MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: VALENTINE'S IDEAL FAMILY
"That sounds terrific," Thought Clary. "Just you, your comatose wife, your shell-shocked son and a daughter who hates your guts. Yeah, that sounds like a perfect family reunion,"
"We're nearly there now!" Valentine looked round at his two teenage children, seventeen-year old Ja ce, sitting in a fetal position, and fiery-haired Clary, with her arms firmly crossed and glaring angrily out of the car window at the passing bare meadows and skeletal trees. Valentine smirked and turned back to the wheel again.
"We're going to have such a lovely day, aren't we, darling?" he said to his permanently unconscious wife Jocelyn, lying slumped in her seat, mouth gaping wide open dribbling saliva down her nightie. His smile more strained, he continued to drive the tensely silent car. After about twenty awkward minutes, the vehicle came to a stop.
Valentine got out and opened up the trunk of the car and pulled out a fold-up wheelchair for Jocelyn to slouch in. He carried her out and dumped her in the chair, fastening the strap across her waist so she wouldn't slide out.
Valentine opened the door on Jace and Clary's side.
"Come out now, children, its time to enjoy the wonderful summer heat!" Jace obediently scrambled out, chewing hard on his knuckles. Clary followed him, stomping her feet down on the gravel and slamming the car door shut with all her might. Valentine shook his head in dismay.
"Oh dear, Clary," he sighed. "You must learn to control that temper of yours,"
"You can't tell me what to do," Clary spat at her father. Every day she always made sure to let him know how much she loathed him. Turning away, she linked her arm with Jace's and began to make off down the path into the fields.
"Wait for us!" Valentine yelled after them. He grabbed the handles of Jocelyn's wheelchair and wheeled her into the long grassy field to follow the children.
They soon came across a clearing leading out towards a bright sandy beach with a clear blue sea overlooking in the distance. Clary and Jace were sitting down on the sand together, holding hands.
Valentine felt a slight twinge of guilt deep in his stomach as he looked over at them, but then quickly covered it up. He couldn't afford to think like that. He wheeled Jocelyn over to them and sat down beside them, his bright false smile planted on his face again.
"Doesn't that look beautiful?" he said. Jace mumbled a reply and glanced a nervous look at Clary, who silently mouthed something in his ear, to which a grin spread across his face. Valentine was surprised. He hadn't seen Jace crack a smile for years. He usually remained silent and hid curled up in the corner, tormented by the memories of his shadow hunter days.
Valentine shook his head again and patted Jocelyn's knee. "Wanna try to open your eyes for me honey?" Jocelyn didn't stir. Valentine sighed and placed his hands on his ankles. He looked at his children again.
"The sea," he whispered, mainly to himself. "It's so calming. So still. Never-ending, I would say, almost poetic. Is it no?" Not expecting an answer, Valentine almost jumped out of his tightly stretched skin in surprise when he heard Jace suddenly speak.
"Yeah...It is,"
THE END
