Second chances Book 4/6

Chapter 31

"My love!"

Clara-Rose throws herself into Harper's arms, wrapping her thighs around his waist, kissing him hungrily, making up for lost time.

"Here, it's Julia, flesh and bone or muscle," she said, pointing at the blonde.

"Hi, handsome, finally we meet in real life. You give me a little place CR, that I give him a kiss.

— Hi. So, do you like your new life? Is the training not too difficult?

— I passed this step," smiles Julia.

"Hello Aunt Tilly," he smiled as he approached, still holding Clara-Rose in his arms.

"You have something weird that pushed on you there," she said, pointing to her daughter.

"We leave you all three, we'll see with Abby what we do tonight, if we go out or something, go to the garden, it's been months since Harper has seen the sun."

Moving forward following Julia, Clara-Rose remains attached to Harper who speaks quickly in her ear, he has learned a lot of things and fills important gaps, she feels her eyes sting when he talks about the video of the abduction of her mom. She knew the rest, but didn't know that her mother had the building razed and built a park. On the other hand, she recognizes her in the sculpture and the inscription. Sitting in the garden, glancing into the living room, she sees her mom turning pale and wiping her eyes and blames herself. Harper leans in and tells her what he found out about Abigail Cartwright, he's pieced together almost all of his mom's past except for the months spent on the streets. He teaches her about the assaults, her grandmother having filed a complaint more than a year after her mother's disappearance. Her stepfather died in prison when the information was spread among the prisoners. Her grandmother had followed several detoxification cures to regain control.

I have a grandmother, Grandma Cartwright.

She watches her mother get up and come closer. Clara-Rose does the same and hugs her.

"Don't say anything, mom, don't say anything. I probably know more than you," sniffs Clara-Rose. "It's nice to have had this sculpture made, I understand the symbolism of these two hands. I understand your anger. I love you mom. I love you so much and I'm so sad for you. You gave me such a beautiful childhood, so much love. I don't know how to give it back to you.

— You don't have to, I'm proud of the person you are. You have a bright future ahead of you. I'm not denying my past, it wouldn't have happened, I would never have known mom. Then I would be really sad. Just to imagine that something could have happened to Tilly is unbearable to me. Tilly is the best thing that ever happened to me. Mom saved me, before Bethany and Kara took over and gave me a chance to live.

— Do you want to know what's happened since you left, Mom?

— No my Darling. Abigail Cartwright died in England. I am Mary Abigail Stone. Whatever you know about my family, keep it to yourself, I don't want to know.

— It's ok, mom," she said, kissing her before returning to the garden. "Harper, we have a sleeping problem!" Julia is sleeping in my bed.

— I can watch, you know, the bed is big enough, do it right next to me, no problem, no," laughs Julia. "Or I can participate," she says with a wink. "I'm bi," whispers Julia, looking at Harper.

"That's very generous of you, Julia, but you're sleeping with us," says Bethany as she walks over.

"But what about my training?

— It will be with me!

— Oh really? Cool! I heard about you, Bethany.

— And I of you. You've enough played Barbie doll with Abby, let's get down to business. Your training starts tonight, girl.