It's been 9 days since I have been able to see Ben let alone kiss him or touch him. I've been busy with work and school. He has been busy with some project that Stefan gave him to accomplish around Chicago. We have only been able to communicate through text and it is killing me not to see him. Thank God, tomorrow is Friday and Tripp and I will be able to make another attempt at getting the goods off Claire's phone. I just pray that this is our chance and that this will finally end the madness.
These 9 days have been pure and absolute torture. I long to hear the low rumble of his voice that never fails to send shivers down my spine. I'm desperate to feel his hands on me and my hands are just as desperate to touch him too. I'm half a step away from selling my soul just to get a glimpse of him at this point.
I've just gotten home from working my shift at the pub and drag my ass up the stairs to get into some clothes that are more comfortable. I feel exhausted, and I'm almost ready to start crying for the third time today and the God only knows how many-ith time since the night I last saw Ben when my phone vibrates. I wipe the tears that have now started to fall and see that it is Ben.
Ben: Hey beautiful, how was your day?
Ciara: It was okay, but I miss you. I want to be with you so badly.
Ben: I know babe. Me too.
Ciara: Tomorrow needs to be the day that this ends. I can't stand being away from you I need you so bad.
Ben: I feel the same, trust me. I keep dreaming of you every night; about kissing you all over. On your lips, on your neck, and your breasts. God Ci, I want to touch you so bad, baby.
Ciara: If this is your idea of making me feel better you suck at it. You telling me what you want to do to me is not helping. Dreaming of you and you trying to sext with me is a cheap imitation of the real thing, Ben. I know what the reality feels like and the imitation just isn't good enough.
Ben: Okay, sorry. I'm sorry. I thought I would try to help ease the tension.
I can almost see him sitting on our bed at the gatehouse with that sexy half-grin that just does things to me.
Ciara: If you're really sorry you'll make it up to me tomorrow after this shitshow is over. Then you can really show me how much you've missed me and, I can show you…
Ciara: just how much I've missed…
Ciara: kissing and licking your body…
Ben: ENOUGH!
Ciara: and sucking your cock.
Ben: Ciara Alice!
Ciara: I thought I had taught you your lesson on how naughty it is to torture me. I figured you needed a refresher course.
Ben: Well then, well played, because now I have a situation that needs remedying. NOW! And my hand is as you put it 'a cheap imitation' compared to you.
Ciara: Serves you right.
Ben: Oh Ciara, when I get my hands on you, you aren't going to know what to think.
Ciara: I'll look forward to it.
Ben: So, when is this going down?
Ciara: Claire should be home by noon.
Ben: Alright, then I'll be staked out by 11:30 outside of the loft. Remember to have an S.O.S. typed and ready to send if something goes wrong.
Ciara: I will, but I'm not going to need it.
Ben: Just be careful, please. I can't lose you.
Ciara: It's going to be okay, I promise. Now as much as I would love to spend the entire night texting with you back and forth, I'm beat and I'm going to go to bed. I love you.
Ben: Oh, wow, it's 2 am already. Goodnight, Ci. I love you too. Tell the babies that their daddy loves them.
Ciara: I will.
I pug my phone into charge and hop into bed. I roll to my side and place my head on the pillow where Ben last laid as he held me. The scent of him is no longer there and it makes me feel even more lonely. I remember Ben's request and place my hand on my abdomen before I whisper, "Daddy loves you." I close my eyes and succumb to the tears which eventually put me to sleep.
The Next Morning
It's 10:30 in the morning when I wake up feeling surprisingly rested considering I woke up several times during the night from nightmares about our mission to look at Claire's phone not going as planned. It could also be the adrenaline I can already feel pumping through my body at the prospect of this debacle finally being over. This ends today.
I get out of bed and shower quickly. I slip into my favorite pair of jeans and when I go to button them up, I find that I can no longer close them. This can only mean one thing, that I'm starting to show that I'm pregnant and it will only be a matter of time before I won't be able to hide the babies I'm carrying. I grab a pair of yoga pants instead, thinking they will stretch a bit more than the jeans along with the loosest fitting shirt I can find. I don't need to be sending up any flags and adding to the fire about this situation with Claire.
I head downstairs to make myself some peanut butter toast and a cup of tea and send a text to Ben while I munch on my breakfast.
Ciara: Morning, handsome. How did you sleep?
Ben: Good morning, gorgeous, and not as well as I do with you in my arms. How about you?
Ciara: Other than the nightmares I had; I'm actually feeling wide awake.
Ben: Nightmares? About what?
Ciara: Today not going as we plan.
Ben: We have to believe that it will. We have no other choice.
Ciara: Well if I have anything to say about it, this ends tonight.
