The following week, Today is the day that they are leaving America and heading back to Genovia. Clarisse hated the idea, but has no choice. Since Rupert turned up the week before her and Joe hasn't spent much time together, which she also hates.
After breakfast, alone in her suite she decided to start packing. She had a dinner date with Helen and Amelia, being the last for a while and hoped to get the packing done before leaving for it. But as she folded another skirt into one of her many cases she heard a noise coming from her suite. She slowly walked over to the door to see a pram and someone closing the door, as she turned holding a baby Clarisse realized it was Helen.
Coming out of her bedroom "Helen" she smiled walking over, and stopped when she saw she was crying "Oh Helen" she said rushing over and took Amelia from her "what's wrong?" she asked putting her free arm around Helen's shoulders as she moved them over to the couch then Clarisse walked over and got Amelia's baby bouncer to put her in near them.
They both sat down and Helen watched as Clarisse rested Amelia on her lap "I'm sorry bothering you like this?" she sobbed as Clarisse lent over putting Amelia in the bouncer
"oh its no bother, darling" Clarisse answered putting her arm around Helen's shoulders "are you going to tell me whats the matter?"
"I'm so tired" she answered looking at her with tears streaming down her face "I haven't slept properly since...well you no" Clarisse nodded and handed her a tissue "I hate being in that place we shared without him, I can't cope anymore" she cried
"Oh Hel" Clarisse said rubbing her arm as Helen moved and cried on her shoulder "why didn't you tell me before?" she asked moving her hand up and rested it on the side of her head
After a few minutes Helen sat up "I was wondering if you would like to take Amelia back with you for a while, not for good" she shook her head "just a couple weeks, so I can get myself sorted out and find us a new place to live" she cried
"oh Helen" Clarisse said getting upset "is it really that bad?" she asked afraid of the answer
"yes" she cried "it really is" she looked at her "I can't stay in that place anymore, I can't" she sobbed "and I really need sleep"
Clarisse looked at her for a second "ok here is what I am going to do" Helen looked at her "I will go and run you a lovely hot bath, I will put some of the stuff I use to relax, it really works" she nodded taking her hands "then you can have a sleep in my bed"
"I don't want to put you out" Helen said looking at her
"oh your not doing that, darling" she said hugging her for a second then stood up "wait right here, I will be back" she said and headed off.
Clarisse ran her a bath and got things ready for her, then came out to her.
"Ok its ready" she stood in the door way as Helen walked over "use anything you need to in the bathroom, I have put some fresh towels out for you" she said taking Helen's coat "and I have laid some pyjamas out on the bed for you also, there is a robe hanging on the back of the bathroom door if you need to use it" she said putting her hand on Helen's back "take all the time you need ok" she kissed her cheek "oh and if you wake up and we aren't here, it's cause we have gone down the hall to Pierre's suite ok" she half smiled at her
"Thank you" Helen whispered
"no problem" she stood watching as she headed over to the bathroom
Clarisse turned, pulling the door up and put Helen's coat of the back of the chair then moved and sat on the couch looking at Amelia in the bouncer "shall we go and see if Uncle Pierre is in?" she asked grabbing the key of the coffee table then picked Amelia up
She placed her in her pram and grabbed the bouncer, heading down to Pierre's suite. She knocked on the door but no one answered so she used her spare key and let herself in, after an hour Pierre returned to see Clarisse sat on the couch with Amelia in her arms playing with her necklace.
"well this is a sight I didn't think I would come back to" he said shutting the door as Clarisse looked over at him
"sorry we are using your suite" she said looking at him as he walked over and sat down next to them "Helen is resting in mine"
"Is everything ok?" he asked taking Amelia for a hug
"no not really?" she answered watching them together just as she was about to explain Rupert appeared
"ahh here you are?" he said walking over and sat down in the chair "I was wondering where you was seeing though there's a do not disturb sign on your door"
"yeah Helen's in there, resting" she said looking over at him
"whats going on?" Rupert asked
Clarisse took a deep breath and explained everything to them. Then they sat talking about it for a while, coming up with ways to help her when someone knocked on the door.
"Come in" Pierre called out and everyone looked to see the door opening
"its just me, can I come in?" Helen asked
"of course" Clarisse said standing up "come sit down" she said moving for her to come and sit down "did you have a good rest?"
