Claire got home feeling weak without and without. She managed to half drag herself home with her thoughts wrapped in the cloud on what exactly was going on with her father. Jake had taken her out to grab a drink and Claire broke her non alcoholic record by sipping a little bit of Jake’s drink. She reckoned immediately that there was every possibility she would never adjust to alcohol. They finished their drink which was Jake’s way of trying to get her to calm down. Claire felt a little bit of okay when she walked away but then when they got to his place, Claire suddenly remembered. Briefly she had stayed at his place solely to make his mother feel happy.
“I didn’t know you both would be back so soon?,” the woman had said when they returned.
She was in the middle of making dinner and Claire watched her questioningly. She could not understand why the woman she had just known had to be critically ill likewise her father now. No one else used his study, he had to be sick. The good natured woman was rather relieved to find that Claire’s wound was not serious. She chided her son for worrying a lot over nothing and Jake argued that there was absolutely nothing wrong in one being really careful. Of course he was right and won the argument. Claire stayed there for a bit and listened to her new favourite people speak before she excused herself to get back home. She stepped out of their place and made her way home. Her father was in and this she could tell as his car was parked outside.
Claire walked inside for a bit and greeted Martha who was rather worried about her. Claire explained she had gone to take a better look at her wound in a hospital. The woman nodded and Claire to be certain there was no mistake asked if her father was home.
“He’s in his study,” the woman said.
Claire nodded and began going to her room. She paused however with her hand a few inches from the door’s handle as she battled with herself. She was in dilemma on whether or not she should just go to her room and mind her business or she should just check on the man. It was rather hard for her to make a decision knowing well enough that he was not really her best of persons or was he? Claire wondered.
She almost touched that handle as she was tempted to do it when she balled her hands into fists halfway. She closed her eyes tightly shut as she made a decision in a couple of moments. Claire found herself walking down that way to his study. When she got there, the door to the study was closed shut that she wondered if he really was inside. Claire wanted to knock but a mind voice kept telling her to quit the act and go to her room. She wanted to heed that voice badly but before she could do anything about it, she found that her hand had betrayed her and tapped the door. There was no sound at first and Claire made to go away when she heard a familiar voice ask her to come inside. Claire opened the door and entered taking that instant to take in how her father looked as she shut the door behind her.
“Claire?,” the man called her looking rather surprised. He had never thought she would actually come over to seek him out herself. All along he had been beating himself on how to explain to her that whatever happened years back was a mistake he had come to regret all his life. Before he could speak, she was walking over to him as his heart rose in tempo.
Claire observed her father, his sweaty forehead and rolled up sleeves that reminded her of what she normally see on the television show. It was like those who were into heroin intake and how they would roll up their sleeves to take their favourite addiction. However in his case, she could not tell if he had injected himself but she was certain it was not heroin. Her father pointed a seat to her but she chose to stand in front of him resting her hands on the desk while she maintained eye contact with him. She could tell he was nervous but did not seem to understand what it was about her that would bring him such feeling. However she moved straight on to the point.
“Are you sick?,” Claire asked him
“Who told you that?,” the man asked back trying to make a light air of it. There was absolutely no way she could know that he was sick. This was something even his closet family members did not know about.
“Answer the question dad,” Claire said.
It had been a while he last heard her call him that way and he was driven to tears nearly. He blinked twice to hold back and away the tears.
“First of all Claire, I’m not sick,” he said to her
“You hesitated…,” Claire began
“No I didn’t,” the man said quickly
“Yes you did and you’re a liar.” Claire said angrily as she turned away from the study and hastened to her room locking the door with a big slam.
Mr Willows sat there totally confused as it was obvious there was nothing he could say or do that would make her feel better. Something was off and he was there seated wondering what it was that gave her the notion that he was sick. He had heard the door slam and knew well enough that she needed space to cool off. There was a whole lot of strange things about his daughter that he was not seeming to quite understand. He probably would have to call his ex-wife and ask her a couple of questions relating to Claire’s angry moods. He was not certain the woman would pay him heed but he had to try.
She was alone; alone in this world. It seemed like fate was conniving to make her feel sad forever. She was not close to her father but somehow she felt torn that he was not there always and now, he probably would be heading to a time where he would not be able to recognize her or remember a thing. Although he had been away for years, Claire believed she wanted him always to be tormented with the thoughts about her. She wanted him to remember her always, the child he had forsaken but now he was going to be free. She was not even sure about her reason but she was angry. Claire laid down on her bed for a while. She had just arrived at Norman not quite long ago and she was already living in a whirlpool. Two persons close to her were ill; one by blood and the other by friendship and she was stuck with a really crazy boss. At least he was not all so bad, she thought and quickly snapped out of it. She reminded herself that no matter how she thinks of it, Tristan Jenkins was bad news and would always remain bad news to her.
However, if he thought she would quit her job because he has been such an asshole to her all along then he was wrong. She needed that job now more than ever as it was the only thing that would probably keep her going forward. Staying at home was out of it for her as that would mean she was going to get stuck with seeing her father and other things that follows the house. She currently needed something that would distract her from her thoughts and just then her all but forgotten phone rang. Claire picked it up instantly and saw it was from Danielle.
“I guess you have something to tell me missy,” the excited girl said from the other end of the line
“First of all Danny, nothing happened or will happen,” Claire said
“Not how I see it right now,” the girl cooed from the other end
“Stop it, you see nothing.” Claire said.
Danielle laughed a strange laughter that Claire did not quite understand. The confused young lady asked her what was so funny and Danielle began with her rambling on how distracted Tristan Jenkins seemed. Claire could not believe she would think that was because of her. She told her that had absolutely nothing to do with her as it would have everything to do with his driver guy. Danielle said she thought about that especially with his leaked pictures that showed he was present at Norman. Although she found none anymore, she could not see any reason that should be a problem. He was a celebrity chef and certainly should expect all that. Besides the publicity would be good for business and be a boost. Claire said there was also every possibility he did not want the entire publicity and presence of the paparazzi knowing well enough he had said no cameras specifically.
“You might be right Claire but how would you explain sleeping out with him?,” Danielle asked
“Sleeping out where? You are not being serious right now right?,” Claire asked.