uncharacteristic caution is adopted in order to retain elusive guise , additional preemptive measures taken to ensure that soft click of casey’s bedroom door is certain to go UNHEARD by the other inhabitants of the mcdonald-venturi household. — it is the third night this week that derek has slunk into the female’s domain shortly after the last light in the house has gone out for a little quality time and , thus far , their respective family members are none the wiser to the true extent of how close the eldest two teenagers have grown. —— it is not until inquisitive utterance of term of endearment ( ‘ smerek ? ’ ) falls upon his ears , his hand hovered mere inches above his OWN bedroom handle with digits outstretched , that he realises his good fortune in remaining undetected may have run out. head whips around. sure enough , marti is stood in the mouth of her doorway , one hand raised to rub at bleary eyes , the other clutched around the stuffed monkey that hangs at her side. “ smarti. —— you saw nothing. ”
