Unfamiliar (Book One: Colt and Clara's Story)

Chapter Nine

Clara

The knife glided over the softened skin of potato, she dunked the vegetable back into the starchy water before adding it to the pile she had already peeled.

Looking out though the kitchen window at the beautiful garden, Clara wished the serene beauty could calm her mind as easy as it had last night. Her thoughts were full and speeding at a hundred miles an hour, all unanswered questions, and the fear of what was to come clouded her mind.

What had upset her the more than anything was the fact that she had grown up never aware of what she was, sure she was always different from the other kids, but she always just assumed it was an awkward phase or that people just didn't like her. She was now questioning whether her adopted parents were aware of anything.

She had thought taking some time out upstairs would have helped, but she had just ended up reading more of that damned journal, which just fuelled her unsettled mind adding to her cluttered thoughts.

Iris fussed about behind her preparing the fish ready for dinner. Clara was grateful Iris hadn't pressed her on how she was feeling after that bombshell Colt had landed on her this morning. She had only known the woman a few days but there was an unspoken bond between them, she knew she could share her darkest secrets with this woman and she wouldn't judge her. Clara knew that Iris would wait until she was ready to talk before opening any fresh wounds up.

Finishing the last potato off, she emptied the water out of bowl and carried the peelings to the compost bin outside, she welcomed the fresh air that filled her lungs. Being cooped up all day had taken its toll, she needed to take a walk after dinner, the fresh air might help cheer her up a bit she was annoying herself with her sombre mood.

She walked back into the kitchen just as Colt was walking in. He looked surprised to see her up and about.

"Clara you're up?" He looked like he wanted to says more but didn't.

"Yeah, I couldn't let Iris prepare all this on her own and besides I think I've spent enough time wallowing, don't you?"

He grinned at her, if she thought he was sexy before sweet baby Jesus.

She grinned back at him, what was it about this man that had her wanting to scream at him one minute and wanting to kiss him the next it was such a fucked-up contradiction.

. . .

The small talk over dinner was a welcoming change, Sarah chatted about the town she grew up in and what trouble she and her friends had gotten into over the years, the girl could talk and she was so comical. The things she came out with and her infectious laugh, it was hard not to laugh along with her.

Danny was quiet over dinner and seemed to be taking everything in, he seemed less confident than his daughter but the look of pure admiration and love was evident every time she told a new story.

Clara was listening to Sarah relay a hysterical story about a bike ride she and a few friends had gone on.

"My friend Jenny had needed the toilet and had gone into some bushes to find somewhere to pee. She had been gone for ages so we decided to go looking for her... We found her. She was lying on her side in a patch of nettles, with her pants trapped around her ankles, she couldn't get up, funniest thing I've ever seen." The tears were running down Sarah's face as she laughed her way through the story remembering her friends' dilemma. "She had nettle stings all over her bum, and...." another fit of laughter erupted out of Sarah, she was contagious, everyone was now laughing around the table.

"Oh Sarah, I haven't laughed this much for ages." Iris said wiping away a tear "I think we're going to get along well."

Clara could feel Colts eyes on her as she laughed along with everyone, she had been avoiding his gaze through dinner as she knew as soon as she looked into his dark eyes, all the things she was feeling would bubble to the surface and need to be addressed.