A strange request

EIGHT YEARS AGO

“You haven't told me why Denise hasn’t come to see me since all this while,” Derek told his mother one day, not long after he was discharged from the hospital.

Mrs. Turner released a long, heavy sigh looking like she wished that she was anywhere but there.

“Um, I’m really sorry, Derek, but we did not want to tell you anything about it until after you were well enough. Denise has traveled out of the country. I believe she received a very good acting offer that she couldn’t turn down.” Mrs. Turner replied.

“When was this?”

“About a week after the accident, I believe.”

“Oh. Did she come to see me at all?”

“Derek …”

“I’ll take that as a no.”

“Well, according to what she told me, it was quite sudden, and that was why she couldn’t come.” Mrs. Turner tried to defend Denise, but even she sounded unsure of what she was saying.

Ava watched as hurt clouded Derek’s eyes, but he tried to pretend like he wasn’t hurt. From then on, he became difficult to be around.

He bare