WARNING: not much drama, but shows more into CLARE :D


Chapter Twenty-Eight: Runaway (Clare's POV)

Three Days Later:

Just a signature. Couldn't be that hard. Just sign your name. Clare Goldsworthy-or soon to be Clare Edwards, once again. I'll go to the court to change my last name. I just need to sign my name under Eli's. I gulped seeing how trembled his writing looked. Not the usual cursive he uses elegantly. Instead his name was hard to even see, his E was shaky and the J looked jagged. I could even see the ink blotches on the paper. I could see him now, the nurses around him as they watched him carefully. Watched him suffer for minutes as he signed Elijah Goldsworthy on the divorce papers I sent. His brows furrowed, his face red as he tried his hardest not to cry or rip the paper. He just wanted to see me happy, pleased. Here I am though, in his shoes trying to sign my own name which is ten times harder because my lawyer Penelope is next to me, once I put the pen down Penelope will take the papers to the office. Make the divorce finalized. Making me no longer a Goldsworthy. My hand trembles as the pen hit's the paper. "Are you sure about this Clare?" Penelope asked, her lips pursed. I nodded. "I have too.. In order to make sure me and Eli are happy. We aren't happy together." I said, my heart clenching. I shakily wrote Clare, the tail of the E curled more than needed. Just to get Penelope off my back, I quickly signed Edwards in sloppy cursive. "Ah.. Thank you Clare. I'll take this to the court and your divorce from Elijah will be finalize by the end of the day." Penelope said with a small smile. I stood up on shaky legs, afraid of my knees giving out. "Pleasure doing business with you Clare. I do hope that things with your family straightens out. Divorces are hard. I've been divorced from my husband for ten years." Penelope said. My eyes widen. "Have you dated others?" I asked. Penelope giggled. "I just can't Clare. I'm just too in love with the asshole still." Penelope admitted. My heart stopped. "Why'd you divorce him then?" I quickly asked. Penelope sighed. "He was too nice to me and I can be such a cold hearted bitch. I couldn't hurt him anymore." Penelope admitted. I sighed looking away. "I do hope you made the right decision Clare. Goodbye." Penelope whispered before whisking away, her heels clicking away until she was out the front door. I held onto the chair for support. Despite that my divorce story was different from Penelope's, it still had some common ground. Penelope still loved this man… but did I still love mine? Will I be like Penelope? Have no life and still dream about this guy I divorced? I didn't want to spend my years like that. I didn't want to live a life without.. "Mom?" Willow asked from the archway. I looked up to see Willow, her curls in a ponytail and she was still in her shorts and tank top from this afternoon when she was hanging out with her best friend Amber Bayar. "Yeah Willow? Do you want dinner?" I asked, making my way to refrigerator. Willow shook her head. "No.. I was wondering why there was that lady in our house." Willow admitted. I looked into Willow's blue eyes, did I have the heart to tell her? "That was Penelope.. Me and your father's lawyer." I whispered. Willow looked away, crossing her arms. "You two are still going through this stupid divorce?" Willow spat, her voice angry. "We did. When Penelope finalizes the papers this evening.. I'll be divorced from your father." I explained to Willow. Willow scoffed. "Just because he's different huh?" Willow exclaimed. "Will.. It isn't because of his disease.. It just isn't working out." I said. Willow shook her head. "As if.. You know damn well that you love Dad and you'd go through hell and back for him." Willow stated. "Don't use that vulgar language Willow Caroline!" I shouted. Willow staggered back. "I hate you.. So much." Willow said, her jaw trembling as she spoke. Willow spun on her heel and climbed the stairs at lightening speed. I didn't bother calling after her. She'd just yell at me and possibly call me a bitch, it seems like everyday Willow is more like her Aunt Darcy more and more. Perhaps she is right.. Maybe I am in denial and is just making stupid choices. As for now.. I have no clue about the path God has made for me.. But whatever it is. I'll take his gratefully.

