Chapter 7: Did I Make A Mistake?
Three days later.
As Clarisse stood in the doorway leading to the now empty closet, she let out a sigh and sipped her morning tea. Edward came over yesterday to talk and collect the rest of his things, and now as Clarisse looked around the empty room she wondered if she had made a mistake. She has only heard from Joseph once since she left his place three days ago, and that was just to tell her that he had arrived in England. She has no idea what is going on, if he had talked with Jasmine and broke it off or if they are still together.
Hearing a knock on her suite door she slowly turned and made her way over to the bedroom door, where she called out for them to enter. Seeing it was her sister, Elsie, she walked over and sat on the couch as her sister closed the door.
"Have you heard anything yet?" Elsie asked as she made her way over to sit in one of the arm chairs.
"No, nothing." Clarisse shook her head and sipped some more of her tea before placing her cup on the coffee table in front of her. "And now I'm starting to wonder if I made a mistake."
"What do you mean?" Elsie asked, watching her as she crossed her legs.
"I just checked out Edward's closet, and as I stood there thinking about everything, I just started thinking if I had made a mistake. I ran out on him at our wedding for a man who has been my best friend for years and someone I only found out loved me back shortly before the ceremony and now he can't even call and let me know what's going on." Clarisse answered and looked down. "I don't even know if they are still together, or if he did break up with her or not." She said sadly and covered her face with her hands.
"I'm sure he has a perfectly good reason to why he hasn't phoned you, and I know that you feel like you have made a mistake, but please don't give up on him yet. Not after everything." Elsie begged and moved to sit beside her sister as she lowered her hands and looked at her. "From what Pierre and Philippe have been telling me, he love's you a lot Clarisse. And you would not have ran out on Edward like that if you thought he didn't mean it."
"I don't know.." Clarisse began while standing up and moved to stand by the window.
"Alright, let's do this. Pro's and Con's." Elsie said while moving to sit at the desk in her suite. "Edward's pro's?" She asked and watched her sister as she just stood there. "Surely there must be one at least?" Elsie said after a moment.
"Yes, that he was good friend's with Rupert." Clarisse answered while looking over at her for a moment before looking back out the window. "But then so was Joseph."
"Alright, anymore?" Elsie asked and watched as she shook her head. "Okay, con's?"
"He wanted children, he never paid me compliments, rarely told me that he loved me, is pushy with some things, or that he doesn't like Joseph,"
"Yeah, that I get. Pierre and Philippe told me that's why he proposed in the first place." Elsie said and watched as Clarisse looked over at her.
"What? What do you mean?" Clarisse asked and moved over to sit beside her at the table.
"Um..."
"Elsie, tell me.. what did you mean?" Clarisse asked, begging her to tell her.
"He only asked you to marry him because of what Joseph done for your birthday, he wanted to do one better and ask you to marry him in the hopes he would leave." Elsie said and watched as Clarisse looked down. "I'm sorry, I thought you knew."
"No it's fine, at least I know now." Clarisse said with a shrug and looked back at her sister.
"Anymore con's?" Elsie asked, and rubbed her sister's arm.
"Yes actually there is," She said, looking at her sister. "He is a rubbish lover!"
"What?" Elsie exclaimed in surprise and started laughing.
"What, he was. There was nothing there, not even really at the start. I thought I loved him, but I didn't and I'm glad I realised before we said 'I do'. Now as for Joseph, wow. When we kissed the other day there was something, and.." She paused while looking down and closing her eyes.
"Clarisse?" Elsie said softly and watched as her sister slowly looked back up at her.
"I had the butterflies, everything you should feel when you kiss someone you love, just like it did when Rupert was here." Clarisse said sadly.
"You had the fireworks, huh?" Elsie asked and watched as Clarisse nodded, while blinking away tears. "Oh my Clarisse," She whispered while moving closer and hugged her. "If you don't want to continue with this, then we won't.. I just thought it would help."
"No, I want to." Clarisse said a moment later while sitting back and wiped her tears away.
"Alright," Elsie nodded and reached out, rubbing Clarisse's hand for a moment before continuing. "So let's not recap, um.. is there anything else to add for con's?" She asked.
