Clear Visions 1

The plane landed in Jacksonville Florida. Jenny prodded Derrick hard in the ribs to wake him up. He jumped and looked at her smiling.
‘We’re there baby. Sleep well?’
He smiled and nodded. To his surprise he had slept well. He stood up and walked off the plane with Jenny who was holding Shane. They walked through to the airports main building. Derrick took a trolley and left Jenny holding Shane on one of the bench’s. He knew it was up to him to get the luggage. He didn’t mind really. He didn’t want Jenny working too much. She might get hurt. Besides she had Shane to look after and he was difficult on the best of days.
he put the luggage onto the trolley and pushed it over to her. She looked at him as he nodded and they headed out of the airport and too the car park where they saw Bens car parked. Derrick smiled as he saw Ben get out of it. What derrick loved was the fact that even though it had been at least three years since he had last seen Ben he still recognized him just from his car.
Ben walked up to the airport doors looking at his watch. He was bang on time. He knew his friends and unless the plane was late they were people of great organization and would be there on time. He looked at the door to see a woman who looked a lot like Jenny. She smiled at him. He walked passed her only to have her take his arm and say his name. He span around and looked at her. She really was holding a baby. He looked at Derrick with wide eyes. He had changed so much. That wasn’t a bad thing. He was much better looking. Not that Ben was gay, he just had the comfort ability in his own sexuality to say when he thought a man was good looking and not.
Besides he knew Derrick wouldn’t care. Everyone who ever went to their high school knew. It wasn’t a secret that when they were in gym class they would watch each other in the locker rooms just for fun.
Derrick nodded at Ben in approval and outstretched his arms for a hug. Ben smiled and hugged him.
‘Miss you dude. Its been so boring’
Derrick laughed to himself. He knew it would turn out something like this. He had missed Ben too. So much. It was like he had moved away from a brother. He didn’t like that. Though he could happily say he didn’t miss his brother even half as much as he had missed Ben. He noticed Bens eyes slip onto Shane. Derrick breathed in heavily. He knew he had to give an explanation. He couldn’t leave it Jenny. She wasn’t very good with the whole telling Ben about relationships scene. She had loved him since 7th grade and he had loved her since 8th. So it had to be down to Derrick to tell Ben. Which was cool.
‘Oh. Ben this is Shane.’
Ben smiled and rubbed a finger down Shane’s nose who giggled when he did. Derrick smiled. Ben still had his touch. That was good. Ben had always been brilliant with children. Derrick had always had Ben in mind for a god father when he had kids. Well now he could be.
‘Is he yours?’
Derrick nodded at Ben’s question. He saw Ben look at Jenny. He had a smile on his face but the look deep inside was one of hurt. Like he couldn’t get over her. For a minute it made Derrick feel guilty. But what did he have to be guilty about? Jenny had chosen to go with him. She hadn’t had to. He hadn’t forced her. He hadn’t even asked her. She had just opted to go. From there friendships had become more. That was something that couldn’t have been helped.
Jenny hugged Ben as she too saw the look on his face.
after they finished hugging Ben pulled away and walked over to the car opening to trunk.
‘Comeon! Get your asses over here and the stuff in the trunk!’
Derrick laughed and pushed the trolley over and helped Ben to get all the luggage in. As he did another car pulled up. Jenny smiled and ran to hug the man who got out. Derrick looked and sighed. This was a man who he had not wanted to see. Marty. He hated the man beyond belief. He hated the way Jenny fell limp whenever she saw him. Almost like he was some kind of god. Which he could assure people Marty was certainly anything but a god. He was more of a moron than a god.
Still Jenny had only just got back too. She was allowed to see who she wanted just so long as she didnt fall into his arms and act like it should be Derrick there not Marty he wasnt fussed. But if she was going to get all kissy on him he wanted it to be Ben who was there. Not Marty. He hated Marty with a passion. Mainly cause Marty hated him. For little to no reason. He didn’t mind people hating him. It seemed most people who knew Jenny hated him for one reason or another. Especially her mother.
Derrick looked at Ben who seemed to have much the same feelings for Jenny being around Marty. He knew Ben didn’t like him either. Ben didn’t like anyone who attempted to be with Jenny. Derrick was the exception. He was good for her and nobody argued with that. He was a man who knew how to treat a woman and would use all of his power to protect her and spoil her with all the luxuries she could want. Ben knew he couldn’t do that even if he wanted. Derrick had always been the richest in the gang by far. Ben had always lived in a small grotty apartment in town. Derrick had been brought up in a 8 bedroom luxury mansion.
