LEMONS CAKE
— 1. Offered
Upon arriving at the Waterford estate, the laughters of children grew louder with each step the handmaid took towards the stairs. The household already had two children. Two beautiful daughters. Yet they didn't belong to the Commander and his wife. They belonged to his niece and their driver.
As soon as the front door opened, two girls - around the age of four - ran past the woman in red and towards the gate. Both of them had reddish brown hair. And while the first ones were curly, the second ones were straight. Their pink dresses flying behind them as they ran past her. The handmaid allowed herself to look after the girls for a second, before a voice echoed past her.
"Willow. Wylie." Quickly the handmaid turned back around to find a young woman in blue standing in front of her. The woman looked to be in her early 20's. She lowered her head so that the wings covered her face. "Under his eye.", she greeted her. "Under his eye.", the woman replied. "I'm sorry. When the girls heard the gate open, they thought their father and the commander were coming back home."
The kindness took the handmaid by surprise. The previous commander and his wife, and even the aunt at the red center hadn't been so kind towards her. "I'm Clara, btw." A hand appeared under her wings. This is a test. It has to be, the handmaid thought to herself, forcing herself to refuse the handshake. Causing the woman to awkwardly pull back her hand, before turning her attention toward the guardian that was busy with the girls as he was still standing by the gate which they had run to.
"Mrs. Waterford's in the living room. You shouldn't keep her waiting much longer." The kindness of the woman had vanished and had switched places with a wife. Of course she had been to good to be true. The handmaid stepped aside as the young wife rushed passed her before disappearing with the girls inside the house once more.
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A smile appeared on Rita's lips as Clara entered the kitchen with her girls. She adored the twins with all her heart, and they adored her. To them she was their precious aunt Rita. Watching her in awe when she made bread while their eyes were fixed on the flour flying trough the air as if it was snow.
"Rita.", the girls called her name in a union. Causing the Marta to smile even more. Clara walks passed her, slightly squeezing her left arm. "Your father still not home?", she wondered. "No?", Wylie replied. "Only some strange woman in red.", Willow added. Stranger. That was the name the twins had given the previous handmaid. While Rita was part of the family, to them the handmaids were not. They were intruders.
The previous handmaid had been mean to the twins. Hitting them, when she thought no one was watching. But of course it didn't take long for the driver, Clara's husband, to catch her doing it, who told his wife and the commander. The handmaid was removed from the household. No one knew what happened to her afterwards.
"Do you need help with anything, Rita.", Clara wondered. Wife's didn't help in the kitchen. The kitchen was the domain of the Marthas. Yet that had never stopped the young woman from helping when they were alone in the house. "No, thank you! You're too kind." "You know I'd do anything for you." Clara stepped closer before adding in a hushed tone "And I'd do anything to get away from that dragon my uncle calls 'Wife'." Rita send her a worried look.
"Don't let her get to you. You must stay strong for the girls, and.." The Martha placed a hand on Clara's belly. She hadn't told anyone - besides Rita - yet that she was finally pregnant again. She didn't want to tell anyone before she was past the fourth month. But Rita had figured it out by herself and promised to keep it to herself. "Nick will be over the moon if it's a girl again.", Rita quickly changed the topic. "He will be. But if it's a boy, he maybe will finally be promoted to a commander."
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Later that day Offred - which was now the handmaid new name - stood at the window in her empty room. There was nothing beside a bed, a wardrobe and a small chair. And outlines at the ceiling where a chandelier once was.
She looked down into the front yard where the drive of the commander was busy washing the car. The sleeves of his black shirt were rolled up, and the back of it was glued to his back due to the hot weather. Offred's expressions darkened as Clara - no Mrs. Blaine - hug him from behind. He swung himself around, pressing the young girl against the car. The blue dress soaked in the water on the hood, slowly sticking to her body as well.
They laughed as she snatched the sponge out of his hands and running it down his face. The driver let go of her, giving her enough time to run towards the garage. Before she could run up the reach the stairs, the driver hug her from behind once more. They both laughed as he spun her in circles, placing kisses on her neck. After what felt like a eternity he placed her back on the ground, giving her one more passionate kiss on the lips.
There was something beautiful, but also painful about them. They cloud love each other in public. They got the chance to raise their own children. Something that was ripped from her. When she looked at them she wanted to scream. Grab a large knife from the kitchen a slit Clara's throat and than her own.
