UNDAUNTED (One step at a time)

5

"Where is your cat?," her mother asked her midway to opening the door.

Claire had just put the last of her things in the trunk and was about entering the car when her mother turned around to ask her of the cat. She stood still and began saying she had no idea she was to go with her cat. Her mother said she did not want to hear any further whatever she had to spew but then that Claire had to get back inside and bring the cat. She yelled after her that when she said Claire should gather her things, she meant everything which was why she had gone extra lengths to make certain that the animal's health documents was up to date. Claire did well to choke back the tears threatening to drop. She walked past Tom who would be driving them to the airport in the act of closing the door. She just pushed back the door and walked inside.

"Forget something?," he asked her but Claire did not give him an answer.

She had nothing more to say as her mother had done well to make certain she said nothing more to say. Miller was on the sofa when she entered and as soon as the cat saw her, he started mewing. Claire smiled at him as she picked him up. At least he would play friend to her when she gets back there. She thought about it and decided to get his feeding bowl. She walked out of the house, Tom was still there waiting to lock the door. He looked at her with the same pitiable eyes that he had always given her. Obviously he believed his wife was taking this a little bit extreme.

Actually, he had tried talking sense into her the previous night saying Claire was only being herself and it was not her fault that she had no knowledge when it sets down to reading. Jane had said she was not going to hear any of It and when he pushed his luck by reminding her that Claire was her daughter, the woman had taken his hand and put on her belly. She said she knew she was doing the right thing seeing that God has been merciful enough to grant her another child. It was high time Claire went back home.

Tom could not believe his ears. He began telling her that this was the same Tom who would rather have nothing with the child for years and had not called her all along. Jane began laughing and asked Tom if he really believed Willows suddenly stopped asked about his daughter. She scoffed and said out to his face that he never did. Willows loves his daughter so much at least that was how it was back then until she had to frustrate him out of it. She had believed back then that Claire was only going through a phase and wanted to keep her for herself which was why she had threatened to get a restraining order against him should he continue bugging into their lives. Willows could not risk another blow to his career as a writer. The first one during the divorce had been bad enough and it gained Jane sympathizers. So while his career was being dragged around in the mud, hers began flourishing and she got into the lab full time. It took Willows a lot to get back his leg in the world of writing. He was not willing to go through it again which was why he had to accept his fate.

Tom could not believe his ears that night and wondered just what kind of woman he had married. He had taken all these years to despise the writer for not being man enough to come check on his daughter but it had been Jane all along. And now when the going had gone bad enough, she was willing giving up on the daughter she once fought for. It was Claire he pitied right now for being born that way. But then, it was not her fault that she was like that and he wished sincerely his wife would open her eyes to see that fact. He could not say more to Jane that night as she turned her back to him, put off her nightstand and went to sleep. He wondered if she actually knew what being a mother entails or she was basically obsessed with her machines and all the praises she got.

He had volunteered that morning to drive Claire to the airport even if it was the least he could do especially when his wife had been talking about getting the young girl a taxi to take her there. As if belittling her was not enough, she was also desperate enough to want to make her traumatized for life. Jane argued that they needed to get to work and he said they would make it on time after all their work place was not so far from the airport. She had to agree eventually when she saw he was not backing down that morning. He locked the door and got into the car. For a brief moment he saw Claire's face in the mirror and could tell she was trying hard not to let it all show. Looking at his wife, she was looking straight ahead with a stern face. This was it then, Tom thought as he brought the car's engine to life and began putting it on the road.

It was not long before they pulled up at the airport just about on time. Claire walked took her passport from her mother who entrusted her to the care of one of the workers at the airport. Of course it was not to make sure she was safe, that woman was rather too hateful for such emotions. Claire reckoned it was to make sure she did not run away. That was going to be something she could not risk of course although the girl was very much an adult now.

In about an hour, Claire was seated in the plane with her cat on her leg, she was the only one with her pet in the plane but she cared less about that. She only had to look forward to her three hours forty five minutes journey to Oklahoma. She was deep in thoughts as she wondered why her mother hated her so much.