Children of the House of Four Seasons: Claire Biebe
by Atonia
Part 1- Drunk on Monday
John Biebe waited downstairs in the House of Four Seasons for Claire to finish packing up her gear. They were the last to leave, with no planes to catch there was no hurry. He felt bad for Claire, her holiday plans for her cousins…well they were brothers and a sister now…now that the secret was out, but her plans had been tossed aside…everybody was gone. She hadn’t wanted him to wait on her but he did anyway just to make sure she got off okay. She said she was going home to her apartment in Portland, he was going to make one last effort to get her to come home with him for awhile. Maybe if she talked to her mother…something had changed between them…he wasn’t her hero anymore.
He heard a door close and she came down the stairs with her bags, "Need some help?"
"No, Daddy I’ve got it."
He opened the door for her and closed it behind him turning slightly he closed his eyes for a moment. He’d loved this place…once.
Claire closed the back of her SUV and turned to see him coming down to the garage to his own vehicle. "I guess that’s it."
"I’m asking you to come home again, just for a while you don’t have to stay but I think you ought to talk to your mother about all this. It wasn’t all about me and your Aunt Toni."
Claire fiddled with her keys , "Okay…I’ll come for a little while."
John breathed a sigh of relief, "You want to follow me?"
"Yes sir, I’ll follow." Claire got in her vehicle and started the motor. She waited while he turned around and looked back at the House of Four Seasons…for the last time. She wished she could be like Jacky…leave it all here…leave the knowledge here about their origins and their relationships. What a complicated mess her family was. She pulled in behind him and left through the gates.
Then there was Maxi taken off on his own to God knows where, though Jacky had told her he’d gone to California. It had shocked her about Rose and Maxi not so much that they’d had sexual relations but that it had gone on for years. It hadn’t been that way with Jacky a few times that was all...well both visits. She felt so naïve so out of it. She was twenty three and what did she know where had she been…Canada…Alaska. Other than the time she’d spent in France she’d never gone anywhere on her on. She kind of envied Maxi his quest.
She chuckled to herself, get drunk on Monday…no Jacky I never have I’m working on Mondays or going to class. What a dull little bird I am…so dull I’m going home for my holiday. So dull…would Jacky think she was strange if he knew the only time she’d ever been to bed with a man was with him, she was glad she hadn’t said anything. They were all so…so worldly so much more experienced and she loved them all. What was he doing up there…oh gas.
"Pull up Claire I’ll fill yours too, take this card in and pay." John was at her window.
Claire went in and paid for the gas and bought a couple bottles of water. It was going to be a long drive to Belfast.
It was late when they arrived at the family home, Claire took her bags upstairs and washed up then went down to find her mother.
"Hi Mom."
"Hi Claire are you hungry there’s …"
"No we stopped in Camden and ate, how are you?" Claire sat in one of the comfortable chairs in the den.
Donna cut the TV off, "I’m fine…how are you I’m sorry about your vacation."
"Yes me too, it might have been fun anyway but everybody’s daddy showed up."
"Your daddy said you were pretty upset about it all, upset with him. Honey you have to understand he had no control over that…when he was called to the house, it never affected us at all. When we came out of the movie it was hard at first because I didn’t know what was going on but then after we went to the house and I met everybody and was told the truth…it was better it was good between me and your daddy. We were able to have you. I’m glad it all happened even the Toni thing because if she hadn’t asked for John and fallen in love with him nothing that followed for us would have happened."
"It was just a shock, you know to find out he was a movie character. I really liked him though in his movie."
"So did I." Donna smiled. "I still do."
"I know Mom…so do I." she smiled. "I probably need to tell him that. I told him I wasn’t his princess anymore…" she looked down at her hands.
"That must have hurt, Claire…you’re something special to him you know."
"Yes, well I still think I’ve passed the princess stage Mom, I’m 23 now. It’s time I grew up don’t you think?"
"Just don’t grow away from us."
"No…no I won’t do that but…something has to change for me."
"What do you mean?"
