Santa's Daughter | ✓|Book One| ❅ (2015)

Chapter Seven

"You have got to be joking love!", said Gina. I told her about my day with Jake the second I got home.
"I'm not."
"Did you bump your head or something?"
"No."
"Clyde!"
He rushed into the kitchen. Gina was chopping carrots and potatoes to make soup for lunch.
"Yes darling?"
"Your daughter had a little 'date' with Jake Daniels."
"What? You hate that lad!"
"It wasn't a date.", I assured them, although I kind of wish it was.
"Did you kiss?"
I felt my face getting hot.
"You did?"
"No!", I said, trying not to smile.
"Give the girl a break, Clyde. She hates him, don't you?"
I shrugged.
"Have you moved on from Mason?"
Clyde shot her a look.
"I'm sorry.", I said. "But who's Mason?"
We laughed so hard. Gina started the soup, and I helped her. A few minutes after, all of us ate the whole soup, and had second helpings, whilst I opened door number sixteen.
"We're so close!"
I smiled at her. My phone vibrated in my pocket.
It was Mason.
I was torn whether to read it or ignore it. I ran upstairs whilst Gina washed up, and read the text:

Hixxxx sorry that I broke ur heart. U were my first love tooxxx Merisa is angry at me because I upset u, and should have been more reasonable. Forgive me and be friends?

Who cares about Merisa? The stupid model stole my fiancé. I ignored it, and threw my phone across the bed.

"A date.", said Dad, as he combed his beard. "How interesting."
"It's not a date.", I said, relighting the fireplace.
"Ho Ho! You wished it was."
"No.", I said, even though that it was true.
He looked at me.
"Come Clara."
I walked up to him and sat on his lap.
"When I met your mother, when I looked into her eyes for the first time, I knew that she was the one. Like Mason."
I looked down.
"I'm sorry to hear about him leaving you like that. Don't expect me to be the last to know about everything, because I am what?"
"Always watching."
"Yes. I sound like a pervert, but anything for my little girl."
"Dad!"
We laughed hard. Mum came in with chocolate chip cookies.
"Nice to see you, Clara."
"You too." I reached for a cookie, and nibbled on it, the scrumptious taste melt on my coral pink tongue.
"Sorry to hear about Mason, pet."
I smiled.
"He's forgotten. He's made his choice, and we've got no choice, but to leave it. He's never coming back into my life. That's what matters the most."
Mum sat on the sofa and rested her feet.
"I do miss my coke days."
I looked at her.
"Santa? Do you miss green?"
He shrugged. "Not really darling. Why?"
"Green's not my colour."
"You realise now?"
They started arguing over the colour of their outfit, which I found ridiculous. I immediately walked out whilst they continue to fight, and went home.

The next day, I took a long, hot bath. I pampered my face, putting on pink lip gloss and mascara. I washed and curled my brown hair and fitted nicely into a pair of high waisted jeans and a blue blouse. I also wore blue converses on my feet.
A few minutes later, I went to meet Jake at the café. Keith saw me and whistled.
"Who's the lucky guy?"
I smiled at him. He gasped.
"No!"
"Yes!"
"Jake Daniels?"
"Yes!"
"You hate that lad."
I shrugged. Jake comes in, and smiled at me.
"Hey."
I smiled at him, not saying a word.
"Crazy Clara."
The smile seems to stay stuck on my face.
"How you doing? You look nice."
"Thank you."
He giggled.
"You haven't ordered anything yet? Criminal!"
Keith nodded at me, smiling.
"I go get a table.", I said as he ordered some cappuccino and scones. Keith winked at me.

A few minutes after, we spent the whole morning walking around the city. We talked about life, and for one magical, crazy moment, by the fountain, I thought that he was going to place his lips on mine. Then, we were soaked.
Afterwards, he even invited my back at his house. As I walked in, the smell of cigarette hit me. I knew that he wouldn't have a mansion, but I never expected it to look this hideous!
"Hello!" I heard a female voice. We walked into the living room, and she was sitting down, watching TV, wearing a big, grey, stained tshirt and socks, holding a cigarette in one hand and a bottle of scotch in the other. Her sun kissed, blonde, barbed wire hair was all over the place. Literally.
"Honey." She looked up and smiled at Jake.
"Tara, this is Clara. My friend."
She smiled at me.
"Clara, this is Tara."
Wait for it.
"My wife."