Clear Visions 1

It took about an hour for the drive from Jacksonville to Derricks parents in Fort Myers. Ben pulled into the drive just as Derricks mom came rushing out to greet them. Derrick got out the car and just as soon as he had his mother’s arms were wrapped around him. Ben looked to see he had a awkward look on his face. One which plainly said mother get the hell off of me. Ben laughed and went to the trunk opening it and getting the bags out.
Derricks mom ran to the trunk to help him. She was too kind. She shouldn’t do this. Ben was much more capable of lugging heavy cases out of a car and onto the path so that Derrick could drag them up to the house.
‘Sweetheart you shouldn’t do this alone. You might hurt yourself.’
‘I’m fine Mrs. Harper. I promise.’
She looked at him unconvinced and called to Derrick to come help. He did. His mom went inside as Derrick and Ben took each case from the car to the house and inside one by one. Derrick looked into the living room to see Jenny already sitting on the couch talking to his father. Marty wasn’t there. That was a good thing.
After they had finished taking the cases Ben went home leaving Derrick to his family. He went inside and into the living room taking a seat on the couch next to Jenny. His dad looked at him and smiled. He smiled back then looked over to Diesel. His older brother who was still living at home and sitting on the opposite sofa looking very bored and surprisingly out of place.
‘Yo diesel!’
His brother looked up and waved. It annoyed him that his little brother could run away and devastate the family and when he came back they were almost throwing parties for him. He didn’t like Derrick anyway, now though he hated him. He always had to be the center of attention and that bugged him a lot.
‘Baby, your dad has seen a house which he thinks would be perfect for us. Its 5 bedrooms and it over looks the beach.’
Derrick looked at Jenny as she spoke. And then to his dad.
‘How much?’
‘You’re talking $450,000.’
Derrick looked surprised. It fitted how he felt. Most houses which over looked the beach they were talking millions. Seemed they were trying to get rid of this one. He wasn’t sure if he wanted it. They usually only wanted to get rid of houses when they had a bad past or would cost more in DIY than the original price.
‘What’s wrong with it?’
everyone laughed. The surprise was that there was nothing wrong with it. The owners were selling it private sale and they wanted rid of it. That was it. Things moved quickly and before too long Derrick and Jenny were ready to move. They had bought the house in one payment and had spare change for maintenance.
His dad had spent days unpacking the house and making it look good. Derrick hadn’t seen the house. He had heard about it. Just not had the chance to see it yet. Today was the first day he was going to see it. He pulled into the drive with Jenny and Shane. From the outside he liked what he saw with only one complaint. Steps. He didn’t like the idea of them with Shane. Not when he would be starting work soon and Jenny would be on her own with Shane. It would be hard for her with the pram alone. Still they would find a way around that.
he helped Jenny up the stairs and unlocked the door. Opening it he smelt the smell of fresh sea air. He liked that. It smelt natural but nice. He opened the door fully and walked inside. It was beautiful. Straight into the living room. All the walls were white apart from one. Which was stone and had a built in fire place for a open fire. The floor was white carpet. Soft white carpet with a black rug in the center. His dad had done a good job with this room. He looked at where he knew his dad would have placed the TV and gasped.
he knew his parents would spoil him but that was over the top. They hadn’t needed to buy him a new TV. Not one like that anyway. He looked at Jenny who looked happy with what she saw. She flicked on the light switch. The room was lighted by one light in the center of the ceiling. Jenny advanced further into the room carrying Shane and sitting on the couch which had been placed in the center of the room.
Derrick walked through the house looking at each room which lead into another. The downstairs was easy. From the living room you could access the Den and dining room with only a couple of steps to each. The den was lower than the living room and had French sliding doors onto the pool deck which over looked the beach. The dining room was plat formed above the living room with a glass wall and door separating them. From the dining room there was the kitchen a large room with black worktops, red cupboards and a white floor all in gloss finish. He liked it and knew Jenny would too.
He went back into the living room and sat next to Jenny. He looked at Shane who was asleep in her arms. He kissed her cheek and saw her smile. He knew she was happy with what they had right now. He was happy. He had the woman he loved, the house of his dreams and money to spare. He was starting work in the job he had always wanted and life seemed to be going well. All he needed now was dinner. Which he intended to cook.
He knew his parents would have filled the fridge. One they had told him they had and two they always did. Jenny looked up at Derrick kissed him and stood up.
‘I think I should put this little one to bed.’
Derrick nodded. They didn’t know which room he was in. But that was okay because she would find out. He wanted to wish her luck but resisted. He sat on the sofa until Jenny had gone up the stairs he then stood and walked into the kitchen and began to cook. Steak, French Onions and roast potatoes. Stake was her favorite and she loved how he cooked it. She had said so herself a million times and more.