"Oh loads, but I think it's time to move on." Clarisse said while looking down.
"Now, I'm going to ask you this just once. Did he ever hurt you?" She asked and watched as Clarisse looked up.
"No, he wouldn't dare." She said, shaking her head and looked back down.
"Good, I am glad as I know I am younger than you, but I swear if he ever did, I would kill him." Elsie said and watched as Clarisse looked back up at her, smiling.
"I know, and you wouldn't be the first that's for sure." Clarisse said and looked towards the window with a sigh.
"Alright, let's move on. What about Joe's con's, does he have any?" Elsie asked and watched as Clarisse looked back at her.
"Yes, he does." She nodded "For not telling me how he really feels about me."
"Yes, there is that." Elsie smiled "Is that all?" She asked and watched as Clarisse nodded "Ok, now the pro's.. which I can think of a few, one being that he loves you loads, more than anyone in this world, well apart from Rupert and the boys of course, Oh and even though you said that he was good friends with Rupert, he's your best friend too and knows you better then me," She smiled. "Oh and that he's a good kisser, what about lover? Is he a good lover?" She asked and watched as Clarisse laughed while looking away.
"I haven't got that far yet, so stop it." Clarisse blushed.
"Alright, I'm sorry." Elsie smiled and gave her a hug "Let's be serious now, what other pro's has he got?" She asked and watched as Clarisse thought about it."
"Well he always knew the best things to get me, even spending all of his day off in the perfume shop just to find the right one."
"Wow, I never knew that." Elsie exclaimed "That's amazing, and how you never got that he loves you from that I will never know." She smiled.
"I know, it's so obvious, isn't it? And I didn't get it." She said and looked over at the window, thinking some more. "He's handsome, sexy, fit, amazing, funny... an amazing person who knows more about me than I know myself, so it's not just you." She smiled over at her sister.
Nodding, Elsie watched as Clarisse looked away. "I know you miss him and that you are worried, but from all this I really don't think you have anything to worry about."
"Don't I?" Clarisse asked and looked back at her sister "Then why hasn't he called to tell me what's going on?" She said and watched as Elsie shook her head while looking down.
"I don't know, I really don't..." She said and looked back up at her "I wish I did." She added and moved closer, giving her sister a hug as she began crying. "I think that's enough of the pro's and con's now." She whispered while rubbing Clarisse's back.
Later That Morning.
Heading downstairs, Clarisse grabbed some tea and headed out into the gardens to get some fresh air. Sitting at the table as she placed her cup down, wanting to be alone as she sat back and closed her eyes, thinking over everything. However, shortly after she was joined by her sister and a mutual friend, Carolyn, where they all sat talking, until that is something caught Elsie's eye.
Reaching her arm over, she placed her hand on Carolyn's arm to get her attention. Looking up she saw that she was looking toward's the Palace, so looking that way herself, she raised herself up a little and placed her hand on top of Elsie's as it remained on her arm. And noticing their actions, Clarisse turned to see what had caught their attention and seeing who was stood looking over, she slowly stood up.
As he made his way over to them, Elsie and Carolyn smiled at each other before looking back at Clarisse.
"What took you so long?" Clarisse asked and watched as he stood in front of her.
"It's a long story, if you want me to explain then I will..."
"You being here must only mean one thing?" She asked and watched as he nodded "Really?" She asked, tears filling her eyes as he nodded again.
"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't over, I'm here and I ain't going anywhere. Clarisse, I love you." He said and dropped his bag to the floor beside him as she hurried forward and put her hands up to cup his face as they shared a kiss, and as Clarisse wrapped her arms around his shoulders, he wrapped his around her waist, holding her close as he deepened the kiss. "Can you get away for a few days?" He asked a moment later and looked into her eyes.
"Of course," She nodded.
"Come on?" He smiled, wrapping his arm around her waist as he grabbed his bag before they walked back over to the Palace.
Later That Evening.
Laying on the bed, her head resting on his arm, Clarisse watched the man beside her. And sensing that she was watching him, he opened his eyes and smiled. "What's that matter?" He asked and rolled onto his side to face her.
