its not in the water

"Holy...tuna casserole..." All right, Derrick couldn't think of what to say without offending anyone. After all, he was on the couch looking at some book with Rosie who wanted to read the words this time..instead of him. Of course, she was making her own story about Winnie the Pooh.

Derrick stared at Asa across the room. Was it just his imagination..or had Asa changed? Derrick winced then, trying to figure out what was different. And then it shocked him. Asa was taller. Inches taller. Wasn't he just twenty-three? He got  up and left Rosie on her own. Asa went to the kitchen to start supper.

"What did you do?" Derrick wanted to know.

"Nothing." Asa shrugged. He went back to heating a skillet and getting the ground beef ready for the spaghetti sauce.

"You haven't noticed your taller... than..well, last year." Derrick was concerned. Of course, last year was barely two months ago.

"It just kind of slipped up on me." Asa slightly smiled.

"Its just weird, you know, did you do something?" Derrick wanted to know the secret. He needed to know. Ian was towering over him. He felt like such a shrimp around him.

"No, afraid not. It just happened. It could happen to you." Asa went to work on the sizzling ground meat. He tossed in a little chopped garlic and onion.

"I guess I'd have to join the Marines or a circus before something like that could happen to me." Derrick gave him a soured look. He was always going to be short.

"Like that's gonna happen." Asa smiled then. "Just don't sweat it."

"So what is the occasion tonight?" Derrick was surprised to see french bread  ready to toast. Asa already had the vat of hot water going.

"Elliot's coming to dinner." Asa shrugged.

"And you're OK with that? Is Amanda OK with that?" Derrick watched Asa at the stove with the tomatoes and Italian seasonings.

"We have a lot to discuss. Doesn't mean we can't eat, you know." Asa looked back at Derrick, who went back to Rosie and her story. She had all the animals falling in love with each other in the forest. Derrick had a feeling that would not be happening here. Especially tonight.