A Love Worth Fighting For

Ch. 5

A/N at the end

It's been two weeks since Clay and I had our fight. We've hardly spoken since. We were both hard headed and thought the other would apologize first. It was tense in the house and I stayed away from Clay as much as I could. I was still sleeping in the guest room and I still cried myself to sleep.

It was Friday night and I was cleaning the kitchen up after supper. The kids have picked up that something was wrong but has not really said anything to either of us. When Brent was around, he got the cold shoulder from me all the time.

After I finished cleaning the kitchen, I got a text from Hannah telling me that her friend Morgan needed some help with something and asked if she could stay the night. I knew that she was looking for an excuse to stay away from the house. Not that I blamed her.

Mikey told me this morning that he would be spending the night with his friend and they were going to the skating rink tonight and probably the arcade tomorrow. I told him that was okay and I would see him later. I secretly wished I could go somewhere also.

"I'm sorry," Clay said from behind me after he walked in from the garage. "I know you love me and I shouldn't have questioned it," he stepped closer to me.

I put the dishrag that was in my hand back in the sink and I held my head down. I could feel the heat from his body as he stepped up to me but he wasn't yet touching me. Soon I felt his arms wrap around me.

"You need help," I whispered.

"I'll think about it," he answered, kissing my neck before turning me around and against his chest. "I don't want to fight like that again."

"Me either," I said, wrapping my arms around him.

"I don't blame you for not wanting to wear your ring..."

"That's not it, Clay. I want to wear it but..." I trailed off.

"But what?"

"It doesn't feel right," I whispered. He tightened his arms around me.

"I know and I'm sorry. We were already suppose to be married. I don't deserve you at all, Claire, but I am so thankful that you're still here."

"Don't give me a reason not to be."

Life with Clay was up and down since he got home and didn't have to go back. Yes, he finally admitted that he suffered trauma but he still wasn't taking steps to get help. It was either good days, bad days or horrible days.

Once again, things seemed to be turning back to a somewhat normal with us. On top of him helping me in the kitchen again, we would cook together, bake cookies and sit and actually watch movies.

It was a new weekend and Clay has been happier, it seemed. The kids wanted to stay home this weekend so that was always a good sign. I also knew that Brent would be spending most of the weekend here. I still wasn't talking to him. I don't think I've ever stayed this upset with anyone, ever. I did t even set a plate out for him when it was supper time. Was I being salty? Sure was and I wasn't ashamed of it. He was just as hard headed as Clay and I knew he was waiting for me to apologize but I wasn't going to.

When Saturday morning rolled around, the kids and I went to visit my grandparents. Hannah and Mikey loves Nan and Pop.

To my surprise, Lacey and Zander was there also. This was the first time I got to see one of my sisters for several months. Lacey, of course was showing off her engagement ring and telling us that they would be getting married in about a year and a half. By that time, Zander would be graduating law school and where his father was already an established lawyer in Hartford, he basically had a job waiting for him.