"Options... I've ran out of Options..." (Book 3)

Chapter 9 - "Still Angry..."

Chapter 9 - "Still Angry..."

October 2nd 2021

Clara's PoV

'Morning' I chuckled rolling over in the bed and leant up to kiss John's mouth. It was obvious by his response that he was pre occupied once again in his thoughts. 'What's wrong?' I sighed, sitting up and pulling the White very thin sheet over my bare chest to stop the cold October morning from hitting me.

'Nothing's wrong'

'Well something is eating you alive again. What is it?'

'This wedding...'

'The wedding that is happening in 4 weeks time... Hmm'

'Do you think Evie will come?' John asked worriedly.

'I don't know' I sighed, looking at the ceiling now myself. 'She is my bridesmaid... she has to come' I hummed.

Things had gone great between us. We were happier than we had ever been with all the crap between me and him behind us... Well most of it.

Once Evie turned 9 they were bashing heads like there was no tomorrow. Evie wasn't his little girl anymore - she was growing up and unfortunately she was growing up much differently to what Avia was.

Avia and John had a bond that some people would call strange but they got on - with playing games and reading and the odd video game they had the same taste - and with Avia getting closer and closer to secondary school - it was getting harder and harder for John to get time with them. But Avia wasn't the problem.

I could clearly see back to two weeks ago when John and Evie had, had the biggest argument ever.

They were bashing heads all the time, but this was different. Over something so stupid yet Evie had managed to rile John up so much and made him angry.

I still remembered coming home from work completely oblivious to what was going on until I found smashed photo frames in the kitchen and a smashed vase on the floor.

I had found John in the garden walking up and down pacing, and when I had looked up I was the one in the firing line for the pot of water that was clearly coming John's way.

'Evelyn Smith there had better be a good reason as to why I am standing here drenched to my bone in water and a ruined bag' I yelled.

'Ask him' she scoffed pointing at John who was stood behind me seething but I could tell that he was so glad it wasn't him who had had the water on him.

'He's not a him young lady he's your father and you will listen to him. In fact your going to get that Hoover out and clean up this mess right no-- What are you doing?'

'I'm going to stay with Dad. And if you try to stop me I will scream in your face' she snapped, rucksack in hand, and suitcase very unneatly packed by her side.

'What?' I yelled.

'I don't want to live with him any more. He does nothing but hate on me and tell me off. I'm going to live with Dad' Evie announced again making my eyes widen.

Dad was a new thing that Evie acquired with Richard just after she turned 7. She become very aware and a little more conscious of the fact that John was her adoptive father technically and that Richard was her real Dad.

She realised very quickly that she hadn't been abandoned by her Dad to be with an adoptive family like one of her friends because she still lives with her Mum and her Dad hangs around the house like a picture frame.

She got confused at first which is why I sat her down to talk about just before we had the big woman hood talk after she turned 8.

I hadn't been looking forward to explaining Richard to her but by the time she was 8 she deserved to know what I had done and how she was the product of that.

'Come on sweetheart. I don't condone what you've done and I'm sure your Dad didn't mean what he did'

'Stop treating her like a child. She's been a nightmare since she's got home from school Clara. Tell her off for once in her life. She doesn't mean what she's saying' John said rolling his eyes.

'I meant every word... John. Dad is already on his way' she snapped, slamming the front door leaving me gobsmacked and go run after her onto the path and I could see that had stung more than he wanted it too.

And I had to admit that it saddened me to hear her call him John.

'Evie you are 9 years old. You do not call the shots. I call the shots' I said yelling but also trying to make her understand.

'I'm not a baby anymore. I want to live with Dad' she announced as Richard had pulled up very confused and I had to explain everything.

We had to keep it as quiet as possible because if Ollie saw Richard - he'd think he was going too.

I knew Evie could be stubborn much like me but it had been two weeks of this madness and she still hadn't come back.

She was obviously having a good old time at her Dads, and would still see her brothers and sisters and me at school but John was depressed.

'Your fretting over nothing John. I know she loves you more' I pointed out to him.

'How do you know?' He pouted putting his head in the crook of my neck as I wrapped my arms around his bare shoulders.

'Because even when I see her she still calls you Daddy. She calls Richard Dad or a lot of the time she still just calls him Richard. She loves you more' I assured him.

'I just don't want to get married and not have her there. It wouldn't be fair. It would also make the day really sad' he whined, lacing his fingers through mine.

'Oi. I'll be there. Your future wife. I should be enough for you' I hummed slapping his chest as he lent up to kiss me.

'It's not the same though is it?' He sighed standing up to look out of the bedroom window again.

'Your looking again aren't you?' I asked.

He couldn't help it. We couldn't help it.

- - -

Just in case you haven't seen it I've published a little advent whouffle book. Go check it out if you want to get in the Christmas spirit

Right so I wanted to do a cool advent thing since it's the countdown to Christmas now - and so I've decided to write a story based on John trying to settle down at home after being away for almost a year and the countdown to Christmas themselves with his family and how life has changed for him with a few little surprises along the way.

It's called "Call from the Front..."

Hope you enjoy following the Christmas festivities of John, Clara and their little family /)