PART TWO
Prologue: "Perfection"
Chapter One: "Love's Got A Hold On My Art!"
Chapter Two: "Secret's Out"
Chapter Three: "Talking Without Words"

Previously on 'The Caliente Affairs':
After Don, Dina & Nina moved into a new house, Dina announced her engagement to Mortimer which didn't go down too well with Don or Cassandra. Then Don found out that Mortimer and his son was coming to live with them in the Caliente Mansion. Nina revealed that Cassandra wasn't going to be left alone, but Don didn't understand what she meant.

Prologue: "Perfection"

Darren Dreamer thought that his life would be perfect. He loved art, but not as much as he loved his wife Darleen. When she announced she was pregnant on that wonderful day out to the Woodland Park, Darren was remembered of his father's words about life resembling art. How art was never perfect in the eyes of the artist but to everyone else it was perfect. Darren thought that he'd finally found something that he could appreciate as much as everyone else would.

And when his son Dirk came along he was ready to live happily ever after. Knowing that out of everything he'd produced, his family was his greatest achievement.

But life was far from perfect...

Chapter One: "Love's Got A Hold On My Art!"

The day before Dina & Mortimer's engagement, Mortimer's daughter Cassandra Goth was once again shopping for one. Her father was spending the night with his new "love" Dina & her brother was having a sleepover at one of his friend's. It was times like this she couldn't help thinking of picking up the phone and inviting Don over. But that wasn't going to happen now there wedding was off and he was planning his next conquest, Nina Caliente. She knew, a little part of her always knew. But Cassie was sick of going backwards. It was time to move... forward!
"Hi Darren! Shopping for one also?" She said as she saw Darren place a microwave meal into his shopping basket.
"Sure am, Dirk's out with his flavour of the week so I'm alone until eleven!" Cassie scowled at Dirk in her thoughts.
"Look, it's ridiculous. It costs more for two single meals then if you bought one 'doublemeal'. Why don't I get one and invite you over?"
"That's a really nice idea!" And so Darren agreed!

After there 'doublemeal', Cassandra showed Darren to the Goth's new loft-den.
"It sure is.. Different to the rest of your house!" Darren said, being careful not to insult the bright yellow room.
"I know what you're thinking. Dad did it this weekend, I think there's something he's not telling me. He always redecorates when he has something on his mind."
"Well then, I see he has lived a very easy life!" Darren joked, referring to the out-dated decor of the other rooms. Cassandra laughed, she'd laughed a lot tonight. She really enjoyed Darren's company, and it wasn't too long before she found herself cuddling up to him whilst watching TV.
When she realised during a commercial, she couldn't help but catch Darren's gaze. For a while they stared into each others' eyes until Darren broke the silence. "I was thinking whether or not I should lie to you."
"Lie to me, about what?"
"I was going to say that I was sorry to hear you'd broken-up with Don. But the truth is, I'm not sorry. I'm glad!" The two got closer.

"I'm kind of glad too." Cassandra said as she edged her lips closer to Darren's.
"Why's that?" Darren whispered.
"Because I wasn't in love with him... I think I'm in love with someone else." Cassandra smiled bashfully.
"Who?" Darren played along, but before she could answer...

...Darren kissed her. And Cassandra felt like an explosion inside, like an exploding firwork in the middle of a firework factory, setting off all the other fireworks! She hadn't felt like this in a long time, maybe even never. Darren too began to excite.
"I've always felt it, the connection between us, even when I was with Darleen I sometimes found myself thinking of you. I'm not just in love with you, I love you! Almost more then anything else on this earth." The almost referring to his son, of course.
"And now I'm feeling it!" Cassie winked as the two kept on kissing.

"I suspect you've always felt it?" Darren queried.
"I've felt it, but never like this!" She giggled as Darren kissed her some more. The kissing became more intense and Cassandra moved her hands underneath Darren's shirt, touching his warm naked skin. But Darren suddenly pulled back and relaxed on the sofa... He'd turned bright red!
"You don't have to be polite you know. We have the whole house to ourselves tonight." Cassandra clearly suggested.
"I can't leave Dirk alone all night."
"He won't be alone all night if you stop being so polite and get back to kissing me!" Cassandra pulled her lover back into her lips.