Of course she knew that the woman wasn't responsible for her situation. She still wanted to put the blame on someone however. And the niece of a commander was the perfect target for her anger.
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Clara and Nick both stared at the doctor in disbelief. Still trying to process what he had told them. "Twins?", Nick finally found his voice again after a while. "Are you certain?" "Oh yes.", the doctor assured him. The man begann to trace two figures on the monitor. "Can you see their little heads right here."
Two!
The number echoed trough Clara's mind. When she had first learned she was pregnant, she was excited. They both were. But slowly her excitement had turned into fear. It was rare in Gilead for a woman to get pregnant. And even rarer to give birth to a healthy child.
So naturally the news of expecting two children made things even worse for her. With both men noticing how quiet she had become, the doctor excused himself to give the young couple some time alone. Once he was gone, Nick moved closer to his wife. Pressing her tight to his chest. He felt how she started to cry without making a sound.
"Twins?", she whispered. "Is this supposed to be a bad joke? I don't know if I'm prepared to losing them both." She wanted to have kids with all her heart. They both wanted nothing more than to have a family of their own. "How can he be so sure it's twins?", she wondered. "What if it's a child with two heads?"
Nick released her for the hug and placed of his hands on each side of his wife's face. "Don't think like that.", he tried to reason with her, whipping away her tears with his thumbs. "We're going to have two health children. You hear me. Nothing bad will happen. I won't allow it."
Nick had tired his best to calm her down, yet it had been of no use. Clara had cried the whole way. Even her Uncle - Commander Waterford - couldn't calm her down. It wasn't until Rita sat on bed with her, the woman stroking her hair as Clara rested her head on her lap, that she finally calmed down and fell asleep.
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"I could watch them all day." With a smile on her lips, Clara leant in the doorframe looking at her husband. Nick had placed a chair between the bed of his daughter, a book resting on his chest. "Me too.", she confessed. "I can't believe they'll turn 5 in two weeks." Nick got up from the chair, placing the book back in the bookshelf.
"The Commander said he'll throw them a big party." He lightly pushed his wife out of the room, before closing the door behind them. "He told me about it as well. He sees their 5th birthday as a huge milestone. At least he gave me some control over the guest list."
The couple linked their arms as they made their way towards the kitchen. Walking down the staircase, Clara let her right hand slight over the banister.
"And who did you plan to invite?", Nick wondered. When they reached the kitchen, Rita was out of sight. The woman probably getting ready for bed. While Clara sat down on the table, Nick grabbed himself something from the fridge.
"The usual commanders with their wives and children.", she confessed. "Oh and Aunt Lydia.. The girls insisted on inviting her. They even drew her a card. Maybe you could drive us to the Rachel and Leah Center tomorrow so the twins can hand over the invitation themselves."
"Gosh I hate that woman.", Nick signed. "I'm also not a huge fan of her. But the girls adore her so what am I supposed to do? Would you rather have them cry for a whole month?" Nick walked over to Clara, resting his head on her shoulder. She was right. She was usually right.
Aunt Lydia was a ruthless woman. Most people feared her. The Handmaids. The Marthas. The Wifes. Even some Commanders. Despite her nice appearance - which her brown uniform even enchanted - she knew how to command respect. Yet for some reason all children seemed to love her. Maybe it was because she was only nice to them, and no one else.
Clara wrapped her arms around his neck. Gently pressing a long kiss on his head. His dark curled tickled his nose, causing her to hold back a sneeze. Nick on the other hand buried his face in her neck. He loved the way she smelled. She always had the right amount of lemon scent around her. "I want an other child with you.", he mumbled his confession into her neck. She closed her eyes. She wanted to tell him that she was pregnant again. But she felt like telling him, being only three month along, was too soon. Clara signed. She lightly pushed him away. Taking his face into her hands. "I'm glad to hear that.", she pushed away her worries with a smile. "Cause we're kinda already working on one."
Nick's eyes widened. "Are.. are you sure.", he stuttered. The strawberry blonde woman nodded. "I'm three months late. I'm more than sure." His eyes lightened up. He immediately lifted her up the table. Spinning her around in circles. They held each other for an eternity. Crying out of joy of expecting another child. And while Nick knew that the Commander would be as overjoyed his him for his niece, Clara knew that Serena Joy would make her live a living hell.
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a/n: ok.. this one has been in the making for a long time. i can't believe it finally here. please see this as an early christmas present from me to you.