“You do know you’re late right Willows?” was apparently the greeting she got from Tristan that morning.
Claire was stratled as she had not expected he would be there sitting down and looking all grumpy in the sitting room. She had been hoping to sneak into the house when she found that his car was nowhere to be seen. She rejoiced greatly in her heart that he must have gone somewhere else to trouble some other persons. Only for her to be met with utter disappointment when he stratled her with that annoying voice of his. Alright, not so annoying but she was stratled.
It was not her wish to come to work late that morning but you know what they say, nature cannot be denied or deceived. The previous night, her father had taken her straight from the grocery to some really cool outdoor movie park. It was her first time being in such a place and it was just as she had seen in some really old 80’s movie. There they were enjoying some really good movie and relieving the stress from earlier while Miller slept on her lap. Her father had confided in her that most times he drove up to that place alone without letting anyone know especially times when he was stressed out or facing writers block. He loved the feeling of oneness and peace the place provided. It was just everyone, inside or outside their car focusing on the best way to relieve stress. Claire asked if the cinema was not the best place to do all that especially with how very much quieter it usually was but her father laughed. He explained that to him, the cinema felt like a dead zone. True quietness and peace was actually not when everyone and everything around you forgets their sole purpose to hold in things. True peace was when all of nature was at their best and still you reach in to find the quietness.
Of course Claire could not understand. He then asked her to close her eyes and listen. Claire did and when he asked what she heard, she began to mention. The chirping of crickets, the cars from afar of, the occasional laughter and whisper from people. When he asked her to open her eyes, she had to admit that it felt quiet and peaceful. It was like everyone’s mind had been synchronized into such harmony. Her father smiled at her which she returned. Suddenly, it pricked her why it seemed she was bearing a weight on her chest. She looked at her for a while as he watched the big screen. Claire felt guilty.
Earlier on that evening, he had only been a worried father and she was such an ass not to see that he did care about her. All her life, she had been hoping for a genuine reprimand from her parents and when she finally gets one, she had to act out of selfishness. She was wrong and she had to admit it right now.
“I’m sorry dad. I shouldn’t have acted like I did earlier on.” she said.
He looked at her and smiled. She noticed the wrinkles at the corner of his eyes. Her father was aging rapidly. Claire was alarmed. Based on what that drug she had found read, she wondered if very soon he would forget her and demand who she was. When that time comes if it does come, she did not want to have any regrets for not giving him the chance he deserves to make things up to her. Now was the time.
“Come on daughter, it’s fine. Fathers and their children fight all the time especially we and our daughters.” he said.
They both laughed.
“But what’s happening with you and Jake’s family?” Claire asked him.
For a moment, a cold air breezed around close to them. His eyebrows furrowed briefly in a frown that he quickly wiped off his face replacing it with an obviously fake smile. There was something really serious going on and Claire hoped she could find out.
“You know what pumpkin, let’s save that for another time.” he said looking at her briefly before returning his focus to the screen.
Claire was not going to try to push him hard. She would let him have his way with things for the time being while she digs in on the matter carefully.
The rest of the evening was a relish and when they were done, he drove them home. It was quite late when they got in and the rest of the family had gone to bed. He rang the doorbell twice before Lucille could come open the door.
“Great timing Willows. You both could have stayed out.” she said eyeing the cat
“Perhaps next time we would.” her father joked
“Oh I see, the fuzzy thing did not die after all.” she said hatefully
“Lucille come on, be nice to poor Miller would you?” he said again as they entered
“Poor Miller needs to stay outside.” she said and marched upstairs.
Claire had been a breath away from lashing out at her. She just held the cat in her arms who was wide awake now. Bad enough to find inner peace and yet loose it the moment she gets in. Perhaps yet at sometime, she would ask her father to show her to the place he had initially intended for her. She said nothing and was about to climb the stairs up when the old man called her back. He was moving to the kitchen area and she followed him closely. He told her if she did not care about the cat, he did and he could remember vividly the doctor had said to feed him. Claire laughed and set Miller down. To her amazement, the cat mewed and went to start rubbing itself against her father’s leg.
“Now would you look at that? Who’s a good boy?” he said as he bent over and picked him up.
There was such connection between the two of them that she obviously admired. For the rest of the night, they were there feeding Miller and talking about sweet nothings that when Claire recalled she wanted to teach him a lesson for abandoning her, she said to herself that she was going to lay off that for the night. She knew well enough that she had begun forgiving her old man but she would probably never fully achieve that because each time she sees the rest of his new family, she is often reminded that he had abandoned her only to have both she and her mother replaced.
The night went on and on, they decided to watch movies which was where they both fell asleep on the couch side by side with Miller in her father’s arms. When they woke up that morning, it was quite late and the rest of the family was already coming down for breakfast. Claire asked Martha who was already in the house why she had not bothered to wake them up and the woman apologized. She said she had overheard that she no longer worked in the restaurant and besides, they did look cute on the couch. Flattery was not going to buy her away from this one but before Claire could say anything else to her, Lucille was already screaming for her to send her fuzzy creature out of her living room area like he was some kind of virus. Claire got angry nearly, picked up her pet and went upstairs. She tidied up quickly, had Miller take both his drugs and breakfast before hers. It was time to go face the almighty Tristan Jenkins. Her father was the last person in the house when she was leaving and Martha too. He too could see she was late and asked if he could drop her off at work. Claire said no and instead went to get a cab to Tristan’s.
Right now, she stood there staring like one caught in the middle of a crime at Tristan that was smiling.
“I’m really sorry sir. It was not my intention.” she said
“Not your intention to be late but perhaps your intention to starve me?” he asked her
“Starve you?” she could not understand.
He raised his eyebrows at her while she wondered. She reminded him that she was not his cook and he sighed.
“Well I was actually hoping that since you managed to piece up something I did not nearly throw up yesterday that you my dear would be taking over cooking duties until I get someone more you know, spectacular.” he said making a face like he was trying hard to make it seem he was forcing himself to put up with her.
Claire felt delighted. He had actually given her a little comment and Alfredo had made her understand that Tristan was one haughty fellow that would make himself hard to please.
“Well thanks Mr Jenkins for not throwing up my food.” she said
“Mr Jenkins?” he asked her. He was getting tired of that name
“Yes.” she said
“Why?” he demanded
“Because you call me Miss Willows.” she shot back at him
“Might I remind you that I’m your boss?” he said
“Which is more reason I should address you that way.” she said
“Fine. Call me Tristan.” he said
“Is this when I say you can call me Claire?” she asked him just to make sure she was not diving into a trap
“Yes Miss Willo… I mean Claire. I’m calling in a truce on the naming bit.” he said.
He was actually funny although he battled hard to seem serious. Claire was enjoying this part of him.
“Alright. Truce accepted.” she said not wanting to add his name at the ending
“Not like you have any choice. Now go to the kitchen and see what you can put up for me with the ingredients.” he said to her.
Claire did not need to wait as she walked away from where he stood. It still felt awkward that he and her had just had a conversation without trying to kill each other. Something was really up with him and that something scared her. She got to the kitchen and found the ingredients which she began sorting out as soon as she took off her jacket, dropped her bag, washed her hands and put on the apron. There were different stuff there and she was trying hard to think about something to make when someone sneaked up on her and spoke directly into her ears almost making her jump.
“So tell me Claire, see anything you would love to fix for me yet?”
It was Tristan. She had not heard him approach and he was rather too close that their bodies touched.