He Knew

CLARE

Mason opened the door about five minutes later.

His body was stiff, his black shirt hugging his biceps perfectly almost unable to control his bulging muscles.

His brown hair was moved back as if he was constantly running his hands one way or another probably tugging at them.

Confusion, anger, frustration?

His eyes held mine, curiosity.

He had questions for me.

Not even giving his usual smile to Juana, he looked back at me with the same intensity.

His forehead and temples had traces of sweat, he gulped.

Something wasn't right.

He took a step back letting us in, not wavering, not blinking it felt like he wanted to warn me about something beforehand.

Wanting me to not go inside any further but also wanting me to finish whatever was happening inside.

He wanted me to answer him but not say a word too.

I got it.

At that moment when his eyes stayed on mine with hesitation, when his agitated body language was screaming for me to understand. I did.

I turned back to Juana and instructed her, without a word nodding she got to work.

Sighing a breath, I prepared myself.

It was going to happen, I would have to repeat those words.

I would have to face my reality, I would have to face my guilt, my grief. Again.

What if it all came back.

Rolling my shoulders I ignored that question.

My eyes colder.

My back straighter.

My chin high.

Ready to be the rock, I strode inside.

Mason noticed it, all of it

He saw things no one did. Saw my hesitation, my reluctance.

He could see them and analyze them.

He knew I knew what was coming for me.

He made me ready to face it, he made it certain I wasn't off guard.

He knew I will get what he meant to say.

He knew it all without even knowing the truth.

He helped me.

Stealing one last glance at his stern face, confused, angry 'I want this over' face, I looked back ahead.

Entering the main hall, I could sense the tension.

There wasn't an elephant there was a whole fucking planet.

Carlson and Carl were standing behind a sofa, distressed as hell.

Mrs. Rodgers sat on a sofa her head in her hands, sobbing.

Danny sat on another sofa, his elbow on his knees, interveined fingers supporting his forehead, glaring at the floor.

As soon as I entered they all looked at me.

Danny had that, sorry face, sympathy in his eyes, his light blond hair disheveled and pushed back just like Mason.

Carl and Carlson looked at me with disgust, disturbed but said nothing, just looked away.

Both of them starring at the ground, with fisted hands.

Then Mrs. Rodgers looked up, at me.

Her tears had dried down, leaving a black streak across her cheeks, eyes red, flaming with hatred.

She looked at her husband then at me, a repulsed expression on her face.

"You are Clare" She stated her voice rigorous.

"I am" I answered honestly looking only at her.

"Why are you here?" she asked

"Your kids invited me for lunch" I replied, cut to cut.

"She is your younger son's age" She cried looking at Danny, her voice breaking, another tear rolled down.

"For the billionth time nothing is gong ion between us, we are just friends, she is like a daughter to me" Danny gritted in frustration.

They thought Danny was having an affair with me.

"If I had anything going on ith Danny why would I come here, why would he let me" I asked

"To introduce you to the family" she spit

"Did he give you an ultimatum, why would he introduce me to your family without giving an ultimatum or a warning or any sort of hint to you?" I asked in my robotic voice.

She faltered.

"If nothing is going on between you two then why can't you explain to us everything. Why isn't dad saying a word for himself? Why isn't he answering our questions?" Carlson gritted looking at him then back at me.

"What do you owe dad?" Carl blurted fire in his eyes "and don't think of lying.

"Shut up Carl, its okay Clare" Danny interjected scolding Carl than said to me with a soft face.

"Don't try saving me, Danny you are then one in danger," I said to him then looked at Mrs. Rodgers.

"You will have to wait for that answer, but you will get them today," I said fiercely.

"Do you have anything to do with dad and his 'cash we don't know the source of'" Carlson asked air quoting his words while looking at Danny venomously.

"I gifted it," I said

"You gifted him around 2 million dollars in 6 years!" Carl exclaimed.

"Yeah he refused to take more and I wasn't giving any less" I stated looking at Danny.

I felt masons hand on my elbow, he knew.

Or he figured.... Why I did what I did.

"Why did you, what did you ask for in return...... my husband?" Mrs. Rodgers asked and I rolled my eyes for the first time.

"No" was all I replied with.

"Then?" Carl asked, trying to intimidate me.

Well, that was a stupid he had right there.

Has anyone ever been successful in intimidating a dead person, especially the one who has no emotions to feel, and then again someone who is powerful at a whole other level.

Carlson placed a hand on Carls shoulder, trying to calm him.

"Your brothers have a café, they must have needed cash while they were establishing. Your father was expected to help and he did, investing every now and then as much as possible, more actually. You never asked then where the cash came from?" I spit

"Besides all the GIFTED cash was used in paying off your loans and helping you guys, so might want to think about your places again and the person you all are shamelessly pointing your fingers at without solid proof is your father or husband and try understanding and trusting a person who lives for you instead of blowing up like a bomb for no reason," I said glaring at them all.

I wasn't angry, no.

I've never felt anger in six years just like my other emotions.

But I wasn't going to sit back and let them accuse an innocent person who was literally the only one trustworthy for me right now and let's not forget they are a family, and I wasn't going to see and do nothing when his world was about to be crushed when he is the person who glued my crumpled world together.

And then the fact that Danny wasn't saying a word for himself.

That pure soul was risking his world to save my tethered one.

Well. Not gonna happen.

"How does he know so much about you? Likes dislike, allergies" Asked Mrs. Rodgers looking down with a frown.

"He had to know" I answered

"I was in the hospital alone for a while and there was nobody so he took care of me and the doctors told him my medical history for precautions"

I kept my eyes open trying my best to not think about those terrors, my throbbing head, just focus. Focus.

"Why were you in the hospital and why was he the only one present to take care of you, is this the debt you owe him?" Carl asked, curiosity at its peak.

Well, curiosity killed the cat, didn't it?

"None of your business" I answered with grinding teeth, he shivered.

"Nothing fits clare, shit doesn't make sense! Tell us the whole truth Clare!" Carlson exclaimed in frustration.

"I'm not sure what to think right now but either you are his mistress or his illegitimate daughter, which one are you Clare?" Mrs. Rodgers asked crying

"None" I answered my face void of any expressions.

"Who are you Clare, who are your parents Clare, where are they?" She asked sobbing heavily.

I tensed.

"Open the gate Mason," I said nonchalantly.

He looked confused so I repeated myself.

"There is someone on the door I want you to bring him in" Then he heard the doorbell again and with heavy steps walked away.

"Is that Percy? Al- Clare you don't have to do this" Danny said with a concerned expression.

"Do what?" Carlson asked

Ignoring him I answered Danny "We don't have an option"

"What's happening what are you two talking about?" Mrs. Rodgers asked

"You wanted answers your about to get them" I answered

"I never wanted this........I just.....I just wanted you to feel like home here, I hoped you could let your guards down with them. I'm sorry al-clare" he said sighing heavily.

"Its okay Danny, it fine," I said looking away.

After a few seconds of silence Percy, my lawyer walked in with Mason.

He placed a contract in front of everyone except Danny and explained the terms.

......

"So what you mean is that is we repeat whatever Clare is about to tell us with anyone else, you will sue us and would have rights to practically everything we own!" Carlson asked panicked.

"Yes" Confirmed Percy

"What if we don't sign?" Mason asked

"You don't get the whole truth" I replied.

"You don't have to worry much, Danny signed the same papers six years ago. Keep it shut and you don't have no problem" I said

A few minutes later they all signed the papers after reading it carefully.

Percy collected the contracts and left with Juana.

When they all were seated I said

Sighing one last time, I was about to face my reality.

"I Am Alaaiya Cassendria Clare"