...38...

When Brent came home and told me that he was taking Mikey out for the weekend, I was so relieved. I was almost at my wits end with him and I was hoping that the weekend away would do him some good. I knew that more than likely it would be wishful thinking on my part, but I was really hoping that spending some time with Brent would help with whatever issues he was having.

I decided that while the guys were off doing whatever they were going to do, I was going to have mom bring the twins over and call Haylee over and just have a girls weekend with Hannah. I know that she still had so much on her mind over Clay not being home and I wanted to help take her mind off of things. I was sure that even if Haylee and I couldn’t do it, than Cassie and Lacey would be able to do something and they would tell me. After calling and making the arrangements, I went to the kitchen to call in a couple of pizzas for pick up when mom brought the girls over.

When I suggested the plan to Hannah at first, she didn’t want to join in but when I told her that I was having Haylee bring over her nail polishes and facial stuff, she perked up, just slightly. When mom and the girls got there, I already had some cans of soda ready and some paper plates and napkins for the pizza. Lacey and Cassie came in already dressed in their pajamas and Hannah and I were also. Mom places the pizzas on the coffe table, gave the girls and I a hug and left. Now, we were just waiting on Haylee to show up.

It took about fifteen minutes after mom left when my best friend came walking in through the door. She sat her bags down and we all immediately dug into the pizza. After we had our fill, the twins talked Hannah into picking a movie out and then they started painting each others nails.

“So, Brent has been kind of weird the past couple of days,” Haylee mentioned.

“Thank God I wasn’t the only one who noticed,” I said to her.

“He called me the other day and said that things were starting to change around here.”

“What?”

“I don’t know. He said something about making sure when Hannah’s school awards program was.”

“I’ve been telling him for weeks that it was next month. He can be such a scatter brain sometimes,” I laughed.

“Claire, can I ask you a question?” Haylee asked after a moment of silence.

“Sure.”

“You know I’m hoping and praying right along with you that Clay comes home but what if he doesn’t? What will you do?” she asked. 

I’ve thought of this question so many times since Clay’s disappearance but I don’t think I’ve ever been asked out loud. I’ve thought about a life of loneliness, only taking care of the kids until they grew up and could take care of themselves. I’ve always dreamed about the day I would get married but until I knew Clay’s fate, I didn’t see that happening. I knew Haylee was beating around the bush at her real question and that was could I see having a future with Brent. I think there could be a possibility that something could happen, IF Clay doesn’t come home but I had to be absolutely sure that he was never coming home and even if I did, it’s not like I would jump straight into a relationship with Brent. I figured if something would come of it, it would strictly be because we were lonely.

“I don’t want to think of Clay never walking through that door again but if there is a possibility of that, I guess I’ll just live one day at a time.”

“I understand that,” she nodded and then bit her lips together. “You know Brent will always be here for you?”

“I know. I also know that what you really want to ask is if Clay doesn’t come home, will there be a possibility of Brent and I being together. I can’t say yes and I can’t say no. I guess I would have to take it day by day.”

“It would be cool if we were sisters, but I want Clay to come home,” Haylee said out loud.

“Me too,” I smiled.

A few hours later, Haylee and I were cleaning up from the pizza and everything. The three younger girls had fallen asleep in their sleeping bags an hour and a half ago and I was happy that we went ahead with this because I had actually seen a smile on Hannah’s face a few times. She seemed more like her old self tonight and that’s what I needed. 

After we were finished cleaning up, I laid across the couch and Haylee on the love seat. I was ready for sleep to consume me and I welcomed the darkness. 

It was late Sunday evening when Mike and Brent came back home. I had already had supper ready and was setting the table when they walked in. Mikey looked at me but went straight up to his room. Brent walked closer to me and started talking.

“I think I finally got through to him,” he said.

“I’m not even going to ask. I just hope that his attitude has changed.”

“I know, Legs. Maybe this weekend away of just bros hanging out did the trick. So, what did you girls do this weekend?” he asked.

“Hung out, ate pizza, did nails and facials. Girl stuff.”

“And I missed a free mani/pedi?” he huffed.

“You are not right, Brent.”

“Never claimed to be,” he said, laughing and walking out of the kitchen.

