Clarie, Cathie and Nannie: Chapter Five
"If I manage to make it till my fourth year. You'll buy me a jag? Are you serious dad? I mean- a jaguar? Dad are you sick?" Catherine asked as she looked at him then to her mother, "You'd really support me?"
Sophie smiled shaking her head as she grip Catherine's hands, "Oh Catherine.. For years you've been wanting to go there. To get educated and be a cardiologist. Don't worry about the expenses, me and your dad have a lot of saved money just to get you there."
Catherine breathed heavily as she brushed away a small tear forming at the edge of her eyes.
"I thought when this year comes, you'll stop spending so much money for me and let me pay for my own."
Paul and Sophie exchanged worried looks as Paul got near the two and asked, "Now, Cath. Why would you think that way?"
"'Cause I'm not even your own daughter and- and.. both of you have become so generous and kind to let me in and I just- I can't believe you would.." the seventeen-year-old trailed off as she sniffed on a tissue she got from the coffee table.
"Thank god we have that in there." she said using her original accent as both Sophie and Paul chuckled with her.
"People at UCLA will be thrilled when they hear you changing accents. Who would believe that my small monkey will be off to college in three weeks? Oh snicks… I felt like crying too." Sophie began to sob as she took a tissue and dab the forming tears.
Paul and Catherine exchanged looks as Paul mimicked his wife, making Catherine laugh and Sophie giving him a slight punch in his arms.
As her laughs subside, she looked at the two people who considered her as their own child, and can't help but ask:
"Why did you two took me that day?"
Paul and Sophie stopped laughing and looked at her with questioning looks, completely confused.
Catherine leaned on the couch as she mumbled, "That day. You two could have just left me in the hospital or bring me to the authorities. Why did you adopt me?"
The couple exchanged looks as Paul cleared his throat, "Catherine, are you sure you want to hear the truth?"
"Is there something I should be afraid to know?" she asked as she look between the two parent figures to her for almost 13 years.
Sophie sighed as she took Catherine's hands again, "The day we found you floating, we just come from a doctor's appointment. We both want to know why we can't have children no matter how long we tried." she looked at Paul who continued what she started.
"And we found out that I'm infertile. We can't have child so when we found you there…" he trailed off, looking at Catherine to see if she got a point.
Catherine only nodded as she gripped Sophie's hands and his as well, "Thanks you.. for providing for me and treating me like your very own child."
"In a way, you are our child, Catherine. When you took my last name and live under this roof." Paul said as he and his daughter shared a hug.
For moment, the three spoke as they share a very nice dinner, celebrating Catherine's admission to UCLA and her successful last year as a high school student.
"I'd better start on looking for a jag." Paul said as Catherine looked at him with a smile.
"You'd better be, dad. I'll get out of there after four years and I'll get that jag and be cardiologist."
Sophie swallowed her food as she asked, "What type of patients do you want to attend though. I mean- last Sunday I heard bragging her son who became a Clinical Cardiologist. I have no idea about types of Heart Doctors so I hope you do know."
Catherine looked at her plate for a moment before she smiled, "I think I want to be a Pedriatic Cardiologist."
"Where on earth did you get that idea?" Paul asked, trying to imitate their English neighbors.
Catherine stiffened her giggled at his attempt as he said.
"You shouldn't take joy in other people's adversity."
Catherine smiled as she cleared her throat, "I'll try harder not to laught next time. Anyways, I just remembered that Chocolate Lady. I heard the women in her neighborhood talking how she lost her son. Then I remember that she was once pregnant but there's no child. They say the baby died because it's premature with a heart complication or something. So I just thought, what about being a heart doctor for children.."
Sophie looked at Paul as she smiled at Catherine, "I can't believe my little monkey's going to be Pedriatic Cardiologist."
"Geez, mom. I still need ten years to finish the course though." Catherine said as she chewed her food.
A thought of Clarisse and Nanette pushed through her mind.
If they're alive then where are they now? she can't help but ask as she continued eating with a slight busy mind.
The same time, somewhere in Genovia. Clarisse got up of her bed and went to the balcony.
She can't sleep properly.
Who can sleep after knowing that their life's planned? she thought as she remembered a small piece of her life in a matter of seconds.
.
"Philippe!" a small girl shouted as she ran to a tall man who looked like in his mid twenties. The girl is very young, maybe three turning four or something.
The man smiled as he carried the girl up without any problems and swung her around.
The two giggled as there were shouts of "Phipipi!" and "Philip!" from the other two girls running toward the man and the girl.
The three girls are identical but wearing different dresses.
"Oh Clarie… Cathie and Nancy." the man said as he have the first girl on his hips while patting the second one to the head. The other one clung to his legs as he tried to walk carefully with her around it.
.
Clarisse balanced herself in the balcony as she blinked her eyes.
For the past almost thirteen years, she's having visions such as that, mostly repeated. Some in her sleep and most after she woke up.
But no matter how many visions she get, she still have no idea where she came from.
Two weeks after George Grimaldo found her, no one came to claim her. They asked authorities, however, no one still came. So the man brought her with him to Genovia and adopted her.
At the span of two weeks, she learned a lot about him. He's a widowed man who lost a child October first that year. And he's living alone until she was adopted.
She took his last name and became his daughter when they got to Genovia. For years, she managed to live with his aristocratic life. At the age of 7, they both learned that his great-grandfather have a huge debt to the King of Genovia, King Ronald, and thus; asked, not for money but, for an arrangement.
An arrangement that she only got to know after dinner.
.
"What do you mean I can't go to college? Don't worry… I'll use my own money. I've got a part-time work with the flower shop and the lady there pays me generously." she said as George shook his head.
"It's not that Clarisse. I'll let you attend college with my money if I can. But I think you should know one thing since you're turning eighteen in a matter of months," he took a deep breath as she looked at her, "Remember that very nice man who gave you delicious caramel candy when you're seven?"
"How could I forget my first caramel given by a prince? Of course, papa. I remember him." Clarisse smiled as she remember meeting the 20 year-old prince almost eleven years ago, "What about him?"
"Well, you see- while you two are talking. Me and His Highness, King Ronald, talked here in this very room." the man who became her father figure said as both of them look around the library.
"He informed me more about my great-grandfather's debt, not one from the money, but more like a promise. He showed me King Mario, his father's, diary and showed a promise that… the next female on the line will marry the Crowned Heir."
He looked at Clarisse who showed the same expression she gave him every time he's explaining and smiled inwardly, 'Always the patient one…'
"For years, the generation grew and so far… there's no female on the line, at least not biologically." he said, looking at her eyes.
Clarisse nodded as she know what he meant.
She'll be paying the debt.
.
She sighed as she thought.
Without that arrangement, she might be on her way to Genovian University to take either Business Management degree or Linguistic degree.
She looked at the small peak of the sun as it raise from nowhere, Looks like I can't have more sleep. Wish me luck for today..
A/N: I am very sorry for not updating. I'm really trying to but got some works to do.. anyways, I'll try to update more on this story to my other one as well, 'Sincerely Yours,'. Some of you might see that I'm a bit biased because Nannie got a whole chapter while Clarisse amd Catherine shared on one. Don't worry our two loves will have their own chapter soon. I already have the ideas I just have to type them down so yah… Anyways, I hope you enjoy! And please leave some reviews if you want to.
