If that's what it takes

7

While sitting together at the table, Derek heard the flight to Seattle being called for boarding. He smiled at his tiny friend and nodded toward the gate. "Are you ready to get on the plane?" He asked as he started to stand up.

"No, thank you." Zoey replied as she played with the bow on her bear's neck.

"No thank you? I thought you wanted to go to Seattle..."

"No. I want to stay here in New York. I like New York." She said sadly as she sighed.

"Alright..." He shrugged as he grabbed his briefcase. "But I have to go to Seattle...I'll see you later..." He shrugged as he started to turn around.

"Wait! Just Derek, where are you going?" She asked as she jumped from the chair and grabbed his hand as she pulled hard on it.

"I have to go to Seattle..." He said as he watched the little girl grip his hand tightly. "You said you didn't want to go..."

"But... but... but... I..." She exclaimed as she started to panic.

"What are you so afraid of?" Derek asked as he crouched down and faced her, looking into her eyes as she bounced in frustration, sighing loudly.

"I don't know my sister..." She shrugged. "My mommy didn't tell me I had a sister... and now I have to go live with her? I don't want to go..." She whimpered. "I don't want to go...can't I stay with you?" She asked as she sighed.

"I don't think you'd like that." Derek said as he reached for her hand as she leaned forward into him.

"Why?" She asked softly.

"Well... um...I snore... and... I'm allergic to dogs... and I like to um...I don't like pink things... " Derek said as he watched the sincere expression on her face.

Her mouth opened wide in shock as she pulled her hand away from him and squeezed her bear tightly. "I thought you said you had pink sparkly shoes!" She exclaimed as she glowered at him.

"I didn't say that I liked them..." Derek replied, trying so hard to keep a straight face.

"Where's your mommy?" She asked as she sighed, rocking the teddy bear in her arms as Derek glanced to the gate, relieved that they hadn't quite started boarding passengers.

"My mommy is in heaven too." Derek replied, watching her eyes widen. "I have four sisters though... but they live here in New York... I live really far away from my family..." He said as he shrugged. "They all live here in New York... I live in Seattle."

"I don't got a family..." Zoey mumbled as she held his hand tightly.

"You have a sister." Derek replied as he leaned forward slightly. "You have a sister, and I'm sure that she loves you... even if she has never met you. You're pretty, and sweet... and come on, you like cheeseburgers...how can someone not love a little girl who loves cheeseburgers. I bet... that your sister is just as nervous about meeting you, as you are meeting her." He said as he reached over and poked her nose lightly with his finger.

"You really think so?" She whispered as she watched the sincerity in Derek's eyes.

"I do..." He nodded as he smiled at her. "I think it might make her sad if you never show up... if you'd rather live here all alone in New York and not go to Seattle to at least meet her." Derek said.

"I have never been on an airplane before." She said quickly as she looked at him nervously.

"Oh, I've been on a million airplanes..." He said, pushing his hand to make it seem like it isn't a big deal.

"A million?!" She exclaimed.

"At least!" Derek said as he shrugged. "And since you're staying here in New York, I'm not going to have anyone to talk to on the airplane..." Derek shrugged. "It's going to be so boring...I'll have to eat all of the little pretzels by myself..."

"I'll go! I'll go!" She jumped up and down as she watched Derek's smile appear on his face.

"Well then, we had better hurry... I think they're getting everyone on the plane."

"Then hurry, hurry Just Derek... we have to get to Seattle!" Zoey exclaimed as she pulled his arm, grasping her teddy bear tightly as Derek chuckled and let her pull him along toward the gate for the plane.