The day ends in fireworks

Bailey sat down at the booth with everyone else looking down at the strawberry and walnut salad in front of him trying to think why he had ordered it. It just seemed like what he was supposed to order. Letting out a sigh he popped a slice of strawberry in his mouth with the plastic fork before placing it down on the plate. This salad was miles better than the smoothie from this morning, but he just didn’t feel like eating. Amanda saw Bailey looking down at his plate lost in thought, probably starving after a day in the sun and hating himself for choosing to diet now.. Herself, Amanda corrected. “Sweetie, why not get something else or even a piece of chicken from the counter, you are being extra active today. More food is good for you.” Bailey looked up into the beautiful blue eyes of his girlfriend and current mom. “No, it's like okay. I’m not hungry anyhow.” Bailey said pushing around a strawberry on his plate. When Amanda went to retort Derrick put his hand on top of hers. “She has had a rough day. She should eat, but skipping one meal isn’t going to hurt her.” turning her hand over Amanda held hands briefly with Derrick before turning to her own food.

Candi on the other hand eat her chicken Caesar salad in maybe the most unlady like fashion Bailey had seen her do anything. With only a few bites left she looked up from her plate to Bailey, their green eyes meeting as the teen smiled. “Oh my god, I am like so hungry and you are totally making me look bad! That like isn't even fair, I’m almost done and I want your food too!” raising an eyebrow at the whining girl Bailey slid his plate closer to her. “Oh my gosh, you are the worst little sister.” the teasing at least got Bailey to crack a smile and pull him out of his own sorrow. Candi plucked a strawberry from the plate and bit into it before sticking her tongue out at Bailey. For a reply Bailey touched his index finger to some of the strawberry sauce on the salad and tapped his ring finger to Candi’s nose. “You did not just put that on me!” Candi said wiping her face with her napkin. The interaction brought smiles to Derrick and Amanda, so long as the girls didn’t get too loud she was happy to see them enjoying themselves. When they calmed down Candi was all too happy to tell her bestie about her adventures. “I like totally conquered my fear of heights and went down the same slide as you!” Smiling at her Bailey gave her a sideways hug while they sat next to one another in the booth. “You go girl, but you conquered it huh? Does that mean you will be going on the slide again?” the question made Candi’s face go a little pale. “Well… baby steps, I made a step to conquering my fear!” her voice started off soft and increased in volume as she got more sure of herself. “What were you and Daddy up to, while I was seeing what it was like to be a Best?”

Bailey looked up to Derrick and then down at the table, wringing his hands under it thinking about how powerless he felt earlier and how easily Derrick took care of them. “We were having fun talking about nerdy things. Bailey here is a big fan of Captain America and Aragorn in Lord of the Rings. Your little princess has good taste Mandy.” for once Bailey didn’t even care that he was being called princess, he had saved him from an awkward conversation that he really didn’t want to have and the small nod Derrick gave him, he knew he was doing it on purpose. The more he thought about what happened and what has been happening the less Bailey wanted to talk to Mommy… Mandy, he corrected himself. It was getting harder to say one thing and still think of her as another, just a few more days and this could all come to an end. Though for today he wasn’t sure if he could hold himself together if Mandy or Candi asked him the wrong question. “Umm like yeah I do have good taste, and it is nice to have someone appric…” Bailey stumbled on the word remembering he isn’t supposed to be using anything bigger words in character. “Well.. umm someone like what I do. Is it okay if Mr. Connors and I spend more time just the two of us, I umm its like nice to have someone who reminds me of my dad around.” glancing over at Derrick, Amanda smiled. Bailey had been a lot more open as of late with the two of them, and she was sure the Connors influence is why he was so much more free with his emotions instead of bottling them up like in the past. “You two can play Daddy, Daughter and we will play Mommy, Daughter. I am enjoying spending time with Candi even if she is not a fan of golf. Is that okay with you?” she asked looking across the table. “Oh like, sure that sounds great and we can like be together for the fireworks at night!”

