Unbroken #Wattys2015

Chapter 5- A Piece Of The Missing Story

                                                                     Claude's POV  

As I'm waiting for Cal and his girlfriend to arrive with her mother, I decided to watch some football. My wife, Louise was drinking like she did 24/7. I could smell the vodka all the way across the room. I have told her time and time again to stop drinking and last month was the last straw. I found her laying in the back yard, on the hammack, naked. She was so drunk, that she was still hungover the night before. That was the straw that broke the camels back for me. I had waited until she got herself together and told her I wanted a divorce. I was tired of living a lie. We pretended for ten years that we were happy so that Cal could grow up with two loving parents that loved each other. But I just couldn't do it anymore.

        I met Louise when I was nineteen years old. Her boyfriend had just dumped her and I was her shoulder to cry on. We met at one of my football games. We started dating and she found out she was pregnant. I raised Cal even though I knew he wasn't mine. Which is why he doesn't have my last name. I remembered the girl I had sex with back when I was sixteen years old. And when she announced that she was pregnant I told everyone it wasn't mine and told everyone she was just a whore. Even though I knew it was mine. After that, my parents made me transfer to another school district and everything. I felt horrible about lying about the girl and the baby. I think her name was Harmonie, or Harley. No wait, Harper. That's it. I've been looking for her ever since I moved but just couldn't figure out where she went. I finally figured out where she lived and her parents told my parents that they kicked her out. My heart sank. Raising Cal, I liked to think of him as my good deed, to make me feel better about the bad one I did so many years ago.

        I heard Cal bring the ladies to the livingroom where me and my soon to be Ex-Wife was sitting. She hadn't told Cal that we were splitting up and now she wanted me to not tell Nora and her mother either. So, we're right back at square one. Lying. Feels like I've been lying my whole life and I was sick of doing it.

        Nora and her mother had long beautiful brown hair. Reminded me of that Harper chick, from high school. Nora was short and had freckles all over her arms. Her eyes were the same color and shape as mine. Odd. I watched her mother shake Louise's hand. Then she reached her hand out to me. I gave her a smile. "Claude". I said. And her eyes widened and her lips opened a bit.

        "Claude?' She asked, confirming. "As in, Claude Emerson?"

        I nodded and the room fell silent as she just stared at me. "And your name is?" I asked nervously.

        "Harper. Harper Allen.". Her face went from shocked to instanly pissed.

        My eyes widened and my mouth opened just as hers did a moment ago. The girl I've been looking for since I was seventeen years old, just randomly popped back into my life. Oh my God, she must think my son is actually 'MY SON'. Which would make this horribly wrong. Well, it still kind of is.

        She was so beautiful. I knew I reconizged that hair. Even if she was scowling up at me, I'm sure everyone saw the way I was gazing down at her. I don't see how I could've let her slip right by me back then. What a scumbag. No, douchebag is more like it. She probably wants nothing to do with me. But I want eveything to do with her. Tearing my gaze off of Harper, I looked back at Nora. Oh yes, she was definetly my daughter. I just wanted to break down and cry and plea for my forgiveness. But I never told Cal or Louise about my past. I never expected them to pop up at my house. Oh my God, Cal got my daughter pregnant. Everything was hitting me so late. I was brought back to reality.