"I’m not living in the real world, I feel like I’m living in one of those glass cases we got for my doll collection. I’ve got to break out do something different."
"Claire this is real life, it’s not always as exciting as going to the movies. You’ve got plenty of time dear, get your education behind you…" she smiled at her daughter.
"I’m 23 I’ve been doing that since I was 5 years old. If I wasn’t in school I was going to lessons somewhere else, dance, music and skating. You know what Mom, I can’t remember the last time I danced for fun or skated just because it was a good day for it. I’ve never been drunk on Monday."
Donna laughed a little, "I’m not sure drunk on Monday is something to aspire to."
"But it is, Mom…it is."
Claire went up to her room with its glass fronted display cases for her dolls, a wall covered with her medals and photos of her accomplishments, her bronze Olympic medal. Her room was neat and orderly as always like her life all neat and orderly everything in its place, everything planned and lined up in a row. She took her bag and dumped her clothes out scattering them from one end of her room to the other.
Later she picked them all up and put them in their proper place.
"Did you talk to her?" John asked
"Yes, I think she’s okay with you John she sounds bored to me. It’s a shame her vacation turned out like it did I think she really needed one. You know what she said that she’d never been drunk on Monday."
John looked at Donna, he understood exactly what Claire meant, what she wanted…drunk on Monday that’s what he felt like when he’d gone to the House for a season, freedom, a chance to be what you want to be and not what was expected of you. A chance to break out of the mold.
"Monday’s come around every week…" He looked out of the window toward the bay.
Claire came down for breakfast the next morning, John was still at the table reading the paper, "Morning Pri…Claire"
"Good morning," she glanced at him and poured herself a cup of coffee and took it over to the table. "I’m sorry for what I said to you at the House of Four Seasons. I’m too old to be a princess anymore, Daddy but I’m still your daughter, and I still love you."
John smiled, "That’s what I wanted to hear, I don’t want to lose you Claire you mean too much to me."
"No chance of that. I think I’m going home today I can use this time off to clean out my cabinets and closets. You wouldn’t believe the mess they are in."
"Sorry about your vacation…it looks like you might be driving home in the rain did you get your wipers changed out like I told you to?"
"Yes sir and the oil changed and the tires checked," she smiled across the table.
"Well you know I’m not around down there in Portland to take care of your vehicle, or you so be careful on the road. Call me when you get home."
"Yes Daddy," she grinned.
John watched as she drove out of the driveway up to the highway, a final wave and he put his hands in his pockets and walked back toward the house.
Part 2 Drunk on Wednesday
Just south of Belfast the rain set in, it was mostly a light drizzle just enough for the windshield wipers to make an occasional swipe, the roads were wet though. Claire had a CD playing, something sexy and bluesy, Joss Stone. The red car caught her eye off on the side of the road she slowed to pass and the man standing against it stuck out his thumb and smiled as she went by. Drunk on Monday…she stopped and backed up, a nice little red sports car, clean cut looking guy. What could happen? Never in her life had she picked up a hitchhiker but he wasn’t really, he had the hood up…car trouble in the rain. She was being a good citizen, helping out someone in need.
She rolled the window down, "Hi, car trouble?"
"Yes, just quit running, think you could give me a lift?"
"Okay," Claire smiled as he went to put the hood down on the car. He grabbed his bags from the back seat and stashed it in her back seat before getting in and buckling up.
"How far are you going?" he asked.
"Portland where are you headed?"
"Portland sounds good."
"About the car have you called someone to pick it up? Do we need to find a garage?"
He turned and looked at her, "It’ll be picked up." He settled into the seat. "Do you live in Portland?"
"Yes, live work and go to school there, how about you?"
"I don’t live in Portland."
"I can drop you somewhere else on the way…"
He smiled and she caught a glimpse of green eyes before turning her attention back to the road.
"Portland is fine. I’m surprised you stopped hasn’t anybody ever told you that was dangerous?"
"Yes actually my father has warned me about that ever since I’ve been driving, he’s a deputy sheriff in Belfast."
