A Turn of Events

by @awesomexgurl     

Derrick held up his glass of wine and looked across the table at his brother Donnie, then to Donnie's wife Gia.

"We're here to celebrate Donnie and Gia's unity! All my life I've seen Donnie searching for the perfect broad. To be perfectly honest I didn't think I'd live to see the day he'd get married!"

Laughter erupts all throughout the room and he continues.

 "Just kidding, you know I love you.

"As I sit here today, I remember the first time he told me about Gia. There were stars in his eyes. Literal stars, I tell you. I'd never seen a bigger smile on his face. Well, maybe except for the day when he was in eighth grade and I was in second and he'd succeeded in convincing me that you could drive to outer space.

"Anyway, he just had this look on his face, like he wouldn't be satisfied until she was his. We just talked and talked all night, and he told me one day he would marry her. And by the grace of God, here we are today. I couldn't be happier for the both of them. Gia is a wonderful woman and a fantastic sister-in-law, as far as I can tell. I love you both very much. Congratulations, you crazy kids."

He raises his glass, and along with everyone else in the room, toasts to Donnie and Gia. Eventually, the rest of the reception is under way and there are people scattered across the dance floor, at the bar getting drunk, and so be it.

Derrick makes his way over to the DJ booth to play a special track for the married couple.

"Alright, folks, let's welcome the newlyweds to the floor!" The happy pair laugh and sashay as people move out of the way to make a path for them. The song Find Your Love begins to play and in an instant Donnie glances over at Derrick. He knew how much his brother loved throwback Drake songs.

Donnie smiles and mouths the words "You da man." Derrick just chuckles and salutes him before he turns away, gives the DJ a fist bump and exits the booth.

He sighs and searches the crowd of people for his girlfriend of two years, Andrea. He spots her in the middle of the room dancing with her brother Jack and laughing uncontrollably. He chuckles, and makes his way through the sea of dancing couples.

He reaches them and lays a hand on Andrea's waist. She turns around and yelps in delight. "Oh, hey, babe. That toast was amazing."

He interlocks his fingers with hers and spins her around. "Why thank you, madam," he says in a haughty voice. 

He nudges Jack and asks, "Would you mind if I stole her away from you, sir?"

"Without a doubt." He gives Andrea a fist bump and backs away, making his way to the other side of the floor to search for a partner of his own.

"Weddings are so nice. Don't you just love the love in the air?" Derrick hums to the beat and nestles his cheek against Andrea's auburn maine.

"I agree, it's quite nice."

He leans back, taking her hands into his once more. "Maybe we'll find ourselves at another one sometime soon."

Before Andrea has time to react, he closes the gap between them with a short, sweet, kiss on the lips.

»»»

Derrick finds Andrea amidst the crowd once again and lightly taps her shoulder, finally being able to talk at a normal volume as the music begins to fade out. "You ready to go?"

She nods quickly. "Yeah, let me get my bag and then we can say goodbye to Donnie and Gia." She returns his tap on the shoulder before turning in the opposite direction.

Derrick takes one final glance around the room and exits the tent to approach his brother and his new bride getting ready to take off in Donnie's Dodge Charger. The words "Just Hitched" were neatly painted across the rear windshield. Derrick couldn't help but smile.

His brother was just too cliché.

Meanwhile, the pair were engaging in what was some very intense PDA that not even people in relationships could tolerate seeing.

Not even a second later, Donnie lifts his head to see Derrick standing there with surprise as if he'd just become aware of his presence. The younger brother chuckles and shakes his head.

"If you're going to get it on on your wedding night, at least get a room guys."

"Shut up. You're just jealous of how happy we are."

"If all goes well tomorrow, I won't be far behind you."

"Oh, yeah. how are things going with Operation Seal the Deal?" Donnie says, sounding much too like a teenage girl searching for gossip.

"Everything is ready to go. It's going to be perfect-" At that exact moment, Andrea finally emerges from the tent with her purse in tow.

She goes to Derrick, who drapes an arm over her shoulders and plants a big one on her cheek. "Donnie, Gia, it's been real. Congrats you crazy kids." Everyone bursts into fits of laughter and Derrick waves a final goodbye to Donnie and Gia.

They saunter over to Derrick's car and he opens the door before Andrea can do it for herself. "Hm. I guess chivalry isn't dead after all."

"You already know, girl. Your man is bringing it back." They both get in and buckle up as Derrick pulls out of the parking lot.

"That ceremony was absolutely beautiful. Don't you think so?"

"Of course. Had me in tears, babe."

"Psh. You? Derrick Mason? In tears? I'll believe it when I see it."

"Are you kidding me? You must not have been there when I watched all three hours of Titanic in one sitting. Just ask Donnie. Complete waterfalls. I'm telling you, babe, I am a sensitive soul."

Andrea covers with her mouth to stifle her uncontrollable giggles. "If you say so."

