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maderrI have no fucking idea where the hell this chapter came from. Fourteen was supposed to be about Sheridan and Nomolos again...I don't know whether I should keep this or not.
Impossible Wish
Chapter Fourteen
Darrell frowned, looking up from the notes in his lap. Reaching for the remote beside him, he pointed it at the CD player and stopped the music. Setting his papers aside he rose from the couch and walked toward the door. Peering through the peephole, he let out a groan. "Go away!"
A cheerful voice shouted back from the other side of the door, "I don't think so! Open up or I'll start telling stories about your adventures as happy naked boy!"
Expression dark, Darrell undid the locks on his door and swung it open. He glared back at his snickering sister. "What do you want Bethany? I'm trying to get some more work done."
"That's what I figured," Bethany thrust her coat and purse at her brother, "So I came to talk. A little business, a little family, a little pleasure." She moved into the living room and threw herself into an armchair, propping her feet on the coffee table.
Darrell grumbled as he resumed his seat on the couch, "Fine, fine."
Bethany smiled, "Are you okay, Darrell? You always look tired these days, and I know you're worried about Neil. He hasn't bothered to call us in days, you must be going nuts."
"Hardly. I'd probably pass out from shock if he did call. I'm sure he's fine up at the house." Darrell didn't look up from his papers.
Shaking her head Bethany continued, "Of course he will, so stop worrying. Now on to business. You are planning to accept the offer from Lord Enterprises?"
Darrell still did not look up, shuffling one paper aside and skimming the next, "Unless you or Neil protest it. Luc keeps urging me to refuse, but I think he only resents that he'll lose much of his overall power."
Bethany frowned slightly, "Luc's a good guy, but he still creeps me out occasionally. I don't care what he thinks. Selling to Lord Enterprises would free up a lot of your time and it would be good for the business. Business has already increased just from the rumors that the Lords are interested in DeMarius Chocolates. Tell Lucus to stuff it, we're selling."
Finally her brother looked up, smiling amusedly at her. "I will convey your message, but I may edit the phrasing some."
Bethany waved a hand carelessly, "Fine, fine. So when does the deal close?"
"Probably not for another month or so. We are still negotiating the finer points of the contract - I still would like to remain largely in control and there is the fact that the one I'm dealing with is still overseas."
"That's fine. So long as it doesn't take too long." She smiled softly, sadly almost. "It will be nice to see you with free time again. Hell, any of us with free time. Neil will be out of school soon, and with so many of your responsibilities lifted by the Lords we can actually act like a family again…"
"I'm sorry Beth…"
Rising from her seat, Bethany moved to the couch to embrace her older brother. "You shouldn't apologize, silly. Mom and dad…you didn't have any choice. None of did, really." She pulled back, flicking him lightly on the nose, "Anyway, soon we'll have all the time in the world. So forget about it."
"We won't have all the time in the world if we can't nix the old man's will. I still can't believe…" Darrell rubbed his forehead tiredly as his sister moved back to her seat. "Luc is working on that, but it's going to be difficult."
"Don't worry about it. Things will work themselves out, one way or another. And to be honest I wouldn't be too terribly sad at giving up the DeMarius legacy. I'd like to just be Smith for once, myself."
Darrell laughed, retrieving his papers. "Then I suggest you find Mr. Smith and marry him posthaste." He looked up, smirking. "Though that would ruin Neil's pet theory that you and Rosemary are all but married."
Bethany laughed, "That kid. I can't wait to tease him the minute he finally decides to stop being such a loner. I do wonder how he's doing up at that house. You need get someone to keep an eye on the house?"
"Yes, though I still don't like the idea of him being entirely alone up there."
An odd, amused smile shaped Bethany's mouth. "I wouldn't worry to much. Something tells me he'll be fine."
Darrell eyed her suspiciously, "Dare I ask?"
"Just let it be, Darrell."
The red haired man sighed, "I know better than to argue. Fine, fine. That covers business and family, now what 'pleasure' did you want to discuss?"
"Oh, pleasure just sort of mixes itself into the other two. We're still discussing business and family. My next question was spurred on by a look at my calendar. Sheridan's birthday is coming up soon - he'll be twenty right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Unless he's planning on going for an MA, which he doesn't need, he should already be in training. He needs to be, with only one year of school left to go. Even if father were alive Luc would be getting ready for retirement right in the next few years. I only ask because it's so odd for Luc to let any sort of tradition slide. He's nearly as bad as grandfather was in some respects. Even if does humor our "defiant attitudes." Bethany frowned at her feet, once again propped on the coffee table.
