Clawen • What comes next

|| CHAPTER 44 ||

"Maisie could you come down here for a second" Claire yelled from the kitchen, where she was sitting with her laptop. A minute later, Maisie came down as asked and found Claire. "What" She asked, sounding a little out of breath. "I told you not to run down the stairs sweetie. You're going to hurt yourself one day" Claire told the girl who nodded, understanding what Claire was saying and promised not to do it again. "So, what did you call me down for?" Maisie asked, jumping up to sit on the counter, next to Claire's laptop. She looked down at her mom with curious eyes. Claire hesitated, before she started speaking. "Remember I talked about school, some time ago?" Maisie's face fell, understandingly, Claire thought. "I contacted a few in the area" She continued. Maisie's whole body slowly folded in on itself. She sat on the counter with hanging shoulders, as Claire told her that one of the schools had asked for them to come in for a meeting. Maisie didn't try to argue, because she knew she had to go to school, besides Owen and her had made that deal in the forest. "The one closest, asked if we could come in tomorrow" Claire then said, placing a hand on Maisie's knee and giving it a squeeze.

The next day, they headed to the school right outside the city. It wasn't a long drive so they were there 10 minutes early. Claire walked through the front door with Maisie's hand in hers and Owen's hand on her back for support. They managed to find the offices pretty easily and sat down on the chairs in the hallway. 10 minutes later, a woman appeared from behind a wall and walked over to greet them.

"You must be Mr. and Mrs. Dearing" She said holding her hand out for them both to shake. Owen corrected her, feeling like it was important that the school knew their real names and situation. She quickly apologized and turned to the girl clinging to Claire's hand. "You must be Maisie" She said to which Maisie nodded. Claire nudged Maisie to take the woman's hand. She did, followed by the smallest 'hi' in the history. She woman smiled politely at Maisie and then up and Claire and Owen. "Its normal to be nervous, don't worry its going to be fine" She told them, but mostly Maisie, sending a tiny wink her way, which calmed Maisie down a little.

She showed them into the principal's office, where a woman with long dark hair and slightly darker skin, was sitting behind the desk. The lady from before, introduced them to the principal and left the room, closing the door after her. The woman behind the desk stood up and held out her right hand. "Maggie Sawyer" She introduced herself. Her exterior looked very professional, with a pair of slacks and black blazer. The outfit was quite intimidating but her voice and greeting, was softer than Claire had expected. As if her outfit was to gain respect of her coworkers/employees, while her personality was quite the opposite. Much like Claire herself. Owen noticed this as well and reminded himself to mention that to Claire later.

The meeting went rather smoothly, with Maggie asking into why Maisie hadn't been to school before. Claire was quick to tell that Maisie had been homeschooled for the bigger part of her life and was ready to go to an actual school. Maggie asked more into their situation, trying to hint that she was aware that Maisie was adopted, without letting Maisie know, in case she wasn't aware herself. Owen noticed and decided to get that part over with. Maggie was very welcoming with that part, as well as them not being married. It didn't matter to her at all, what mattered was if Maisie was ready and would be able to keep up in school.

An hour later, Maggie leaned back in her chair and smiled back at them. "I think you would fit right in, Maisie" She said. Claire smiled and looked over to Owen to share her happiness with him. Maisie was never going to tell them, but she herself smiled a bit at getting accepted as well. It had all seemed to scary and new, when Claire had first mentioned it. But after having met the nice lady from before and having spent the last hour with this Maggie person. A lot of her fears and flown away.

"So, Maisie, I'm thinking we all go take a look around the school and show you your classroom. Then we figure out when you start" Maggie said and looked up at Claire and Owen for confirmation.

They walked around the whole school, showing the halls where the specific grades were at. Maggie showed them the library, cafeteria, biology, chemistry and so on. Eventually, they came up with a date for Maisie to start, which fit both their schedule and the schools. Maggie had noticed that Claire was pregnant, and told them that they could take as much time as they needed, seeing as things were changing at the moment. Both Claire and Owen appreciated Maggie's kindness and everything she was willing to do, to make sure that Maisie had a good start.

"So, I will see you all in a couple of weeks, I presume" Maggie said smiling, as they shook their goodbyes.

Seeing as they were basically they ones who had dragged Maisie through those couple of hours. Owen suggested that they went into the city to grab something to eat, at Maisie's favorite diner.

After they ordered their food, Maisie wanted to clear a few things up. "Dad?" She asked nervously. He turned his head to look at her, asking her silently to tell what was on her mind. "Will you still stay outside, on my first day?" She asked. Claire looked over at Owen questioningly. Feeling her eyes on him, he turned to look at her, realizing he sort of forgot to mention that part to her. "Care to explain?" Claire asked, arms folded on the table. He reached up to scratch his neck, not knowing why he was so nervous. This was for Maisie after all, to make it easier to start school. "I might have promised Maisie that we stayed in the parking lot the first day of school" He explained, desperately trying to avoid her eyes.

She tilted her head at him. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked. Owen couldn't tell if she was mad or trying to act like she wasn't. Maybe she was totally okay with it, but that didn't seem like Claire. "It just slipped my mind. I'm sorry honey, I didn't mean to keep it from you" He said, having made a quick decision to start off by apologizing and making it sound sincere, in case she was extremely pissed.

She tilted her head to the other side and smiled at him. He knew that smile. It was the reassuring smile, the smile that told him, he had nothing to worry about. Despite what their previous co-workers might have thought, Claire was more than capable of smiling. She smiled more often than not and she had a lot of different ones. The forced one, was often used back at the park, when she was trying to keep herself from kicking whatever sexist man in a 60-year-old suit, was standing in front of her, right in the crotch.

He had been on the receiving end of the reassuring smile often, and it had never proved anything but the fact that it worked, really well.

He relaxed instantly, as she reached a hand out to hold his. "It's fine Owen, I believe you" She said, still with the same smile, and sending one Maisie's way as well. She leaned back in her seat and said. "So, I guess we have to find something interesting to do in a car for half a day".

I know I still haven't gotten back to uploading daily, but I haven't been that in to writing as I was before. Not that I'm going to end this book anytime soon, I'm just trying to explain why there is less updates. I'm really trying because I am aware that what many of you like, is that I upload as often as I do. But I want to have at least two chapters in advance when I upload. Excuse my way of thinking...

I hope you liked it anyways.

Also I left a little easter egg in there, which none of you will notice probably lol. It's not Jurassic related so let me know if you think you know it.