Before they split up the group had another round of sunscreen, this time Bailey at least got his girlfriend to rub the lotion into him. When the two women left Derrick took one of Bailey’s hands in his and put his other under her chin to make her look up to him. “Are you going to be okay? We can call them back if you like, I will be here with you. Or you can go off with your friend instead of spending time with an old man like me.” giving a small smile Bailey shook his head and wished it was easier to hate him instead of him feeling like he can trust the man. “No, I umm. I feel safe with you. Even if you are an old man.” moving his hand from Bailey’s chin Derrick pulled the shorter girl in for a hug. “I promise I will not let anything happen to you while I am around, and what you said at lunch about me reminding you of your dad meant a lot to me. You look a bit drained, how about we get some rafts and float around the lazy river and you can tell me about him and Cherry?” pulling back Bailey nodded before walking off with him

Before the group knew it the sun had set and they were all gathered together in their cabana watching the sky explode in lights. The fireworks seemed to explode around the sky anywhere in the park, the show was more extravagant than the small show at the picnic earlier in the week and this time the small group sat much more comfortably together. Derrick was laying back in a lounging chair, with Amanda sitting in the seat between his legs and leaning back into him. While the girls sat next to one another looking up into the sky leaning on each other, both drained from the sun and the emotions of the day. Out of the corner of his eye Bailey saw the adults move and saw Derrick Lean over Mandy and kiss her. A spark of anger rose, but he felt just too drained to kindle it. Candi must have seen what he was looking at because he felt her hug him. “Isn’t that like perfect!” she whispered to Bailey. Turning to look at her the two were maybe an inch apart looking at one another. Putting on the best fake smile he could muster. “So perfect.”

With the fireworks display over, the group took the time to change into some traveling clothes and out of their wet bathing suits before making their way to the car, both girls climbing into the back. When they pulled out of the parking lot Amanda looked back to ask the girls if they enjoyed their day she saw both of them leaning on each other and sleeping holding hands. “Aww, that might be the cutest thing I have seen in a while.” Amanda said snapping a picture with her phone and sending it to Derrick and her sister. “They had a busy day full of ups and downs, I think they earned a little nap on the way home, now how about you Princess Mandy. Did you have a good day?” Derrick said reaching over to take her hand, but keeping his eyes on the darkened road. “No day can be perfect, that trip to security today was not pleasant time.” Amanda said glancing at Derrick then back to the two in the back seat. “I would still say today was a good day. Plenty of happy memories we can all share. How many times do you think we will be able to end a day with fireworks while you are in town?” with a glance to the side Derrick pulled Amanda’s hands to his lips and gave it a light kiss. “If I gave you a line about seeing fireworks every time I kissed you, would you believe me?” pursing her lips Amanda looked at Derrick as he was being a little smug, but playful and then thought of how it made her feel when they kissed under the stars and fireworks less than an hour ago. With a final glance to the back seat she felt a little bad, but she had to admit how she felt. “I do not know about fireworks Mr. Connors, but I know we both feel something.”

Wearing his warm smile and only glancing to the beautiful woman next to him Derrick was happy for the day. Some bad things happened, but in the end it was a good day. He felt closer to Amanda and her daughter, in fact Bailey seemed to be more at peace around him. Amanda had already told him she wouldn’t pursue a long distance relationship, but he could try to make the district manager promotion move her to his home area instead of Nevada if she would be willing, though Mega Corp didn’t always act quickly and the actual promotion could take a while. He wasn’t sure what to really do, he did know she was the first woman since his wife past that he was really interested in. “Say, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. That district manager position that you are trying to earn. If you had the position required you to move out of Nevada, would you still be interested?” Amanda’s phone beeped and she looked down at her sister's reply to the image.

Megan: I hope you had a good day, you deserve a break after all you have done. That photo is precious and I just might frame it and send it to Candi for her birthday.

