Chapter 10 Psyche

Odessa, Texas

Claire helped Peter to his room. He was exhausted when they got there. Therefore, she put him to sleep and went to see her son, before she could go in her bed too. Pete was awake and his hazel eyes looked at her. He reached hands so she could hug him. Claire pressed his warm baby body close to hers and inhaled his scent. He was so little and fragile. As fragile, as his father were now.

'How is my boy? Did you listen to daddy last night? Huh? Did you?' Claire cooed and saw his small face and his crooked smile. He was Peter's copy. She played with him and then fed him. Just as she finished with changing his diapers, her father knocked on the door.

'Claire-bear?' he called her.

'Come in!' she said and threw one dirty diapers in the special can. 'We are ready for sleep!' She said as her father walked in.

'Hi, honey!' Noah came closer and kissed her forehead.

'You can stop called me Claire-bear! It's too… childish…' she crooked her face and put Pete in the crib. He already yawned. Claire covered him with his baby blanket and he already slept.

'You always will be my child, Claire!' Noah said and looked at her strangely. Claire did not pay attention on that look. She stretched her back and yawned too. It was busy shift and she and Peter had talked almost all night. She needed some sleep now.

'Make it quick dad! I want to sleep now!' Claire said and unwrap the covers of her bed.

'Sure…' Noah rubbed his chin. 'You and Peter are really close.'

'Yes, we are…' Claire slipped in her bed and put the blanket over her tired body. 'So? What is your question?'

'Nothing, just…' Noah shrugged. 'We can talk later.' He said and saw that his daughter already slept. He could bet that Peter did the same. Noah had seen them entering in the house as he came back from work. They looked strange together. He could felt the pressure in the air. If they had not related, Noah easily could confuse them with a couple.

Noah shook his head. Too much crazy thoughts were running through his mind. He was tired too and he needed to sleep. Then maybe he would stop thinking such stupid stuff. How his daughter could fell in love with a man, who was her uncle? Claire would not do that. So as Peter. He was such a noble person…

Noah shook his head once again and went at his bedroom. He was delusional, nothing more. Peter and Claire were just very close. Nothing more, nothing disturbing… Noah fell asleep almost immediately.

Claire slept only two hours and woke up of a nightmare. She dreamt that Peter was missing and she could not find him. She had to see with her own eyes, that he still was here.

Claire sneaked in his room. Peter was sleeping like a baby. He breathed normally. Claire locked the door without thinking and slipped in his bed. Peter woke up immediately. He looked at her scared face and stroked her hair.

'What's wrong?' he asked harshly

'I had a nightmare…' she almost cried. Claire knew that she was acting like a baby, but she could not help it. 'I could not sleep now…'

'Claire…' his look jumped on the door. 'Your parents…'

'I locked the door! Hug me now! Please…' She pleaded. Peter looked at her and she thought that he would refuse it. Then he opened his arms and Claire snuggled in him with head on his chest. 'Mh-mm… That is better!' She murmured and felt how he covered her with his blanket. His arms wrapped around her and soon she fell asleep again.

Sandra was the only person, who was awake in the house. Two hours later, she entered in Claire's room to check her sleeping and saw that she was not there. Sandra frowned and walked out. Then she tried to open Peter's door, but found it locked.

'That girl is crazy!' she murmured with concerning. If Noah had noticed that… Sandra could not think of the consequences. He was already suspicious. What would have done if he looked Pete more closely… or when Peter was with him?

Sandra ran fingers through her hair and went downstairs just to see her son coming back from his trip. She sighed and hugged him. Now she had to figure out some cover story for Peter's presence in the house. Lyle never had met him. He did not know that he is Claire's relative. Sandra shivered and Lyle looked at her strangely.

'What is it mom? You look strange.' he asked and Sandra forced one smile on her face.

'It's nothing. Just I'm happy to see you here again.'

Lyle shrugged and they both sat on the sofa.

'Well, I won't be home for long.'

'Why?' Sandra looked at him strangely.

'Our team is on top three and we have to attend in the next tournament. It's after three days.' Lyle said and showed her his medal.

'That's very good, honey!' she hugged him.

'And, I am the new captain!' Lyle said proudly. 'Can you imagine? I'm captain of the football team!'

