"What's with all the trips to New York DJ?" My dad asks.
I'm sitting at the dining room table. Joining them for one of the few Sunday dinners, that they have every week.
"Business." I say bluntly
"I know that, but I thought your New York office was set up to run without you having to be there. What you're going every other weekend or so?"
"Yeah. I know. We are the middle of a huge merger with a tech plant in New York. My CFO over there isn't able to handle it on his own." It's the part of the truth. The only lie is my CFO can't handle it.
"I'm surprised you don't have Rose doing it." My dad interjects.
"She has a wife, I don't. Plus, it's giving me great use of the penthouse." I tell them.
"Hey, bro. Maybe I could come with you. I need my wingwoman and it's been awhile since I've been to New York." Lauren tells me.
"I'll be far too busy Laur. Then I also have a trip to Japan in October and I will be gone for awhile." Ok that is a lie. But, whatever.
"Alright. No rest for the wicked huh?" Lauren adds.
The doorbell rings and I'm guessing Gretchen is answering it.
"Mr. Hansen ? There's a Derek Hamilton here to see you." Gretchen announces. I go on high alert.
Mother fucker.
I pull out my phone and let Taylor know that he is here.
"Send him in."
Derek walks in and smiles at all of us. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt." He tells us.
I have this urge to kill him now and worry about the consequences later.
"No, of course not Derek." My dad says getting up to greet him. "How have you been?"
"Been better. That's why I'm here I kind of need your help. Normani ran away."
Yep, She ran away to me. Asshole .
"Oh, god that's terrible. Wasn't she pregnant?"
"Yes, that's why I'm worried about her."
Wow. Derek a pretty good actor. I can't believe my parents are believing this crap.
"Have you gone down to the police?" My dad asks going into total lawyer mood.
"Not yet. Not around here yet."
Not anywhere according to my guys.
"I was hoping maybe she came back to Houston. All of her friends are here. Maybe even her boyfriend. I was hoping you could help me. The police where I was, weren't very helpful."
That's because you didn't go.
"Of course. Why don't we go now?"
My dad gathers his stuff and they leave. I'm not to worried about it right now because I know I have Mani pretty well hidden, name change and everything.
"That's such a shame." My mother says.
"What is?" I look at her confused.
"The fact that his daughter is missing." My mother says.
"Weren't you listening at all D?" Lauren remarks.
"Yeah. I was just thinking of something else. Maybe the girl had a good reason for running away." I tell them.
"She's pregnant Dinah. She shouldn't be out on her own."
"Think about, people just don't run away because it's fun."
I'm trying to get it through my mom's thick head, that maybe Derek isn't all sunshine and rainbows. The man is evil. Open those eyes mother!
"Well, from Derek was telling us before he left, I bet she ran to that awful boyfriend of hers." She sighs. "Such a shame."
