The Following Day.
Clarisse stirred from a deep sleep when she heard Lena calling out for her, lifting her head as the young girl stood beside the bed, full of smiles.
"Wake up Mom, It's your Birthday and Anniversary." She giggled as she rolled over and sat up just as Joseph came in the room carrying a breakfast tray.
"What time is it?" She asked looking towards the clock as Lena sat on the bed beside her "It's nearly 9?" She gasped "Why didn't anyone wake me." She exclaimed as Joseph placed the tray on the bed in front of her.
"Because it's a Saturday and it's a special day today, you are taking the day off." Lena smiled up at her.
"Just because it's my birthday, a Queen can't take a day off you know?" She asked while looking down at Lena as she looked at her with puppy dog eyes "Ok ok, I will take the day off." She smiled as Lena grinned, wrapping her arms around her "Can you open my present first? As I promised Charlotte and Ally I would help them with something this morning."
"Of course," Clarisse nodded and sipped her tea as Lena passed her the present "Thank you." She smiled putting her cup down and took her gifts from Lena. Opening the first one to find a necklace with 'Worlds Best Mom' wrote in a heart "Oh it's beautiful." Clarisse smiled and lent over, kissing her cheek "I love it."
"Glad you love it," She smiled "I got one for Daddy too." She grinned over at Joseph then back at Clarisse.
"I will put that on after I have had a shower." Clarisse smiled at her.
"Yay." She giggled and pointed to the other one "That's for your birthday." She smiled.
"Thank you sweetheart." Clarisse smiled and started opening the other one.
After Lena left Clarisse ate a bit of her breakfast then opened her presents from Joseph, followed by opening the card, reading it to herself before looking up at him.
"Thank you." She nodded while closing the card "Your present is in my closet, the only place I could hide it was in there." She said looking at him.
"You didn't have to get me anything, but thank you." He nodded slightly and walked through to check it out, coming out moments later in surprise "You got me some new golf clubs?"
"I did," She nodded and watched him sit on the bed in front of her "And if you look," She said taking it from him and pointed to the handle "It has J E engraved on it."
"Wow," He said in amazement while looking down at it as Clarisse watched him "Clari," He whispered while slowly looking up "I'm sorry I haven't been here much lately and I'm sorry about last night, I guess sleep got the better of me."
"It's alright." She nodded.
"No it's not, not really." He whispered "I love you and I'm so sorry for not being here." He said leaning closer and kissed her.
Watching him sit back "It's alright, I was going to say when I came back that you looked really tired." She said.
"I will make it up to you, I promise." He nodded and stood up.
"You don't need to." She said watching him walk back through to her closet.
"Are these ok left in here for now?" He asked coming back out as she took a bite of her toast.
"Mmm," She nodded "Of course." She said and finished chewing her bite of toast "Thank you for breakfast too." She smiled.
"You're welcome." He smiled.
As Clarisse got showered and dressed Joseph headed back downstairs, checking on Lena, Ally and Charlotte too see what they were up too. Once Clarisse was ready she headed downstairs, grabbed some coffee then headed to her office.
As she sat going through her emails, a message popped up from Erica on skype. Before she could read it however, they were calling her to video chat.
Answering it with a smile "Hello darling."
"Mom," Erica grinned while waving at the camera "Happy Birthday." She exclaimed.
"Thank you darling, but what are you doing up so early?" She asked after realizing what the time was where Erica now lived.
"I couldn't sleep, this bump is very uncomfortable." She answered while moving the webcam onto her bump as Clarisse gasped.
"You're so big now." Clarisse asked as Erica put the camera back on her face.
"I am, but then I think most of it is to do with all the American food Shades is making me eat." She laughed.
"Aww bless," Clarisse smiled and looked up as Joseph came in the office "Daddies here, did you want to say Hello?" She asked looking back at the camera.
"Of course," Erica grinned.
"Erica?" Joseph smiled while standing beside Clarisse and lent over her a little "Hey, how are you?"
"I'm good, what about you both?" She asked "Happy Anniversary to you both, sorry I couldn't be there."
"It's ok darling," Joseph smiled while putting his arm around Clarisse's shoulders as she looked at him then at the camera "We will come over and see you soon."
"You better," Erica giggled and smiled when she noticed Joseph moving his arm around Clarisse, placing his hand on her chest "I miss you guys so much." She said sadly.
"We miss you too darling," Clarisse answered while putting her hand on Josephs "But thank god for this video chat?" She smiled.
"Yes, thank god." Erica smiled "Well I best go before I wake up everyone else."
"Ok darling, thank you for calling." Clarisse smiled.
"Call us back later or tomorrow so we can speak with our Grandchildren." Joseph smiled.
"Of course Daddy," Erica smiled "Love you both." She said and blew them a kiss.
"Goodbye sweetheart." Clarisse smiled and hung up.
"We really must go out soon and see them." Joseph said looking at her while standing up.
"Yes I agree." Clarisse nodded.
