Clarke
Dinner with her mother snuck up fast and before Clarke is mentally prepared to face it, she's standing at the door to her childhood home, curious about the shiny new Mercedes in the driveway.
The bright-faced and beautiful housekeeper answers the door and Clarke's face lights up in greeting.
"Rosita! How are you? I feel like I haven't seen you in years! How is your husband and little Olivia?" She asks excitedly as she walks inside and hugs the older woman.
"George and I are both very good and Olivia is turning eight soon!" Rosita answers in her cheery accent as she takes Clarke's coat from her and hangs it up. She motions for Clarke to move into the sitting room as she whispers loudly.
"We will catch up later, your Mama is waiting for you." But Clarke hesitates to kiss the woman's cheek before smoothing her clothes and hurrying towards the sitting room. Abby turns from a tall man standing by the fireplace to walk over and greet Clarke with her customary air kiss to the cheek.
"Clarke, there you are, darling."
Her mother's smile is hard to miss, and Clarke waits expectantly for an introduction to the tall man.
"Clarke, this is Marcus Kane. Marcus, this is my daughter, Clarke." She says proudly as Marcus strides over to shake Clarke's hand with a warm grin.
"Clarke. It's so nice to finally meet you." He says, and Clarke returns his smile.
"Well, that certainly explains the fancy car in the driveway." She remarks, much to Abby's annoyance but Marcus grins wider as Clarke walks to one of the uncomfortable, fancy couches and sits down. Clarke turns to her mother and notes the seat she takes next to Marcus on the matching couch.
"So, Mom, I take it this is the 'big news' you wanted to share with me."
Abby and Marcus glance at each other and Clarke has to smirk as her mother answers and Rosita comes in with a tray of coffees and hands them out, winking at Clarke when she turns from Abby. Clarke takes a sip of her coffee and tries not to laugh when she tastes a touch of whiskey in it.
"Actually, the news is a bit bigger." Abby says leadingly as Rosita scurries from the room and Clarke focuses on her mother.
"Hit me." She says a little too casually and Abby hesitates but then beams happily at Clarke.
"Marcus and I are getting married!"
Clarke's dainty cup of spiked coffee freezes on the way to her mouth and Clarke blinks several times in succession before Abby's words sink in.
"Whoa, what?" She finally asks dumbly and Abby's excitement falters slightly as she repeats herself.
"Marcus has proposed to me and we are getting married."
Clarke is still processing this new turn of events as she forces a smile and stands to congratulate her mother.
"Oh, sorry. That's great, Mom. I'm just a bit… surprised."
Abby jumps to her feet and Marcus stands behind her as she gives Clarke a big hug and then Clarke turns to Marcus to awkwardly look at him and wonder if a hug is appropriate. Marcus chuckles and gives Clarke a quick, light hug around the shoulders and releases her.
Rosita steps into the room to announce that dinner is ready, and Abby and Marcus walk away towards the dining room, but Clarke hangs back to widen her eyes at Rosita in question, making the older woman giggle.
"More coffee, poppit?" She whispers after Clarke as she follows her mother and her future step-father to the dining room.
Over dinner, Clarke is regaled with the story of how Marcus and Abby met, and Clarke is relieved that the focus is off her, making the conversation much easier. She is just getting used to the idea of having a buffer between herself and her mother when Rosita walks in again.
"Senor Wells has arrived." She says, and Clarke furrows her brow in confusion at the addition of yet another stranger.
A handsome dark man, around Clarke's age walks in the room and Clarke scrambles to stand with Abby and Marcus.
"Sorry I'm late everyone. My plane was delayed." He says, and he walks around the table to kiss Abby's cheek and give Marcus a big hug before everyone turns to look at Clarke's confused expression. Marcus grins and claps Wells on the back as he addresses Clarke.
"Sorry, Clarke. This is my son, Wells."
Clarke is still staring at the smiling people in the room when Wells walks over to shake Clarke's hand.
"I've heard so much about you, Clarke. It's great to finally meet you."
His grin is charming, but Clarke's mind is still frozen in confusion as Wells takes the seat next to hers and everyone else sits down around the dining table as Rosita brings in another place setting for Wells and then a fresh coffee for Clarke.
Clarke is still standing, staring at the table blankly as Abby gestures for her to sit and finally Clarke finds her voice. She can feel her anger rising and she mumbles to no one in particular.
"I just remembered that I need to get back to the hospital."
She doesn't even wait to see their reaction before Clarke turns and walks from the room. A worried Rosita watches Clarke from the hallway as she grabs her coat and walks out the front door, straight to her car.
As Clarke backs her car out of the driveway, she sees her mother angrily marching across the lawn towards her, but Clarke doesn't stop as she pulls away.