Life As Clarissa Morgenstern

Chapter Two

Clary's POV

I took the phone and dialed in the number, but asked the people to leave. When they did, I put the phone to my ear as it rang. 

"Hello?" She answered. 

"Laine?" She gasped. 

"Clary! Sweetheart, where are you? We were so worried." 

"They say- I'm with daddy." 

"Put him on the phone, sweetheart." I threw a pillow towards the door they went into and they came back out. 

I offered him the phone and he took it, leaving it on speaker. "Hello?" 

"Where are you? I need to see Clary." 

He gave her the address and handed me back the phone. 

"I will be there real soon, Clary, don't worry." She knew I wouldn't reply with these people around, so she hung up and I gave the man his phone. 

"Would you like something to eat or drink?" He asked me, but I ignored him. 

"Are you hungry or thirsty?" The lady asked and I shook my head. They turned on the tv and put on something kid friendly. 

I tapped the thing on my arm and looked up when the man laughed. 

"It's called a cast, it helps your arm heal." I nodded and laid back down, really tired again. "Do you want to go to sleep in your room?" 

I shook my head and he sat down not far from me on the couch. He made me nervous. Afraid. 

Not long after that, the doorbell rang and I stood, but fell down because of the pain in my foot. 

The man got down beside me and picked me up, setting me back on the couch. 

"Sweetheart, you can't walk for a while, you hurt your foot." He put an ice pack on my foot to make it feel better. 

Valentine's POV 

Robert answered the door and a woman walked in, worry written all over her face. 

"Clary." She sat down beside her and hugged her, Clary reciprocating the action. "We were so worried when you didn't come over. What happened?" Clary seemed like Robert, Maryse and I didn't even exist as she cried into the woman's shoulder. 

"I don't- want to talk about it." Clary whispered, barely audible for me to hear. 

"That's okay, sweetie. It's getting late, bedtime was a long time ago." Clary stopped crying and the woman looked up at me. "Where is her bedroom? She needs to go to sleep now or she'll wake up late." I nodded. 

"Upstairs, sixth door on the left. Do you want me to carry her? It's a lot of stairs." She turned back to Clary. 

"Is that okay? For him to carry you upstairs?" Clary tiredly nodded and sat up, hesitantly extending her arms to me. 

I gently picked her up and held her on my hip, but that seemed to make her uncomfortable, so I held her bridal style instead, which seemed to ease her pain. 

We walked into the guest room a few doors down from mine and I laid Clary down in the queen sized bed, setting the ice pack down on her ankle again. 

"Go to sleep, sweetheart, I'll be back in the morning with Simon." Clary smiled at the woman's words. She kissed Clary's head and tucked her in. "Goodnight." 

"Night." Clary whispered and we left the room, closing the door behind us. 

"So, we should talk." I nodded. 

"Downstairs? I don't want to wake Jonathan." We walked downstairs and took a seat on the couch. 

"Who is Jonathan?" 

"My son, he's five. Who is Simon?" 

"My son, he's four, him and Clary have been best friends for about a year and a half. They're joined at the hip." She sighed. "So, you're Clary's dad." 

"Apparently. I had no clue she even existed. Can you tell me about her life? What it was like, what she likes?" She smiled and nodded. 

"I'm Elaine Lewis." She extended her hand and I shook it. 

"Valentine Morgenstern." 

"Okay, so Clary has not had a great life, as you probably know. She's a really sweet girl despite everything that's happened to her. I was the one who usually called CPS on Jocelyn, even got my fostering license to take Clary in just in case Jocelyn ever went to jail for something." 

"They told me that she did drugs and drank, didn't even take care of Clary." 

"Yeah, that's true. I watched it all and did my hardest to get that sweet little girl out of that toxic life, but I couldn't. Every time there was a CPS visit, Jocelyn was suddenly clean and sober, a perfect picture of a mom. She'd use concealer on Clary's bruises, cuts, whatever could get her in trouble." 

"Where is Jocelyn?" 

"No idea. Are you going to take care of that little girl? Because she means the world to me and my family, so if you don't want her, tell me now and I'll take her." 

"No. I want my daughter. I know that it's going to be a lot of work getting her to trust me, but I love her and I want to know her." She smiled wider than before at my statement. 

"Good. She deserves a good dad and that's what you better be. You wanted to know what she likes?" 

"Yes, please." 

"Well, honestly, she's not much different than a boy. She likes comic books, video games, hates the color pink. And, she loves to read whatever books she can get her hands on." 

"She can read? She's only three. What kind of books does she like to read?" 

"She's a very smart little girl, who I think should already be in kindergarten or first grade. And, the most recent book she read was Moby Dick." My jaw dropped. 

"Moby Dick? That's a big book." She nodded. 

"Don't underestimate her, Valentine. She's smarter than any three year old out there, in my opinion." 

"Thank you." 

"You're welcome. I have to go, but I'll be back in the morning to help with Clary." She stood up and I opened the front door for her. 

"Come over whenever you like. Goodbye, Elaine." 

"Goodbye, Valentine." She left and I closed the door, walking back upstairs and slipping into Clary's room quietly.

I sat down in a chair and watched her sleep peacefully. Sounds a little creepy, I know. But, I just needed to look at her. Look at my beautiful baby girl.

I wish she wouldn't have had to endure the pain she did. Not having a mother, being abused, in more ways than one. Having to take care of herself.

Yet, she had also grown wonderfully. Reading huge books like fucking Moby Dick, playing games, still having a life, despite what was happening to her at home.

I will give my daughter everything she never had. Luxury, safety, love, a dad, a brother. She'll be spoiled. Everything she deserves.

She will never be mistreated again.....