There was something about that girl. She was so guarded! Derek could tell that she was completely uncomfortable with talking to him. The way her mother had leaned into her and scolded her and the way she had put her down even on the way out the door. There was no doubt that something more was going on in that home. Derek picked up his phone to ring his assistant.
"Hey Tristan. Can you find out some information for me. Look up an employee with the last name Marks. Has a daughter named Penelope. Find everything you can about that family for me. Especially the girl. Thanks."
While Derek was the youngest boy in the family, he had a knack for business. Having finished high school early, he was currently working on college courses in business administration while preparing to take the company over. He was already a strong presence in the company, known for an icy temperament. He was also a bit of a hothead and took no nonsense from nobody.
Deep down, though, there was a playful puppydog just waiting to come out. He was searching for the perfect person to share that personality with. Something strange had happened with that girl earlier. He felt an attraction to her that he couldn't explain.
I'm fact, he wondered why she did her hair like that? Her hair was so short she seemed almost bald! Did she have cancer? She had seemed ashamed and uncomfortable when she spoke about how she was made fun of for it. In fact, the entire conversation had seemed uncomfortable for her, except for the moment when he shook her hand. He had to get to know this girl to find out her story and he didn't know why.
Before he walked out of the restaurant, he walked into Terry's office and shut the door. "What can you tell me about that girl?" He asked.
"She is very quiet and reserved. Nice, personable to the customer, but keeps herself to herself. Very hard worker. Her mother is pretty mean and acts like she owns the place when she comes in. Every few days, she uses her lunch break to go across the street and get a book from the library. I... usually give her extra time when she does. She always asks to be the one to be called in if someone is sick on her day off. I think she prefers work over home."
"I see... She told me she doesn't have a phone?"
"Yeah. There's a house phone we call if we need to get in touch with you her. Her two brothers have them, but she isn't allowed to have one. Something about misbehavior at home."
"I smell BS. She seems too nice."
"Yeah, she's a sweetheart. But she never really talks much. I do suspect abuse, but I have no proof to make a call to CPS. They won't investigate over a feeling."
Derek nodded in understanding. "Well thank you, Terry. I appreciate the conversation. I'll be back again, soon. We didn't have this conversation."
"Yes, sir." She said. "I hope you have a pleasant afternoon."
Derek took one last look at Penelope as he walked towards the door. She was engrossed in her work and had no clue he was still there. He could hear her humming a sweet tune as she finished the dishes. Before she took notice of him, he disappeared from her view and walked out the door.
It was a beautiful afternoon. Derek had taken out his Audi R8, a pretty, silver convertible with a fully customized interior. He loved his cars. There was nothing he enjoyed more than being the center of attention when he drove one. Everyone knew when he was showing up somewhere. People stepped out of the way for him.
His father told him to not be too prideful about the things they had earned. He worked hard towards taking over the company. He wanted nothing more than for his father to see him as a worthy heir. While he wasn't there just yet, he was already helping to make the harder decisions in the company. Where to expand, where to cut back. Slowly, the weight of the world was being placed on his shoulders as he took over, but it was well worth it. Especially if he made his parents proud. That was all he really wanted in life. To make his parents proud.
Being able to drive a fancy car helped to relieve some of that pressure. This wasn't a gift that daddy gave him for his birthday. It was something that he had earned. He listened to the roar of the engine as he turned it over. He felt the wind blow through his hair as he drove down the street, heading back home. He had taken the day off to help his mom with some gardening. Although his dad didn't quite approve, he was also happy that he was taking some time to choose his family. Family was something the Filmores preached to each of their employees as being the most important thing. If they didn't take care of their employee's families, they couldn't expect good work.
As Derek pulled into the driveway, he greeted his mom, who was on the side of the front yard tending some flowers they had dug holes for that morning. "Hey, mom. How's it coming along?" He asked.
Their house was quite large, but wasn't a mansion. It was cozy, with a huge front yard, a fountain in the driveway, a pool, and horse stables in the back. They were somewhat out in the country. Away from people but still close to the city.
"Oh, it's coming. I'm almost regretting saying I wanted to garden on my own instead of just hiring a landscaper." she laughed.
"It's not too late." Derek smiled. "Your muscle is back, though so it shouldn't be too bad. How many flowers are left to plant?" He asked.
"Oh, there are about five more for this row. Then we can get started on the next. I'm really loving these hibiscus we found at the garden center! Aren't they so petty?" She asked.
Derek smiled at his mother's enjoyment of gardening. "They are very nice. I like the color of orange that they are." he said honestly. "Tell me, mom. What is it about gardening that you love?" He asked, grabbing a garden shovel and starting the next row of holes.
His mother smiled back at him. "It's theraputic. There's nothing better than getting to plant and tend to your garden. Speaking to the plants, removing the weeds, diagnosing problems to keep them healthy. I just love it." She explained. Seeing good his mother happy about something so simple made Derek happy.
"I met a girl at our sandwich shop today." He said.
"Oh?" His mother paused what she was doing and looked up at him.
Before answering, he finished opening up another hole. "Yeah. She is almost eighteen and a Senior in high school. A bunch of kids came in and picked on her over her hair. At first, I thought she was a boy but they started calling her a lesbian. It made me kind of sad. Then, her step-mother came in and was horrible to her, too."
"Did you step in and stop those kids?" His mother inquired.
"I was going to," Derek admitted. "But the manager came out and intervened, first. What I don't understand is why the mother figure in her life was so nasty. She called her a spoiled brat. This girl looked like anything but that. I also got the feeling that her hair wasn't her choice. Like maybe she had cancer or something? She carried herself like she didn't care about her situation, but I could tell that she is troubled. She was extremely guarded. I sat down and tried to talk to her, but she didn't really want to talk. I felt a connection to her, though, and I can't get her out of my mind."
Derek's mother was silent for a moment before replying. "It sounds like she may get picked on, and like she may have a bad relationship with her step-mother. That doesn't mean that she is sheltered, though. It could be that she just doesn't like to get out. Sometimes, step-parents aren't necessarily fair towards children that aren't of their own blood. I wouldn't look too much into it. If you like her, though, why don't you ask her out? If she's almost eighteen, there's nothing wrong with it."
"Yeah, I might just do that." Derek said.
"Just be careful. You don't want to put yourself in the middle of a situation you can't handle." His mom held an ounce of concern in her voice.
Of course, the caution was to be expected. In fact, Derek was surprised that his mother didn't tell him not to push it at all. Now that he was an adult, though, he knew that she trusted him to make the best decisions for himself. His older brother and sister, the two middle children, weren't very responsible, which was why he was going to be the one to inherit the company and all of its assets.
They went to bars and partied all night, blowing their college years away on stupidity. His eldest sister had already settled down and started a family. She had no desire to be a part of the family's business. Derek was closest to her than his other two siblings. They spoke almost on a daily basis.
Derek spent the rest of the afternoon gardening with his mom and pondering this new girl. He knew he had to see her again. This pizza sandwich she had offered sounded like the perfect excuse. First, he had to read the file he was waiting on from his assistant.
Almost on queue, his phone went off. There it was. Everything about the Marks family, from her father's work portfolio to their dynamics were right there along with phone bills and financial records. As soon as they finished their gardening for the day, he went inside to do his homework. By the time he was done, he knew he had to see her again.