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

Chapter 136 - "Apart..."

Chapter 136 - "Apart..."

Clara's PoV

'Is she okay? She was a little tense when I left her' John mumbled.

'I can't believe you let her get the train' Richard scoffed.

'She didn't exactly give me much of a choice. She just got out of the car for gods sake. You can't blame me for all of this. She was being a spoilt brat. And unfortunately that's probably my fault' he grumbled.

'All of this is your bloody fault. She is just scared'

'So am I. But I'm not the one abandoning my kids for the night to go and have a sulk' he snapped at Richard.

'Yeah about that... She really does want to stay at ours tonight' Richard mumbled. 'Lilly just sent me over to tell you'

'Just brilliant' John scoffed. 'She's a child. You can't just expect to go and have a strop every time you don't get your own way. She's just as bad as the bloody kids' John snapped harshly.

He didn't really care anymore. Clara was dramatic... They all knew that.

- - -

'Hi Auntie Clara'  Ollie said as he ran into the spare room I was in very early the next morning.

He's like a little dog when he gets excited and jumped on the bed next to me, invading my personal space and jumping straight into my lap.

'Hi buddy. What are you doing up this early?'I laughed.

'I'm hungry' he pouted with a little wet pouty lip. It was pretty darn cute though. So I let him jump onto my lap and tap at my phone as entertainment.

I was up this early doing my make up anyway. I hadn't slept an awful lot the night before since I get so guilty about abandoning my daughter to stay here.

I kept the kids apps on my phone because sometimes they are useful when you want to shut kids up - of course iPads are a godsend as well.

'Where's Henry?' He asked wondering why Henry wasn't in the bed in his room and why I was here.

'Henrys at home. You'll see him at school later I'm sure' I said as he pouted again.

I decided to jump off the bed and sort myself out. I had to go to work.

- - -

'Clara? John's out in the car park' Adrian said confused and quite frankly I was a little confused as well.

'John? As in my husband?' I mumbled looking up from my marking not impressed at his appearance but figured I had to go and get rid of him because there's no way he'll give up and leave on his own.

Plus I'm running an after school English booster session tonight for the year 6's. Avia was coming along I'm sure so I knew I would have to confront him at some point... plus I live with him. I can't hide at Lilly's forever.

So I did the grown up thing. I put my coat on and went out to the car with my pre 7 month pregnancy waddle and tapped on the window.

'What are you doing here John?' I scoffed.

'I'm here to talk some bloody sense into you that's what. This is ridiculous Clara. All this hassle over chicken?'

'I can't eat chicken John. I'm having a very late aversion to meat. To be honest I was thinking about just cutting it out of my diet anyway'

'Don't be ridiculous'

'I'm being serious John. I can't stomach it'

'You'll feel a lot better when the pregnancy is over' he hummed.

'If it's ever over. I feel like it's been going on for bloody ever' I groaned.

'Were not in this car on my lunch break to talk about your diet... i want to know why you abandoned your kids'

'I didn't abandon them. I've seen them this morning. Even poppy' I said a little annoyed that she was even at at school.

Yesterday she was in hospital having a blood transfusion being told that there was a possibility that she might need to start having treatment again and that wee were going round in circles and now she's back in the playground playing stupid running games and getting ready to fall over again. 

'Of course I did. She was up at 6am begging me to go to school today. I couldn't exactly say no when she was already in the uniform. I know your scared and worried about her but I won't stop her from living a normal childhood. They means she has to go to school'

'What if while she has treatment we just get her a private teacher. That way she is still in school and still learning at the pace of her friends but she doesn't have to be in the playground'

'You as a teacher and a teacher doing a sociology and psychology PhD should know what kind of damage it has on kids to miss out long periods of school and long periods of socialising. I won't hear another word on the topic anyway because I'm not pulling her from school' he said insistently.

He was pretty persistent.

'Now are you coming home or are we doing this pathetic stay away routine so that people can feel sorry for you?' John hummed snidely.

'I am coming home tonight but I have the English booster session and then I have a deadline to hand in and then I promised Lilly I'd go to her fertility appointment with her. Then I promised I'd help her plan Richards birthday party'

'His birthday is ages after Poppy's. we've got that meeting on Saturday'

'His birthday is only 17 days after hers and he's never had a party in a while. I'm pretty sure we've never eve acknowledged his birthday...'

'Always worrying about other people before yourself and the people you care about the most... including your own bloody kids' he snapped.

'No. I want to be a supportive friend and go to the appointments with her and help her out rather than just throwing money at her until it works' i snapped storming out  of the car and slamming the door. 'I'll see you when I see you but I wouldn't wait up'