Waking up Darren stretched but suddenly didn't feel so relaxed, he looked at the clock beside the bed and saw it was just coming up to one AM! Darren tried to wake Cassandra but he felt like he should let her sleep, but he didn't feel so comfortable leaving. After all, they'd just spent the greatest two hours together, what kind of message would he be giving to her if he wasn't there when she woke up?! But Darren couldn't leave his son, despite having got the girl of his dreams. So he got dressed and left his true love a note next to her sleeping body.

As he was getting closer to his house he was furious to spy his son stepping out of a cab. Before Dirk could get inside Darren sped down the street and made his son perfectly aware that he was home.
"What part of eleven PM curfew don't you understand?"
"Hold on dad, I did come home at ten but I assumed you'd be happier if I go out and have some fun instead of waiting up for you."
"Listen, there's time to argue in the morning, you're lucky I'm in a good mood!"

Dirk's 'fun', as Darren found out, was his way of breaking it to his dad that he was secretly dating yet another girl. Darren blamed himself for Dirk's elevated hormones as he too was secretly involved with a woman. The next morning when Dirk left for school Darren rushed over to spend time with Cassandra before she had to work. He came home in time to meet Dirk and continued the day like nothing had happened. The love-birds tried to keep their relationship a secret because they both knew it would cause quite a scandal if the whole neighbourhood found out. After their arrangement, Darren got a shock when Cassandra came over later that night close to tears. As Dirk was sleeping downstairs, Darren quietly took Cassandra to his bedroom so they could talk in private.

When they got behind closed doors Cassandra poured her heart out to Darren about how her father had left town to marry Dina in a private ceremony.
"When he comes back in two days he's moving out and living with her, he's even taking Alex to live there too. There, in that house with my ex-fiance. I feel like he's disowned me, I really don't know who he is anymore. And it's all because of that bitch Dina, he thinks that what they have is love. But it isn't, it's just some sick imitation." She said as she buried her face in her lover's chest and cried.
"That's really... I'm so sorry Cass. I suppose people do crazy things when they're in love." Darren tried to comfort Cassandra.
"As crazy as dropping off their kid brother with a babysitter so they can come over to their boyfriend's house at midnight just for a talk?"
"That's not crazy! Coming over at midnight for a talk with their boyfriend and then going back to their house alone. Now that's crazy!" Darren said as he passionately kissed Cassandra.

Cassandra rolled over and smiled with satisfaction.
"Thank you. You really know how to calm a woman down!"
"Really? I wonder if it would calm down the Repo-Lady too!" Darren joked as Cassandra playfully hit him. She snuggled into Darren's body & quickly fell asleep. Darren couldn't sleep though, he was too excited. He'd never experienced such an intense relationship. He couldn't hide it anymore, he wanted to shout out to the world that he & Cassandra were in love. He especially wanted to tell his son, of all the people he should not be keeping secrets from Dirk. Cassandra was his first girlfriend since Darleen's death & he wanted to break it to Dirk gently, after all, he didn't want to him to find out second-hand.

As he quietly opened the door, Cassandra kissed Darren goodbye.
"You'll come over when Dirk gets home?" Darren asked.
"Definitely. I want him to be the first to know." Cassandra whispered. But what she didn't know was that he wasn't going to be the first to know of her and Darren's relationship.

Chapter Two: "Secret's Out"

Feeling on top of the world, Darren went around the house making sure everything was perfect for this afternoon. Darren quietly giggled to himself when Dirk sat down in front of the TV and began working out before he left for school. He suspected it was for a girl, it was after all the end of summer so there wasn't a logical reason for Dirk to be toning his body, unless he was planning on using his allowance to go on holiday. But Darren knew that even if he did lose his mind and agree, Dirk would not have enough money.

Dirk's time at school went by quickly and Darren looked at the clock, tapping his fingers on the phone receiver impatiently.
"Hello!" Cassandra answered.
"Hi, it's me! Why aren't you here yet?" Darren asked as he heard the school bus pull up to the house.
"I got into a heated discussion with the babysitter about last night so I'm running a bit behind, but I'm on my way right now!"
"Well okay then," Darren said, a little depressed, "See you soon." Darren hung-up and resumed cooking the meal he was serving for the three of them. It looked like he was going to have to handle the hard part alone.

Dirk quietly came into the kitchen and watched Darren cook.
"Who's the meal for?" He asked.
"Erm, I invited someone over. I figured the three of us could eat it while we talked.."
"About what? How you're a cheating bastard?" Dirk said calmly as he sat down. Darren dropped what he was holding and turned to face his son with a shocked look on his face.