"Anyway, I just came to let you know that I got to nip out for a bit." He said checking he had everything "I won't be long, I promise."
"Ok," She said and watched him lean over and kiss her cheek "See you later then."
"You will." He nodded and left her office, heading down to his car when something caught his eye.
"Daddy?" Olivia asked while standing behind him as he lent over, checking his car "What are you doing?" She asked.
"Hmmm that's odd." He said standing up and looked at her "I haven't drove this car for a while, but it has a dent in it." He said putting his hands on his hips, not taking his eyes from the car when Olivia gasped "Olivia," He said looking at her "Why did you gasp?" He asked.
"Um..." She said and started laughing "That's a funny story actually, did Mom never tell you?" She asked.
"Tell me what?" He asked as she laughed nervously.
"Well you remember when we went to the store, the day you came out of hospital?" She asked as he nodded "Well I'm surprised she never got it fixed actually, because it's been like 10 weeks." She said and laughed nervously again.
"What are you trying to tell me?" He asked.
"Mom grabbed your car keys by mistake, I offered to go and get her car keys but she just said we'd take your car that day." She smiled.
"She doesn't like driving this one though because it's too big." He said.
"That's what she said, she doesn't like it because of that fact but well we had to get to the store before it closed so we just took yours." Olivia smiled "When she was reversing back she accidentally bumped into another car." She asked as he gasped and looked back at his car "It's really not that big though Daddy."
"It's not the point," He said looking back at Olivia "She never told me," He smirked "I'm going to have a bit of fun with this I think." He nodded.
"You can't tell her I told you, she'd kill me." Olivia gasped.
"Don't worry, I will get it out of her another way." He nodded and moved around to the door, opening it.
"Maybe it slipped her mind with you being poorly and everything." Olivia said.
"Maybe," He nodded about to get in the car but stopped and stepped back "Do me a favor and don't tell her I know?"
"Ok," Olivia nodded "You're keeping a secret for me so I can keep one for you." She smiled.
"Thank you flower." Joseph nodded and climbed in the car.
As he drove off Olivia headed inside, finding everyone in the kitchen having a laugh over coffee, joining them. Shortly after Maxwell came through the door carrying a huge red rose bouquet.
"These just came for you, Your Majesty." He smiled down at her.
"Aren't they lovely," Charlotte smiled as Clarisse stood up and took them from him.
"Thank you Maxwell," She smiled taking the card "Who delivered them?"
"The flower shop manager." He smiled.
"Ok, thank you." Clarisse nodded while moving over to the counter, laying them down as he left.
"What's wrong Mom?" Olivia asked as everyone at the table looked at each other as she read the card to herself "Mom?" She asked again.
"Nothing." Clarisse said shaking her head and walked out.
"Mom?" Olivia called out after her.
"What's that about?" Charlotte asked.
"Beats me." She said standing up and took the card as Ally took the flowers over to the sink "Well they are from Daddy." She said handing the card to Charlotte and sat back down.
"I wonder why she left then." Charlotte said and looked up as she shrugged.
A short time later as everyone got on with what they needed to do, Charlotte headed to Clarisse's office, hearing her sobbing she slowly pushed open the door, her heart breaking at seeing her crying on the couch. Pulling up the door she stepped away from the door and called Pierre, waiting for him to answer as she walked into the family living room.
"Hello you?" He smiled to himself.
"Pierre can you talk?" Charlotte asked.
"Of course, what's wrong?" He asked.
"Your Mom, that's what is." Charlotte said looking towards the door "She's sat in her office crying her eyes out."
"What, why?" Pierre asked.
"I don't know." Charlotte answered "You need to come and talk to her."
"I will be there as soon as I can." He said.
"Ok, bye." She said hanging up just as the door opened "Hey Maxwell."
"Sorry I didn't realize it was you in here, is everything alright?" He asked.
"Yes, thank you." Charlotte smiled and walked out.
A short time later Pierre arrived and headed straight to Clarisse's office, knocking on the door before walking straight in. Standing still as Clarisse spun around and glared at him.
"What's wrong Mom?" He asked while pushing up the door as she jumped up.
"Nothing," She said watching him walk over and stand in front of her.
"This don't look like nothing?" He whispered and watched her start to cry again "Come on tell me, what's wrong?" He asked while wrapping his arms around her.
After a few moments they sat down and Pierre handed her the box of tissues.
Laughing a little "Thank you." She said and sniffed while taking one.
"Now are you going to tell me why you are crying?" He asked and watched her wipe her eyes.
"It's just something stupid, I got upset when Maxwell brought me the flowers that had been delivered by the manager of the flower shop." She said looking at him "In all the years that we've been together he never once let the manager bring me the flowers, he always brought them." She said thinking about it "And with him hardly being here lately, I can't help but think..." She started crying again.
"Mom," Pierre whispered while leaning over and put his arm around her shoulders "Tell me?" He whispered.
"I think he's having an affair." She whispered and looked at him as he looked at her in surprise.