They sit in silence for a while as the radio plays. The car stops at the next light, and Derrick steals a glance at Andrea staring out the window. He reaches over the console for her hand and sighs the utmost content sigh. "You know, I love you."

Suddenly, the playful moment is gone is Andrea is now rigid in her seat. She doesn't move, doesn't look back to meet Derricks' worried gaze, doesn't even acknowledge the fact that her boyfriend just uttered the single most powerful three-word combination.

He looks forward to see the light still a consistent red up ahead and turns back to Andrea. He gives her hand a slight nudge.

"Hey, everything okay?"

She sighs a sigh of epic proportions and finally turns to look at him in the eye.

"Derrick, there's something I have to tell you."

Before he can respond, the light finally changes and he's forced to give his immediate attention to the road. He swallows a lump of coal that's lodged itself in his throat as he dreams up possible worst case scenarios for what kind of a talk a serious demeanor like this could warrant.

As it turns out, Derrick has a super power. He has the power that anyone who has ever lived has. The ability to know that nothing good will ever come from a conversation that begins with "There's something I have to tell you."

So Derrick does what Derrick does best: deflect.

"Let me guess, this is about Donnie. Okay, yes, I know what you're thinking. He's older and much better looking than I am. Okay, also smarter. And taller. And my Aunt Edna's favorite. But I am the one that loves you," he says, trying to keep his tone light hearted and humorous.

"Derrick, seriously."

He begins insistently tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, trying to think of the best way to approach this without the slightest idea where this is going.

"Okay, okay. What is it?"

"Alright, so this is important and I don't want to beat around the bush."

She takes a shaky breath, fidgeting with the hem of her dress and her eyes once again rest on anything but Derrick's face.

A few minutes go by before anything is said and Derrick even wonders if she actually knows what "beating around the bush means."

"Andrea, come on, what is it?"

"Well, uh, I'm moving to San Francisco."

It takes everything in Derrick not to stop the car right then and there but it would be very inconvenient for their sake.

And ongoing traffic.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you correctly. Did you just say San Francisco? As in, San Francisco? Like the one in California? That San Francisco?"

Her gaze rests on her lap and he hears the faintest sniffle and cups her chin, forcing her to look at him to explain.

"You know that journalism internship I applied for? Well, they loved my application and as it turns out, I got in! I couldn't believe it when they called me back last week-"

"Hold the phone, they called you last week? And you're only telling me right now? Why is that, Andrea?"

"I don't- I don't know, Derrick. I knew you'd react like this for starters. And I wanted to call you the second I found out, but I needed to find a good time to tell you."

He pulls over to the side of the road and twists uncomfortable in his seat, Andrea immediately taking his hands in hers. "So, the drive home from my brother's wedding just appeared to be the best time to have this conversation?"

She laughs, but it's strained, and comes out as more of a scoff. "Of course not, but it's been eating away at me, and well," she says, pausing to take a breath. "I leave on Monday."

This proves to be the last straw and Derrick pulls away, his face riddled with hurt and disbelief.

"Monday? Wow, Monday. Monday, Monday, Monday. That is- that's- soon."

"I know. I know. Baby, I'm sorry for how sudden this is, and then for telling you like this. And most of all, I'm sorry that as much as I want you to go with me, I can't ask you to," she says, her breath catching on the last line as she chokes back a sob.

"You were born and raised here. Your whole life is here. Your parents, your dream job, your brother, who just got married. You know better than anyone that he's gonna need your help not to screw that up," she says laughing, knowing that that she meant it in all seriousness, but attempting to lighten the mood.

It works, and Derrick cracks a smile despite feeling like his own heart is cracking in two.

"That's all true. But I could use a change of scenery, now that you mention it. I don't see why we can't chase your dream together."

"Because it's my dream, Derrick. I have to chase it. I really think I should do this on my own. And I've already made up my mind."

"So. This is it, huh?" He laughs dryly, reconnecting their hands and tracing lines along the butterfly tattoo on her forearm. The one he made her get after she lost an infamous six month bet.

She looks up at him, tears freely cascading down her face. "I guess so."

They share a bitter sweet embrace, and Derrick clears his throat as he pulls away. "Well, uh, I'll take you to Jack's."

The ten minute ride is driven in uncomfortable silence.

Derrick pulls up to Jack's condo and unlocks the door. Sighing, he awkwardly rubs his hands on his slacks and waits for one of them to have the courage to utter some final words.

Andrea is silent and steadfast as she unbuckles her seatbelt. She runs her hand through his brown locks and smiles.

"Don't forget, Derrick. Aunt Edna loves you too. Just not as much as I do."

She plants a quick kiss on his lips and finally gets out of the car, never looking back.

Derrick is shaken by Andrea's absence and the unwelcomed emptiness that accompanies it. He lets out a frustrated sigh and reaches over to open the glove box.

He pulls out a small, blue velvet box and turns it over repeatedly in his hands.

He pops it open, revealing a one carat diamond on a shining silver band.

The huge pit in his stomach grows as the reality of the situation hits him.

"Right person, wrong time."