Chapter 6
Luke had stopped going to the hospital everyday. The bookstore had become very busy due to the summer holidays. Clary had been running the café everyday after school. Luke had hired a few extra people to help out during the summer. He also had Clary back at the apartment for he missed her. Luke told Clary to come home for he had a surprise for her.
"I'll see tomorrow Simon." Clary told Simon as she entered the house.
"See you later Fray."
Clary quickly ran up the stairs that led upstairs. Almost tripping over herself she finally made it. Opening the door she heard voices coming from the kitchen. Two of the voices she hadn't heard in a long time. As Clary approached the kitchen three men were sitting at the table.
"Well look who the cat dragged in." One of them said.
Clary gasped for two of the men sitting at the table were her twin brothers Jonathan and Sebastian. She rarely saw them expect on holidays when they came to visit. It was defiantly a surprise to see them here. Jonathan got up from the table.
"Hey Lil sis, how are you?" He said walking into the kitchen.
"Jonathan" Clary said smiling, she dropped her messenger bag on the floor then ran to him and hugged him almost knocking him over. He hugged her back.
"Hey no hug for me." Sebastian said holding out his arms. Clary let go of Jonathan then ran over to Sebastian giving him a hug. He patted her back then kissed her on the forehead.
"What are you guys doing here?" She asked letting go Sebastian.
"Well we heard about mom…"
"…And Luke needed help at the bookstore." Jonathan finished.
"So are you guys staying long?" She looked to Jonathan then to Sebastian.
"We thought maybe for the summer." Clary heard Sebastian say.
"Is that ok with you Lil sis." Smiled Jonathan.
Clary was happy to see her brothers even though they picked on her. It was great having older brothers because they would do anything for her, because whenever they came she ended up with new clothes perhaps a new book. When she was younger she would convince them to get the latest Barbie doll. To her it was the coolest thing in the world. Though at times she thought her brothers were weird and annoying. Being the youngest had its advantages.
"Yes, its okay with me." She said skipping to her room picking up her bag along the way.
Jace was in his room tearing it apart trying to find something to wear for his date. Isabelle came in noticing clothes everywhere. She picked some of them up as she walked in the room. Setting them on the bed. When she looked up a sweater came hurtling toward and hitting her the face. She manged to catch it in her arms then yelled. Jace was startled by her sudden appearance in his room.
"Jace, what are you doing?" She asked.
"I need to find something to wear for my date with Clary." He said holding a shirt in his hand.
"I thought your date wasn't until tomorrow?"
"Yes, but this girl is important and…." he broke off combing his fingers through his hair, "I want everything to be perfect."
Isabelle looked at him astounded. "Wow, I've never seen you get so worked up over a girl before."
"I know it's strange." He laughed. "Can you help me?"
Isabelle smiled, and then asked "You're asking me for help?"
"Yes I guess I am." Jace replied.
"All right but first we need to clean up this mess," Isabelle suggested. "Otherwise if mom sees this she'll freak."
Isabelle helped Jace clean up his room. Once all the clothes were picked up and put away, Isabelle with her fashion skills helped Jace with his outfit.
Hodge awoke in a very dim lit room. He was tied to a chair. Slowly he opened his swollen eyes. His mouth was dry. A dark figure approach him slowly. Hodge recognized him. Although he wasn't surprised to see the young man at all. He looked at him his nostrils flaring. His eyes narrowed and his lip curled.
"Raphael" Hodge said hoarsely.
"Where is it?" He asked.
"Where's what?"
With one quick movement Raphael slapped Hodge across the face with the back of his hand. Hodge's face move to the side, blood dripped down from his mouth. He glared at Raphael.
"You know very well what, old man. The journal. Where is it?"
"I don't know where it is." Hodge said.
"You lie!" said Raphael through his teeth. "Where is the journal? Tell me or I will cut your throat and watch you bleed to death." He held the knife up against Hodge's throat.
