Claire was really angry as she went inside her room. She slammed the door behind her and walked over to her bed wondering what made him really think he could rule her life. He had pretty much been better off ignoring her as he should and letting her hate him without an exact reason. All these years he had not cared about how she survived and now he was feeling like he was suddenly someone significant to her. He was unbelievable. At least she was certain she was not about to make it easier for him. The way he had made her feel was worse than the guilt she had seen in his eyes. He made her feel rather less of herself and she was going to pay him back in similar way.
She laid on her bed facing the ceiling. She wondered what exactly he was taking her for. Her thoughts eventually began to drift away from him as happy thoughts came up. She now had a job at the restaurant of her crush and was certain she had made a friend. Danielle had such an impression on her that made her long to know where they would eventually end up in. She smiled inwardly to herself as she remembered their conversation. The girl had been really open to her when she spoke about her life to her and she herself began questioning herself on if she should get into a relationship when suddenly there was a knock on her door. Claire sighed, it should be Lucille or one of her children. She looked at the little clock beside her bed and realized she had been inside for a while. She sighed and drew herself from the bed and opened door. Mr Willows stood there with his hand to his back. Claire sighed frustrated obviously.
“May I come in?,” he asked her
“It’s your house after all.” Claire said to him and moved over to her bed.
She was not sparing him another glance as she laid on her bed facing the other side. She pulled up her blanket and began praying for the angels to come sail her away. Her father walked around and came to sit by the side of the bed watching his daughter. Claire was not prepared to hear him out. He sighed.
He asked how she had been doing all those years. He seemed lost of what to say to the daughter he had disappointed all along. He desperately was seeking out what to say to strike a conversation but she was not making it easy.
“I’m sorry Claire,” he said eventually
“Sorry about what?,” Claire asked him
“About everything that has happened.” he said
“Just go away Mr Willows,” she said to him uninterested in what he was saying.
The man felt his heart get stabbed in a thousand places at once. She had called him by his name formally like he was some stranger to her. He wondered if that was what she now considered him as, a mere stranger. He sighed and dropped the phone pack on the side table.
He looked at her and smiled. He began talking that he was okay with her working so long as it made her happy. Claire wondered since when he cared about her happiness. She wanted badly to hate him but right now with him poking around at her life, it was making it rather hard on her. He had to leave, she continued telling herself. He asked her how she had been getting along with her step family and Claire sighed. Like he cared or had no idea how his beloved wife was treating her. She resented all his questions and shut her eyes tightly so he gets tired and leave.
Seeing he was not getting anywhere with her, he gave up and told her he left the phone on her bedside. He had taken liberty to add his number so he could at least contact her whenever she stayed out long. He reached over to place a kiss to the side of her forehead. Once at the door, he turned to look at his daughter one last time. He had failed her and hoped he could make up for all he had done.
Claire heard him open and close the door. After a couple of heart beats , she became certain she was alone and got up from the bed. He should have done more if he wanted to gain her forgiveness. However, she had to look at the phone pack by her side. Claire got up from bed immediately and walked over to lock her door. She came back to the bed and began opening the package. It was really beautiful, she believed and perhaps it was because that was her first phone ever. She dropped it beside her as she thought of all the people she would change numbers with. First of, she had to get Jake’s contact and then when she gets to the restaurant, she would get other numbers. Claire slept with happy thoughts that night as she looked forward to the next morning.
Early that morning, she woke up knowing she had a job. Claire got prepared and went downstairs. She met Deanna and would have said hello had the girl not treated her like she was nothing. Martha had arrived and was already doing her duties when Claire came. She greeted the woman and picked Miller’s food which she went upstairs to give the cat who was now sleeping after she had given him a good wash and dried him out.
Claire came down and was heading out after a quick breakfast when someone called her. It was Lucille. The woman looked like she had something up her sleeves as Claire came to face her after saying good morning. She smiled and asked Claire where she was hurrying off to, Claire told her.
She scoffed and her daughter broke into a laughter. She asked Claire what job she had so esteemly landed herself. The girl knew what was coming next would not be good but told her however it was at a restaurant.
“Oh nonsense… you do not want to embarrass our family now, do you?,” she asked Claire
“No mother.” Claire said
“Then when would you be quitting?,” the woman asked her.
Claire was surprised she would think of her quitting her job. She looked at the woman with doubt in her eyes, certainly she did not mean that. She saw there was not the slightest hint of a joke.
“But I only got the job,” Claire said
“Makes it all the more easier to quit.” the woman said
“Leave her be Lucille.” came her father’s voice from the stairs. He began coming down.
Her step mother turned to look at her husband and was about saying something when Claire turned away. She would not stand there and watch them discuss what she does with her life, no way. She also was not going to watch her father play hero for her when all along, he never did care about her. Claire opened the door and dashed out heading towards Jake’s house. She actually hoped she could catch him before he gets to work.