Mr.Brightside

chapter 134

The Morning After

Sunlight streamed through Clara's bedroom window, bright and insistent. She stirred, groaning softly as the reality of the late night and endless adrenaline finally hit her. The gala was over, but her body still hummed with the lingering tension of the past few weeks.

Pushing herself upright, Clara rubbed her eyes and reached for her phone on the nightstand. Notifications flooded her screen: messages of congratulations, emails from donors, and a few tagged photos from attendees already circulating online. She swiped through them, a small smile tugging at her lips.

The gala had been a success, but the weight of what came next pressed lightly on her shoulders. For now, though, she let herself savor the victory.

Downstairs, Clara found Jack in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a steaming mug of coffee in hand.

"Morning," he said, grinning as he held out a second mug for her.

She took it gratefully, the aroma soothing her frayed nerves. "Morning. How long have you been up?"

"An hour, maybe," he replied. "Figured you'd need this after last night."

Clara sipped her coffee, the warmth spreading through her chest. "Thank you—for this, for everything. I don't think I could've done it without you."

Jack shrugged, but his expression softened. "You would've found a way. But I'm glad I was there to help."

They stood in companionable silence for a moment, the weight of their shared accomplishment settling over them.

Later, Clara made her way to the Council House, now quiet and empty after the whirlwind of the gala. Tanya was already there, sorting through paperwork at one of the long tables.

"Thought you'd be sleeping in," Tanya said without looking up.

"I tried," Clara replied, pulling out a chair. "Didn't last long. Too much to think about."

Tanya smirked. "Well, the numbers look even better this morning. A few more donations rolled in overnight."

Clara leaned forward, scanning the spreadsheet Tanya slid across the table. The final total exceeded their initial goal, and Clara felt a swell of relief and pride.

"We did it," she murmured, the words tasting almost surreal.

"We did," Tanya agreed. "But this is just the start. Now we've got to make good on everything we promised."

Clara nodded. "I know. But at least now, we have the means to do it."

By mid-morning, Jordan arrived with a stack of blueprints and a tablet tucked under his arm. He joined Clara and Tanya at the table, spreading out the plans for the Council House renovations.

"Alright," he said, tapping the first page. "Here's where we're starting: structural repairs, the new roof, and updating the plumbing. Once those are out of the way, we can move on to the fun stuff—making this place a real community hub again."

Clara traced the lines on the blueprint with her finger, imagining the possibilities. "It's going to be beautiful," she said softly.

Jordan grinned. "That's the goal."

They spent the next few hours discussing timelines, priorities, and the challenges ahead. Despite the daunting workload, Clara felt a renewed sense of purpose. This was what they had fought for, and now, it was finally within reach.

As the day wound down, Clara found herself back in the main hall, standing in the same spot where she had addressed the crowd the night before. The room was quiet now, but the echoes of laughter and music still seemed to linger in the air.

Jack appeared at her side, hands in his pockets.

"You keep coming back here," he said, his voice warm.

"It feels different now," Clara replied. "Like it's finally ours again."

Jack nodded. "It's because of you. You gave this place its heart back."

Clara turned to him, her expression serious. "We all did. This wasn't just me, Jack. It was you, Tanya, Jordan, the volunteers, the donors—everyone."

He held her gaze, a flicker of something unspoken passing between them. "Still, you were the one who started it all. Don't forget that."

She looked away, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "Well, it's not over yet. There's still so much to do."

Jack smiled. "Then it's a good thing we've got time."

Clara nodded, a quiet determination settling over her. The road ahead would be long and challenging, but for the first time in months, she felt ready to face it. Together, they would see it through.

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