Afterlife || irwin

[ 40 ] 2014

[ 40 ] 2014

-

"Everything is ready for you, mate. Good luck."

-

That first day she was with him she was only silent the entire time, which sent a feeling of a thousand little pricks to his chest. He led her into his home, where he lived with his parents and his sister Elenore, who had told him so many stories about Arthur's life growing up. Bobby was more than glad to hear about it, as he died before Arthur was born and never got a chance to meet him. He wondered if Claire would like to hear the stories too, since he'd seen the way she was forced to give up their son to save him from having to grow up around Con. She couldn't see him or talk to him, she couldn't meet him. But she always thought about her son who she had with the one man she truly loved and who truly loved her. 

When they arrived at his house, Bobby noticed his bedroom had been expanded to accommodate two people instead of just one. There was more space in the room and there was an entire wardrobe of women's clothing added. On the nightstand was a beautiful gift basket with fruits, wine, and cheese. 

A note included read: For one of my most beloved sons. I took the liberty of expanding your living space, and getting my daughter a new set of clothes. Please enjoy your present. You have earned it. -God 

Claire was still in such shock from her time in purgatory that she didn't notice anything, didn't comment on anything. She merely clung to Bobby's arm like her life depended on it. He sat her down on the bed gently and walked over to the bathroom to get a hot bath running for her. The moment he got up to walk away, he noticed someone following him. He turned around to see her quietly following behind him, her big blue eyes were wide with terror at the thought of him leaving her. He took both his hands in hers and gave her reassurances. "You're okay now. Nothing will ever hurt you as long as I'm here." He brought her hands to his lips and felt as they trembled in his touch and how cold they were. 

She still said nothing and led her to the bathroom to run her a bath. He then turned around, as he felt it was the more gentlemanly thing to do, and asked her to get undressed. But she stood there motionless, just watching his back as he turned to face the door. He waited several minutes, but when he didn't hear her step into the bath, he heaved a sigh. He slowly turned towards her and offered her a warm smile. Surely, he had seen her undressed before dozens of times. But that had been so long ago that he almost felt like they were starting all over. 

And this was an entirely different version of Claire and he didn't want to feel like he was taking advantage. The Claire he knew before was more confident and even teased when she saw him go red in the face the first time they got intimate. The first time he saw her undressed she asked him if liked what he saw, and he did. Then she told him she definitely liked what she saw when she saw him getting undressed. He was fit and lean with a bit of hard muscle from all his years in the marine academy, and then the police academy. But this seemed like a whole different person. This Claire was quiet and just not at all moving. It was as like she was just waiting for him to do everything because she relied on him that much. He had been the one to save her when everyone else forgot about her.

She was dressed in what he assumed was the last thing she wore the day she died. Bobby remembered some, but not all details of that day. What he remembered most was being at the gates of heaven waiting for her, in hopes that she would be allowed inside. But she never arrived, as her soul had been punished to roam the earth for a couple of years. It was in 1983 and she had been thirty nine when she passed. Bobby, on the other hand, remained twenty five forever.