a pretty girl with a halo of brown curls. Se shared her notes and got Casey caught up. Her name was Emily Davis, of the next-door Davises. She was nice and sweet, and seemed to know what was going on not only in the lesson but in the entire school.
After class they walked out into the hall together. Casey was bumped and shoved from every side so Emily pulled her through the crowd.
“What’s it like living with Derek?” Emily asked, her eyes lighting up.
Oh, Casey thought. She guessed somebody had to find Derek attractive. That was how reproduction worked. “A nightmare,” she answered.
Emily sighed. Nothing was breaking her love bubble.
In the meantime, Casey was thinking about her cash flow. Treating Lizzie on the weekend put a big dent in it, “Em, do you know of any places hiring right now? Like a bar or something. I’m working on my bartending license and…”
“I’m not sure, but I know who to ask!” Emily pulled her along again.
They reached a classroom a moment later. Casey could see Derek sitting at the back with what was obviously his group of friends. Emily gave him a goofy wave and Casey actively ignored him.
“Hey Kendra!” Emily said to a blonde chatting with her own group of friends. Kendra looked up and offered a wary smile.
“Hi, Em. Who is this?”
“Oh this is my new friend Casey. She just moved from Toronto and she’s looking for a job. I know you got those jobs for Jocelyn and Amanda recently. I was just wondering if you have anything Casey can do.”
Kendra’s head leaned to the side and she stared Casey down, “Toronto huh?”
“Yes,” Casey nodded, “I had a bartending job there. I babysat and pet sat a little too.”
“Oh,” Kendra smiled, but one had the feeling it was forced, “I’m not sure we need a bartender right now. If I hear anything I’ll tell you.”
“Thanks,” Casey nodded and walked out as the teacher was coming in. she felt Derek’s eyes follow her to the door. When she looked over her shoulder at him he looked away.
……………………………
Casey dropped Derek, Emily and the kids home at the end of the day then went into the city to see if she could find anyone hiring. She drove past a few places that looked too seedy then saw a bar that looked clean and respectable.
The bar Casey worked in back in Toronto was a great place. Apart from making her wear tiny shorts as part of her uniform, her boss was fair and generous. The regulars were nice guys in their fifties upwards, who often lamented the collapse of the city. They had children and grandchildren and wives and girlfriends and most took her for a daughter or little sister. They helped her with the drinks she had to learn and gave her tips both monetary and motivational. She was lucky to get that job.
She walked into the bar in London, hoping to find the same thing and knowing she wouldn’t.
She met with the owner who said he would take a chance on her. He asked her to start as soon as possible which she was glad to do. Her station was nice and big and she would share it with someone. She would start Tuesday night.
She went home to tell Lizzie. When she walked into the house she was met by a sight that made her cringe and giggle at the same time. Derek was in the process of flipping a pancake while Marti ran around the dining room. Lizzie and Edwin were having an “are not” “are too” fight in the living room. Emily was sitting at the counter with her hands on her jaw, staring lovingly at Derek. Casey shook her head. She had an eerie feeling that this was her ‘family’ now.
She looked at Derek and frowned. Every family had members that couldn’t get along, she guessed. No, that wasn’t it. It was more that she didn’t want to see him as any family member of hers, especially since he was convinced she was a prostitute.
She walked over and gave Emily a smile. Her new friend grinned back. At least there was no judgment there.
“I’ve found a job,” she announced haughtily. Derek gave her a sly look.
“I thought you already had a job.”
“Behave,” Emily warned. She turned to Casey and smiled, “Where did you get it?”
“Kats Pajama? It looked respectable enough. I’m just going to do the first shift until ten so I can come home and do homework. I’ll have to check Lizzie’s homework in the morning like I did in Toronto…why the hell are you staring at me?”
Derek was looking right at her, his eyes wide as saucers.
“Casey said a bad word! A dollar for the swear jar!” Marti shouted, still running.
Casey fished it out of her pocket and fed the jar, “As I was saying, what’s wrong with the Kats Pajama?”
“I guess your type would fit in quite fine there,” Derek stacked pancakes and put them on a plate.
“He’s just messing with you,” Emily assured, “I bet there isn’t anything wrong with that bar. Just don’t get drunk.”
“I don’t drink,” Casey informed her, “Alcohol isn’t really my thing.”
“Yet you tend bars?” Derek dribbled maple syrup on the pancakes and yelled, “Stop!”
Immediately, Marti stopped and grabbed the nearest chair to sit on.
Emily rolled her eyes at Derek’s back as he walked towards Marti with the pancakes, “He’s just teasing you, Case. I bet that place is really nice. I hope you get a lot of tips.”
“Yeah, me too,” Casey sighed, still wondering what Derek meant.
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