by Laura Sutton
“Thank you, Sam.”
Aidan walked away and slowly lifted Claire off the couch. She moved in his arms slightly as she nestled into his chest. “I'm sorry I didn't make it tonight.”
“Ella needed you.”
“You needed me too.”
“I'm ok. Just tired.”
“Let's get you to bed.” Aidan walked down the hall with Claire clutched tightly in his arms as she slept. The moment that he laid her down, she woke up as he started to walk away.
“Where are you going?”
“Sleep, Claire.”
“No. Stay with me, please.” Aidan loosened his tie and stripped down and got into bed with her.
“Whatever you want.”
“You,” Claire said as she turned over and snaked her arm around his waist. She laid her head on his shoulder and fell asleep.
Claire woke to an empty room. She should have known that he would leave the moment that she was asleep. Claire stood up quickly and put on her clothes. She was not going to waste her time in bed. She was putting on her pants when Aidan walked back into the room.
“What are you doing?”
“Going into work. No need to sleep.”
“Bad dreams?” Aidan asked quietly.
“No. What's up with Ella?”
“She had a panic attack. She thought she saw someone from her past.”
“Why isn't she staying here?”
“She is. I just went and picked her up and brought her back here.”
“That's why you weren't in bed,” Claire said quietly, mostly to herself, but Aidan heard her.
“That's why you are leaving to go to work? You don't like an empty bed.”
“I'd rather have company in my bed. You broke me of my solo sleeping habit.” Claire smiled as she walked to him half dressed, going up on her tiptoes to kiss Aidan.
“Come to bed. I won't leave again.”
Claire kissed him and he lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around him as he laid her on the bed covering her with his body but keeping his weight off of her. He leaned back up and pulled off her pants. “You don't need these in bed.” He smiled as he came back unhooking her bra, he crawled back onto the bed, kissing her. He moved to the side as he pulled her to him and covered her with the blanket.
“You're wearing too many clothes.”
“Not tonight.” He kissed her forehead and pulled her close to him. “Promise me something, Claire.”
“Hmmm.” She hummed as she laid on his chest.
“Keep Sam near you until all of this is cleared up.” Aidan's worry sounded in his voice.
“Ok. I like Sam. He makes me feel safe, like you do.”
“That's a good thing.”
Chapter Nineteen
The day was already hopping as Claire ran from place to place, making sure everything was perfect. Her nerves were a mess as she found herself sick in the bathroom, for the third time. “Pull it together. It's just a gallery, not the Olympics.” Claire tried to tell her reflection.
“You ok?” Todd asked as Claire walked out of the bathroom, noticing how pale she was.
“Fine.” She tried to smile. “What's next?”
“Your interview airs in fifteen minutes, here are the articles about the opening. Five confirmed reporters are coming this evening. Also, I received an email and some large company executives are coming and some huge art dealers as well. I've gotten dozens of emails from the people at Aidan's event where they saw you drawing. It's safe to say, we'll have a full gallery tonight to impress.”
“Nothing is ever safe,” Claire said quietly.
“Right, sorry.” Todd smiled. He understood her nerves, he had been worse until the emails started to fly in. “The caterers will arrive at five to set up and the doors open at six-thirty. Looks like everything else is done. I was going to sweep and mop one last time. Make sure it's perfect.” Todd smiled as Claire nodded quietly.
Todd walked off as Claire walked to her office and painting studio that was behind the gallery. She sat down as she looked at the blank canvas before her. She picked up her phone, turned it off silence, smiling as she saw several texts from Aidan, Alyssa, and the whole Hawkins’ clan in support of her day. Saturday night had been great, celebrating Alyssa and Topher's news of the baby. Everyone was overjoyed. Claire had watched Aidan that evening and the moment he congratulated Topher; she saw him take a breath of relief. They were nervous about his reaction and Claire understood. Aidan's mood was unpredictable with change, but Claire thought he was probably the most excited. He loved children, Uncle-hood didn't terrify him in the least, like it did Claire.
