Clawen • What comes next

|| CHAPTER 29 ||

           

Driving through the big city, on the look for somewhere to get some decent food. One thought kept going through Owen's head. They were engaged, they were actually engaged. Claire had told Owen truthfully that she would marry him. He couldn't believe that he was going to marry Claire Dearing. It had always been his wildest fantasy and his most reoccurring dream ever since she approached him after he was hired out of the navy. Since the first second she came walking towards him in her professional manor, her hair swinging lightly with the sway of her hips. Getting to be near her and tease her at Jurassic World, was one of the parts he missed about his old job. He had some great times making her blush and hiding smirks that kept reappearing time after time. The more he got to know her with every meeting they had, he learned how soft and caring his boss actually was. Her exterior was a façade she put up, to get the respect of all the sexist old men, she was forced to work with.

When he finally got the courage to ask her out, he couldn't stop shaking. The whole day went by with sweaty palms and nervous fidgeting. Going over and over his plan for every minute up until he had to take action. Catching her when she was making her way back to her apartment. Calling her name as he stopped, realizing what he was about to do. Seeing her turn around and looking at him cautiously and he swore that he could see slight annoyance behind her guarded look. He remembers forcing himself to pull it together and walk up to the woman. You disturbed her Owen, you called her name, you can't just turn around and leave.

Making his way towards her, with unsteady legs, feeling like they would collapse under him any second. She let her arms down and tilted her head at him, when his nervousness hit her in the face. Noticing his difficulty at keeping eye contact with her and his fingers twitching by his side. She knew something was up and their usual bantering wouldn't be happening this time.

The moment before he asked her and the second after she agreed to a date. It felt like the world shifted in a single second, allowing him to take air into his lungs and for his muscles to relax. Of course, he had to screw up the date as much as possible by being himself. His sister always told him that he was a smart and handsome guy but had a dumb way of always making himself look like an idiot. Dating, job interviews or just a night out with his friends. He would always manage to screw up and look 10 years younger than he was.

Now they were driving through the city with the feelings he had at the park, returning to him and making him feel all giddy inside when he reminded himself that he got this far. He did screw up, more than once even but he still managed to get his girl. The girl of his dreams and the most beautiful, caring woman on this earth. The whole time it took them to find a place to eat, he had a stupid grin on his face, not able to stop his eyes from glancing over to his side every now and then to confirm and remind himself that this was real. This was actually happening.

They found a carpark after Claire suggested they walked around until they found something mildly interesting. Not 10 minutes later, Owen was holding back a glass door to a cozy diner that Maisie had pointed out. The girl seemed to really enjoy the small quite places, not much for big fancy restaurants. Claire didn't mind, but rather appreciated the taste the girl had.

After sitting down and ordering three burgers with a bowl of fries, onion rings and whatever else the diner referred to as a snack basket. Claire was sitting across from Maisie and Owen and couldn't help herself from sending him looks ever so often. She couldn't stop herself from looking up at him and just completely daze off into wonderland. Maisie suddenly asked how long Claire was awake before she woke up herself. Both adults shared a look, realizing that Maisie didn't know what had happened between them and that her parents got engaged with her 3 feet away. "Not long" Owen said and licked his lips, waiting for Claire to tell more. She didn't. She seemed to be doing the exact same thing with her mouth askew glaring at him as if it was his secret to tell.

"Well Maisie girl...We kind of have something to tell you, I guess?" Owen said carefully, looking at Claire from the corner of his eye to see her reaction. Her smiling at him and resting her chin in her hand, told him that he should continue. Maisie turned her head to look straight at Claire with slightly squinted eyes. "Are you pregnant again?" She asked and Claire held on to everything inside her to stop herself from laughing but Owen didn't seem to be as strong as her and she broke a second after his laugher filled the table. Claire shook her head laughing and looked up at the girl. "No Maisie I'm still only pregnant, once or with one baby...Whatever" Claire said with a chuckle. "The thing is" Owen started and seemed to be lost for words in an instant. Claire looked at him questioningly, asking if she should finish his sentence, to which he hummed a yes with a nod.

"Dad and I are getting married" She finished and leaned back, inspecting the girl's reaction. She looked between the two for a good five seconds before speaking up. "What does that change?" She asked and Owen shrugged. He didn't know what he expected from the girl but this seemed to be a pretty Maisie like question. "It doesn't change much sweetie, except that mom and I will promise to love each other forever" Owen said, trying to make it sound interesting to the child who still looked puzzled. "I thought you already loved each other" She said and sounded somewhat crushed, Claire thought. "We do sweetie and we have for a very long time" Claire said which earned her a stupid grin from Owen. "So what changes then? Is it because of the baby?" She asked, sounding genuinely curious. "So, what happens is that mom and I will stand up in front of our families and tell each other that we love and always will love each other. Then some papers will be made and signed which is the boring part but it's the official statement that we declared our love. But what is most important, concerning you sweetie, is that I will be your official dad. On all the paper that the state has on you, it will say that I am just as responsible for you as mom. Which is what couldn't happen when we were in court remember?" Owen said and Maisie nodded to the last part to get him to continue before commenting on the rest. "After the wedding, I will legally be your dad" He finished and Maisie nodded understandingly as she took it all in.

"So, you are going to have a real wedding?" She asked. Owen looked over at Claire to get some kind of reaction or answer from her but she just shrugged. "We will figure that out later" Claire said with a smile before the waiter appeared behind her with their food.

Alright so every time I bring legal stuff into this, it will always be bad and not make any sense because I'm a dummy. I don't know anything, I simply try and make it sound as believably and true as possible.

Hope you guys liked it and eeehhhhh yes that was it.