"Where is she? Have you called the Bayar's?" I said frantically to Julia, who had put the phone down. "Yes Mom. Amber's mom said she hasn't seen Willow since this afternoon and Amber doesn't know where Willow could be. She has her phone turned off." Julia informed me with a sad smile. This couldn't be happening. Willow couldn't be possibly running away. "Are you sure you checked her bedroom. Even the closet?" Julia asked for the hundredth time. "Yes!" I shouted. "I've checked every nook and cranny in this place. Nothing! Where could she be!" I exclaimed. I ran a hand through my messy reddish brown curls. "Mom." Julia said lowly. I felt her hands on my shoulder. I slowed my breathing down as much as I could. Since Julia has found out the truth of me and KC, we've been having a better bond. A stronger relationship. The relationship I've longed for a while. "It's okay, Jules. I'll go out and look for her. You can drive to see Teddy. See how's he doing." I advised Julia, pushing past her to get to my car keys. "Teddy has Bethany. Ever since I told her how Teddy's her half brother, never had Beth flown down here in a snap. She's been staying with him. She even said how she'll stay here for a couple months too." Julia said with a smile. When she saw my face stay the same sorrow look, Julia's smile fell. "Sorry. I'll go out and find her with you." Julia urged. I shook my head. "Bentley's asleep. Just stay here and watch him while I'm out." I ordered Julia. Julia nodded, slowly. "Sure, but.. If something bad happens, I'm a phone call away." Julia said firmly. Such authority in her voice, just like Eli. A lump forming in my throat over my husbands-ex husbands name. I quickly swallow it down to my stomach. "Alright. Thank you Jules. I'll bring Willow home." I whispered. Julia nodded and slumped into the leather couch, grabbing the remote and turning the TV on, quickly absorbed into her show. I grabbed the car keys and was reaching for my coat, when the phone rang. Julia turned the volume down and looked at the phone and back at me. I quickly grabbed the phone and pressed Talk. "Hello?" I said quickly. "Clare? It's Alli." Alli. I haven't spoken to Alli since that day of our argument outside the Dot, where she told me off for the divorce. Why was she calling me now? "Clare?" Alli asked again. I snapped back into reality. "Uh, yeah I'm here Alli, but I have to go, Willow ran away and I need to find her-" "She's here." Alli breathed. My heart lifted. My brain cleared. I could finally breathe. "Oh thank God. Is she okay?" I asked quickly. "Yes, she's here with Ian. Just come by and pick her up. She seems pretty upset." Alli observed. Alli pressed no further on the topic like she used too. Completely different communication when best friends fight.

"What in the world were you thinking, Willow?" I exclaimed once I had arrived to Alli's house. Willow was sitting next to Ian on the couch, Alli behind me. "I wanted to get away from you!" Willow exclaimed. I sighed, rubbing my left temple. "Willow, sometimes thing can't go your way. That's life." I explained to Willow, her small brows furrowing. "Is it so much to ask the real reason for divorcing Dad?" Willow sneered. My throat was closed up again. The mention of Eli, just his name makes me feel the tears sting before they overflow. "I already told you, Willow. Now just go wait for me in the car. You'll receive your punishment at home." I ordered, looking down at Alli's hardwood floors. "Mom-" "Now!" I shouted. Ian's eyes widen as the shouting that rolled off my tongue. Willow mumbled something incoherently before rushing out the door. Ian quickly slipped out once seeing Zachary peering in from upstairs. Thus leaving me and Alli alone. "She's pretty upset." I murmured. Alli merely nodded. "Much like a person I knew when she found out her parents were divorcing." Alli stated, looking me straight in the eye. I gulped, looking around nervously. "I can't control your life, Clare. Or even tell you what to do. But as your friend, please just listen to me." Alli pleaded. I didn't say a word, pursing my lips I looked at Alli's face. "You love Eli. I know that-hell everyone knows that. We know what he suffers through daily, Clare. We know that you're his rock, his real reason for living. Without you I guarantee that Eli would've committed suicide by now." Alli said lowly. "He's already tried." I sneered, remembering the sirens, the shouts, the screams that fled from Lizzy's mouth. Eli's limp body. The images flooded my mind, one after another. Like a photo album you don't want to look through because of the painful photos. "Your damn lucky he failed there, Clare." Alli whispered. I didn't say a word back, holding my tongue from saying any worse. Alli sighed, crossing her arms and brushing past me. "Close the door on your way out." Alli murmured, entering the kitchen. Leaving me alone.


Not much to say, odd :/

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