The Man in the White Coat

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Claire heard someone knocking on her bedroom door. "Come in," she said trying to hide the shakiness that was still in her voice after having her second encounter with Noah.

Emma walked through the door and said, "So, you are alive? I walked into your office this morning to ask you how your date with Andrew went, but it was torn to pieces. I had to wait for a call from your dad saying that you wouldn't be in today. It would've been nice if the call came from you instead."

Claire gave a reassuring smile to Emma and said, "Yeah I'm sorry. It's been a crazy day."

"It's fine. What are you doing up anyways? Andrew said you were resting."

Claire realized that her main reason for coming in her room was to lie down and sleep but she didn't do much of that. "Uh... I was starting to smell something really good. Is someone cooking out there?"

"Yeah, Andrew's out there whipping something up for you," Emma said with a giant smile. "By the way, if I do say so myself, he looks even better than he did in high school."

Claire gave Emma a big smile back and said, "Yeah I know." Claire and Emma shared a little giggle before leaving the room.

The smell that was coming from the kitchen was getting stronger with each step she took. She can't remember the last time she smelled anything that good coming from her kitchen. Claire walked into the kitchen and saw Andrew in front of the stove, stirring something that was in a large pot.

Andrew turned around and noticed that she was walking in. "Hey you're up!"

Claire walked closer to Andrew and said, "Yeah. Whatever you're cooking smells really great."

"It's my grandma's famous homemade chili recipe. This chili has cured a lot of headaches and colds. As far as I know, you don't have either of those things but I figured it would still make you feel better." Andrew gave her a big smile as he went into one of the overhead cabinets and grabbed a few bowls.

"Where's my dad?," Claire asked while looking around.

Andrew started pouring some chili in the bowls and looked at Claire, "He left an hour ago, saying that he was going to check how things went at the office today. He said he would be back a little later on tonight."

Claire sat on one the stools at the table island in her kitchen. "I knew he couldn't stay away from the office for a day."

"I know my limitations. It's not like I'm addicted to working," Claire's father, John, said while walking into the kitchen.

Claire smiled, "I would say otherwise." John walked over to Claire and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "Hi dad," Claire said greeting him.

"When it comes to the people I love, I know when to shut everything down that comes to business," John said reassuring her. "Besides, I heard Andrew was cooking and I wanted in on the chili."

"Don't worry, I already set aside a bowl for you," said Andrew.

Claire looked around the kitchen and thought to herself, "All that needed was for me to get injured to get everyone that I love in one place. If that was the case, I would have done it a long time ago. I just wish it was under better circumstances."

**

Later that evening, Claire sat in the lounge chair on the balcony of her condo and looked up at the night sky. She thought about what Noah told her about her mom. Claire thought to herself, "How could all of this possibly be connected to my mom? Noah, the attack, and the mysterious man in black?"