"I know, I know. Lord knows it would be easier with Luc gone. The man is brilliant but he grates on my nerves. But Sheridan looks absolutely miserable every time I so much as mention business in front of him. It doesn't help that Luc browbeats him to death. I just don't have the heart to bring it up. Besides, it's just one more tradition that could stand to be broken. I never understood the whole undying loyalty thing between us and the Ardens. Even Luc doesn't have an explanation."
"You mean an explanation he's willing to offer. He has secrets, you can tell just looking at him."
"Be that as it may, he works hard for us. You can't fault him for that, and so long as his secrets don't hurt my family or the business, I don't care."
"Mmm…" was Beth's noncommittal reply, "At any rate, buckle down and speak with them about Sheridan eventually taking the ropes from his dad. With our selling to Lord Enterprises, I think it may be best if we get someone more flexible. Luc is completely against it, and that won't bode well later on."
Darrell sighed again, the sound even more strained and tired than it was before. "I'll take care of it on Monday. He went up to the lake this weekend in hopes of finding something to help Neil out - as well as study, or so he told Luc."
"I'm surprised Luc permitted it, even under those circumstances. But that just proves my point that neither of you want Sheridan taking Luc's place. We launch the new line next week, this whole past week would have been ideal hands on training for Sheridan. I know you have a soft spot for the boy, but Luc's reasons for neglecting the training confound me…"
Darrell said nothing, only continued to read and sign the papers on his lap.
Bethany smirked to herself, rising gracefully to her feet. Moving to the couch she stooped to plant a kiss on her brother's cheek, rising and ruffling his hair. "I can take a hint. I'm finished anyway. I would have waited until tomorrow to bother you but I had the time and you were actually here tonight san blonde shadow so I figured why not tonight? Anyway, I'm done harassing you now. Have a good night Darrell, don't stay up working too long."
Darrell looked up to smile, "Tell Rosemary hello for me. Try to stay out of trouble Beth." He watched good-naturedly as his sister gathered her things and left, but at the sound of the door closing he shoved his papers away and strode toward the kitchen. The apartment was quiet, his housekeeper having gone home for the weekend. Opening the cabinet over the sink, Darrell pulled down a bottle that was still mostly full. Opening another cabinet he grabbed a glass and reduced the contents of the bottle by a third.
Replacing the bottle he returned to the living room and his paperwork, slowly working his way through both it and the drink as the hours moved on. Gradually his efforts on work faded, and he focused slowly on the drink. Nothing broke the silence the permeated the place, and he was reluctant to drown it out by turning his music back on.
Once again rising, though with less grace, Darrell locked the front door before he continued down the short hall toward his bedroom. His fingers trailed across two closed doors, rooms where once his sibling had slept. Both had moved out - despite their bonds, the three could not live together in so small a space. Bethany had wandered away to live with Rosemary…Neil had moved to his own place closer to school, perhaps the only one happy to be entirely alone. Though from what Beth had hinted at, it seemed he'd not gone to the house alone. So it seemed that even his little brother had found at least a friend.
Strolling into his own bedroom, he collapsed on the bed, turning to lay on his stomach and gaze out the bedroom window. The curtains were pulled back to give a nighttime view of the city, and he preferred that what little sunlight made it into the city wake him up in the morning. Frowning at the thought of morning, he turned away from the view outside the window to peer at his alarm clock: 2:00 am.
He sighed, trying to forget that he had to be at work in six hours. Five if he wanted to really prepare for the board meeting at noon. Darrell jerked his gaze away from the clock and settled for burying his head in his pillow. Several minutes later he forced himself up to prepare for bed.
Hitting the lights and climbing back into bed, he set his alarm clock for six o'clock. Pulling up his blankets he slept near the edge of the bed facing the window, pointedly turned away from the half of the bed that was still empty. Gradually his eyes drifted shut, his breath evening out as he fell into sleep.
Impossible Wish
Chapter Fourteen
Darrell frowned, looking up from the notes in his lap. Reaching for the remote beside him, he pointed it at the CD player and stopped the music. Setting his papers aside he rose from the couch and walked toward the door. Peering through the peephole, he let out a groan. "Go away!"
A cheerful voice shouted back from the other side of the door, "I don't think so! Open up or I'll start telling stories about your adventures as happy naked boy!"
Expression dark, Darrell undid the locks on his door and swung it open. He glared back at his snickering sister. "What do you want Bethany? I'm trying to get some more work done."
"That's what I figured," Bethany thrust her coat and purse at her brother, "So I came to talk. A little business, a little family, a little pleasure." She moved into the living room and threw herself into an armchair, propping her feet on the coffee table.
Darrell grumbled as he resumed his seat on the couch, "Fine, fine."
Bethany smiled, "Are you okay, Darrell? You always look tired these days, and I know you're worried about Neil. He hasn't bothered to call us in days, you must be going nuts."
