Clawen • What comes next

|| CHAPTER 67 ||

"You sure you will be alright on your own?" Claire asked with Charlie in her arms, on their way out to the car. "I'll be okay mom, I'm 13" She said, a smile plastered over her face. Claire made a nervous sound before turning around and reluctantly walking to the car where Owen was waiting.

They were taking Charlie to a checkup and Maisie had asked if she could stay home. Claire had told her no, instantly. Her argument being that she had never tried it before and that she was still so young. Owen on the other hand, still being wary about it, told her yes. Told Claire that she had to try it eventually and that 13, was not too young for a small hour.

After they left Maisie by herself, Owen could sense how nervous Claire was, throughout the whole drive and at the doctor's office. He had to admit, it made him a little nervous as well, but hopefully he hid it well.

At home, Maisie was having the time of her life. Not that she minded her parents being home or Charlie for that matter. But having the house all to yourself, just for an hour even, was quite nice. She watched some TV with the volume way louder than she was allowed to. Found a popsicle in the freezer and ate it without asking. She even decided to be a daredevil and run down the stairs, like Claire had told her many times not to. She ended up regretting that.

On her way downstairs, she ran as fast as her legs would take her. At one of the last steps, she tripped and went tumbling to the floor. For a second, she just laid there but then the pain hit. She couldn't figure out exactly where. If it was her leg or her shoulder or maybe the hand she took off with. Thinking twice about it, she didn't know if she had time to reach her hand out. Her first instinct was to call her parents, cry for help. But right as she opened her mouth, she remembered the tiny fact, that they weren't home. They weren't close to her and there was no one to help her. She was all alone.

The crying had silently started from all the pain, but realizing she was by herself made it worse. She tried to get herself to sit up at some point but her body told her no. So, she stayed on the floor, praying that they would come home soon. She then got reminded that she had her phone and that she could probably get in touch with her dad. Right she found hope, she remembered that she left her phone in her room and there was no way she was getting up those stairs.

After what felt like forever with no sound of a car pulling up, Maisie tried to sit up, even stand up. She got herself in an upright position but wen she tried standing, her legs buckled. More like her right leg, or was it her ankle? She quickly collapsed into the bottom step of the stairs and put an arm behind her for balance as she leaned against the wall.

Her crying had calmed down and she was more relaxed but it still hurt like hell. At this point, she had figured out that it was her right ankle and her right wrist. She probably did try to stop herself when she fell.

It felt like hours had gone by and when she finally heard the wheels on the gravel, she wanted to stand up. To run to them and tell them to never leave her again. But then she remembered, that she was incapable of doing anything like that.

Thus, she stayed on the stairs, silently sobbing until her parents entered the house.

"Maisie, we're home" Owen half yelled out. Claire walked around the corner to go upstairs and put Charlie to bed, while Owen got rid of their things. As Claire turned the corner, she felt her heart drop. It didn't take more than a moment, before Claire was down on one knee, resting Charlie on the other. She saw Maisie's eyes and the dried-out tears on her cheeks, pants and sleeves.

"Maisie what happened?" She asked terrified. She looked at Maisie, examined every part of her body, calling for Owen as she did so. He came rushing in and bent down just like Claire, to get to Maisie's height. "Maisie what happened?" He asked, just like Claire. The girl sniffled, as she pulled herself together slightly.

"I em...I fell down the stairs" She whispered and started sobbing. She wanted to climb into Claire's embrace and hide in her arms for the next couple of days. Everything hurt and she just wanted to be in her mom's arms. She made a small move for it before she noticed Charlie on Claire's leg. She glanced at her baby sister quickly before returning her eyes to the floor.

Claire seemed to understand what Maisie wanted and quickly handed Charlie to Owen, who then walked past them to go put Charlie in her crib.

"Maisie sweetheart, come here" Claire said, whispering the last part. Maisie was quick to snuggle into her arms, before wincing in pain, having totally forgotten about her injury. "Sweetie, are you hurt?" Claire asked, her voice sounding nervous yet again. "Where? Show me!" She said, almost demanding the last part. Maisie reached for her right wrist and then for her right ankle and sniffled. Claire looked at the spots and sighed sadly. "We're going to get dad to look at it. See if you have to go to the ER" She said and Maisie sniffled with a small nod.

When Owen came down the stairs, he found his girls, still sitting as he left them. "Owen honey, can you look at her wrist and ankle. She says she hurt them when she fell" Claire said and scooted to the side to make space. Owen kneeled in front of Maisie and asked. "What wrist?" She reached her right one out for him to take and he did. Turning it in his hands before going for her ankle.

"The wrist is just bruised but I think we better get to the ER with that ankle. It doesn't look too good" He said, turning to look at Claire. They both send each other a sad look, knowing the nightmare of the ER and being very aware that Maisie would not like it one bit.

Maisie sniffled again before asking. "Right now?" Owen smiled sadly at her. "Yes, I'm afraid so...That's the point of the ER, it's for emergencies and this can't wait or its going to get worse" He said. "Okay" She whispered. Owen reached an arm out to hold into Maisie as she swung her own around his torso.

"Are you coming?" He asked Claire who didn't seem to be on her way out the door. "No, you guys can go. I think it will be better if I stay here with Charlie. Less fuss and stress, of course only if its okay with you sweetie" She said and looked towards Maisie who took a second to think about it but ended up nodding.

Yes, she wanted her mom there but she had her dad. It was just as good and she understood why it would be good to keep Charlie at home.

"Let's get you to the car then" Owen said, leaning over to give Claire a quick peck on the lips before leaving.

This good? Someone suggested that something happened, like someone got hurt or whatever and then other one suggested drama. I don't know how much drama this is but I got another idea from writing this.

Tell me if you liked it. I know most of the time, you don't really feel motivated to write a comment or you don't see a reason. But just write "I like" And I'll know I didn't mess up completely.