It had been three days, three days since Derrick and Courtney had the best and worst night of their lives. It was now Christmas Eve and Derrick was losing his mind, his head full of pictures and dreams of him taking his sister in so many ways that his mind had lost count only to have them dashed by his father when they came home unexpectedly. How they did not hear them enter the house let alone make it downstairs without their knowing tormented his sanity. It was a moment that they would never forget.
Derrick's cell phone rang loudly through the silent hotel room he luckily managed to snag so late in the season. He rolled over and squinted at the alarm clock. He could barely make out the faint numbers and dabbed his black eye with a damp cloth. He slowly answered his phone, not eager to hear who was on the other end when he saw her phone number. He took in a deep breath, expecting a verbal assault of epic proportions.
"Hello."
"Derrick, how are you?" Courtney whispered and Derrick stiffened at the sound of her voice. He sighed deeply as the number would be logged on the phone bill and would eventually come back to haunt him. He didn't care though, he was glad to hear her voice.
"I'm doing okay. How are you?" He asked and Courtney held her breath as her mother and uncle could be heard arguing in the living room.
"We need to talk. I want you to know that what we shared I would never trade for anything and if I could I would run away with you." She said and Derrick could only smile as he had finally heard the words that he needed to hear. Someone actually cared for him.
"Mom is trying to keep Uncle Eric away from you since you nearly put his brother-in-law in the hospital. I just thought you should know. Their argument is pretty one sided at the moment. Mom is really laying into him about not defending her husband." She whispered and Derrick groaned as the recollection of the fight, how brief it had been, came to him. His father was no match for him and the black eye Derrick suffered was the only wound sustained. His father however, suffered far worse.
"How is he?" Derrick asked and Courtney hid the phone. Derrick could hear the argument spill into the bedroom from her uncle tearing into her about her lack of morals and poor choices. He knew the man and the speech given sounded forced. Derrick wanted to reach through the phone and beat him but knew that he would be in no condition to go another round, let alone with the man that taught him how to fight. The yelling slowly subsided and soon after Courtney whispered back.
"He's doing okay, more pride than anything was hurt on that man. He'll have no scars on his face but you sure put mom in fear when you got on top and began throttling him. They've basically orphaned you now."
"I've been basically an orphan since I was born. Until our night, I never thought I would feel as loved as I did in that house. I wouldn't trade anything for what we shared either. If there was something we could do to be together, I would gladly do it. My fists proved that." Another moment of silence came and both knew what they wanted to say, but neither could bring the words forth.
"I miss you so much." Courtney whispered and sniffled. "They've basically isolated me to my room. Yesterday I couldn't even go to the bathroom without escort. Mom wouldn't let me see Dad and when she did he wanted nothing to do with me. He almost hit me." Courtney's tears began to fall and Derrick lowered his head. She loved her parents with every fibre of her being. Seeing the repercussions of their actions made him wonder if she was following blindly.
"Courtney, I'm sorry. Maybe we shouldn't have done what we did." Derrick said, taking on the role of big brother protector.
"Don't you dare end this." She snapped quietly. "I love our parents to bits but I love you more. I've always loved you more because." She stopped as the argument downstairs hit another decibel level. Courtney covered her free ear, not wanting to hear them while Derrick was lucky and couldn't make out the words through the phone. They shared a collective sigh as the volume slowly dropped with the agreement that they should be quieter for the injured. "I can't take much more and it has only been three days. God I can't wait to go to university. I finally see why you never come home."
"Where are going to study?" Derrick asked and another roaring argument ripped through the house.
"I've been accepted to two universities. The one you go to and another that mom and dad are ensuring I go to now. I'll be in California in the spring. They've pushed my acceptance and they've agreed to send me in a week instead of in the fall. Dad pulled some strings and got me in the dorm and accepted. I don't know how he does it sometimes. I guess he talked to his upper class friends." Courtney replied and Derrick was beside himself. She was going to the school that wouldn't give her the best degree in her field and she would be on the other side of the country.
"I can't stand seeing you go that far but it's a good university." Derrick replied and knew that Courtney was either glaring at the phone or on the verge of bursting into tears.
"I know but I don't want to leave you. I got to go." With that she hung up as a third rage filled argument spilled into her room. He stared at his cell before hanging up. Derrick went and had a shower before resting on the bed and watching TV. He could barely keep his anger in check as the TV only amplified the urge be with Courtney. After spending the morning and early afternoon staring at endless happy cartoons and specials, he turned off the TV. He rubbed his sore arms sat up as his hotel door was knocked on. He opened it and was met by the hotel clerk.
"Sorry to bother you, I'm just here to tell you that the indoor hot tub and swim area will be open until six, not midnight as posted." Derrick nodded thanks and closed the door. He smiled as the hotel was quiet, everyone with their families for the holidays, everyone but him. He never understood why his parents always kept him at a distance. It hurt him, scarred him, but liberated him. He sighed as he looked to the clock, 4:45PM. He didn't have any trunks but decided to test fate and try to sneak time in the hot tub. He grabbed a towel from the bathroom and rushed out into the night.
She stared blankly at the wall as her mother tore another strip off of her. She didn't care and her pacifism only spurred her on until she had nothing to yell about. Courtney watched her leave and sighed deeply, barely holding in her tears. She knew that it would only be a matter of time before either her or her uncle returned to lean into her once more. All she wanted was to be loved by him and after hearing his feelings, she could only smile on the inside as finally she found the perfect man for her.
She needed to see him. He was alone and she wanted nothing to do with anyone in her home. Her cousins alienated her after their father nearly struck her before leaving and her Uncle Eric was only staying around at his sister's request. She slid open her cell and dialed the only person she knew that could help her. After several agonizing rings and a silent plea for someone to answer, her wish was granted.
"Jasmine, I need your help so bad right now." Courtney boldly said, knowing that at anytime her mother or uncle could come in and blast another speech into her face. Jasmine, her childhood friend, pulled herself away from her family to deal with her call.
