"George, we have to leave. Like now." Nora insisted taking her coat off the hook.

"We do? What for?"

"We have tickets for that play. Remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Be right with you." George went back to watching the game. Nora rolled her eyes at him and stood in front of the TV, blocking his vision. Three male voices protested at the same time.

Nora held out her hand to stem the flow. "George, we've had these tickets for months and we're gonna be late. Come on!"

Casey, Lizzie and Marty came in from the kitchen, Marty in Casey's arms and a large tray of sandwiches in Lizzie's.

"Aren't you guys gone yet?" Casey asked. "You're gonna be late."

"We'll go when the next touchdown is scored." George promised…as the whistle went signalling a touchdown. "Okay, then." He raised his eyes heavenwards. "Why don't you like me?"

"Because I made a deal with him. Me and the rest of womankind. Come on!" Nora dragged George out of his seat and shoved him towards the coats. "Casey you and Derek are in charge."

"Is that such a good idea?" George asked finding his coat at last and shoving it on, not realising that it was inside out. Casey took his vacant spot on the couch with Marty on her lap. Derek raised his eyes at her as she sat. Casey smirked back.

"You're coat's inside out and yes, I trust them enough not to have a fight big enough to blow the roof off the house. Besides they've been getting on a lot better recently." She bustled him out of the door.

Derek turned to Casey. "Do you think we should have told her that her coat was also inside out?" the others laughed.

"I'm surprised George didn't."

"He didn't even realise his own was. He notices nothing."

"You're probably right. He is your dad after all." She started flicking through the TV catalogue after fishing it out from its home behind the sofa cushion.

"Anything decent on tonight?" Derek asked her after the final whistle went at the end of the game.

She sighed and dropped the magazine onto the coffee table. "Not that any of us want to watch. What shall we do?"

There was a pause as everyone thought what to do. None of them wanted to work or read because it took too much effort.

"Wait," Lizzie said. "Derek, it's Friday night, don't you have a date tonight?"

Derek exchanged looks with Edwin and then subtly with Casey. "She cancelled on me."

"Why?" Lizzie asked, surprised.

"She didn't say. So what are we going to do tonight? We've got two hours until Marty's bedtime, how we gonna kill the time?"

"We're gonna kill time?" said Marty's innocent voice from Casey's lap.

"No sweetie, it's an expression. Derek means; what are we going to do?" Casey gave her an affectionate kiss on the forehead. Luckily Marty the Monster was in her sweet mood tonight.

Silence descended on them again.

"I know!" Lizzie said making them all jump. "Karaoke Night!"

"Give the girl a medal. You're a genius, sis!"

"What? We don't sing karaoke."

"Come on Derek it could be fun. Unless you want to watch Grease with me; which was what I was going to suggest we do when the kids go to bed." Casey said batting her eyelashes. Derek stared at her in surprise and then over her head to Edwin who winked at him.

"Do we have any karaoke dvd's or do you want to sing along to cd's?" he said grumpily averting the conversation from chick flicks of the cheesiest kind.

"We don't have any karaoke dvd's come to think of it. Cd's it is then. Okay go get them. We'll also have a dance contest."

"Who'll be judge? Derek?" Edwin stifled a snort.

"Why me?"

"Because you can't dance to save your life."

"Yes he can."

"Casey! Stop, please!"

They both knew that she was thinking of the times she had walked in on him dancing in his boxers to cheesy songs when they had spent the day alone last week. He had made her swear not to tell anyone and she was actually holding true to it.

"I have a better idea. Why doesn't Casey sing to us? She's the only one of us who can sing and if she entertains us I'll consider us even."

"Derek, can I talk to you upstairs please? I need to borrow your guitar if I'm gonna perform for you." She dumped Marty on Lizzie's lap and taking him by the collar she dragged him up the stairs.

When in Casey's room she released him. "Think they bought it?"

"'Course. You're the best actress here. Not to mention the prettiest girl in the house."

He pulled her towards him and kissed her gently. She deepened the kiss. He was never one to be outdone by her so he lowered his hands. She broke off the kiss and raised her eyebrow at him.

"Hang on." She pushed him down onto the bed and didn't follow. She crossed to her door and shouted down for Edwin. Edwin duly appeared. Casey talked to him half out of her room. "Ed, change of plan. Derek and I realised that we have a huge report due on Monday and I am not letting him leave it to the last minute. We will have to get started on it because it's a big project and tonnes of work. Can you keep an eye on things downstairs and put Shrek on? I'll come down when Marty has to go to bed and then we'll watch a different film, okay?"

Edwin thought he heard sniggering from behind the ajar door. He grinned and nodded. "Can I see Derek out here first?"

"Sure." She withdrew. "Derek get your butt out there for a second."

Derek came out and closed the door.

Edwin gave him a searching look. "And?" he said encouragingly.

"What?"

"You've kept me out of the loop, here! Last I heard you were badly crushing on her, now she's making up excuses for being alone with you? You need to keep me updated so I can help you keep it hidden."

"I know. And you've been a great help so far. So I think you deserve to know. She's my girlfriend."

"Yes!" Edwin hissed in celebration. "Finally! So, you two gonna be making out?"

"Yes, you sick perve! Now get lost!"

Edwin did as instructed and got lost.

Derek sniggered as he re entered Casey's room.