Page 9 of Derick

Gazing out the window, I wondered what all these people did to afford something so extravagant. Were they similar to the Silverman family and owned pretty much everything, had they inherited money, maybe they’d built a company? My mind flew around with a bunch of theories.

He slowed the car and turned into a driveway with the highest fences and a guard house at the side. It wasn’t a small, single structure; it was a house. I couldn’t see the mansion, an oasis with a white pebbled, winding driveway was at the side, and it looked like you needed to be checked out by the guards before you were allowed up to the mysterious house. The gates opened, and two men who were obviously guards with the muscles they had on them came to the window. The guy who came forward was in his late fifties, and there was no doubt he was in charge.

“Hi, Brand. Is everyone already in?” Derick seemed casual, like he’d known the guy for a while.

“Yeah, all waiting for the guest of honor.” Brand’s voice was deep, like he’d smoked two packs of cigarettes.

“Well, not long now?” Derick barely waited for him to step back from the car before he drove up the pebbled driveway. It wound around the gardens, and it felt like we drove for ages before I saw the roof of a mega mansion, which was way bigger than the ones we had passed. It reminded me of a castle.

“Wow, d…did you grow up h…here?” I knew my mouth was agape. There was extravagant, and then there was this house. It was what you would imagine a king and queen to live in, with vast, beautiful, sculptured gardens, marble beams, and sandstone façade.

“Nah, this is something my parents bought recently. I was brought up in something a little smaller than this in a place called Reed Creek in NSW.”

I hated him in that moment, how blasé he was about having what I considered everything.

I didn’t see any other cars as he parked right at the entrance. He turned the car off and jumped out. He went straight to Hope, who willingly went into his embrace. She was a little traitor, and I knew she would now pick Derick over me.

I went to open my door, but Derick almost shouted, “No. I’ll be around to open your door.”

I ignored him. I could open my own door. I hadn’t ever needed a man. I certainly didn’t need one to open a car door, especially when he held my most precious being. My daughter was, and always would be, my number one priority.

My heart squeezed when my baby girl hugged Derick tight to her and said, loud and clear, “Iza loves you so much.”

She kissed both his cheeks, and I stopped walking. I swear my heart missed a beat. What was I doing? I shouldn’t be here. Hope was way too involved. She already loved Derick. I didn’tyet, but I had a feeling I could. Did I want to chance going further? Did I want to risk all the potential heartbreak?

“I love you too, my princess.” He replied quickly before he kissed her forehead, and there was no missing the beaming smile on his face. “I can’t wait for you to meet my mum and dad. I know they’re going to love you too.”

He came to me, and wrapped his free arm around my waist. I was so shocked at everything I’d seen, I didn’t even try to move away. I let him guide me to a door where I saw an older couple standing there. The woman was a female version of Derick, with shiny blonde hair, but as I got closer, I could see she had blue eyes not the warm chocolate brown Derick did.

“Oh, you’re right, they’re both adorable,” the woman I thought looked like Derick said as she rushed up to us. She held her arms out toward Hope.

My little girl went straight over to her. “Yous looked my Drrk.”

Her laugh was a higher pitch than Derick’s, but still sent the warmth through me. “Yes, I do, because Derick is my baby. I’m his mummy.”

The smile that came over Hope’s face was one of pure happiness. “Iza will loves yous too.” She nodded dramatically, and then rested her head against Derick’s mother’s chest. I held my breath and silently prayed they didn’t break my baby girl’s heart.

“Oh baby, I love you already. Aren’t you just the cutest?” She hugged Hope and then kissed her forehead.

Why was I letting strangers kiss my daughter? I should be worried, but I trusted Hope’s judgement, and if I was going to be hurt, the Silvermans had had plenty of chances since I moved into the house with all the other women. I also wanted Hope to know that the people she’d known all her life weren’t normal.There were good people out there. Families that cared for each other, and I knew the Silvermans were one of those.

“You can call me Nana, Nanny, or Grammy, my sweet baby.” She caressed Hope’s cheek.

Now this I couldn’t have. I wanted my daughter to see how most people were good, but if Hope called her this, she would get attached, and as much as I liked Derick and he seemed nice, I knew deep down that he would never be with me for long. Not after what my family had done to his, even though I was nothing like them.

“Um h…hi.” Waving awkwardly at Derick’s mum, I pasted a smile on my face. “Can I p…please have m…my da…daughter. It’s n…not right f…for her to call you e... either of those. I…it would break her hear…t…t when we l…leave and start our new life.”

Derick’s hold on my waist tightened. “You have nothing to worry about. We will be a part of your new life.” I’d forgotten he still had his arm around my waist. I didn’t feel the need to move out of it either.

I hadn’t had a good life, being the bastard of a biker and one as nasty as my father had been. My life was one of always keeping my guard up and learning where to hide and what to do when others asked questions about bruises and money going missing. The only person to ever touch me without hurting me was my brother. I knew unless all the bikers were put in jail, I’d never be safe, because if they ever found out I’d been a narc, or given out information I shouldn’t, they would punish me. I’d been punished many times. The time Hope was conceived was my worst punishment, but I would go through that over and over to save the little children I had and to have my Hope.

One of the therapists that came to the house thought I should be bitter, or as she asked, angry, but I wasn’t. I tried to see the positive in every situation. Things could always get worse. I’dseen it and even experienced it a time or two. But even though I was a positive person, or liked to think I was, I didn’t think I was lucky enough to have a Silverman show interest like Derick had. I had a feeling that Hope wouldn’t be the only brokenhearted one when the Silvermans moved on.

Looking at my daughter in Derick’s mother’s embrace, I knew I wouldn’t stop anything today. I’d only seen the shining happiness in Hope when we were together alone or with my brother, who spoiled her rotten. She deserved this happiness, even if it was only for a short time.

Lost in my thoughts, my head was tilted back to gaze at Derick’s face. His brown eyes swirled with interest as he quirked an eyebrow up. “What is going on in that head of yours? I’d love to know.” The stare he gave me had my body heating, and I stepped back out of his embrace and his touch.

I shrugged and turned to see that Derick’s mother was giving Hope a present, and Hope was now being held by the man beside Derick’s mother that had the same brown eyes as Derick. “Y…you d…Didn’t have t…to get her any…anything?”

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