"Is he really…a cop. I don’t think I’ve ever met a cop’s daughter before. I’m Sam Donnelly by the way."
"Claire Biebe, nice to meet you. I’ve never picked up anyone before but it was raining and…you looked like you needed a lift." He was also handsome, she liked his deep soft voice. "Were you staying around here?"
"In other words what was I doing on the side of the road? I um came into Bar Harbor and was on my way south."
"I took the ferry once over to Nova Scotia, beautiful area."
He looked out of the window, "I’m sure it is."
"Oh if you don’t like the music there’s a case with CD’s under the seat."
"I like it, kind of fits a rainy day…and a beautiful woman."
Claire turned to see if he meant her, he was looking right at her she smiled a little.
"Were you working or on vacation?"
"Working."
"I’ve just had an unvacation."
"Hmm don’t think I’ve ever had one of those, how does it work?"
"You plan it get everybody there and then the place is unsuitable and everybody leaves and here I am back where I started from… at least I’ve got a little time before I start back to work."
"What kind of work do you do?"
"I work for an attorney in Portland. I’m a law student at the university, second year criminal law."
"A law abiding citizen, must run in your family?"
She chuckled, "I guess it does…what kind of work do you do?"
He pursed his lips for a moment, "I’m a trader I guess you’d say."
"Like stocks and bonds, do you work for a bank, I have an uncle that does that."
"No, no bank in particular.
"He manages all our accounts, he’s very good at it."
"Does he work in Portland?"
"Oh no, he’s affiliated with a bank in London but he lives in France."
"You must have sizable accounts to have a London banker to manage them."
"I don’t even know how much money we have, it’s not a subject we’ve ever discussed."
"Sorry, didn’t mean to pry."
"Oh no…it’s just that I’ve never had to think about it."
"Must be nice, not having to think about money."
"That was a rather expensive sports car you left on the side of the road."
"It wasn’t mine, I borrowed it."
"Oh."
"Why did you stop and pick me up?" he was curious.
"I don’t know…I guess because I’ve never been drunk on Monday."
He looked at her for awhile, "But it’s not Monday…you missed it."
"I know…I always seem to let it go by."
"Have you ever been drunk on Wednesday?"
She smiled, "No I don’t think so."
"Would you like to be?"
Claire glanced at him, his green eyes wide and serious, "Are you suggesting?"
"I’m asking unless you’ve got somewhere to be at a certain time…won’t Wednesday do?"
"I’m a long way from home…"
"So am I…"
"You never said where home was…"
"No I didn’t."
"How do I know I can trust you…"
"You don’t."
"I wouldn’t even know where to start…"
"Do you drink at all?"
"Yes."
"But not much, I’m thinking…what’s the next town coming up?"
"Camden," she swallowed.
"Then we’ll begin in Camden."
There was a light nervous fluttering in her chest when she pulled off the road and found a place to park. The rain here was a fine mist, he had a raincoat over his shoulders and she had her red hoodie. She locked the car but he’d taken the smaller of his bags with him, a leather satchel with a shoulder strap.
"I can put that in the trunk?"
"No I’ll carry it, if we’re going to be drinking don’t you think you should hand me your car keys?"
"Well, I’ll keep them."
"A sheriff’s daughter and a DWI?"
"Aren’t you going to drink?"
"Yes, but I’m a professional."
She started a slow smile and handed him her keys. "I’m putting myself in your hands, I’m trusting you."
He smiled and pocketed the keys.
They stopped first at a restaurant on the docks for lobster rolls and beer. Later they walked up to the main street and he looked in the pubs as they past finally settling on one and escorted her in. It was an old bar full of character and not done up for tourists. He found a booth in the back and they sat down.
"How do you want to do this?" he asked leaning across the table.
"What do you mean?"
"Beer takes longer, wine is quicker, liquor gives you a good ride."
She grinned, "I’d like liquor…a whiskey and ginger ale."