"I'm sorry, did you just call me..."
"Well that's what you are right, a cheater? Looks like your secret's out." Dirk said as he avoided eye contact with his dad. Darren brought his hands to his face as it clicked... Dirk had found out already.
"How did..."
"You should know better then anyone that secret's don't stay secret for very long in this neighbourhood."
"I was going to tell you this afternoon, I really didn't want you to find out from anyone else."

"Oh well it's a bit late for that!" Dirk said as he began to shout. "Maybe you should have made sure your girlfriend kept her trap shut before you started making plans."
"We were going to tell you together."
"Is she here?" Dirk asked with a look of fire in his eyes. "Has she been here, with you?" Darren could only look at the floor, which was as good as an answer. But he stopped and faced his son, he didn't see why he should be made to feel ashamed about something so natural. He wasn't cheating, despite what Dirk thought. Before Darren could honestly answer his son the doorbell rang. The Dreamer's both turned to look at who was at the door, but Darren knew it was Cassandra. He gave Dirk a 'please just give me a second alone' look but Dirk shot back with a look that could have burned a hole through Darren's head. Leaving Dirk in the kitchen, Darren went outside to greet Cassandra.

"Hey you!" Cassandra said as she greeted him with a kiss, but Darren only kissed her for a second before pulling back.
"He found out." Darren told her.
"How?" Cassandra said in disbelief.
"I don't know, I guess someone knew. He seemed to think you'd told someone."
"Not a soul... Unless," Cassandra turned away to avoid Darren's ashamed look. "I may have mentioned something to Nina when I was leaving the engagement party about how I didn't plan on going home. But I swear that's all I said. I suppose the rest she figured out on her own." This time Cassandra looked at her shoes, feeling terrible for causing a fight between Darren and Dirk. But Darren touched her chin and gently kissed her.
"It's okay! You should not feel bad about people finding out about us. It's just going to make things with Dirk a little tough is all. But trust me, once you get on his good side he's a really loving person." Darren said just as Dirk came out onto the porch.

"Can you give me and Cassandra a second dad." Dirk said, not really asking so much as telling Darren to leave. Darren looked at Cassandra who nodded.
"I'll be in the kitchen." Darren said as he left his son alone with Cassandra.
"So who told you?" Cassandra said, eager to find out if it really was Nina who had been spreading the news about her and Darren.
"Oh I think you know him. Goes by the name of Don Lothario!" Dirk joked, knowing full well about her past with Don.
"Don knows!" Cassandra said alarmed, until she realised that Don would of course know. He was involved with Nina after all.
"Yeah, he helps out with the football team at lunchtimes and he was very insistent that I gave you a message." Cassandra rolled her eyes as she thought this was typical Don, always disregarding other people's feelings.
"What's the message?" Dirk put his finger to his head.
"Let me get this right. His exact words were 'Tell that bitch... Bitch? Bitch, bitch... What was the rest of it?" Dirk thought to himself.

But he had done what he intended as saw the angry look on Cassandra's face.
"What's wrong, you aren't mad at me are you, I'm simply passing along a message. Is there anything you want me to tell him." Cassandra bit her tongue as she calmly answered 'No'.
"Alright! Well, since were done with him I'll leave you with what I wanted to tell you. You're a dog, you're whole family are dog's! The only thing that makes you happy is stealing people's leftovers. Your dad stole Dina, You stole Don and now you're stealing Darren." Dirk said disgusted.
"I stole Don!" Cassandra laughed at the thought. "What has that idiot been filling your head with? I'll tell you Dirk, it's lies. It's all lies from him, even when he was with me he was constantly lying. But me Dirk, I am telling you the truth when I say that I love your father and I apologise if you think I'm stealing him from Darleen."
"Shut up! You don't get to say her name. Don't you ever say her name." Dirk yelled as his eyes welled up with tears.

Before she could see him cry Dirk bolted through the house and out of the back door, passing his dad who looked clueless.

And he was clueless, Dirk thought, he didn't have a clue who the real Cassandra Goth was.

Chapter Three: "Talking Without Words"

Dirk ran far away from his house, he kept on running until he was out of breath. He gushed in the air as he bent over in pain, all the working out he'd done had made his muscles ache. As he stretched he realised where he had unknowingly stopped. He immediately saw her amongst all the other ones and went straight over to be with her.

He felt like he wanted to pour his heart out, but the words wouldn't come out. Instead he silently prayed in his head, hoping that somehow his mother could hear his thoughts.