"I did, thank you so much" Helen replied as Clarisse sat on the arm of the chair next to her
"good" Rupert answered with a smile
"we are glad you are here actually, we need to talk to you" Clarisse said looking at her "we" she said looking at Pierre and Rupert then back at Helen "have been talking about what you said to me this morning" she said taking her hand "and we wondered if you would like to come and stay with us for a month or two?" she half smiled "or however long you would like too"
"that way" Rupert started "you can have a good rest, and we" he said looking at Clarisse and Pierre then back to Helen "can all take it in turns looking after this little one" he smiled reaching over for Amelia's hand as she sat on Pierre's lap then looked back at Helen "and you still get to see her too"
Pierre smiled "and I know a couple people who can help you find a place, right from Genovia" he said looking at her "they will help you and set up viewing dates, then you can come back and look at them whenever you want to"
"and I can come back with you if you like" Clarisse added as Helen looked at her "and it would be our honour if you let us" she said looking at Rupert then back at Helen "buy the house for you, you no so that you don't have to use all your savings"
"you don't have to, I have enough to get a house" Helen replied
"we are just worried that it's going to use all your savings" Rupert answered "so you won't have anything left afterwards"
"but" Clarisse added as Helen looked up at her "please don't forget that we will always support you and Amelia, no questions asked" she said rubbing Helen's back "you don't have to answer now, we can always take Amelia home with us then you follow in a week or two"
"think about it" Rupert said as Helen looked at her
"why would you do all this for me? I wasn't married to your Son?" she asked feeling a little overwhelmed
Clarisse looked at Rupert then back at Helen "you may not of been married to him, but you have a child with him and have been good friends for many years"
"and" Rupert started as both Helen and Clarisse looked at him "your like the daughter we never had" he said looking up at Clarisse as she looked at him for a second then looked down at Helen again
"yes" Clarisse smiled down at her "he's right, you are the daughter we never had"
Pierre watched her then looked at Rupert, feeling a little sad adding "your as good as my sister" he smiled over at him "and we help family no matter what"
"exactly" Clarisse added with a smile as Helen slumped back in the chair
"gosh this is all so much to take in" she said running everything around her head as Rupert, Pierre and Clarisse all looked between each other
"well as we said, think about it a while" Rupert said as Helen looked at him
Helen took a deep breath and sat up "ok, why not?"
"really?" Clarisse asked
"yes, really" Helen answered and laughed a little as Clarisse hugged her and the men both saying "Yes"
"did you hear that Amelia?" Pierre asked holding her up "your coming back to Genovia with us" he smiled at her as she giggled to herself "no idea what I just said" he chuckled while looking back at Clarisse still hugging Helen
"ok, I will go and find Joe and have him drive you over to get some stuff" Clarisse said parting from her "now get as much as you will need, but remember if you forget anything we can still get it there" she beamed and looked at Pierre "will you go and help her?"
"of course" he smiled watching as Clarisse walked over to the door
"great, I will be back" she smiled and left the room to find Joe
After a few minutes she returned with Joe, then they left leaving Clarisse and Rupert having cuddles with Amelia. After making some coffee she walked over sitting on the other end of the couch that Rupert was sat on, slipped of her shoes and put her feet up as she watched him rubbing Amelia's back gently.
"your good with her" she said as she rested her elbow on the back of the couch
"of course, she's my granddaughter" he smiled and kissed the side of Amelia's head as she slept on his chest "I was like it with the boys too"
"yes, you was" she nodded in agreement "I will be right back" she said standing up feeling a bit cold and grabbed one of Pierre's sweater from his room, slipping it on as she came back and sat back down how she was before "that's better" she said rubbing her ankle
"actually I wanted to talk to you why we are alone" Rupert said looking at her "I know I didn't pay much attention to you for 15 years, but our anniversary was amazing and it made me realize how stupid I was, since you left it's been hell" he said looking at Amelia then back at Clarisse "I know I shouldn't of done what I did, it was wrong and I should never of asked you about having a baby, knowing that I couldn't"
"Rupert..." she started but he stopped her
"And I know we haven't really talked since I have been here, but I still love you Clarisse and would love to give it another go" he watched as she looked down
She took a deep breath "I'm sorry" she shook her head "I can't"
he looked at Amelia "I understand" he nodded
"I'm sorry" she replied
"I will always love you" he said looking at her
"I will you, as the father of my boys, nothing else" she answered as he nodded
After a few minutes of silence, Clarisse turned to face the other way and snuggled up soon falling to sleep. After a couple hours Joe, Pierre and Helen arrive back. They stand looking at them on the couch for a few minutes then Pierre gets Clarisse's camera and takes a photo of them.
"I had to do that, because they would never believe it if we told them" he smirked putting the camera down
"is it really that hard to look after one baby" Helen asked with a smirk looking at Pierre and Joe
"it must be" Pierre answered as they all chuckled as Clarisse opened her eyes "did she wear you out?" he asked walking over as she sat up with a yawn
"I don't no what happened there" she moved and stood up "one minute I was awake and then the next, you was stood here" she said looking at Helen and Joe "sorry Pierre I hope you didn't mind but I borrowed your sweater"
"no problem" he smiled "it suits you actually"
"thanks" she said looking down at it then back at him "I may keep it then" she giggled as he gasped "just kidding" she said kissing his cheek
"its ok, you can keep it if you want to, I have plenty more" he smiled
Clarisse smiled "thanks"
After a little while everyone went back to their own rooms and packed up their stuff, heading to the airport on time for their flight home.