The old man looked up at the young man with fear in his eyes. The blade piercing through his skin, a cold shiver swept through Hodge's body as if his life was ending. He swallowed against the sharp edge of the blade. Hot red liquid trickled down his throat.
Hodge spoke "Luke's bookstore. It is in Luke's bookstore."
Raphael smiled sarcastically lifting the knife from Hodge's throat. Hodge looked down at his lap realizing what he had just done. He hoped it wasn't there. He hopped that it was removed from the storage room long ago.
Friday couldn't come soon enough for Jace. His hands were shaking so bad he had trouble tying his tie. The buttons on his shirt were miss button from his shaking hands. Jace struggling to get ready he cursed when the tie didn't corporate. When a knock came at the door Jace acknowledge.
"Jace, is everything all right?" Maryse asked walking into the room.
"I can't get this stupid tie." He said.
"Here let me help."
Maryse was a kind woman who looked after her family. Though Jace was not her real son she loved like he was one of her own. She had raised him from a little boy of only five years of age. Maryse had taken him in when his father Stephan had died. Jace's mother who had died in labor was a good friend to Maryse. She worried about Stephan raising a child on his own. She felt that Jace would need a mother eventually. She never thought that one day Stephan would be gone too.
After helping Jace with his tie Maryse, she helped him put his jacket then stood back. She looked at him. Maryse tried not to cry when she saw Jace, but she couldn't help it he looked so grown up in his dark navy suit.
"You look just like your father." Maryse said in tearful voice.
Jace smiled then said, "Thank you."
"Well should go and pick her up." she said wiping a tear from her eye.
"Yeah I should."
Jace walked out of the room. His hands were in his pocket, his heart pounding in his chest as if it were trying to escape. When he got downstairs Alec was waiting for him. Jace looked at his brother curiously. Alec was dressed like a chauffeur. He was dressed in a black blazer and pants. His wore a white shirt with a thin neck tie and a hat which was a nice touch.
"What are you doing here?" Jace asked.
"I am your driver for tonight." He replied.
"Umm, Why?"
"Dad's idea. Besides you don't have drivers license yet."
"So dad told you to this?"
"Yeah I mean how else are you going to get there? Take the train?"
Jace looked at Alec shaking his head. Somehow he knew this wasn't going to be just an ordinary date. He wondered what his adopted father Robert had in store for his date with Clary.
Clary sat at her vanity trying to up her hair. Every time she came close to getting it right it just fell. No matter what style she used it would not stay. It didn't help the matter that her hands shook every time, which made worse. She grunted in frustration throwing hairpins across the vanity. A knock came at her door.
"Come in." She replied.
Jonathan the youngest of her twin brothers stepped in. "Is everything all right Clary?"
"No, I can't get my hair to corporate and Jace will be here any minute." She said half sobbing. "I wish mom was here."
"I know. Would like some help?" He asked.
"You know how to fix hair?" Clary looked at him her eyebrows raised in curiosity.
"Not really I just figured you could use an extra set of hands."
She smiled "Thanks I would like that a lot."
Clary turned to the mirror and let her brother fix her hair. He brushed it until the brush glided through her hair. Then he carefully twisted and wrapped it around to form a bun. Jonathan then placed hairpins to secure it in place. Clary smiled at his handy work.
"Thank you Jonathan." She said looking up at him.
"Your welcome," smiling he continued, "you look beautiful."
Clary's face blushed a bright red. She smiled as a stray strand of hair fell to her face. She jumped at the sound of voices coming from the other room. Clary glanced at Jonathan, her quicken in her throat. Her breathing became heavy. Jonathan put his hand on her shoulder and smiled. He kissed on the forehead then walked out. Clary looked at herself in her mirror. I do look like my mother she thought. Her hair was the same red as her mother's. Her dress was a dark green and flowed around her legs. It brought out her eyes as if they were part of the dress.