She was well into her third drink, he was nursing his second. "And I won a bronze medal…it’s hanging on my bedroom wall at my parent’s home. I never did much after that with skating. I started college and I’ve been there ever since. So you see how my life has been…like I’m following a damn map or something knowing exactly what comes next." He was easy to talk to he listened and was sympathetic and so good looking. "You aren’t married or anything are you…I’m not keeping you from wife and kids?"
"No, never been married and no kids that I know of," he smiled, his eyes crinkled in the corners when he smiled. "Tell me…what does come next for you?"
"Just the same thing…finish law school and go into practice."
"When do you play?"
"Play? You know, Sam I can’t remember the last time I just played. Even vacations are planned…even unvacations." She finished up her drink.
"Do you want another or move on to the next town?"
"What time is it?"
"Does it matter?"
"No, no it doesn’t…I’d like another."
Sam brought her another drink and had his topped up with water. "Here you go."
"I don’t think I want to go home…I’m afraid…afraid I’m going to wake up one day and be forty and never seen the sunrise over the ocean or set over an ocean or lived what’s between. Do you know what I’m saying…I just want something different"
"You’re safe Claire, you’ve got a safe life with no worries why would you want to stir that up. Maybe what’s between those oceans is not for you. You’ll finish school, get your degree marry some nice attorney and have a house full of kids someday. You’ll be living the American dream, look at you now you’ve got what half the population wants."
"But I’m dull," her hair hung over her face, "my life is dull. Do you know…I don’t even have a boyfriend because it’s not convenient right now. Because I think I wouldn’t have time for him…do you know the only guy I ever went to bed with was my cousin Jacky and that was…two years ago…dull..Sam…dull."
"You don’t have to go home tonight…there’s no one waiting for you not even a cat?"
"No, not even a cat…where would we go?"
We…"Do you care?"
"No…but you…you have to get to Portland…"
"I don’t’ have to get anywhere, no one is waiting for me that I want to see."
"You could surprise me?" She was beginning to slur her words a little.
"I could…do you like surprises?"
"Yes and I don’t get many…you know. I like you Sam."
"I like you too, finish your drink and we’ll get back on the road, who knows where we’ll end up."
"Hey…I like that…yeah who knows." She took a big drink from her glass and laughed.
Sam put his arm around her to steady her as they walked up the street to where the car was parked. He teased her about her condition, she laughed, he laughed with her.
Just outside of Portland near the airport he stopped at a Holiday Inn, paid cash for the room and carried her in, she’d passed out in Rockport.
Part 3
Sam laid her carefully on the bed removing her shoes and arranging her hair, she was beautiful. He could of course take advantage of the situation, it crossed his mind, lingered for a bit and moved on. She was a sweet girl. He’d brought her purse in and as he was what he was he went through it but he didn’t take anything.
He sat down and called the airport looking for a flight out to Miami, nothing until morning 6:30 was the first flight he could get. That wasn’t going to work for him, he looked at his watch, 7:30. He could get to Charlotte tonight or Atlanta, he booked a 9:00 to Atlanta. He thought he could get a room near the airport and be there for the first flight out in the morning. He made his travel arrangements and hung up the phone.
He pulled her keys out and tossed them on the desk in the hotel room. He took a shower and changed his clothes rolling the damp raincoat into a ball and sticking it down in his bag. He opened the mini bar and made himself a drink and sat down in the chair and watched her sleeping on the bed. All the things she’d told him running though his mind…drunk on a Monday he knew what she meant but he wasn’t sure he’d given her that Monday today still it was something out of the ordinary for her. Her phone started ringing in her purse and he got up and found it and turned it off.
Claire moaned a little on the bed and turned over. Sam took a long swallow of his drink and set the glass down and moved over to the bed intending to wrap the coverlet over her.
"Sham."
"Um hm"
She reached for him finding his arm and pulled him down on the side of the bed, her eyes only half open. "Sam…love me."
He smiled a little, how could he turn down that invitation, he had time before his flight.
