Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi or any of the characters mentioned in this story. Please read and review. For your information, this is a one-shot. So don't expect more out of this one. Enjoy.
FAMILY
Clare sat in the living room, using the laptop. Her tongue out in concentration as she furiously typed away. Taking a moment away from her typing, she turned her attention to the two adults coming downstairs. She sighed as they began their argument. She resumed typing, shaking her head as she did so.
"Clare, honey?" called her mother, "What are you typing?"
Clare glanced up at her mother, and smiled. "Just a paper for English…" She said.
It wasn't that big of a lie; She did need to type up a paper for English but this wasn't it. Her mother only nodded and carried on towards the kitchen.
As her mother was preparing coffee, her husband walked down with a suitcase in his hands.
Her mother sighed, placing her hands on her hips. "Don't tell me you're going to work, again."
Her father gave her mother one glance before retorting "Life doesn't revolve around you, Helen."
As her parents continued bickering, Clare just typed away, trying to ignore them but after a while of listening to them, she just couldn't hold it anymore.
She cleared her throat before screaming. Before she met Eli, she would have never thought of screaming at the top of her lungs. When she closed her mouth and stopped screaming, both her parents were staring at her. Her mother had a horrified expression on her face, and her father was rubbing his temple.
In astonishment, her mother exclaimed, "Clare!"
"Young lady, what on earth caused you to yell like a…" her father began but was at a lost for words. Either way, Clare cut them off.
She stood up from the chair she had been sitting on. Crossing her arms, she shook her head.
"Sometimes, I wonder who's actually the adult around here." she muttered. "Can't you two go five minutes without fighting?"
"We are not fighting" her mother denied, "We were disagreeing." Her father stayed mute.
"Dad?" Clare asked, turning towards her father.
Her father sighed, pulling at his hair. He walked towards the couch, and sat down.
"I guess it's time I confess, huh?" her father whispered, staring at his hands.
"Dad, what are you talking about?" Clare asked, fearing the answer. Her mother bit down on her bottom lip, fearing that her suspicions were correct.
"Work is hectic these days…" he began, "I'm this close of losing my job…" He sighed, slumping back into the cushions of the couch. "I've been working extra hours in order to keep my job."
"But, why didn't you tell us, dad?" Clare asked, confused.
He sighed. "I didn't want to worry you, pumpkin."
"But, I was already worrying. I was worrying that my parents were going to have a divorce or something." cried out Clare.
Now, her mother sighed. "Clare…" she whispered. When Clare turned to look at her, she went on. Cupping her daughter's chin, Helen promised "I promise you, your father and I won't be having a divorce anytime soon. So, don't be such a worrywart."
Clare nodded, feeling tears approaching, she blinked them away.
"I miss this." Clare whispered, softly.
"What do you mean, Clare?" her father asked, smiling slightly at his youngest.
Gesturing to her parents and then herself, Clare explained "I miss hanging out as a family."
"We hang out, Clare." Her mother urged.
Clare shook her head, disagreeing. "I know but it's never like this. Never do we all three hang out as a family anymore. Dad is usually at work, and you're always mostly in church for fundraisers."
"I have to earn money for this family, Clare." her father pointed out.
Helen nodded, and added "You could always accompany me to the fundraisers, Clare."
Again, Clare shook her head. "I know but," She turned to look at her father, "With you working all the time," she then looked at her mother, "And you always doing fundraisers," she sighed, "There's hardly anytime to spend as a family anymore."
Her parents looked down in shame.
"I'm sorry, Clare." whispered her mother, "I guess I got so wrapped into these church fundraisers that I forgot that my family comes first." Clare just nodded, blinking away tears.
"I'm sorry too, Clare." added her father in the same tone, "I should have made time for you. I'm sorry I have been too busy for you. Will you ever forgive me?"
Clare glanced down for a moment, and smiled. She lifted her head to look at her parents, and nodded.
"I already have." she told them. Her parents smiled at her, and offered out their hands to her, and she complied, embracing them in a hug. When she pulled back, she whispered "I love you guys."
"I love you as well, Clare" her father replied.
Helen nodded, smiling. "Love you, Clare."
Her father glanced at the laptop, and said "Well, I guess your mother and I shall leave you to your English paper."
Glancing from her parents to the screen and back, Clare whispered "I think I can finish that later. Right now, I want to spend time with you guys."
Her parents nodded, and her father said "I guess, I'll call in to tell them I won't make it tonight."
"What about your job?" Helen gasped.
Her father stared at her for a long time before whispered, "Family is more important now."
Her mother smiled. Both of her parents leaned in, and locked their lips in a kiss.
Glancing at her parents, Clare beamed. She typed one more thing on the laptop before saving the document.
The document that she wrote:
- Clare Edwards here. Seems my parents never stop arguing. No matter how silly the problem may be, they always find a way to make it huge. Sometimes I lay on my bed, wondering who is really the adult in this house. Because from where I'm standing, they're not being very mature.
Oh, goody. They're walking downstairs. Could they be any louder? Isn't it bad enough that I know something is up and they're trying to deny it? Now they have to actually give me something to worry about? When will their screaming end? How far will they go?
I'm trying to tune them out as I type but it's getting harder every passing second. I have had enough of this nonsense. They're going to hear what I feel and think, they like it or not. I screamed. Loud. That got their attention. Now to make them see my point of view.
-Clare E.
PS.
I'm back! Guess what? I talked to them. And everything seems to be better now. -Smile face-
-Document over-
"Clare, honey" called her mother, "Your father and I are going to go get some ice cream. You coming?"
Clare glanced up at her parents, and smiled. "Sure."
She closed her laptop shut, and set it on top of the side table. She stood up, and walked towards her parents. Together as a family, they walked out the door.
Author's note:
Well, what did you think? I don't know Clare's father's name? Anyone happen to remember it? Anyways, please review? No flames, though. Thank you.