"Woah. Claire, I don't think..." She didn't let me finish.
"I know. I'm sorry. I just wanted to say it, you don't have to say yes." She looked utterly defeated, and I couldn't help but feel awful.
"I wish it were that easy," I replied sullenly, "but I'm in the middle of a divorce. I don't want to get you entangled in all that." She nodded, quietly.
"I think I'm gonna go." She said quietly. I got down on my knees in front of her and lifted her head up to look into her eyes.
"Please. Don't leave. That's the last thing I want you to do."
"My father doesn't talk to me much anymore." Claire said after a few minutes of us sitting on the couch together. I was shocked; Mr. Bennet seemed like he would have accepted anything his daughter told him, but he couldn't accept the fact that Claire liked girls? My mouth hung open as I tried to come up with what to say.
"Is that why you want to live with me?" I replied slowly. She sighed, and laid her head on the back of the couch.
"Sort of. There's nothing for me in California. At least here I have somebody." I bit my lip, suddenly feeling conflicted.
"If you want to stay with me for awhile longer than a week, you're welcome to stay with me." She turned her head, eyes full of hope that twisted my heart just a little.
"I'd like that." She replied softly. She leaned her head on my shoulder and I wrapped my arms around her, and there was no better place to be at that moment.
Around lunch time things had gotten a lot calmer, and we were watching television and eating sandwiches when the phone rang.
"Let me get that." I said, standing up to answer. I picked up the phone to be greeted by the last person on earth I wanted to hear from.
"Hello Gretchen." I grunted, upset that Robert had to ruin a pretty good moment between Claire and I.
"What do you want, Robert." I replied tersely.
"I was just wondering if you could come by and finish picking up your things. I've also got some papers to sign." He sounded irritated, which I was used to.
"Can we do this some other time?" I said lowly, aware that Claire was watching me.
"Unless you want me to throw out these family albums you forgot, no." That was Robert--stubborn and boorish like usual. I sighed.
"Fine Robert. I'll be over in a few minutes." I set the receiver down, and turned to look at Claire nervously.
"Guess where I have to go." I said sardonically. She stood up and turned the television off.
"I want to go." She said, determination settling in her features. I started to shake my head.
"I don't really think that's a good idea." She brushed it off, and picked up her purse.
"Nope. I'm part of your life now, and I'm going to see your asshole husband face to face." It felt kind of satisfying to hear her say that, but I felt the dread creeping when I imagined just exactly what she'd do when she finally saw him.
"I guess I can't say no then." She nodded. I picked up my things, and we headed out the door.
I gripped the steering wheel with sweaty hands while we pulled into the driveway to what used to be my home. Claire looked at it with interest, I suppose trying to imagine me living in there with someone that wasn't her.
"You ready?" I said, nervously. Since the separation with Robert, I always got anxious when I had to see him. There was a reason, but I wasn't about to tell Claire about what transpired right before she met him.
"Yeah. More than ready. Let's see this asshole." I took a deep breath and got out of the car. We got to the door and I rang the doorbell. Within a few moments he pulled the door open. Claire balked. I didn't really tell her what Robert looked like. He was what you'd call the typical man's man--tall, blonde short cropped hair, very attractive and obviously athletic. I kinda went for someone who would be the "perfect" husband. My family was pleased when they met him, and I suppose I felt pressured to say yes when he proposed to me awhile later. Robert pointed at Claire rudely.
"Who's this?" He said disinterested. Claire replied, anger in her eyes.
"The name is Claire. Gretchen's..." she looked at the pleading expression on my face. "friend." She spit the words out, obviously disgusted that she had to lie.
"Whatever. Come get your shit, Gretch. The papers are on the kitchen table." Robert said, classy as always. We walked in, and Claire made sure to put plenty of space between them as she walked through the doorway. I picked up the two family albums I'd somehow forgotten, and picked up the papers. They were divorce papers, and I signed them without even thinking about it. Claire smiled, satisfied.
"I didn't know you had any more friends, Gretch." Robert said, looking at Claire with obvious contempt.
"She's a friend from college." I replied, walking towards the door so he didn't have time to respond. Robert laughed, and said exactly what I didn't want him to say at that moment.
"Ahhh I see now. Your little girlfriend from college has come back to see you, huh?" He had a smug look on his face, which I wanted to punch off his mouth. Claire almost growled in response.
"Yeah. Gretchen found somebody who actually cares about someone besides themselves." Robert stepped forward, a glint in his eye.
"You better tell your friend to watch her mouth." He drawled; his accent always got a little thicker when he was really angry. When he was ready to fight.
"Claire, please. Let's just go." Claire glared at him, but walked towards the door with me. We hurriedly walked toward my car when I heard him yell from the door, "Have fun with your girlfriend, dyke!" I recoiled from the word, and Claire almost turned back. I have no idea what she would have done, she was completely dwarfed standing next to him, but I knew if I didn't convince her to get in the car she'd do something stupid.
"Please Claire." She grunted angrily and got into the car.
The ride home was tough. Claire radiated anger, saying words like "asshole" and "son of a bitch" under her breath.
"I can see why you're divorcing him, now. It's pretty damn obvious." I kept my eyes on the road, hiding my shame.
"I wanted to fool myself into thinking I could have a typical life." I said, controlling my voice. She looked at me, and I knew the thought had occurred to her.
"He didn't...hit you did he?" I blinked a few times, and didn't respond.
"That mother fucker. If I had a gun, I'd shoot him right between the eyes!" My hands were white from gripping the steering wheel so hard.
"It's over now, Claire. He can't hurt me anymore." All that bravado I'd worked so hard to maintain crumbled, and I tried to keep myself from crying as I drove home.