Categories > Original > Drama > Separation
March 16, 1979
"I think he spends too much time with her."
Leah mentally rolled her eyes. Derrick, god bless him, was her husband and so there were certain quirks and oddities one simply had to put up with. However, as Ray's recovery progressed, Derrick's attitude seemed to degenerate. Although he had made no challenge to Derrick's domestic authority, his mere presence in the house seemed to have become an irritant.
"Oh for heaven sake Derrick, the girls didn't even know they had an uncle until a few months ago. It's only natural that they be fascinated by him. Besides, they've been good for him."
Derrick grumbled something uncomplimentary that Leah didn't bother straining to decipher.
"He's not her father," he grumped more loudly.
"He isn't trying to be," Leah responded in a sigh. This particular conversation had been rehashed a few too many times for her taste. Derrick seemed to think that if he harangued about it enough, things would change. She had been forced to abandon her brother once, she wasn't going to do so again.
"He's too touchy-feely with them," Derrick pressed. "I never could stand those sappy types."
"Derrick, the girls are eight, five, and three. It's not a crime if they want to sit on his lap. Heck, I'm glad he's healthy enough to let them."
Derrick gave her an extremely disgusted look bordering on revulsion.
"You're glad?"
It took her a minute.
"Wait, WHAT?!"
"Oh come on Leah, you know what freaks like him are capable of! God knows what he was doing out there in a house full of other men all wearing tights!"
The description was so ridiculous that the sudden flare of anger fizzled into snorts of hysterical laughter. Derrick, however, was somewhat less than amused.
"You think this is funny?" He glared and crossed his arms, his expression more an insulted pout than actual anger.
"Yes, actually, I do," she told him, giving her best condescending Darling Dearest smile. "The idea of Ray as a pervert, much less a child molester is absolutely ludicrous." Derrick might pretend social delicateness, but Leah had no qualms with stating the truth despite the ugly terminology. "You can call and check with the Risen Son Presbyterian Church- PCA," she added for affect. "They had nothing but good things to say about him. I know. Mom checked."
The PCA remark left Derrick rather deflated, and Leah continued before he could get a chance to refill his sails with righteous indignation.
"I'm surprised at you Derrick Langland, threatened by your skinny, scrawny, crippled brother-in-law because he makes a better babysitter than you do." There were few points more vulnerable than Derrick's masculine pride. When she put it that way, it was difficult to find a retort that didn't make him sound like a pig-headed fool. It took several minutes of sulky silence for Derrick to make one final, sullen attempt at getting the last word.
"I still think he spends too much time with them."
"It's been ten years, Derrick. Let him make up for lost time."
There was nothing he could say to that, and Leah smugly accepted his sword of grudging silence.
"I think he spends too much time with her."
Leah mentally rolled her eyes. Derrick, god bless him, was her husband and so there were certain quirks and oddities one simply had to put up with. However, as Ray's recovery progressed, Derrick's attitude seemed to degenerate. Although he had made no challenge to Derrick's domestic authority, his mere presence in the house seemed to have become an irritant.
"Oh for heaven sake Derrick, the girls didn't even know they had an uncle until a few months ago. It's only natural that they be fascinated by him. Besides, they've been good for him."
Derrick grumbled something uncomplimentary that Leah didn't bother straining to decipher.
"He's not her father," he grumped more loudly.
"He isn't trying to be," Leah responded in a sigh. This particular conversation had been rehashed a few too many times for her taste. Derrick seemed to think that if he harangued about it enough, things would change. She had been forced to abandon her brother once, she wasn't going to do so again.
"He's too touchy-feely with them," Derrick pressed. "I never could stand those sappy types."
"Derrick, the girls are eight, five, and three. It's not a crime if they want to sit on his lap. Heck, I'm glad he's healthy enough to let them."
Derrick gave her an extremely disgusted look bordering on revulsion.
"You're glad?"
It took her a minute.
"Wait, WHAT?!"
"Oh come on Leah, you know what freaks like him are capable of! God knows what he was doing out there in a house full of other men all wearing tights!"
The description was so ridiculous that the sudden flare of anger fizzled into snorts of hysterical laughter. Derrick, however, was somewhat less than amused.
"You think this is funny?" He glared and crossed his arms, his expression more an insulted pout than actual anger.
"Yes, actually, I do," she told him, giving her best condescending Darling Dearest smile. "The idea of Ray as a pervert, much less a child molester is absolutely ludicrous." Derrick might pretend social delicateness, but Leah had no qualms with stating the truth despite the ugly terminology. "You can call and check with the Risen Son Presbyterian Church- PCA," she added for affect. "They had nothing but good things to say about him. I know. Mom checked."
The PCA remark left Derrick rather deflated, and Leah continued before he could get a chance to refill his sails with righteous indignation.
"I'm surprised at you Derrick Langland, threatened by your skinny, scrawny, crippled brother-in-law because he makes a better babysitter than you do." There were few points more vulnerable than Derrick's masculine pride. When she put it that way, it was difficult to find a retort that didn't make him sound like a pig-headed fool. It took several minutes of sulky silence for Derrick to make one final, sullen attempt at getting the last word.
"I still think he spends too much time with them."
"It's been ten years, Derrick. Let him make up for lost time."
There was nothing he could say to that, and Leah smugly accepted his sword of grudging silence.
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