Claire wasn’t quite herself, not quite in control of her emotions, he kissed her and it was good, her arm went around his neck and pulled him down on top of her as he found her she pulled him in, letting herself go taking him deeper and deeper within her. She had no thought except him and what he was doing with her, he was loving her and she returned it. She’d used her element quite without realizing it.
The little quick fuck Sam had intended turned into something else, something he had no control over. She pulled him into herself warm and loving he felt it all over his body and something within him gave over to her letting her warm him and love him he let himself go with her and she took him to a place from which there was no return.
He lay on top of her their bodies still connected he didn’t want to move to lose that connection, he kissed her again deeply.
"Umm," she said holding him tightly inside her but he slipped away, "Don’t move."
"I’m crushing you."
"No…oh Sam."
He looked into her eyes and rolled over bringing her with him. "Claire, my God, Claire" his arms tightened around her and he held her while the clock moved on. Later in the night he took her again and it was the same. He’d had sex with many women but he’d never experienced anything like her. He lay on his back staring at the ceiling knowing he’d missed his flight to Atlanta and knowing within four hours he’d have to get up and leave, he had to get to Miami and from there to his key, his safe haven. It was complicated now because of Claire she was like a drug he couldn’t live without.
She reached for him again and this time he woke her completely.
"Claire are you awake, can we talk?"
Claire blinked her eyes her body craving his, "Sam I don’t know…"
"I don’t either, I don’t understand it. Look um I can’t stay here…"
Claire was awake now and she looked over the bed and sat up a little, "Where are we?"
"In Portland, a hotel near the airport."
"I don’t remember coming here."
"No, you were asleep…drunk on Wednesday."
"Oh God, I was supposed to call my Daddy last night."
"Listen to me a minute…I have to leave this morning there’s a 6:30 flight to Miami I have to be on it. I don’t want to leave you but I can’t stay here."
"Why, why can’t you stay Sam?"
"I…I just can’t…I know this is crazy…will you come with me?"
"Come where…to Miami?"
"Not exactly but near there."
"No," her arms went around him ,"No you can’t go. I didn’t know I needed you, I don’t even know you but I can’t let you go."
"Then come with me."
She looked at him for a moment, "today…now. Oh…Sam…"
"I know…I wasn’t on your road map of life…you weren’t on mine either. You said you wanted something different well by God you’ve got it…as far from life as you know it can get."
"I’ll need to let my Daddy know…"
He placed a finger on her lips, "No…you can’t tell him where you’re going. He doesn’t need to know. Later we can work something out but not now. Right now I need to get out of this state. Come with me."
"I don’t know where I’m going…"
"But you’ll go…"
"I have to be with you…"
"Then you’ll have to come, now this morning."
"Sam I can’t just fly off with you, I…I have a job and…and school to finish."
Sam pulled away from her, "And that attorney to marry, the house in the suburbs." His eyes had a pleading look, "think about it, Claire is that what you really want…to be a number in a phone book."
"Who are you…what are you?"
"I’m not sure you’re ready to hear that but does it matter?"
She placed a hand on his chest and realized he was hers, when had…she’d used her element the one Jacky had shown her…with this man whom she didn’t know. "I don’t think it matters…you’re already mine…I’ve made you mine."
"Ha, yes you have otherwise I wouldn’t be practically begging you to come with me…Claire?"
She took several quick breaths, "Yes…this turns everything…my whole life upside down…all my plans everything I’ve worked toward and sacrificed my personal life for I’m about to throw it all away for someone I picked up on the side of the road, someone I don’t even know except that somehow I’m helplessly in love with you. How does this happen…Sam what have you…?"
"It wasn’t me it was you, you took me somewhere Claire, somewhere I’ve never been and I want to go back there again and again and again. I know we’re worlds apart but something …bridged the gap."
"What time is it now?"
Sam looked over his shoulder at the bedside clock, "4:20 we have to be at the airport an hour before the flight, I’ve got to book it yet."
She ran a hand over her hair, "Okay I need to um shower…I’ve got clothes in the car in my bag…and some aspirin." She looked up at him.
"Got a headache?"
She smiled, "Yes, I probably should get it examined…in Miami."