1999, October.
Wherever he went, Derek took the time to scope out interesting places to spend time at. When a deeply dear colleague of his asked him to talk about some work negotiations he invited her along to additionally celebrate her recent biology graduate work. It was impressive, though, not the most talented academically in her generation.
She would have to exceed expectations from this point on. The girl's guardianship had transferred from one Simmons to the other within the last month. Derek, unlike his cousin Marshall was more involved. He had changed her surname, even, to reflect these high expectations. Radames. After the general.
Her former name didn't matter much in the grand scheme of things. Her birthparents were nobody of consequence. She could let it go.
Carla's living situation hadn't changed much in this exchange apart from his more frequent assessments of her progress under the Foundation's sponsorship.
She was twelve, and he brought a set of formal clothing for her to wear. A skirt- she doesn't wear them- and a nice blouse. New shoes. The shoes had small wedges on them and bows.
She had no idea what the concept was for the outfit, looking in the mirror. It didn't change her ashen hair or the way her skin reflected light like spoiled milk.
And Derek seemed to notice, because he frowned when she got into the private car. She looked foolish and it was entirely her own posture doing it.
He handed her a flower in gold foil, bright red, regardless, corrected her gently on how not to hunch, and opened the back of a car door for her to get in.
"Hand her that when you see her. It will be from both of us."
Carla Radames stared at the petals of it, watching a small inchworm creep up the soft velvet. She said nothing, as usual, while Derek thumbed his gold signet ring over and over again.
They got to a restaurant with a waterfall that fell from the third floor down to the first. It was a grilling place with a line nearly out the door that they skipped with reservations. Carla followed him, clutching the flower tightly to prevent the inchworm from falling out of the foil.
The worm had crawled onto her hand instead which was perfectly fine.
"Ada!" he had exclaimed, and she looked up from her flower to see a woman. She was taller than her by two and a half heads. Her clothes were well put together, and she looked all at once like she fit the setting of fine food and drink but didn't particularly want to be here.
Carla said nothing, but stared as Simmons crafted introductions, and before he was done speaking, she slowly extended the flower to the woman, Ada.
The middle had been snapped in half with her grip, but the top half was fine.
Derek's expression fell, mortified.
"I do apologize for her behavior. She doesn't speak and gets overwhelmed easily."
