Clawen • What comes next

|| CHAPTER 24 ||

           

After dinner, Owen put Maisie to bed. Claire had told Owen she needed a breather. Didn't give him a reason, he just accepted it and suggested she went outside for a bit while he took care of Maisie. She did exactly that and walked over to the half build house. Looking around and imagining what it would look like. What them living their life in this very house would look like. Seeing pictures of Owen cooking them breakfast and Maisie running around the house with maybe a dog or a younger sibling.

Without even realizing, Claire started crying. Tears started making their way down her cheeks. She was in her own world, just letting the tears fall as she pictured their future. It took a while, but she eventually returned to reality. Not knowing how long she had been standing there, she thought she should make her way inside. Reaching a hand up to brush some hair out of her face, she felt the dried-out tears. Not having known that she was crying, she desperately started wiping them off, hoping her eyes weren't too red and the wetness on her skin wasn't too visible.

She promised not the keep secrets from Owen anymore, but this wasn't really a secret. Not the crying part anyways. She didn't know she had cried and if she told Owen, he would ask why and it would start a whole thing. Seeing as she wasn't really sure of the reason for her tears.

When she entered the house after the desperate wiping, she found Owen already in bed. Laying on his back, shirtless and with a book. She was pretty sure he just bought that one because never in the time she had known Owen, had she seen him read a book, not even a newspaper.

"What are you reading?" She asked him from the doorway, she was currently leaning against. He looked up at her, a smile forming on his lips. "It's nothing" He said. Claire couldn't help the snigger that escaped her mouth. Was he aware that she could read? Maybe not since he made an attempt with that answer. I was just some thriller she had read before. She decided to let him off and started taking off her clothes. Owen of course, enjoying the view from the bed. When she turned around he told her. "You are stunning" In a low voice. He padded the empty space next to him. Slightly blushing, biting her lip, Claire went to lay down by his side. Cuddling into him, a hand on his bare chest, gently running her hand over his chest hair. His hand was on her hip, playing with the hem of her underwear. Not initiating anything, just enjoying the feeling of the fabric against his fingers.

She bent her head backwards to look up at him. "What are you thinking about?" She asked. He sighed with a smile and kissed her. "You" She couldn't help the smile forming on her lips as well, but it quickly disappeared. She pulled away from him slightly. He panicked and removed his hand from her hip quickly, thinking he had gone too far. "No, it's not...it's not that Owen" She said, noticing the panic on his face.

She sighed and popped herself up on her elbow. Owen could see the wheels spinning in her head, could see her thoughts going a mile a minute. "Claire honey, what is it?" He asked, lifting himself up on his elbow as well. "I...You know the eh..." Claire sighed. She was at a loss for words. It really wasn't that difficult, it shouldn't be that difficult. "Claire, you are starting to freak me out. Is this about you being sick?" Panic clearly showing in his eyes. She sighed and said. "Sort of...yea" Another sigh escaped her mouth and she decided to just get it over with. Rip the bandage off. Who knew, maybe the wound under it was no wound at all.

"I'm pregnant" Was blurted from her mouth. She shut it in an instant and the biting of her lower lip began as she waited for his reaction. If Claire ever thought she was good at reading Owen, she was wrong. He looked like a wax figure. No emotion, no real expression. The biting on her lip deteriorated and just before she was sure she would have ripped it off, he spoke. "What?" He said in an unbelieving tone. Well that wasn't what she expected. She tilted her head at him, lifting an eyebrow. That was his reaction. 'What'. What the hell Owen, she thought. Right before she might have slapped him, he spoke again. "Say that again please" His voice, vulnerable and scared.

She sighed. "I'm pregnant" She said, much more insecure than the first time, surprised that that was even possible. "Is this real?" He asked, glancing down at her stomach. Claire swallowed. He didn't seem happy, he didn't seem excited. "Yes" She whispered, wanting to cry. Feeling the knot in the throat, she sat up. "And if you want nothing to do with it don't worry. I'm just going to grab Maisie and" She was cut off by Owen's hand in front of her face.

Claire's words hadn't really gotten through yet. Hadn't been processed. Slightly hearing Claire talking in the background, about leaving him, he shot his hand up to stop her rambling. Not knowing what to say or do after that, but he had to stop her. "You are pregnant" He stated, switching his view to look back at her as he sat up. Looking her right in those green orbs he loved so much. Almost getting lost again, he whispered. "You're pregnant" A tear living his eye, slowly making its way down. She nodded, both times. Second time, more tears had spilled from her eyes and now they were both a crying mess on the bed. "Please say something else" Claire whispered tearfully, wiping a tear off her cheek. "I don't know what to say" He whispered back, swallowing the knot in the back of his throat, he took in a deep breath. "How...How do you feel, what eh...God" He whispered. "That doesn't matter right now Owen" She whispered back, a sob escaping her throat. "Baby, please tell me what's going on inside that head of yours" She whispered, reaching out to cup his cheek with her left hand. He leaned his head into her touch, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, he found her head leaning at the same angle as his. He reached out to grab both her cheeks, leaning their foreheads against each other. "Claire baby, I've never been happier" He whispered, almost inaudible. A wet laugh escaped her lips and they both leaned in to kiss each other.

More kissing and more tears. Both of them, snuggling as close to each other as possible, Wetting the other's skin with their tears. Claire was on her back with Owen slightly leaning over her on his elbow, playing with her hair. Claire pursed her lips and reached a hand up to run it through his short hair. "We have to tell Maisie" She whispered and swallowed. He nodded in agreement and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I know" He said. Claire started thinking through the million ideas she had. Through all the questions she was asking herself, as she let her fingers play with his small locks of hair. Biting her lip, she whispered. "Let's just do it first thing in the morning" and reached behind his head to pull him down for a kiss. Gladly welcoming her lips, he slowly deepened it and returned his hand to her hip. Making his way on top of her, splitting her legs apart to make place for himself. "I'm already pregnant" She chuckled against his lips. He hummed and said. "I know. Doesn't mean we can't have some fun though" Still chuckling, she said. "True that" and pressed his lips against hers with force.

ALRIGHT THERE YA GO LADIES AND GENTS!

So, this is happening now, what do ya think eh?