"Hardly. I'd probably pass out from shock if he did call. I'm sure he's fine up at the house." Darrell didn't look up from his papers.
Shaking her head Bethany continued, "Of course he will, so stop worrying. Now on to business. You are planning to accept the offer from Lord Enterprises?"
Darrell still did not look up, shuffling one paper aside and skimming the next, "Unless you or Neil protest it. Luc keeps urging me to refuse, but I think he only resents that he'll lose much of his overall power."
Bethany frowned slightly, "Luc's a good guy, but he still creeps me out occasionally. I don't care what he thinks. Selling to Lord Enterprises would free up a lot of your time and it would be good for the business. Business has already increased just from the rumors that the Lords are interested in DeMarius Chocolates. Tell Lucus to stuff it, we're selling."
Finally her brother looked up, smiling amusedly at her. "I will convey your message, but I may edit the phrasing some."
Bethany waved a hand carelessly, "Fine, fine. So when does the deal close?"
"Probably not for another month or so. We are still negotiating the finer points of the contract - I still would like to remain largely in control and there is the fact that the one I'm dealing with is still overseas."
"That's fine. So long as it doesn't take too long." She smiled softly, sadly almost. "It will be nice to see you with free time again. Hell, any of us with free time. Neil will be out of school soon, and with so many of your responsibilities lifted by the Lords we can actually act like a family again…"
"I'm sorry Beth…"
Rising from her seat, Bethany moved to the couch to embrace her older brother. "You shouldn't apologize, silly. Mom and dad…you didn't have any choice. None of did, really." She pulled back, flicking him lightly on the nose, "Anyway, soon we'll have all the time in the world. So forget about it."
"We won't have all the time in the world if we can't nix the old man's will. I still can't believe…" Darrell rubbed his forehead tiredly as his sister moved back to her seat. "Luc is working on that, but it's going to be difficult."
"Don't worry about it. Things will work themselves out, one way or another. And to be honest I wouldn't be too terribly sad at giving up the DeMarius legacy. I'd like to just be Smith for once, myself."
Darrell laughed, retrieving his papers. "Then I suggest you find Mr. Smith and marry him posthaste." He looked up, smirking. "Though that would ruin Neil's pet theory that you and Rosemary are all but married."
Bethany laughed, "That kid. I can't wait to tease him the minute he finally decides to stop being such a loner. I do wonder how he's doing up at that house. You need get someone to keep an eye on the house?"
"Yes, though I still don't like the idea of him being entirely alone up there."
An odd, amused smile shaped Bethany's mouth. "I wouldn't worry to much. Something tells me he'll be fine."
Darrell eyed her suspiciously, "Dare I ask?"
"Just let it be, Darrell."
The red haired man sighed, "I know better than to argue. Fine, fine. That covers business and family, now what 'pleasure' did you want to discuss?"
"Oh, pleasure just sort of mixes itself into the other two. We're still discussing business and family. My next question was spurred on by a look at my calendar. Sheridan's birthday is coming up soon - he'll be twenty right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Unless he's planning on going for an MA, which he doesn't need, he should already be in training. He needs to be, with only one year of school left to go. Even if father were alive Luc would be getting ready for retirement right in the next few years. I only ask because it's so odd for Luc to let any sort of tradition slide. He's nearly as bad as grandfather was in some respects. Even if does humor our "defiant attitudes." Bethany frowned at her feet, once again propped on the coffee table.
"I know, I know. Lord knows it would be easier with Luc gone. The man is brilliant but he grates on my nerves. But Sheridan looks absolutely miserable every time I so much as mention business in front of him. It doesn't help that Luc browbeats him to death. I just don't have the heart to bring it up. Besides, it's just one more tradition that could stand to be broken. I never understood the whole undying loyalty thing between us and the Ardens. Even Luc doesn't have an explanation."
"You mean an explanation he's willing to offer. He has secrets, you can tell just looking at him."
"Be that as it may, he works hard for us. You can't fault him for that, and so long as his secrets don't hurt my family or the business, I don't care."
"Mmm…" was Beth's noncommittal reply, "At any rate, buckle down and speak with them about Sheridan eventually taking the ropes from his dad. With our selling to Lord Enterprises, I think it may be best if we get someone more flexible. Luc is completely against it, and that won't bode well later on."
Darrell sighed again, the sound even more strained and tired than it was before. "I'll take care of it on Monday. He went up to the lake this weekend in hopes of finding something to help Neil out - as well as study, or so he told Luc."
"I'm surprised Luc permitted it, even under those circumstances. But that just proves my point that neither of you want Sheridan taking Luc's place. We launch the new line next week, this whole past week would have been ideal hands on training for Sheridan. I know you have a soft spot for the boy, but Luc's reasons for neglecting the training confound me…"
Darrell said nothing, only continued to read and sign the papers on his lap.