When they arrived at the dock, Jace had expected that Robert would have the yacht tied in it's place. Instead a small speedboat was waiting for them. The man in the boat helped them climb in. The boat speeds off in the direction were the yacht was anchored. Lights of the yacht glowed in the distance as they approached. Jace turned to Clary, he watched the lights sparkle in her eyes like stars. When they approached the yacht the speedboat slowed. The boatman helped Clary and Jace onto the deck. As came they on the deck, a table was set for two. Jace led Clary to the table. He pulled out the chair for her then sat down in the chair across from her.
Their waitress was Isabelle. She told them what the Chef had prepared for them. Then disappeared to the lower part of the yacht. She returned with a tray of wine glasses filled with a non-alcoholic wine. Jace and Clary drank their wine. When all the courses were served, Jace got up and took Clary by the hand and they walked up to the back of the boat.
"Thank you Jace," Clary said smiling, "this is the best date I've ever been on."
"Your welcome."
Clary sat down onto one of the seats and sighed. Jace sat next to her. "Are you all right, Clary? You've been really quite."
"I'm sorry. There's something that's been bothering me."
"What's that?" He asked curiously.
"I found a box the other day. It contains a journal which my mother had been keeping before I was born and a picture of my family."
"And that bothers you?" Jace said confused.
"No, it's what is written on the back."
"Ah, I see. What did it say?" he asked.
"It said 'Solum Tempus Dic'. I've been trying to figure out what it means."
Jace smiled then said, "It's Latin for Only Time Will Tell."
"How do you know that?"
"I've studied it most of my life."
"Wow, you're amazing."
"I know." he smirked.
Clary shook her head. "Do you any other languages?"
"Votre belle au clair de lure." he said tugging on the stray strand of hair. The continued, "Tes yeux sont beax comme des emeraudes."
"Is that more Latin?" Clary asked.
"No, it's French." Jace replied.
"What does it mean?"
"It means you're beautiful in the moonlight and your eyes are like emeralds."
"You mean that?" She said smiling.
"Yeah I do."
Soft music started to play. Jace got up and offered his hand. Clary took it. Jace spun her around then pulled her close to him. They danced to the music. Looking in each others eyes. Jace leaned in to kiss Clary. He kissed her lightly on the lips. Clary stepped back from him, her heart pounding.
"I'm sorry." He apologized.
"Its ok," she replied, "maybe we should take things one step at time."
"Um sure I just got caught up in the moment." Jace said with a slight laugh. "I should probably take you home now."
Jace turned away heading for the speedboat. Clary followed. It seemed to take longer to get home then it had to the yacht. When they approached Clary's house red and blues lights flashed. Police cars were parked in front of the bookstore.
"I wonder what's going on?" Clary asked.
Alec pulled up to the street. All three got out of the car then walked towards the store. When Clary stepped in she saw Luke talking to a police officer. Her brothers were standing behind the counter, books lay on the floor. It appeared someone had broken into the store. Clary rushed over to Jonathan and Sebastian. Alec and Jace followed closely behind.
"What happen?" Clary asked.
"We don't know exactly." Sebastian answered.
"What do you mean?"
"It means they were looking for something. We don't know if they took anything with them." Jonathan said.
"What were they looking for?" Jace asked looking around the store.
"Obviously not money." Sebastian answered pointing to the register. "It hasn't been touched."
"They must have been looking for something specific." said Jonathan eying Jace.
"Who would do this?" Clary asked.
"I don't know Clary, but obviously it was important." Said Sebastian.
They talked for a while; Clary couldn't believe that someone would just break in and not take anything. It was like the world she knew was changing. She wondered if it had anything to do with that journal she found the other day. Was there something in there that someone wanted? If so, what was it? Clary pondered on the thought. She had to find out more about what was going on. Her brothers coming into town, her mother has an accident and goes into a coma, meeting Jace, the bookstore getting broken into the pieces to the puzzle didn't make any sense. Something wasn't right and Clary was determined to find out what it was.