Jenny walked downstairs to see all the lights off. She was drawn to a small flicker of light in the dining room. She looked to see candles on the table. She walked up the stairs and opened the glass door going through it she shut it again and looked at the table which was neatly set with the finest dinner service. She smiled. Everything was so perfect. She took a seat and looked at the wine which was on the table. She couldn’t believe it. Why had he spent so much money on a bottle of wine?
When Derrick came in he had two plates. One he put down in front of her the other he put in his place. Jenny could hardly eat. She was too busy staring into his eyes. He had put so much work into all of this. He hadn’t needed to. All she wanted was him. He didn’t need money and fancy food and wine to make tonight perfect. What he needed was himself, a Chinese and the bedroom. But this was just as good only more classy.
He poured some wine into her glass. They talked as they ate. The whole time her eyes were fixed on him. She had realized something that if she thought she would have known she knew the whole time. She didn’t care what her mother thought of Derrick. He was perfect, in every way. She couldn’t and wouldn’t ask for more from him. There was no more she could have. She had it all.
Or so she thought.
After dinner they sat in the living room on the sofa. She hugged him and kissed his neck. Rubbing down his cheat she told him to lay. He did as he was told and laid across the sofa with her hugging up to him. It was perfect.
He looked at her feet then sat up.
‘Baby, do you still have that oil set? Your feet look dry I was wondering if you ‘d like a foot massage.’
She smiled. She wanted that a lot.
‘I think it was upstairs on the dresser.’
He stood and walked up the stairs into their bedroom and looked on the dressing table. There it was. He picked it up and looked in his jean pocket. It was there. He walked out of the bedroom then into the bathroom picking up a hand towel then going downstairs. He kneeled in front of the sofa taking her foot and putting it onto his knee. He picked out some of the oils and mixed them together on his hand. Rubbed his hands together and rubbed her feet.
She relaxed. He knew what she liked and he knew how to spoil her. Could she ask for more in a man? He treated her too well. This couldn’t be real.
‘What has a lady like me done to deserve such a fine treatment?’
Derrick looked up at her and remained silent. Jenny wanted to laugh at him. Jump down there and kiss him and probably more. She resisted and remained seated on the sofa.
‘Baby seriously. All of this its perfect. You’ve gone out of your way. Its like you’ve been planning it.’
She watched as a smile widened across her lovers face. He looked happy and proud of himself. She could tell he had another surprise up his sleeve. She was excited and nervous. What should she expect?
Derrick picked up the hand towel and rubbed the oil off his hands then put the towel over Jenny’s feet went into his pocket and took out a small leather box.
She looked in amazement. This couldn’t be what she thought it was. She was speechless. She hadn’t been expecting this like this. Not so perfect. Not so right. It was so right it seemed wrong. She had dreamed of this. Dreamed of the way it would be. It was just like this. Was she dreaming again? Maybe she was mistaken. Maybe this wasn’t what he wanted to ask. Maybe she was asleep. She closed her eyes and waited to wake up.
When she looked back Derrick had opened the box and was now on one knee. She looked at the ring it was beautiful. She didn’t need to ask. The box said it all. He had spent money and a lot of it. The diamonds said it all. She sat forward and took his hand. She knew he was as nervous as she was. She knew his nightmare now was her saying know. She knew what was going to happen. She couldn’t be sure the words would come out right. But she knew what she wanted to say.
‘I know what your going to say.’
He looked up at her.
‘Then let me say it?’
She paused as second then nodded, she was ready. Ready with what she was going to say. And ready with the reason why she was going to say it.
‘Jenny, will you marry me.’
She gulped back the original answer. And looked away. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t marry him. He was 20. Hardly ready to marry. She shook her head.
‘No, I can’t Derrick. This isn’t real.’
‘But..’ Tears formed in his eyes and it was clear.
Jenny broke in. ‘But I need you.’ She paused and thought then continued her answer. ‘Okay ask me again.’
Derrick took a deep breathe wiped his eyes and asked her again.
‘Will you marry me’
She cried in happiness and agreed. She wanted to spend her life with him and no one else right now. She knew he made her happy. Knew he always would so long as she had any control over herself.
he slid the ring onto her finger stood up and kissed her. She kissed him back then pulled him down on top of her kissing his neck and chest. He moaned softly. Still kissing his chest she rubbed her hand from his stomach to thigh slowly rubbing up and down his jeans. She felt him twitch gently then ran her hand onto his crotch feeling what she wanted to feel. She then stood and walked over to the foot of the stairs and looked at her fiancé who looked back desperately.
‘Not here. Come on. Upstairs.’
He jumped to his feet and followed her upstairs to the bedroom where they went inside and closed the door.