Absently, Claire started painting, as her mind was lost in thought. She was in love with Aidan, and for the first time, she thought she may have a future. 'Could I handle a baby bump like Alyssa was already showing? Could I handle being a mother? Do I want kids, especially with my past? After last night she knew that Aidan would want kids someday. He would be an amazing father.' Her mind roamed of thoughts of Aidan with a bouncing bright-eyed boy always following him around the house, riding on his father's shoulders, as she had seen in films.
“Claire... CLAIRE!” Todd shouted, bringing Claire out of her daydream. “There you are. We open in an hour. You need to get dressed, and shower quickly.” Todd pulled out his cell phone and showed her, her reflection. She was covered in paint.
“Thanks. Time got away from me, I guess.”
“These are amazing, I can see why you got lost in your work. Would you like me to display it at the entrance? It's a perfect focal point of the show.”
“Ummm. Maybe. It's kind of personal,” Claire said looking at the painting again.
“Oh God, Claire. You're pregnant?” Todd covered his mouth in surprise.
“What? God, no. Alyssa is. Guess, it got me thinking. I should get ready.” Claire walked quickly up the stairs towards her apartment.
Todd looked back at the portrait Claire had painted. There were no visible faces, but a young boy clutched his father's legs, the father bent over hugging the boy to him. They are stopped and focused as the world around them flowed by in a blur. He grabbed the canvas and turned. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two more paintings, “Damn.” Todd breathed as he saw a young boy, barely two years old sitting on his father's shoulder. The father holding onto him tightly. The carnival around them was in bland colors as the father and son stood out. The second painting was perfect. It was a painting of Alyssa, her baby bump, and Topher. Todd grabbed the two father pictures and took them out to the floor. He knew that Claire would move them later if she didn't like them.
The hot shower felt like heaven on her sore muscles. She didn't want to move from the spray of water. She knew she needed to hurry, turning off the shower spray in reluctance. She toweled off as she heard her name being called, “Alyssa?”
“Hey,” Alyssa shouted as she opened the bathroom door. “Came to help you with your make-up and hair. Todd said you were running behind.”
“Thanks, Todd.” Claire hissed under her breath. “You know how helpless I am with the whole make-up stuff.” Claire smiled at her friend handing her the make-up bag. “Beautify me. I'm your willing canvas.” They both giggled at their long-running joke.
Alyssa stood, putting on Claire's make-up at the kitchen nook. “I liked your new paintings of the father and son.” Claire opened her eyes quickly. “I may have stared at them a while before I came up here. Are they new?”
“Yes. I finished them before my shower.”
“Did you see any other new ones?” Claire asked cautiously.
“Nope. Just those two. Did you do more?”
“You know me. Always drawing or painting. I must have killed an entire rainforest with all of my work.” Claire smiled at Alyssa. The other painting was a present for Alyssa. She knew Todd would want all the newest paintings to go up, but Claire wasn't going to allow it. These were private. He had an artist’s eye. It's one of the reasons she had hired him. “So, tell me ab
out your world travels.”
Alyssa chatted endlessly about the honeymoon, but Claire's mind was half on Aidan and half-listening to Alyssa. Suddenly she stopped talking as she let Claire's hair fall around her shoulders. Claire opened her eyes to look at Alyssa, “What's wrong?”
“Nothing. You look gorgeous. Let’s get you into your dress. The doors open in five minutes, we're cutting it close. Todd may kill us both.” Claire laughed as she picked up the dress from the bed and slid it on, letting Alyssa zip it up.
“Guess it's time to go downstairs. You're gonna be great.” Alyssa squeezed her arm as she walked down the stairs with Claire following her.
“Shit.” Claire started to breathe hard in a panic.
“What?” Alyssa turned quickly.
“I forgot to talk to Aidan. He blew off dinner. I was angry and just went to bed. Shit! He's going to be furious.”