Ben: That's the spirit!
Ciara: I need to do some reading for class, but I wanted to say good morning. Hopefully, the next time I see you we will be on the way to clearing your name.
Ben: Let's hope.
I head over to the couch and lose myself in the reading I need to finish for class. Thank God the semester is almost over. Having to work at the pub, keep up with my classes, and growing two babies is tough work.
I get a text from Ben telling me that he is in the park across the street from the loft and reminding me to have an S.O.S. pre-typed in case. It's a good thing he decided to start his stakeout early because Claire and Tripp arrive 5 minutes after I get Ben's message.
Tripp looks nervous as hell, and Claire seems to be her normal self.
"Hey, Ciara. What are you up to?" Claire questions.
"Oh, hey Claire, hey Tripp, ahh… just reading for my class. I'm so ready for this semester to be over."
"That's how I felt about work today. It was so slow at the café, that's why Tripp and I are early, Fran sent us home."
"Well, that's nice. Now you can do something fun with that time."
"You bet, but not before I shower."
She leaves her purse and her phone on the counter before heading to the bathroom and shutting the door firmly behind her.
Tripp lets out a breath I don't think he realized he was holding, and I leap from the couch with excitement, because she left her phone out. I give Tripp a thumbs up and motion with my head for him to go and guard the bathroom door.
I pick up Claire's phone and start doing what I have been dreaming of doing for the last several days; looking through her damn text messages. Sure enough, Eve is at the top and there is the proof that I need to clear Ben. Claire and Eve have been texting back and forth for months. Claire was helping Eve to get Jack elected and get Hailey kicked out of the country in the process. At the top is the evidence I need to prove they have set up Ben.
Two Months Ago…
Claire: When are you getting Hailey out of here?
Eve: I'm sorry but you are going to have to be patient with outing Hailey being illegal. You need to look at the big picture.
Claire: Eve, I can't wait. Tripp is my boyfriend and this fake marriage of theirs is ruining my life. I can't do this anymore. They are growing closer. I can feel it.
Eve: Well you need to be patient.
Just Two Weeks Ago
Claire: I need you to set up Ben for the fire I set to the cabin with Ciara in it, and I need you to do it NOW!
Eve: You're upset that's all. There is no way that I'm going to have you go away for this. This will be the perfect opportunity to set up Ben so he can finally rot in prison for what he did to my daughter. It's just going to take time.
Claire: Well, Tripp pissed me off and I set fire at the Horton cabin with him and Hailey inside. I don't know what's wrong with me! That's why you need to set him up NOW!
Eve: What the hell were you thinking Claire? I need evidence to make it look like he did anything. I can't just pull that out of thin air. You need to wait for this to work out.
Claire: Damn it, Eve, you promised! You promised I wouldn't be going to prison for this.
When Ben first told me about Claire's pyro problem, I didn't believe him at first and certainly didn't want it to be true. When he told me what he believed and how he figured it unfolded I did believe him, but a part of me hoped that it wasn't true; that a member of my family had tried to kill me. But here it is in black and white and I'm stunned to see the proof that Claire actually did this and has been plotting with Eve.
"Tripp, she did it and she has been plotting with Eve the proof is on here," I stage-whisper to him.
"Get pictures so we can turn her in."
"Right!"
Just as I grab my phone and begin taking the first picture, the knob on the bathroom door begins to turn. Thankfully Tripp catches the doorknob and pulls the door shut trapping Claire inside.
I can hear her pounding on the door from inside the bathroom, "What the hell, Tripp?! Are you holding the damn door closed?"
"What's the matter Claire, you stuck?" he chuckles.
"Let me out you asshole."
Claire starting to open the door had me dazed for a minute just standing there with her phone in my hands. I snap out of it when I hear Claire begin to yell louder, and I realize that she is pulling back on the door from the inside.
I look up for a moment from my task and see that Tripp is managing to keep the door closed but Claire is giving him a run for his money on keeping her in there. "Tripp what are you doing? Let her out of there, you jerk!" I throw in before continuing to gather my evidence. As I take the last photo I hear a loud thud. I see Tripp sitting on the floor holding what is obviously part of the handle to the bathroom door in his hand.
The door swings open and my worst nightmare has come to fruition; Claire is standing there witnessing me holding her phone in one hand and my own phone in the other.
"Ciara, what are you doing? Why the hell are you looking through my phone?"
I take a deep breath in the hopes of composing myself for the war that is about to commence. I quickly finish taking my last picture and as I put down her phone I press the send button on the S.O.S. message for Ben.
"Oh, I'm just finding the proof I need to free the man I love and at the same time finding out what a lying backstabber my niece and supposed best friend is."