The next few days was completely different than what I have been dealing with. Hannah seemed more like herself and stayed out of her room more often. Mikey even came up to me and gave me a hug before he walked out for school. When the kids came home, they sat down and worked on their homework and even helped me with supper. Brent stayed in the background a lot and just smiled at everything going on. Life felt a little more like it use to be and it felt good not arguing over everything with Mikey. 

“Claire, can I talk to you?” Mikey asked after supper.

“Sure,” I said, drying my hands on the dish towel and asked Hannah to go into the living room with Brent.

“I know I’ve been a handful recently and I just wanted to apologize for it.”

“Mikey, I want you and your sister to know that no matter what happens, I will always be here for you all,” I told him.

“I know. You really need to thank Brent for it. That weekend we went away, I guess you could say he talked some sense into me. I’m really sorry for the way I was treating you and him. I know you love Clay and I promise that I want be that kid anymore. I stopped hanging out with a lot of the kids I was with and I’m trying to focus back on my school work. I really do love you, Claire,” he said and that tugged my heartstrings and the dam busted behind my eyes.

“I love you to, Mikey,” I said and pulled him into a hug. “I promise you that I will take care of you until you no longer need me.”

“We’ll always need you,” he said.

We sat there, just hugging one another for a long time before I sent him to finish his homework. When he was gone, I just sat there for the longest time in silence. I didn’t even see or hear Brent come in and sat down across from me. 

“Good talk?”

“The best,” I said and dabbed at my eyes. “He apologized for the way he’d been acting and told me that he loved me.”

“That’s great, Claire,” Brent said, causing me to look up at him. “What?”

“You called me Claire.”

“I know. Didn’t want to ruin the moment,” he said.

“You never ruin the moment, Brent. Thank you for everything. I honestly don’t know what I would have done if something happened to you and you not being here.”

“Clay’s coming home Claire. I don’t know when but I feel it in here,” he said, touching his chest. “I just know that he is.”

“For the first time in months, I believe it. Don’t get me wrong, I think I’ve always known but there’s something... different there now.”

“I know what you mean. Claire for what it’s worth, your faith about Clay coming home, helped me through a lot.”

“Brent, you are a great man. I can’t wait to see who captures your heart.”

“Someone did but she didn’t like me the same way I liked her. She fell for my best friend,” he smirked.

“Can you not be serious for one day?” I laughed.

“I’m deadly serious. I really did like you, a lot but it would have never worked out anyway.”

“Ways that?” I asked.

“I don’t think anyone will be able to tame me. I would have ended up breaking your heart, Claire and I had decided that I’d much rather see you with Clay than me being the reason behind your tears.”

“Aw,” I said.

“See, I have a little bit of a heart. I gave the girl of my dreams to my best friend.”

“You know why it wouldn’t have worked? Because, even though I didn’t know it than, I fell head over hills in love with Clay the first time I laid eyes one him,” I said.

“That too,” Brent laughed. “I’m going to head out. I won’t be back until Thursday.”

“Anything wrong?”

“No, just taking care of some work business.”

“Brent, will you still let me know when they find Clay?” I asked.

“You know it,” he winked and then quickly walked out of the kitchen.

After picking around with Brent, I sat back to cleaning the kitchen up and then I needed to do some homework. I knew that I was behind in a couple of classes and this was the most normal things have been for awhile, so I felt like I could actually focus on what needed to be done. Also after talking to Brent, I had even more faith that things were going to work out in our favor and Clay would be coming home. It felt like Brent knew something more than he let on but if it turned out that he did, I would never hold it against him. I would just be to happy to have my man home.

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Bwahahahahaha...... I know this chapter is long overdue and I apologize. I really have no excuse not to have this book finished other than pure laziness. In my defense though, my semester has started and I am a week behind because I was put on probation and since I've gotten that straightened out, I've been playing catch up. 

Life seems to be getting a little better. I think I announced that I am now officially a divorced woman and I could not be happier. Still trying to find the man of my dreams but I know that it is not God's time to allow me to meet him yet. It's hard because I get so lonely. I miss having a man wrap his arms around me and someone to just hold me like I mean something. I'm trying to keep my faith though because our God has never turned His back on me and I need to stop turning mine on Him. 

Anyway, there are only one more chapter left of this book and possibly an epilogue... haven't completely decided on that part yet. The next chapter will be the big homecoming but I haven't decided if it will be in Clay's POV or Claire's. Input? Whose would you like to see?

As always... leave me some love....