Something about Derrick and Derricks family had always got Ben. Most rich people didn’t like their children hanging with the scum of the town. With the people like Ben who didn’t have much money. The people like Jenny who’s parents were divorced and who’s mother didn’t like people from somewhere as far away as off the street. Derrick parents had never really cared. They had welcomed Ben into their house more than once. They had at one point invited him to live there. He didn’t know the reason why until before Derrick left. When he found the truth of his families past. And how they had been so poor.
He didn’t feel sorry for Derrick. He was doing well for himself. He was rich and could still afford the expensive houses. Ben still lived in a small apartment in town. Which was good. He still had the best friends on earth and the space he loved.
As Derrick and Ben got the last case into the car they both looked at Marty and Jenny who were talking by his car. Derrick coughed to get her attention. Both Jenny and Marty looked over.
‘we’re done baby.’
Jenny sighed and looked at the car. Before she could walk over to get in Marty opened his mouth.
‘I think its a bit crowded in there. Maybe Jenny should come in my car? Gimme your parents address and I’ll drive her there.’
jenny looked at Derrick who was chewing the side of his cheek trying not to punch Marty. She made eye contact with him and nodded at Marty’s idea.
‘I think that’s a plan.’
Derrick looked annoyed. He was annoyed. They had only just got back to Florida and already Marty was all over her. It pissed him off and everyone knew it. He wrote down his parents address and gave it to Marty then watched as Shane and Jenny climbed into Marty’s car. She smiled at him and blew him a kiss. Then Marty got in and started the engine pulling out and then onto the main road.
Derrick waited till they were out of site then kicked the wall with full force. Ben looked at him and sighed. He didn’t like it when his friend was this annoyed. Usually it didn’t end well. Derrick was usually calm but when he was pissed it was like he was a totally different guy. He was hard to control and hard to calm down. Ben didn’t like that. It made him feel vulnerable. Especially since Derrick was unpredictable at the best of times.
Ben put his hand onto Derricks shoulder and felt him relax.
‘Come on man. Lets just get to your parents yeh? No point stressing.’
Derrick nodded and got into the car. He needed to calm down. Though he found that hard. He strapped in as Ben got into the drivers seat.
‘The traffic was bad on the way here. So be prepared for a wait’
Derrick nodded. It wasn’t a surprise that the traffic was bad. Jacksonville was big. Ben set off into the traffic. Derrick leaned back and looked out of the window at the passing sites he knew so well and had missed so much. He was slipping into his own little dream world. He was so caught up in what he was remembering that when Ben spoke he jumped.
‘Dude, you and Jenny?’
Derrick looked over. He knew what was coming next and he didn’t want this subject to last very long. He couldn’t do what he wanted to do and ignore it. That wasn’t a option.
‘Whats about it?’
Ben paused for a minute.
‘You’re together?’
‘Yeh dude. We’re together.’
He heard Ben gulp and pull back what he knew were tears. Now he really felt bad. He should have thought about how Ben would feel about him and Jenny before they let it get to this. But they didn’t. You don’t think before you do these things, Surely Ben could understand that?
‘Im glad for you.’
Derrick smiled. He didn’t know if Ben was telling the truth or just trying so hard to do so. In a way he didn’t want to know. He wanted to feel like Ben was happy for them. Like deep inside he was sure that he was.
‘You two have a kid. Are you married?’
Derrick shook his head. Ben looked shocked.
‘Tell me you’re engaged at least’
‘Nope and I know. My mom and dad are going to go crazy. No sex before marriage. Well they are going to have to deal with the fact that I had sex before marriage.’
Ben laughed. This is what he loved the most about Derrick. He didn’t care what people think of his relationships or indeed his actions. He just did what he felt was right no matter what the cost to him was going to be. The only thing that was going to stop him doing something was his friends and family getting hurt. Though Derrick and Jenny had broke Bens heart he knew he could get over it. He knew so long as Jenny was happy with Derrick he didn’t care if she wasn’t with him.
Derrick went back to looking out of the window. It was only a second before he wished he hadn’t. A red lotus. One which he recognized. The license plate. He had seen it before. Only once. And his life had been turned upside down when he had. He sank into the seat and watched as it drove passed. Ben looked at him. He knew there was something wrong but didn’t feel like asking. It wasn’t his business. He knew that. Derrick would have said something if he had thought Ben needed to know. He didn’t keep issues which should be public private. He used to and that had caused shit on all levels. Levels which he didn’t want to experience again. Not ever.
It had caused break downs. People to hide away. Him to spend endless hours in his room crying.