“I'll talk to him. You just focus on all the other people. This is your night. Forget, Aidan.” Alyssa kissed her cheek and pushed her out of the back room and into the gallery.
Alyssa was pacing outside the gallery. The gallery was packed. Alyssa could not believe how many high-profile people had come out. The heat from all the bodies was almost too much for her, and Aidan still had not arrived. A sleek, black SUV pulled up.
The moment that Aidan was out the door, Alyssa was there with her hands on her waist. “What took you so long? Do you know I've been waiting for an hour, a freakin' hour for you?”
Aidan looked to Ella and back to Alyssa. “I was supposed to be here right at six-thirty? I thought it was a drop in?” Aidan asked cautiously, curious about the mood swing that Alyssa seemed to be taking out on him.
“Ella, why don't you go ahead inside? I need to speak with Aidan.”
“Is this because of me needing Aidan, and him blowing her off? I'm sorry. I never...”
“Ella, this is all about Aidan. I just need to warn him.” Ella looked between the two of them.
“She paints the emotions that I give her.”
Alyssa bit her lip as she looked back to where the gallery was. The windows were dark on the outside which Alyssa was thankful for. “There are a lot of photographs, including one of you in the snow. I mean only the people who truly know you, like me and the family, knows it's you but she was supposed to give you a heads-up last night. Plus, there are some other pictures in there," Alyssa bit her lip as she looked to the gallery again. "Aidan, I swear you better be sweet and supportive, or I will end you.” She poked him in the chest. “End you terribly. Got it?”
Aidan put up his hands, chuckling, offering his arm to Ella and walked towards Alyssa. “Of course, I'm going to be supportive. I'm going to go in there, kiss the woman I love, and look at her gallery in support.” Aidan kissed Alyssa's cheek and turned to go into the gallery. He stopped as he saw the first two pictures of the father and son. “Alyssa, is Claire pregnant?”
“No, this is because of my news. I should have known it would have her freaked.”
“Is that supposed to be me?”
“I think so,” Alyssa said quietly as she stood next to Aidan.
“Is it like this through the whole gallery?”
“No. Claire doesn't know about these being up, down here. She did them this afternoon and hasn't had a chance to see that they are up. Todd did it.”
“Well, there is my girl.” Aidan smiled as he saw the beauty that was laughing with several guys standing around her.
“Reporters. Ugh.” Alyssa made a noise.
“What is up with you?” Aidan asked looking over to Alyssa curiously.
“I'm hungry. When I'm hungry, I get super cranky. The baby just makes it worse.” Alyssa took a deep breath. “Come on, let me show you the gallery first before you go see Claire. Then you can be supportive.”
“Ok.” Aidan said giving Ella a look, mouthing to her 'Call Topher.' She slipped away as Aidan followed Alyssa. He froze as he saw “Through the Lens” etched above a wall full of different photos of different sizes all in black and white. “Wow,” he breathed quietly, walking closer to the pictures. The shots were locations that they had gone to, their little moments and some of her past that made her who she was. It was a mixture of love and darkness. His picture was largest amid all of the other pictures. She truly loved him. Aidan felt arms go around his waist as he smelled Claire's perfume.
“You look gorgeous, Baby Bear. This, all this, is amazing.” He kissed her and whispered in her ear. “I love you too.”
“You like it?”
“No. I love it. You are so talented that I can't believe you are with someone like me.” Claire blushed as he hugged her to him and kissed her. “Congratulations. You did this all on your own like you wanted and succeeded beautifully.”
Claire was happy that everyone was liking the show so far. She talked with what felt like a million people already as she made her way around the room. The reporters were brought in by Todd one at a time to ask her a few questions. Those questions and the night went by in a blur as she always kept an eye on Aidan as he walked around, looking at the art and talking to people he knew. He was a natural at navigating a room. She would have to quiz him on how to do that later because she felt like a piece of paper whipping around in the wind. She grabbed a glass of champagne and took a swig. She hated alcohol, but she needed it to survive the night. She was not big on this many people; it made her nervous.
