The Unexpected Partner

Chapter 3

Claire slowly opened her eyes and turned on the unfamiliar bed. Where am I? She looked around the room to see Liliann's mannequins and dresses. She also saw Liliann sleeping on the green sofa. Looking out the window, she noticed the night sky and the empty town.

"I can't believe I fell asleep!" She scolded herself. Father must be so worried; he's going to think I got abducted!

"Liliann!" She whispered. Liliann didn't budge, she just continued to snore. Claire decided not to wake her up.

She quietly grabbed the flour and fruit that she had bought, and the dress Liliann had sold to her at a discount price. You're so pretty, Claire thought looking at the purple fabric. If it wasn't for Liliann, Claire wouldn't have any nice clothes.

Quietly exiting the room, she closed the wooden door and tiptoed down the stairs but before she made it on the first floor, someone's loud voice stopped her. "Stop right there!"

Claire turned around and saw Grant pointing a shotgun at her. "Woah!" She exclaimed, "Sir, what are you doing? It's me, Claire!"

He held up the candle. "Claire?" He asked confused, "What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" Before Claire had a chance to answer him, his face turned sour. "You're here to rob me, aren't you?" He yelled. "I knew you couldn't be trusted."

Is this man insane? She thought to herself. He looked insane in his nightshirt. Definitely not a sight for sore eyes.

"No, no, I'm not here to rob you. I was with Liliann, and I must have fallen asleep, but I really need to get home now."

"It's the middle of the night, you're going home now?" Grant didn't look convinced.

"Yes, I can manage. I need to go home, my father is probably worried, I've been here for nine hours."

"Alright...," he paused for a little before saying, "be careful!" Before she could say thank you, he continued, "Take this," he walked down the stairs and handed her a sharp penknife. "Don't be afraid to use it!"

Claire wanted to laugh at his seriousness but knew that he wouldn't understand why she was laughing. "Thank you, sir," she said in all seriousness, walking down the rest of the stairs and out the doors of the general store. She stepped into the night air. Cold night air with empty streets. Thank God the full moon was giving out some light, she thought to herself. If it wasn't for the light of the moon, she would not be able to get home.

She felt nervous thinking about how she left her father alone all this time, but she did leave a note saying that she was going to the general store. Why hadn't he checked up on me if I had been missing for so long? She felt a little disappointed that he had not come to look for her. He must have been very tired, she reassured herself.

Seeing Fancy on the post, Claire smiled and rubbed her head. "I'm sorry, baby, we'll go home right now, and you can get your food." She climbed on top of the horse, put her haversack on the side and rode through the town towards her cottage in the meadows. She didn't really care about riding her horse in town because there was not a single soul around to judge her.

Going into the grass area, she galloped on top of Fancy, screaming in the empty fields, and liking the freedom that no one could hear her. She didn't get scared of the night rides because she knew the area she lived in did not have muggers and money stealers. She understood that and because of it, felt comfortable even in the middle of the night. If anyone saw her, they would think she's crazy. The middle of the night? A lady? That's absurd! Well, not to Claire.

She rode fast for a few minutes before her cabin came into view. The oil lamps outside the cottage were not lit like how they usually were every night. That's strange, she thought, father always leaves the lamps on. Maybe he did go to the sheriff! Just the thought of her dad going to the sheriff to report her missing made her jolt Fancy and rush towards her home.

Once she reached the small cottage, she jumped off Fancy and brought it to the back where she tied the reins around the post. Fancy quickly started eating the hay in the bucket.

Claire ran to the front door, yanked it open and ran in, "Father?" She yelled softly in case he might be sleeping. "Father," she yelled again, seeing that he wasn't on the sofa. She went to the kitchen and saw that the food she made for her dad was untouched. He always eats my food after he gets home from work, she thought to herself, feeling very worried now. She brushed off the worry by telling herself that he might have made his own food. Although that was hard to believe. Her father could not cook to save his life.

"Papa!" She yelled a little louder, yanking the door to his bedroom and seeing that the bed was made neatly just like the prior morning. She checked her bedroom, the washroom, and the rest of the house but there was one in sight. Out of desperation, she went outside to check the outhouse. No one was in there either.

Where is he? She asked herself. Every single day, he has come home. Where is he today? Claire tried to remain calm, but she felt in her bones that something was wrong. She contemplated going to his mine, but she didn't know where exactly it was located. And the mountains could get unpredictable and scary at night, especially with the wild animals.

She went inside the house and locked the door behind her, feeling a little spooked because she's never been home alone at night. Sitting on the sofa, Claire looked at the pocket watch, it read 2:00 o'clock, in the morning. Bad thoughts pervading her mind, but she shook her head as if that would keep them out.

Taking a few breaths, she decided that she would wait until dawn before she would ride her horse to the mountain to ask about her father. With that in mind, her sleep still did not come. The only thing that came were horrible scenarios about what might have happened to her father.

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"Where there is hope, there is life." -Anne Frank 

Just a little quote for encouragement. Never lose sight of your dreams and of all the good things to come. And trust me, good things will come. Happiness will come. Just keep living and holding on, despite what life brings.