'I am really happy for you!' Sandra hugged him once again. 'For how long you're gonna be miss this time?'

'One month… Just like before.' Lyle said and looked at his mother with curiosity. 'Something new here?'

'Yeah… We have a guest.' Sandra said carefully.

'Guest?'

'One friend, Claire met in New York. He came for visiting her.'

'Cool!' Lyle stood up. 'When I meet him?'

'Um… sit down honey. There is more.' Sandra bit her lip. 'He is sick and… this climate here helping for his health. He is going to stay little while.'

'Oh, that's bad!' Lyle frowned.

'Yeah, but Claire is very close… friend to him. So she helped him through this.' Sandra coughed once again.

'That is good.' Lyle nodded. 'So, what is his name?'

'His name is Peter…' Sandra said quietly.

'Like my nephew?' Lyle was already curious.

'Yeah, like your nephew. You are going to meet Peter for dinner. Remember to be careful with him.'

'I will, mom! Don't worry!' Lyle said and stood up again. 'Now I have to take a shower and visit the bed! See you later!' he bent and kissed his mother.

Sandra smiled him lightly and nodded as she saw him climbing the stairs. When he disappeared of her eyes, her smile faded.

'So good, so far…' she murmured and hid in the kitchen.

Claire woke up with the last sunlight. She opened her eyes just to saw Peter sleeping peacefully beside her. She could feel his arm over her waist and that made her feel good. She never felt that good from a long time ago.

'Peter?' she called him quietly and touched his face.

'Mh-mm…' he sighed and pulled her closer.

'Peter, we have to wake up already…' Claire said, although she did not want to leave his arms.

'Okay…' he said sleepily, but his eyes were still close.

'Peter!' Claire tried more loudly. Peter finally opened his eyes and she could not suppress her sigh. 'I love you…'

She saw the sadness in them. Peter crooked his mouth in attempt of a smile. His fingers followed the curves of her face.

'It's almost real now…' he whispered and the bitterness of his voice stroked her.

'What?' she whispered back.

'I started using drugs, because I wanted to stop thinking of you…' Peter said with harassed voice. 'It didn't work! No matter of what I was using! Just… did not work! Your face was everywhere… You chased me in my dreams… Moreover, when I was under the influence of the narcotic it was getting worse. I thought that I could hear your voice…'

'Oh Peter…' Claire gulped her tears. Her fingers buried in his hair.

'I thought that death is the answer for me… The only answer…' Peter said and smiled, but that smile did not reach his eyes. They were still sad. Claire never had seen them as sad as they were now. 'So I tried so many times just to end up everything! I wanted that! I thought that you would be better without me… '

'I was dieing every day, Peter!' she sobbed. 'If it wasn't Pete, I was lost.'

'I'm so sorry that I put you through this Claire…' he said and his fingers tried to wipe out her tears. 'I never meant to hurt you!'

'It is not your fault, Peter!' Claire closed her face to his. 'It is not your fault! Stop blaming yourself, because I don't blame you!'

This time he was the one, who pressed his lips to hers. It was soft kiss. Gentle and still full of pain… Peter brushed her hair of her face and pulled her even closer. His tongue caressed hers so carefully that brought tears in her eyes. He was good of comforting her. Peter always could do that. He was the only one who could do that.

Claire pulled back and took her breath with closed eyes. She bit her lip and her hands had still buried in his hair.

'I missed this!' she said and opened her eyes just to meet his hazel ones. 'I missed you… You can't even imagine how much!'

'I think I can…' Peter whispered and took her back in his arms. 'Who did this Claire? Who punished us like this?'

Peter felt her hand lain on his back and her breath on his bare chest.

'I don't know, Peter…' he felt her tears with his skin. 'I only know that I don't want to loose you! I don't think that I would survive this time…'

'Don't talk like that! You are strong! You can heal from any wound!'

Claire took his hand and put his palm on her chest.

'Only you can cure this one, Peter!'

He did not say anything. His eyes were enough.

Claire lay on his arms few more minutes, then stood up and told him to prepare for the family dinner. Peter crooked his face, but Claire asked him to do this for her. He could not refuse it and she told him that would call him when she was ready.

When she entered in her room, she saw her mother sitting on her bed with crossed arms.