Amanda: It was a good day, the girls had a lot of fun.

Turning off the screen Amanda looked back to Derrick. “Leaving my sister would be hard, but I have worked hard to get where I am. If it is the right job, then I would move so long as it was not somewhere too cold like New York where headquarters is.” her being willing to move was the answer Derrick was hoping for and would make a call tomorrow to see if it was even an option, He didn’t want to give up on this wonderful woman without a fight and considering the girls seemed to get along so well with them and were seemingly best friends right away it was worth a shot. People said he was personable, but he could say he never made a best friend as quickly as Candace, though maybe she just saw something the same special thing he saw in the Bests.

“Another question, I picked up that you tend to not use contractions when you talk. Why is that?” tilting her head from one side to the other thinking how best to answer. “I can use them, but it is mostly a habit now. When I first started at Mega Corp I saw the culture and how someone could only get a head with their feminine wiles as it were, the culture is not exactly a welcoming one for a strong woman. I had a friend that started with me and she was subject to some heavy sexual harassment. HR mostly told her she was being sensitive and taking things out of proportion. She got a lawyer and because of our contract she had to go to mediation first, there she was told that she was openly flirting with most of the male staff. The truth was, she was only being friendly and that is how she was treated for it. Talking the way I do can make me sound smarter to some, but it also comes across as a little cold and not familiar. It discourages some men from making advances. Not all though, like a certain regional manager who put his hand on my shoulder the first day we met.”

“Did I do that, oh. I’m sorry. Guess I should retake some of those seminars we hold a few times a year for harassment too.” Derrick contemplated what she said and how the boys were acting towards Bailey earlier in the day. “I will try to do better, women should not be afraid or feel threatened in the workplace.” she knew what he meant, but felt like digging a little bit, so Amanda raised an eyebrow and looked at him as if he could see the gesture while concentrating on the road. “Just the workplace?” Derrick rubbed his jaw and then just looked to the side into her beautiful blue eyes not saying a word. “A man that knows when to stop digging, my last boyfriend would have just kept going.” saying that struck Amanda as odd to think of the person in the back seat as her ex-boyfriend even if that was the story they were using. After being with Derrick for the week, when this was all over the two of them would have to sit down for a talk. She was sure he had grown a lot this week and if they were to continue together he was going to need to keep up that empathy and not slide back.

Getting back to the apartment Amanda looked in the back and gently shook Bailey’s knee. “Bailey honey, time to wake up, we are home.” The attempt to wake Bailey had no affect and Derrick only smiled and held a hand up to indicate that it was okay. “I got her, don’t worry.” getting out of the car Derrick opened the passenger side and unbuckled Bailey before hoisting her into his grasp. Carrying another person, even one that was only five foot six couldn’t be described as an easy task, but he handled it well enough. The jostling brought Bailey out of his deep sleep, but still had no idea what was going on as he kept his eyes closed and enjoyed being carried like when he was little. The strong arms holding him reminded him of his dad when he pulled him from the saddle or took him from the car after being out too late. Sleepily Candi followed them back into the apartment, yawning and ready to get back to sleep after what felt like a long day.

Amanda opened the door to the dark apartment and flicked on the kitchen light before clearing a path for Derrick to put Bailey into bed. As Bailey felt the bed comfort him and the warm embrace start to leave he smiled and rolled over putting his arm over the stuffed bear. “Thanks Daddy.” he said thinking of his own father and mimicking Candi after hearing her use the word over the last few days. “Good night princess.” Derrick replied kissing Bailey on the forehead and pulling the covers over her after Amanda got the wedges off her feet. Closing the bedroom door behind her to let Bailey sleep in peace she smiled looking at Derrick, the scene that just played out before her made her so happy and it only got better when the sleepy Candi gave her a hug. “Good night Miss Best, do you think you could still be my friend when we leave?” wiping a tear that came to her eye she returned the hug. “Of course dear, I would be proud to call you a friend to both you and your dad.”