Hearts Afar

...18... Clay's POV

...18...

Clay’s POV

When I woke up, I heard a faint knock at the door. I drug myself up from the couch and went to the door. Claire stood there looking about half asleep but ready for school. I opened the door to let her in but wondered why she was here before school.

We walked into the kitchen and I saw Brent and Jesse sitting at the table, sipping on some coffee. Jesse smiled at Claire and pushed out the chair next to him for her to take. She walked over and sat down, leaning her head against his shoulder. Brent got up and got both of us a cup of coffee. When he handed Claire hers, she immediately started sipping it.

    “You take it black, huh?” I asked.

    “Sometimes,” she smiled at me. “This morning is definitely one of those times.”

    “Not that we don’t enjoy seeing your face here but why are you here so early?” I asked.

    “I offered Jesse a ride to school this morning.”

    “Oh,” I said and sipped my coffee.

I didn’t realize that they had become such good friends to be as close as they were right now. If I was being honest with myself, I wanted to do nothing right now except rip her from him and throw him out of my house but I had no claim on her. I was still harboring the fact that I knew what happened to her dad and I still wasn’t sure how I should go about telling her.

After Jesse and Claire left for school, I went up to my room and pulled open the drawer that I kept Luke’s dog tags in. I pulled them out slowly and looked at them. I held onto them and closed my eyes, remembering the time we came back from leave. It had to be about the same time that he and Claire had that last picture taken.

Flashback

    “Hen, if you could do one thing, knowing it will be your last, what would you do?” I asked.

    “That’s a good question, Redden. I would tell my oldest daughter that she was stronger than this whole mess. I’ve already told her to take care of her mother and sisters but I would tell her to take care of herself. I’d also tell her that it’s okay to cry and not to hold it back,” he said.

    “You wouldn’t do something for yourself?” Brent asked.

    “Not at all. My girls are my life and I do everything for them.”

    “What if they asked you to quit?” I asked and watched as he closed his eyes.

    “My oldest did ask me this last time. I couldn’t just not come back. I have something worth fighting for. Not only my family but also my guys. What would you all do?” he asked after a minute of silence.

    “I’d take my mom’s cancer away. I don’t know where to begin to say how I feel about that. Knowing that if something happens to her, I would be a single parent to my little brother and sister,” I said.

    “You mean to tell me that you wouldn’t do something for yourself?” he smirked. “Wht about you, Buchanan?”

    “Hmm,” Brent started. “I’d find me the girl of my dreams, hae a fun filled night and call it an end,” Brent laughed and we joined him. “No, in all seriousness, I would let my family know how much I loved them and what they meant to me. I’d hope that there was a lucky lady but I’m to much of a ladies man to settle down to fast.”

    “I hope that you never meet daughter, she’s to good for you,” he laughed.

When I opened my eyes, I could almost see Luke’s face. I could now see the resemblance that Claire shared with her father. I heard Brent walk in but I didn’t acknowledge him until he was by my side.