Clara Carter

The boy is the last person I expected to see. But here he is. The reduced distance between us allows me to focus on his facial details. Those eyes-calm but bright-are just like my brother's.

His toothy gleaming smile sterns a sad feeling in my heart. Why did I have to ignore such an innocent and kind kid while all he did was forward a sense of humanity?

"Hi." I say, swallowing past a lump in my throat. My voice comes out hoarse from the tears I've been holding back.

His soft smile turns into a full-fledged grin.

"Hi, Clara!" he exclaims as he waves his hand at me.

In his blue full-sleeved T-shirt underneath a white jacket and white pants, he looks adorable yet fashionable, with sunglasses tucked in the V of the T-shirt, which is definitely not his by the looks of it, and his hair perfectly framing his round face.

Someone has taken excellent care of the boy's wardrobe.

Christopher cuts me off before I can put one and one together.

"Why don't you show Grandma your new drawing, Cary?" Chris suggests him.

"Oh, yes. Of course, how could I forget?" Cary says as he rolls his eyes. "I'll show you the drawing too, Clara."

I nod and wait for Cary to leave the room. I rise to my feet and cross my arms over my chest. Christopher shrugs, his hands tucked in his pockets.

"You've got some serious explanation to do, brother."

"I know," he says, coming to hold me by my shoulder. "Let me start with the current question you might be having."

He exhales and continues, "Cary, the boy you just met, is my son."

The first bomb dropped. I knew it in the back of my mind.

"You mean, Mae and your son?"

"Yes."

"And everyone knew about this son?" I spit in rage at my brother's lack of enthusiasm to tell me about it all. At the very least, I'm certain of his unmarried status. Christopher has moved to a new apartment that is closer to his workplace in Aerilon. I never got the chance to visit him so it's given why I was unaware of Cary's existence.

A guilt-stricken expression spreads on his face. "Yes."

"Since?"

"The first time Mae came to our house."

I scoff, remembering the first and last time I saw Mae.

"You mean when Mae stormed into our house with her goons and guns?"

Christopher scoffs this time. "Come on, Clara. You don't have to be this mad."

Then I risked asking the question that was bugging my mind since forever.

"Why am I always the last one to know, Chris? What is it about me that everyone wants to tell me everything at the end?"

I attempt to prove my point through my gaze.

"God, Clara. I'm sorry. I didn't know that it would hurt you so badly."

He hugs me, running his hand over my head in a failed attempt to calm me down. Maybe I'm overreacting to the situation, but I don't care at this point. I need to get it all out of my system before the nagging strings in my head take over.

"I'm sorry, Chris. I overreacted," I admit, breaking the comforting hug. I try to bring excitement in my words to cheer him up, as I say, "Tell me. I want to know everything from the beginning, about you and Mae, about my nephew."

He smiles his warm smile, spreading the sense of 'we are good' in both of our postures.

"It's a long story, can't sum it up in a few words. But I can tell you about Cary."

"Go on," I say, happy to hear something nice after days, "I'm all ears."

"Okay. . . so," he starts, "After a year of dating, Mae got pregnant. She never once regretted it, though. I, on the other hand, was terrified. I mean, come on, who wouldn't be? I was 21 at the time, barely surviving on my own away from home."

"Oh, please," I interrupt before he can continue. "You are the golden child. You never once complained about your studies, your living situation, or anything at all."

"Doesn't mean I didn't suffer."

The glee in his eyes fades, and a cloudy storm of the past surfaces. My chest ache with shame for assuming it would be a piece of cake for him.

I convey a quick 'I'm sorry' through my eyes which he reciprocates by telling me further.

"Anyways. . ." he says, "Mae was. . . Mae. She gave me the option of choosing whether or not I want to father the child and accept responsibility. She was totally fine with single parenting."

My respect for Mae has now reached new heights. How can a woman be as strong as Mae?

She's still a mystery to me.

"But when Cary was born, the first time I held him in my arms-I would have given everything to be there, to have him respond to me, to my touch."

Christopher takes his gaze away from me, his focus set on a distant object. I smile. It's unusual for me to see my brother like this. I had no idea he'd be so happy and contained to meet his son while he himself was a new adult.

I stroke his arm. "I'm happy that you're happy."

This was the good news mom wanted to tell me.

"Yeah," he looks down for a second, composing himself to speak again. "Did you meet Stefan?"

I'm taken back by his words. Suddenly, I want to punch myself. What the hell was I thinking?

If Cary was Stefan's son, he would have been there when Stefan was with me, in Aerilon.

God, I'm a dumbass.

"Not really. I just saw him across the street a few minutes ago."

Christopher takes a step back, not believing my words. "And you just kept starring at each other like the slow-motioned scene?"

I close my one eye, lowering my voice, wishing I could go back in time and smack my stupid ass. "That's pretty much what happened, yes."

He rolls his eyes. "I just can't believe you two," he continues, this time with more depth in his tone. "Look, I know what happened four years ago with the car explosion, Mae told me about it all. And I think Stefan was a jerk for leaving you without explanation."

Christopher drops his brotherly protectiveness for me and speaks to me as if I were a friend. This is the version of him I prefer.

"I also think you should ask for some answers," being reminded of something, he adds "and slap him hard cause he deserves it."

I laugh, relieved that at least a few people in my life are on my side.

"Totally," I nod, agreeing with his 'slap him hard' statement.

Then another question enters my mind, causing the smile on my face to fade.

"But where do I find him now?"

If he was actually there for a meeting, he wouldn't be staying at that café for hours.

A known smirk curls the side of my brother's lips. "Where it all started to go wrong."

I know exactly where I need to find Stefan the instant these words leave his mouth. I also come to realize something else.

It's no coincidence that Charlie showed up at my workplace, Stefan was publicly visible, and Christopher decided to tell me about Cary.

And who else but the person who wants me to collide with them over and over again, bring back all the memories, and make me crave their presence in my life?

Stefan Peirce, the sexy-ass bastard himself.

I bite my lower lip, trying to keep my excitement in control. I quickly take my phone off the bed. I hug Christopher tightly after, grateful for having a brother like him and for everything he has done for me.

"You'll be-I'm sure are-a great father, Chris," I say, still hugging him, "and Cary has got a cool aunt too."

We both burst out laughing, breaking the hug. As I race towards the door to my room, I take a moment to turn around and say, "I want to know every detail about your and Mae's love story."

"Sure thing, sister."