UNDAUNTED (One step at a time)

6

For a moment she was finding it rather hard to carry her stuff upon arrival at the waiting hall. Having a cat with a bag back and two luggages was hard enough. She began looking around for someone to assist her when a porter came close to her. He asked her if she needed help with her stuff and Claire said yes. Earlier at the airport before she took off, Tom had put in something in her bag pack which she discovered was a couple of notes. The porter loaded up her stuff leaving Claire with her cat which she carried as they walked outside. There were people there to pick up their loved ones or associates. Claire had not seen her father among them and decided to go outside to look. At least if she was outside, he might see her as she did not have a phone. The porter asked her which car and Claire told him that he was yet to arrive. He had to offload her stuff beside her and she paid him his due. Claire had to stand there waiting for a bit to no avail and she wondered if he had bailed on her.

It was exactly fifty minutes she had been waiting when a man approached her holding his phone in hand. He was fat and wore a rather funny fez cap. He approached her and looked at his phone severally then back at her as if trying to confirm whether or not she was the one thereby making her feel rather uncomfortable. Claire looked at him like she was about to run away when he spoke to her.

"I'm sorry ma'am for staring, I had to make sure. Claire Willows I presume?," he asked her

"Yes," she said slowly and quite unsure

"I'm Beckham, you father asked me to get you. You could call him to confirm," he said as he could see how jumpy she was

"I don't have a phone." Claire said

"Oh... Well then you could use mine." he said to her.

He began punching in on his phone and dialed her father, as soon as the man picked up he told him that he was with Claire at the moment and she would rather confirm he was the one. He passed her the phone and she spoke up, it was her father quite alright and he was furious at her. He demanded to know what her problem was exactly and why she would not call when she had already arrived at the airport almost an hour ago. Claire wanted to speak but he continued that had her mother not called to know if he had fetched her, perhaps he would never had known she was already in Oklahoma. Claire felt pained seriously and hung up quickly. She handed the phone to the man and told him that it was her father quite alright. The good old man smiled and assisted her with her luggages to his taxi. Finally she was on her way home to see her father. Yet she could not help but feel bad. She had anticipated that he would come pick her up himself at least show some reaction that he had missed the daughter he had not seen in so many years. Yet he had to send a taxi to get her, that was off her expectations she had to say. Claire sighed weakly but it was loud enough for the driver to hear. He looked at her through the mirror and could tell that the young one bore a lot of weight on her shoulders.

He asked her if she was already and Claire said she was fine. He smiled and decided to ease her by engaging her in a conversation. He asked if she had ever visited Oklahoma before and she said no. This was her first time. He told her they were going straight to Norman which was where her father lived. At least he was not sending her yet against her will to someplace she would dislike. Her mother if she had such options would not seek her indulgence before sending her away. The old man was quite a chatterbox but Claire had a lot on her mind. From time to time out of respect for him and the fact that he had been kind enough to try to brighten her mood would give answers or chip in the discussion. He told her she would enjoy Norman and asked if she had a job there. Claire said no but she was hoping to find one. He smiled and she saw it. He had no idea but told her that with the kind of genius brain she had, she would not find it hard to get herself a job. Claire saw he had the same belief everyone had in her. They all saw her as her parents daughter, a genius mind on its own but Claire was none of that. Either way, she smiled at him and looked out the window as they passed. She wondered what her father would be like and if he had any idea yet about what she was exactly.

For twenty six minutes she was on the road until he pulled up in front of a semi detached building. It looked really decent and just the kind of place to expect of a writer with his family. The driver got her things out of the trunk and Claire said bye to him. He wished her the in Norman city. Claire was nervous when the door opened a a plump woman walked over to her. She wondered if she was her step mother but decided not when she saw her apron. The woman she had spoken to had a sharp voice and did not seem to her like that kind of person to keep skin. She came to assist her and introduced herself as Martha. Claire greeted her and carried her bag pack with the cat following her into the house. It was quite big and beautiful inside. As they moved inside, someone was coming out. A young man, quite handsome in every ramifications. He looked at Claire for a bit before speaking to her.

"Claire right?," he asked her

"Yes, I am Claire." she said to him

"Oh... you're a blondie. That explains it all," he said as if weighing her with his eyes distastefully.

Claire knew exactly what he was thinking. Her mother did tell her father about her who had shared everything with his family. She could not believe it and felt rather small in front of the boy she was certain she was older than. He looked like he was between the age of sixteen to eighteen. Martha came to her rescue.

"Claire this is Andrew your brother and he was just on his way out to see his friends." she said.

The boy chuckled and began walking away but shouted from the door.

"You forgot to add the top in his class and hottest." he said and walked out.

"Oh never mind the silly boy. Now let me show you to your room." she said.

Claire followed her steadily to the place that would serve as her room. It was quite tasteful and she only needed to begin organizing it to her taste. She wondered where everyone else was however. She turned to Martha who was about leaving after setting her bag on the bed. She asked where her father was and the woman explained he had gone for some event of the sort and his wife was not yet back from the hospital. However, her step sister was in her bedroom. Martha told her to be wary of that one as she would scream at the littlest of provocation.

"Thank you Martha." Claire said.

The woman nodded at her and began leaving when she turned to look at Claire suddenly remembering something.

"And Claire, please keep your cat indoors always. Mrs Lucille is definitely not a fan." she said and closed the door behind her.

Claire turned to look at Miller who sat on the bed. The animal was harmless and she wondered what would make Lucille hate him or cats in general. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Well then, I guess it's just you and me roomie." she said to the cat and he mewed as if he was giving her a reply.

It was time to begin unpacking.