"I was just wondering when it was you realised that you loved me?" She asked and studied his face.
"Oh it was a long time ago," He began as she listened. "When we were teenagers in fact." He said and took hold of her hand.
"Why did you never tell me?" She asked.
"What? And risk losing you as a friend? Never!" He said, making her laugh as she cupped his face. "I couldn't, I honestly thought that if I was honest then I would lose you, and so I kept quiet. And then when you married Rupert, my god did it break my heart."
"I had no idea," She said, moving her hand onto his chest.
"I know, and I wanted it that way." He said, placing his hand on hers "I loved you in secret for years."
"Why didn't you tell me after?" She asked.
"It never seemed the right time to tell you something like that, it's not easy you know to tell your best friend that you love them." He said, watching her.
"I can understand that," She said with a small nod.
"What about you? When did you realise?" He asked and watched as she rolled onto her back.
"This is probably going to sound so mean, and it's not because I didn't love you, I did, I just didn't realise." She began and turned her head to look at him as he raised himself up on his arm.
"Go on?" He urged, resting his head on his hand as she began playing with her ring.
"I overheard a couple of the maids talking, well actually when I heard them talking about you I began listening. I was in the food pantry trying to find something tasty to eat, when they came into the kitchen and were talking and gushing over how handsome, strong and fit you are." She said, looking over at him as he smirked at her. "And as they continuied talking about you, I found myself biting my lip and remembering the time you helped in the garden. You know a few summers back, and you ended up taking your shirt off because it was so hot?" She said and watched as he nodded.
"I remember, it was very hot that day." He nodded.
"And that's when it hit me, actually it hit me hard. I had discovered that I had feelings for you, and I never realised until that day." She said, looking back up at the ceiling. "Actually, it was the day that you told me that you and Jasmine were giving it another go, and that you was going to leave."
"Ahh, now it makes sense." He said and watched as she looked back at him "Is that why you were so funny when I told you?" He asked.
"Yes," She nodded and looked back at the ceiling "It was, and I'm so sorry."
"You don't have to be sorry, I'm sorry for hurting you that way." He said softly and watched as she rolled back onto her side to look at him.
"Then on Christmas Eve, when you came and left me the invite to your wedding. I had so much going on that day, and seeing you again I wanted to tell you how I felt, but admittedly I felt like you. I was scared that if I had told you, then I would lose you." She said, studying his face as he reached his hand over to cup her cheek.
"I'm so glad Pierre told you how I felt, because I don't think I would have ever been able to tell you myself." He whispered and watched as she closed her eyes while moving closer.
"We have each other now." She whispered and opened her eyes to look into his.
"Yes we do, and I ain't ever going to let you go." He said softly, looking into her eyes.
"I should hope not," She smiled, lightening the mood. "I love you, Joseph."
"And I love you too," He smiled and kissed her a couple times. "Shall I go and get us some drinks?" He asked.
"That would be nice," She smiled and kissed him once more before watching him climb from the bed.
A few moment's later, Joseph returned to find Clarisse stood by the window's wrapped in his robe. Smiling he placed the ice bucket down and poured them both a drink.
"I never noticed when I was here the other day," Clarisse smiled while looking back over at him "But the view from here is so amazing, and the sunset.." She said while looking back out the window "Is beautiful."
"Yes it is," He nodded and slowly walked over to her "You will get to see the sunrise tomorrow, that's even more amazing." He smiled as she turned to him.
"I can't wait," She smiled and took the glass he offered. Taking a sip, she raised her hand and looked at the glass "Champagne?" She asked, looking at him.
"Yes of course, I have been saving it for a special occasion, and I think this fits the bill, don't you think?" He asked, raising his glass. "To our future." He smiled and clinked his glass to hers.
"To our future indeed," She smiled and took a sip while stepping closer "And what a future it's going to be." She smiled and reached up, kissing him as he wrapped his free arm around her shoulder.
And there, as they stood cuddled together they watched the sunset over the city.
xXxXx
This is the end for now, if I can work out another chapter then I will write and post it. If not, then I am sorry but this will be the end.
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