Dearest Clara: Sequel to My Dear Professor

Chapter 1: In-laws

Dearest Clara: sequel to My Dear Professor
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Chapter 1: untitled
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The mid-July sun burnt Clara's back as she sun-bathed in the warm beach of Florida. Only twenty minutes earlier she had fallen asleep and John was simply sitting there as her back got redder and redder. Eventually, he decided that if he didn't wake her up now, she'd yell at him later for letting her get a sunburn. John kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear, "Clara, wake up, dear. You are going to get a sunburn."

Clara woke up with a groan and sat up. Her arms stretched out and she let out a yawn. "Thank you for waking me up."

John chuckled to himself, "You're welcome."

They had travelled to Florida as Johns treat for their engagement. They decided to stay for a month and visit Clara's grandparents while they were in town. Her father was originally American who moved to Blackpool when he was twenty-five, fell in love with a London brunette girl and just never left; which was why he had a slight British accent. But her mother had died when she was just a teen. And her father had decided to move back to Florida only a couple months ago.

The whole plan was that they were going to visit Clara's grandparents and also have John finally meet Clara's father and get his official blessing of the marriage. Clara was sure her father wouldn't mind and grow to love John, no matter how much older he was than Clara.

Clara had visited America frequently during her childhood because most of her family lived there. But this time was extra special; she was visiting with her fiancé.

"Wanna go back to the hotel?" Clara asked him, standing up and packing away her towel, sunscreen and other beach things in her beach bag.

"Sure." John stood and handed Clara her light coverup. She was only wearing a black bikini and he didn't exactly like the fact younger guys would stare at her as she walked by; he was an incredibly jealous man. Clara slipped on the coverup and looked at John who was only wearing a white unbuttoned button-up and swim trunks.

Clara kissed his cheek and held his hand as they walked up the path to the hotel. Luckily--somehow--they had managed to book a room at a beach side hotel. It was incredibly convenient for them.

When they reached the room on the fourth floor, Clara plopped down on the soft bed. Their hotel room was ginormous and very nice; four star hotel perks. When John was booking the hotel a month ago, Clara didn't want him to spend much but he insisted that it would be like an early honeymoon.

John plopped down beside her and rolled to his side to kiss her sweetly. "When are we going to see your father?" He asked--secretly very nervous to meet him.

"Tomorrow morning. He only lives about twenty minutes from here luckily. He's gonna make us breakfast." Clara saw the nervousness in his eyes and kissed him. "Don't worry about it, he'll love you, I promise."

"But Clara, I'm so old. He won't want his beautiful daughter marrying a man like me." John continued. "I'm old enough to be your father."

"He already knows how old you are. And you are not old enough to be my dad, because my father is sixty-two. Just stop fussing about it. He will love you, and my grandparents will absolutely adore you." Clara promised, her hand on his cheek. She stood up and decided to take a shower. "I'm gonna use the shower."

"May I join you?" He joked.

"No, you may not." Clara chuckled and slapped his arm before kissing him sweetly. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He kissed her back before Clara pulled away to go take a shower.

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The next morning John was the first to wake. He was too nervous to sleep any longer than seven. Around eight, he woke up Clara. "Hey, wake up." John shook her awake.

She rubbed her eyes and yawned, slipping out from under the covers to the floor only to fall into John's warm arms. Clara groaned and wrapped her petite arms around him as he put his around her shoulders. "I love you." John whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you, too." She said, her voice muffled from her face being buried in his chest. "I need to get dressed. But I don't wanna."

John chuckled and tilted her chin towards his face to kiss her tenderly. She closed her eyes and savored the kiss, which felt much like the first one they shared. John smiled and suddenly remembered the first time he knew Clara liked him. John laughed.

Clara pulled away and looked at him with a confused expression. "What?"

"Remember that time you tried to impress me?" Clara's eyes went wide and she slapped his shoulder playfully. "And you wore that short little dress-- OW!" Clara hit him hard this time on the shoulder. "And you almost kissed me?" Clara just glared at him. "But it was adorable." John kissed her cheek.

Clara simply rolled her eyes, "Don't blame me, it was Amelia's idea. But you're right, I did look friggin adorable. Now let's get dressed, we have to be there in an hour."

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In the end, Clara had decided on a knee-length, light purple sundress that flared out at the belly button with white sandals. She braided her hair to the side messily and put on light pink lip gloss. John thought she looked amazing--which she did. John, on the other hand, wore his regular black jacket, white button up and black suit pants with loafers. He didn't want to show up and look too fancy. When Clara saw his outfit she kissed his cheek and grinned up at him quite adoringly, which made him blush.

When they arrived in the driveway of Clara's fathers house, they were greeted with the open arms of Clara's kind grandparents. Her nan had long, grey hair that reached her ribs and had Clara's eyes--or Clara had hers. Her name was Silvia and was a chubby, short woman who had to be at least eighty. She hugged John tightly when Clara introduced him and even her grandfather shook his hand joyfully. Her grandfather was a very tall, tough man who looked like he worked most of his life. His name was Morty. (A/N: if you have ever watched The Nanny you will understand the reference with Clara's grandparents names lol. sorry, continue.)

But Clara's father was another story. At first, he was quite cold to John and only shook his hand with a stone face. Clara assured John when her father went back to cooking that he would warm up to him soon enough and that he should be patient. How could he be patient?!

"So, what do you do for a living, John?" Her father--whose name was Greg--asked while he was flipping the fried eggs. John was sitting on one of the island chairs behind him while Clara was in the sitting room with her grandparents.

"Me? Uh--I'm a university teacher. English." John quickly replied.

"That's how you met Clara, correct?"

"Correct."

"Mmhm." John didn't exactly know what that meant. "Make good money?"

"Fair, not too much but just enough and a little more." John explained.

"Mmhm. Plans to have a family?" Greg asked.

"I dunno, haven't discussed with Clara." John said.

Greg turned around and looked at John, almost like he was analyzing him. "Do you truly love my Clara?"

"Yes." John answered immediately.

Greg stared at John for a moment until breaking out into a grin. John reluctantly smiled back. "You'll make a fine husband for my daughter. Congratulations." He held out his hand for John to shake and he took it and the two of them joyfully shook hands.

"Oh my gosh, thank you, sir." John smiled. At that moment, Clara walked into the room.

She placed her hand on Johns shoulder and looked at her father. "What's going on here?" Clara smiled.

"Congratulations, darling." Her father said before walking around the counter and hugging her.

"Oh! Thank you, dad!" She hugged him back.

John sat there and enjoyed the fact that he was marrying his Clara soon and was allowed to do so.

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A/N: omfg okay if you read My Dear Professor and you are reading the sequel right now and you stuck by the story through all of that, I just wanna friggin hug you because this story just makes me so happy and helps me through stuff and I just love you all so much. <3