Clawen • What comes next

|| CHAPTER 25 ||

Claire woke up in Owen's arms with her right leg sprung across both his legs. She tightened the grip around his middle and snuggled closer. Sighing deeply, remembering the night before. She was pregnant and Owen knew and he was happy. He was actually happy and more excited than herself. She hadn't had much time to think about the fact that she was currently growing a human being. That in about 9 months, she was going to give birth and become a mother. Again. They had just gotten Maisie and just started to get to know the girl and be a real family and now there was another member on the way.

Maybe it was the stress of thinking about everything that was going to happen and everything she had to plan for, or maybe it was just the simple fact that she was pregnant. Whatever the reason, she ran to the bathroom and emptied her stomach. In the few seconds that it took to run and with a fuggy mind as she hung over the toilet. She had forgotten about the fact that she was naked. As she was composing herself on the floor, Maisie appeared in the door. With her small feet and silent steps, Claire hadn't noticed her. It only took the girl half a second to notice that her mom was utterly naked on the floor. She didn't know how to react or if she should have seen that.

As she stood in the door, her mind blank looking at the doorframe, Claire noticed her out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head to look at the girl and confirmed that she was actually standing there. The panicked look on Claire's face was met with the same panicked look on Maisie's when their eyes met. "I...just had to pee, I'm sorry" Maisie said and took a step back to her bed. Claire took in a deep breath, going over what to say and do, in her head. "No Maisie, wait" Claire swallowed and said. "It's okay, you don't have to worry. I am your mom now so..." She trailed off and Maisie turned her head to look back at Claire. "I know but...we haven't really ehh..." She didn't know where she was going with that or how to continue. Claire seeing the girl struggle from her place on the floor, she tilted her head at her and smiled. "I know what you mean" She told her.

With all the chaos, she somehow forgot that she was still naked even though that was the reason for the awkwardness between them at the moment. She stood up, trying to look as confident as possible. She was now the girl's role model after all and Claire knew from her own experience that at Maisie's age and through the teen years, it's hard to accept your body. If Maisie saw Claire, not caring that she saw her naked and not being ashamed or afraid, Maisie might pick up on it and love herself and her own body when she grows older.

She took a step towards Maisie who seemed amazed at the fact that Claire was just standing there in front of her, naked. She probably hadn't experienced openness like this before. Claire grabbed her robe off the hanger on the wall and swung it around her, tying a knot. She took the last few steps towards the girl. Noticing her expression and confusion she asked what was wrong, with a tilt of her head. As if she had no idea why the girl would think anything weird about the previous situation. "N...Nothing" Maisie stuttered and quickly walked back to her bed. Claire looked at her retrieving form, with worry. Following the girl into the living space and finding her wrapping herself up in her blanket, Claire stopped in her tracks and looked at the girl with an understanding look.

Maisie looked back up at her but quickly let her eyes fall to the floor when their eyes met. She was now completely submerged in her blanket, only her head showing. Claire started taking slow steps towards the girl and sat down at the foot of the so-called bed. "Maisie sweetie, please tell me what's on your mind. I'm not here to judge you, I'm here to help you" Claire told the scared girl by her side, turning on the couch to face her. Maisie continued to look forward, her teeth playing nervously with her lip. "I..." Maisie tried and let out a surrendering sigh as she looked down at her covered feet. "Take your time" Claire calmly told her, smiling at her even though the girl wasn't looking. "I've never...seen...a ehh, someone...you know" Maisie said and swallowed hard, glancing up at Claire. "Naked?" She asked the girl. Neither of them very comfortable at the moment but Claire being the adult, knew that this was something they had to get through and that it was important that it got done the right way. She had to talk to Maisie about stuff like this and help her through it. After all she hadn't had the most normal of childhoods. Only god knew what the girl was carrying around with her.

Maisie nodded, at Claire's response. Claire understood the scare that the girl probably got. "Hey Maisie?" Claire said and waited for the girl to look up at her. "There's nothing wrong with that. I understand your reaction and I understand why it's so hard for you to talk about it. But trust me, it's better if we do talk about it, it will help both now and, in the future," Maisie sighed at Claire's words, swallowing a couple of times before telling Claire that she sort of understood what she meant and that she was sorry if she made Claire feel bad in any way. "Maisie I'm fine" She assured her and reached out to pull her into a hug.

"Why were you on the bathroom floor without clothes" Maisie asked as they hugged. "I wasn't feeling very well" Was all Claire said. Maisie hummed, which Claire thought was because she understood and that that was the end of that. She was wrong. "Were you sick like the last couple of days?" Maisie then asked. Claire told herself to calm down, take deep breaths. There's nothing to worry about, why is she worrying. "Yes" Claire said. A small cringle appeared between the girl's eyebrows before she spoke again. "Is something wrong with you mom?" Claire's lips turned into a big smile, from hearing those words. Such a sweetheart, so caring and understanding. Now Claire was lost. No nothing was wrong with her but Owen should be here when they told her. What do you say to that. Claire taking so long to answer, made Maisie nervous and she turned quickly in her seat. "Mom" She said in a very firm tone. "No no, Maisie sweetie, nothing is wrong with me. I...Me and dad have something to tell you but, he deserves to be here for it" Claire said and Maisie's face immediately calmed down and she said. "Oh, okay I'll go wake him up" And before Claire knew it, Maisie was running to the bedroom.

First of all, they should let him sleep. Second of all, he was still naked. Claire quickly stood up and ran after the girl when she remembered the last part. "Maisie be careful" Claire half yelled, which woke up Owen right in time to clutch the covers to himself. Maisie jumped on the bed, bouncing up and down. "Mom said you two have something to tell me" She said very excited. Owen looked at the girl, then up at his other girl. He narrowed his eyes at her and she just shrugged, waving a hand, to tell him that it was a long story.

He placed a hand on Maisie to stop her from bouncing. He had after all just woken up and was still a bit groggy. "So, we have something to tell you huh?" He asked with a cheeky smile on his face. Playing with the girl on purpose. "Yea mom said she wanted to tell me but you should be there so, tell me tell me tell me" The girl spat out almost too fast for them to understand. "Maisie calm down okay" Claire calmly said as she walked to the bed to join them. Owen looked at Claire and smiled that special smile that was just for her and only her, before looking back at the impatient girl at his side.

"We do have some news" He said, smiling. "Tell me" Maisie begged again. Claire couldn't help but laugh at how eager the girl was. "Well sweetie mom is...eh..." Owen started and looked at Claire, realizing that neither of them really talked about how they were going to approach this. "She said she's not sick" Maisie said firmly. Owen chuckled and said. "She's not, no" Claire looked between the two and when Maisie looked back at her. Claire finally let the words spill out from her lips. "I'm pregnant" Said in that slow calming voice that Claire was so good at.

Maisie looked at Claire for another second before letting her eyes fall to her stomach. "That means there's a baby in there, right?" She asked and pointed. Both her and Owen laughed and nodded. "Yes sweetheart, that's right" Claire said. Maisie started laughing out of joy and went to carefully throw her arms around Claire, making sure it was alright beforehand.

YES BOYS