Bethany smirked to herself, rising gracefully to her feet. Moving to the couch she stooped to plant a kiss on her brother's cheek, rising and ruffling his hair. "I can take a hint. I'm finished anyway. I would have waited until tomorrow to bother you but I had the time and you were actually here tonight san blonde shadow so I figured why not tonight? Anyway, I'm done harassing you now. Have a good night Darrell, don't stay up working too long."
Darrell looked up to smile, "Tell Rosemary hello for me. Try to stay out of trouble Beth." He watched good-naturedly as his sister gathered her things and left, but at the sound of the door closing he shoved his papers away and strode toward the kitchen. The apartment was quiet, his housekeeper having gone home for the weekend. Opening the cabinet over the sink, Darrell pulled down a bottle that was still mostly full. Opening another cabinet he grabbed a glass and reduced the contents of the bottle by a third.
Replacing the bottle he returned to the living room and his paperwork, slowly working his way through both it and the drink as the hours moved on. Gradually his efforts on work faded, and he focused slowly on the drink. Nothing broke the silence the permeated the place, and he was reluctant to drown it out by turning his music back on.
Once again rising, though with less grace, Darrell locked the front door before he continued down the short hall toward his bedroom. His fingers trailed across two closed doors, rooms where once his sibling had slept. Both had moved out - despite their bonds, the three could not live together in so small a space. Bethany had wandered away to live with Rosemary…Neil had moved to his own place closer to school, perhaps the only one happy to be entirely alone. Though from what Beth had hinted at, it seemed he'd not gone to the house alone. So it seemed that even his little brother had found at least a friend.
Strolling into his own bedroom, he collapsed on the bed, turning to lay on his stomach and gaze out the bedroom window. The curtains were pulled back to give a nighttime view of the city, and he preferred that what little sunlight made it into the city wake him up in the morning. Frowning at the thought of morning, he turned away from the view outside the window to peer at his alarm clock: 2:00 am.
He sighed, trying to forget that he had to be at work in six hours. Five if he wanted to really prepare for the board meeting at noon. Darrell jerked his gaze away from the clock and settled for burying his head in his pillow. Several minutes later he forced himself up to prepare for bed.
Hitting the lights and climbing back into bed, he set his alarm clock for six o'clock. Pulling up his blankets he slept near the edge of the bed facing the window, pointedly turned away from the half of the bed that was still empty. Gradually his eyes drifted shut, his breath evening out as he fell into sleep.
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Date: 2003-11-25 11:14 pm (UTC)As for this I think you should keep it and make it Fourteen. I like it. We get to see more Darrell and Beth and get more into the Arden/DeMarius relations. As well at the Lord Enterprise and what palns they have for the futrue.
I like it!
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Date: 2003-11-26 05:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-26 06:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-28 03:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-28 04:58 am (UTC)If the Queen of Evil says it must be so, then so it must be.
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Date: 2003-11-28 05:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-28 05:19 am (UTC)Kitty!
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Date: 2003-11-28 05:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-28 05:30 am (UTC)You'd think I'd be sick of cats, but your pictures are so cute...I love the evil kitty and the "yum yum yum" though the "wtf" makes me giggle every time.
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Date: 2003-11-28 05:42 am (UTC)and he is just so cute That I can't not share him with everybody ;)
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Date: 2003-11-28 05:44 am (UTC)*goes to hunt down kitty to snuggle with*
you should lock your kitty up with JD.
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Date: 2003-11-28 05:51 am (UTC)I dunno.. he's getting awfully cute as he gets bigger.. He was sacked out on my chest earlier purring like mad while I fed him bits of turkey..
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Date: 2003-11-28 05:53 am (UTC)Hmm...on your chest, eh? We have one cat we call "pervert kitty" b/c he regularly molests my sister, my mother, and myself. He definitely gets a little too comfortable stretching out on our chests.
Actually, Pervert assualted my brother last night, so he's even more perverted than I thought.
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Date: 2003-11-28 06:17 am (UTC)wow.. are you sure he's not hiding a rose colored collar somewhere..? ;)
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Date: 2003-11-28 06:18 am (UTC)lol - I checked for one the moment I saw him attacking my brother (who is still recovering).
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Date: 2003-11-28 06:31 am (UTC)heh poor guy... I've gotten kitten scratches in tender spots before but that would top them ALL
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Date: 2003-11-28 06:32 am (UTC)It was really funny b/c he didn't believe us when we told him. then the cat molested him and the poor boy had to be alone to recover his dignity.
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Date: 2003-11-28 06:46 am (UTC)