Living With No Direction

14. Official

Clara laid her in bed, her head throbbing and her chest feeling as if it would burst at any minute. She reached over on the bed only to find it empty. She sighed and climbed out of the bed, her body aching with every step she took. She headed for the kitchen when suddenly the bell rung. She groaned and walked over pulling it open to find Eric on her doorstep.

"Hey, Eric" Clara said, her voice hoarse.

"How are you alright?" Eric asked, stepping into the house.

"Yeah, I'm just a little sick, " she said before sneezing into her hand.

"Well, I just wanted to see you since it's been a month since we've last talked, and I heard about your brother, I'm so sorry," Eric said stuffing his hands in his back pockets.

Clara smiled, "Yeah, sorry about that, and thanks, I appreciate that" she said walking into her kitchen.

"So is your husband around?" Eric asked following behind her.

"Husband, what husband?" Clara asked, grabbing a coffee cup.

"You know Harry your husband, the one with the long hair?" Eric asked waiting for her to tell him the truth.

"Oh, Harry's not my husband he was just being overprotective." Clara laughed, grabbing a kettle and filling it with water. Eric laughed along with her, grabbing an apple on the counter.

"Yeah, I know I met your real husband Louis a while back, " he laughed, taking a bite of the apple. Clara froze, the name she hadn't heard it in a while and strange she didn't feel anything.

"Oh wow and how unfortunate that must have been, " she said, placing the kettle on the stove. She turned around smiling a little.

"Sorry to hear about your divorce, " Eric said sincerely.

"Yeah, but I'm not sorry, I've actually never been this happy before, " she smiled thinking of Harry.

Eric smiled, sure it hurt that Clara had built an entire life without him, but he only wanted her to be happy and if she was then so was he.

"That's great Clara I'm happy, you found him, but I want you to know that you'll always be in my heart no matter what," Eric said tempted to place his hand on hers.

"You too Eric, is there a special someone in your life?" Clara asked, pouring her tea water into her mug.

"No, not really" Eric sighed.

"Why not?" Clara asked, taking a seat in front of him.

"I just don't think dating is for me" Eric smiled halfheartedly.

"Oh, well what about the mother of your daughter?" Clara hesitated.

"We live together, but only for Noah's sake" Eric replied sipping his tea.

"Well, why not give it a try, I'm sure Noah doesn't want to grow up knowing her parents are unhappy" Clara smiled.

"Maybe, I don't know, you're probably right, " Eric admitted.

"I'm always right" Clara smirked. Eric chuckled.

A knock on the front door disrupted their conversation. Clara looked confusedly over to Eric who shrugged his shoulders. Placing her tea down she made her way over to the door. She pulled it open not prepared to see Louis stands there. Clara's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to say something, but it shuts back once more. Louis's eyes traveled over her body, to see her wearing pajama pants and a tank top.

"Hi, " he said, his voice deep and low.

"Hi," Clara said, avoiding his gaze.

He scratched his neck clearing his throat, "I um came to get my stuff" he said awkwardly.