Runaway Bride (Editing)

Chapter 38

 
'Mommy?!' She said, her eyes opening and looking scared.

 
'I'm still here Amanda.  I didn't move, I'm right next to you.  I just wanted to get more comfortable.' I whispered to her.

 
When she noticed I hadn't lied, she relaxed and took a deep breath.

 
Still holding hands, her eyes were again closed and I yawned.

 
That's not good, thought to myself.

 
Amanda had giving permission to Derrick to come in her room.  It had been a very big step for her.  Even bigger than saying "daddy" or "I love you".  I knew my girl trusted her father completely for her to say that to him.

 
I knew if I'd fall sleep, there was a chance Derrick would silently open the door and wake me up but if he fell asleep on the couch, we were both shit out of luck.  The last thing I wanted to do was change beds at 5 or 6 O'clock in the morning.  Or worse, Derrick coming into the room when it was dark, have Amanda wake up and scream thinking it was Jesse.  Derrick had never gone into her bedroom when it was night or when it was dark.

 
Derrick knew how dangerous that would be for Amanda and for their relationship.  He kept telling me everyday little things Amanda would do for him and it made him feel ten feet tall.  It would devastate him to start over again with her.

 
My mind started to wonder back to when I had met Derrick at the coffee shop back in 2004. 

 
After he had asked me for my phone number, the next few days my thoughts kept going back to him. 
The way he smiled and his eyes...they never left mine.  Most guys would check out my breast, my butt and my legs but if he did any of those, I didn't see it.  He eyes always fixed of mine.
When I had heard my phone and didn't recognize the number I almost didn't answer it but it bugged me to much and I answered clearly showing the caller was bothering me.

 
'Hi...is this Angela?' He had asked.

 
'Yeah, who's this?'

 
'Um...It's Derrick...from the coffee shop?'

 
I was so embarrassed, 'Hi Derrick.  Sorry, I keep getting calls and they always have the wrong number, sorry.' I had said, lying through my teeth.

 
'No worries, I know those are irritating to get.' He had said laughing.  'So I was calling to know if you wanted to have coffee with me tomorrow.'

 
'I'm working tomorrow, aren't you?' I had asked him.

 
'Yeah, but I was thinking before work.'

 
I had laughed and said yes.  The next morning it took me forever to pick out what I wanted to wear and I had laughed at myself.  I wasn't one of those women who needed to be told every second how beautiful they looked... I just wanted to be comfortable, be me and not pretend to be someone else.  I had worn my black pants with black flats and a red V-neck shirt.  I would have chosen a dress, something more girly but after thinking, if he actually liked me, did I want to wear dresses and skirts.  Tight and very uncomfortable clothes all the time.  So I had decided to stick with my boring outfit, be damned if he liked it or not, I was the one wearing it.
It had taken awhile for me to straiten my hair and when I got outside to leave it was raining. 
I got in my car and made my way to the coffee shop.  After parking my car I ran inside and I knew my hair was a mess.  I could feel the curls and the frizz as I had tried to flatten them with my hand.

 
'Hi.' I had heard and there he was behind me looking good enough to eat while I wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.
'Hi.' I answered still trying to control my hair.