The rest of the night went off without a hitch. The opening lasted an hour longer than Claire expected. She was glad as she ushered the final guest out of the gallery and locked the door. Now all she had to worry about were the reports that the reporters and critics would give her gallery. She would have to avoid computers and her phone even more than she already did.
Claire quickly rushed to the back as her nerves had her throwing up in one of the trashcans. She knew she should not have touched the champagne, but her nerves were fried. She walked upstairs and brushed her teeth. Coming downstairs she saw everyone cleaning up.
Claire smiled over at Aidan as he teased Topher about Alyssa's mood swings as she was completely out sitting in one of the chairs. “Leave her alone.” Claire teased as she finished putting the rest of the trash into one of the trash bags and closed it up. “All done. Let's get out of here,” Claire smiled as she wrapped her arm around Aidan's waist, looking up at him.
“Home sounds good to me.” Aidan kissed her forehead.
Chapter Twenty
“Please, come with me to the fundraiser tonight,” Aidan asked as he held his phone between his ear and shoulder, as he adjusted his bow tie.
“Aidan, you know I have to be at my gallery. It's the final night.” Claire said with a smile as she walked through the gallery, her phone in her hand. “I know it's been a long couple of months, and I haven't been there much, but this is the last night. Then Todd will take over and just sell my other artwork.”
“I could just blow this off...”
“Oh no, you don't. You're hosting the event. You have to be there.”
“I have P.R. people for that.” He sighed, but he knew she was right.
“Do me a favor?”
“Anything,” he said quietly.
“Keep on the tux ‘til I come home. I do love seeing you in it.”
Aidan laughed fully. A laugh reserved for just her and his family. She had finally peeled away some of his harshness’s in the four happy months that they had been together. For the first time in her life, she was purely happy.
“I think I can do that. See you when you get home, Ms. Henderson.” Claire giggled at the name. “You sure I can't pick you up? Take you to a late dinner?”
“No, when I'm finished, I just want to come home. Home to my Aidan.”
“Yes, I'm yours." He kissed her. "I have to get going.”
“Yes.”
“Hang up.” He commanded.
“Yes, sir.” She smiled as she ended the call. A smile was broad on her lips. 'When did she fall in love with
this guy? When had she turned to complete mush at just the mention of his name?' Her phone rang as she smiled, “Hi.”
“You just got off the phone with Aidan, didn't you?”
“You don't miss much, Alyssa,” Claire said with a smile. She knew that Alyssa approved of the match, at least with some convincing.
“So, you coming tonight?”
“No, it's my last night at the gallery.”
“Aww, come on. Let one of your workers handle that.”
“You’re almost as bad as Aidan. If he can't convince me, then you sure can't either.” Claire said with a smile remembering all the ways that Aidan tried to convince her to come to the event. Claire wanted to be at her gallery. She wanted to see people's faces as they looked at the paintings that held so much emotion and meaning too her. “Plus, I have to get them packed up and ready for shipping to their new owners.”
“Have you sold many?”
“I've sold almost all of them, except a few that I don't have for sale.”
“Seriously, Claire. You should sell them all. You don't have space for them. Oh, are you going to put them in Aidan's place?”
“Maybe. I do have a few plans for them. Plus, I have a few new pieces that I may add for sale if tonight is busy,” Claire smiled. One of the paintings was a gift to Alyssa and Topher for the baby's room. Another was a present for Ella's graduation. “Now, go get ready. I want pics of you in your dress.”
“Gees, Aidan's made you bossy.”
“Uh-huh,” Claire said with a grin. Claire's smile was still there as she hung up with her friend. When Alyssa got married, she thought that she would lose her, but in many ways, she felt even closer with Alyssa than she ever had. She knew that Alyssa was just a phone call away. Aidan had helped her to see that.
The night was perfect. Alyssa danced on the dance floor held tightly in Topher's arms. He led them off the floor, “Want a drink?” He asked low in her ear and she nodded. He walked away as Aidan strode up behind her.
