Somewhere over the rainbow
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Rachel POV
Remember when I was young, the television often depicts a scene where the lady is plucking flower petals, saying "he loves me, he loves me not". I always find it stupid, redundant and it ruins the flower.
But right now, I might be wrong. I'm doing exactly the same thing to the daisy on my hand. Derek is taking longer than he promise. It gets me wonder if they both decided to rekindled their relationship and went for honeymoon together, leaving me, old, ripe, rot and mumbling his name on my deathbed in the hospital.
I left the television on to see if I can capture any more news about their anniversary lunch. Yes, it did, Grace puts on the same sunglasses when they left the restaurant and Derek offered to open the door for her. I wonder when am I going to have this privilege too.
My phone vibrates and the next thing I saw was his message. Oh this better not be bad news.
Jason Statham will bring you to me.
Oh God! He did not canceled the plan. He better don't because I just spend a few hundred bucks for my flowy white dress and some lingerie.
Right, lingerie.
As usual, Joe will be waiting for me outside my hotel room door and also, as usual, Joe doesn't talk much besides "Tores" is this and that. While the fact is, Derek and I too, have a codename for him.
A couple more discretion and complete alienation from human beings, I was lead to the car park where three large black vehicles were waiting for me.
'The first one, Ma'am. He is waiting for you.' Joe took me to the car he mentioned and opens the door in the front seat for me. Ironic, I was hoping for Derek to open the door, instead, his secret service does that. I thought we should be sitting at the back? What is going on? I look at Joe with puzzlement but he didn't assure me anything.
As I enters the car, Derek was taking the wheel! 'You are driving?'
'You looked like as if I am firing missile to Russia.' He smirked. I miss those charming eyes that electrifies my heartbeat or whatever organ it targeted on, including the one below. He leaned in and plant a long kiss. I miss his lips of course, but thinking of his secret agents waiting outside, I can't indulge much this time.
'I'm serious, do you even have a license?' I stare with disbelief, chuckles as I speak.
'If we meet the police, the secret service will take care of everything, no sweat.' He leaned in again, pushing me to the seat rest.
'You are not thinking of having anything dirty here, are you?' I asked in a cheeky tone, his body is only a mere centimeters away.
'Someday we will, not today.' He pulled the seatbelt and buckled it on me and touch my nose with his finger.
I hide my excitement, doesn't wish for him to see through my desperation earlier on. The thought that he might cancel the date bothers me a lot, I don't like it.
'Ready?' He ask, but he doesn't really want my answer, he starts the engine as soon he step on the peddle.
I watched the roads and streets we passed, New York is so beautiful, come on, it's New York, the city full of dream and broadway. Donuts, not forgetting to mention that.
'Can we play a little music? Spending too much time with you can get a little bored.' I teased him.
'I will never get bored of you, and of course, music is a good idea. We can continue what we left in the bunker.'
I connects my phone to his wireless player. 'Okay, I don't care if this song makes you cringes, but I'm playing it anyway.' I hit the song "Unchained Melody" by Righteous Brothers, and slowly, the familiar tune filled the entire car and my heart floated like hot air ballon.
'You watched the Ghost?' Derek asked, looking at me briefly.
'Nope, but I know the famous scenes in that movie.'
'Are you playing it to make me feel old or you-"
I cut him off halfway. 'I love this song. It can raise my mood. That mood.'
He attempted to burst out his laugh, but he hesitated. 'The scene where Patrick Swayze hugged Demi Moore from behind?'
'Ah-huh.' I responded with a little embarrassment.
'Pity I can't take advantage of this opportunity right now.' He smirk.
'Why is our conversations always leads to R-Rated?' I rolled my eyes.
'Okay, we can talk about other stuff. I can start first. Let's see.' Derek taps his fingers on the wheel, eyes concentrating on the streets. 'I have my own study room when I was young.'
'Do you do anything illegal inside? Oh wait, you don't have internet at that age, do you?' My tone is playful. Most boys does the same thing when they lock themselves in a room.
'No to both your question and accusation.' He said with fluent Presidential-speech-kind-of-tone. 'I thought it will be cool to imagine what it is like to have my own office.'
'Well, I ran away from home after seeing what my dad does with my Aunt Lucy after my mother's funeral.'
There was an stiff awkward silent after I said. Although Derek's eyes were on the road, but I can see there were millions of question he wants to ask but he doesn't know how or where to start.
'I told you, I will tell you about my dad when I am ready. It's only fair that you get to know mine after you told me about the history of your obsession with coffee and digestive. Your dad is a good man. My dad? I don't know what to call mine now, because whatever we are doing right now, there is no different. Maybe my parents' relationship went dull and neither of them wishes to admit that.'