'What are you doing, Claire?' Sandra hissed and Claire quickly closed the door.

'Excuse me?' she narrowed her eyes and came closer.

'Why were you locked the door?' Sandra stood up and came closer to Claire.

'You were checking up on me?' Claire bent over Pete's crib. He slept.

'I wanted to see you! I was not checking up! So why…'

'No!' Claire jerked her body to her mother. 'The real question is was I slept with Peter!'

'Were you?' Sandra asked quietly.

'We did!' Claire snapped.

'Oh my…'

'We slept… four hours! And that was my best sleep for months!' Claire crossed her arms. She hated when she had to hide he relationship with Peter. She wanted to tell to her mother how good the feeling was just to be in his arms. She wanted to share with her so many things, but Claire knew that she could not do that. Sandra still digested the news of Peter being father of her daughter's son.

Sandra sat back and bent down her eyes.

'I am sorry, Claire! I just… it is too much for me! Not that I can't keep a secret, but this secret is too…'

'Mom, look…' Claire rubbed her eyes and looked at her mother. 'We never wanted to fell in love! Moreover, we never wanted to end up relatives after that! Mom, look at me!' Claire demanded and her mother looked at her. 'I know that is hard for you! I know that you're trying to accept that and you think the best for me, but…' she rested her hand on Pete's crib. 'I love him mom! I love him so much that even hurts sometimes! You saw me when I thought he was dead! You saw me when I missed him while I was pregnant! It was because of him! See me now! Look how good I am! Again – it is him!'

'Why are you dragging me into this, Claire?' Sandra studied her face. Her daughter was telling her the truth. That was the real problem here. Sandra had seen her suffering because of Peter. She knew how devastated her daughter was, while he was missing. As a mother, Sandra did not want this repeated again. She wanted Claire to be happy. She really wished that for her. But Peter… Peter was the problem here. His blood was the problem, because the same blood rushed in Claire's veins. 'Why you didn't choose someone else?'

'We didn't choose who to love, mom!' Claire said quietly.

Sandra stood up and went to her daughter. She caressed her cheek with sad face.

'My poor child!' she leaned and kissed her forehead. 'You are so right!'

'That's why I need you on my side!' Claire said and looked her mother in the eyes. 'I need you to understand me! I need you to understand us!'

'I am trying, Claire! But, you have to understand me too! This is too much for me!' Sandra said quietly.

'I just want what is the best for me and my son!' Claire answered her without blinking.

'Peter is that thing?'

'He is everything mom! He is everything for me!' Claire made short pause. 'You know… we talked last night. He told me about the drugs, he was using. He told me everything! Peter is too fragile mom. Right now, his psyche is so fragile that I cannot see him cured any time soon. He needs me!'

'He is that bad?' Sandra looked at her concerned.

'Peter is powerless now! He shut down his ability, willing to die! Is that good for you?'

'Oh my God!' Sandra covered her mouth.

Claire shook her head and looked at her mother with intense.

'I want to help him mom!'

'Claire, he need specialist!' Sandra said but saw her daughter shook her head again.

'He needs to be loved!' she said. 'He needs to feel the love!'

'And you think that you can help him?'

'Not only…' Claire threw one look ay Pete. 'His son too. Peter is alive again, because Pete brought him back.'

'Oh, Claire! I really hope that you know what you're doing!'

'I do!' Claire nodded.

'Okay! Let's try and see what it works…' Sandra sighed. 'By the way, your brother is here at least for two more days. He has another tournament.'

'That's good…' Claire fixed her hair. 'Did you tell him about Peter?'

'I told him that Peter is your close friend from New York and he is here because of the climate.' Sandra crooked her face.

'Nice, mom!' Claire nodded. 'You are good!'

'Don't remind me!' she rolled her eyes and opened the door. 'The dinner is ready. Is Peter joining us?'

Claire nodded again.

'He is!'

'Okay. I will put another spoon on the table.' Sandra said and closed the door behind.

Claire changed her clothes and took already awake Pete in her arms. Peter was already in the corridor waiting for them. He looked refreshed. She took his hand and stared in his eyes. He was her soul… as she was his soul for him. They both needed each other for living.

'You showed…' she whispered.

'You asked…' he shrugged. 'I'm here…'