'I'm sorry. I don't know what to say.' His voice is full of sympathy. 'How did you grow up without financial support? You were only sixteen.' Derek emphasized on the word sixteen.
'I took whatever I have in my room, a few thousand bucks and I took a bus to L.A from Seattle, a Korean family let me live with them, they have a spare room in their basement, I paid my rent by helping out in their restaurant. It's not only African kids that were forced into child labor, I was underaged as well.' I shrugged. My grown up wasn't glorious, I hardly mentioned it to anyone.
'You never saw your father again?'
'Recently I did, but I was too shocked. I don't know what to say even if I meet him. But I do hope I'll see him again.' I stare at the street, everything seems to be better when Derek is here beside me. Everything about Derek is a dream, although I hate to admit that but I have a sense of foreboding that everything we have now is not going to last.
'I wanted to name my baby Peyton.' After a short silent, Derek finally said something. It was my turn to shot him a million-question-look.
'The imaginary baby you thought of with your high school first date or the baby you had?' When I reached the last few words, I slowed down, almost to the point of hesitation. I'm not sure which he is talking about, I have to clarify with him. This is our naked soul period.
'Wikipedia did not cover those did it?' He smile wryly.
I shake my head, wonder if I should laugh. I didn't, anyway.
'Eight years ago, I was still a Senator representing Illinois, I came home, as usual, Grace was fumbling with files in her studies. I went to the bathroom, wash my hand and I saw the test kit on the bin. Happiness must have overrides me, I never came across that idea that she might have intentionally hide it from me.' He heaved a sigh. 'Three weeks later, I brought home a set of pre-walker shoe that has teddy bear on top of it, show it to Grace. She took it and place it on the desk, I know something isn't going right, but for once, I decide not to trust my instincts. I'll never forget the face when Grace told me what she have done. It's the last time I ever see her face so close.'
I will never know how deep his scar is and I'll never know what to say to make him feel better, because it will never be better. You can heal wounds but not the mental impact. You can survived a car crash, but you won't forget the physical pain it brings along. I linked my hand on his arms, lying on his shoulder while watching him driving along the Brooklyn Bridge. That is the best way I could thought of consolling him without words.
The traffic isn't massive, probably because it wasn't a holiday. A few song has been played, but it wasn't our favorite. 'We need to find another song.' I suggested like a challenge, lifting myself away from his shoulder and took my phone. 'You choose. It's not fair that I reveal my song all the time.'
'What are we pouring all our cringe-worthy songs?' Derek laugh light heartedly. I love it when he is this carefree.
'Uh-huh. Come on, I won't tweet it to the world.' I am dying to hear his collections.
'Okay. Help me connect my phone first.' He hands me his phone.
'Are there any top secret picture or message that I should not see?' I put a sly smile as if I am threatening to send his phone to other government spy that would spend five million dollar to bid for it.
'You know, everyone always have this perception that President's life is as interesting as James Bond's kind of conspiracy. The fact is, my life in DC is pretty much of a boring." He said in a matter of fact tone.
"Oh, is that why you spice up your life by meeting me?' I put on a puppy smile, intentionally seduced him. Which I succeeded, he blushed. 'You're blushing, Derek Hoffer!' I chuckles.
I hit the Spotify apps on his phone, search his playlist. Suddenly, this warmth feeling showers over me. I look at Derek discreetly, he is driving the car like the head of the family, and I was taking his phone, choosing the song for our journey. We look like a family. 'Derek?' I murmured, my eyes set on the phone, I don't want to appear like I was giving a speech like a bride on her wedding day, I want to keep this cool and simple. He made a "hmmm" sound. 'Even if we didn't reach the beach, I'm very much enjoying this moment, with you.'
He didn't said anything except taking my hands and held it tight. I didn't expect him to reply anything as well. I just want things to keep going on like this, enjoying ourselves with this song called Somewhere Over the Rainbow. God, I love this song. And I love Derek too.
'Are we even allow to apply sunblock all over each other?' I lifted my dress a little, exposing some part of my thigh.
'Rachel, just so you know, even if you manage to remove all your clothes, I'm not able to do anything either.' He continue to put all his focus on the street. I can see he is in a really good mood. Rachel induction mood.
'Never mind, I'll just lie down in this seat pretending that I am sunbathing.' I adjust the seat and lowers it. 'Oh wow, the sun is scorching, I might just need my sunglasses.'
Derek laugh and shakes his head, like he has surrender to me and my wild imagination.
A/N
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
Thank you for reading up till this chapter! Sometimes I question myself if Derek and Rachel fall in love too quickly? But, sometimes, life if weird, you may just met someone for a day and you want to spend a lifetime with them, of course, the lifetime includes quarrels, fights, and you make up after that, and the same cycle goes on.
Tell me if there is a critics or room for improvement, I'm open to them :))