Chapter 11:

It's been almost 2 weeks since we landed in New York. What does that mean? In 2 days Claire and I are having a date. Preparations are nearly ready. I just need confirmation from Phillip, and then we're ready to rock n' roll.

Since the day Claire and I we went to eat pizza all has been a jumble of activity. It all happened at once, we barely had any time to breathe. The interviews came fast and furious. We had 5 interviews with different newspapers, the Diane Sawyer interview which made me so very nervous. But Claire's reassurances and just her presence made me feel a lot more confident about myself and we managed to do pretty well, I might add. Then we closed everything off with a press conference, which lasted longer than I initially thought. Those journalists can be vicious people. Especially the ones that have blogs or sites like TMZ. Those are the worst!

The worst part though, was having to go to headquarters every time we finished an interview. They wanted us to tell them all about the reporter/journalist and what was their approach. I guess they wanted to know if we had screwed up. But they could just watch/read the damn interviews! I don't understand why we had to go there every time. Claire was at a loss too.

Now, 2 days from our date, I'm anxious and waiting for Friday night to be here already. I open my laptop to read the menu Phillip had sent me one more time. It sounds delicious, but I have my moments of doubt and I don't know if Claire will like it.

God! Stop worrying! Phillip is an amazing chef, you trust him and if he thinks this will blow Claire's taste buds off her mouth, then it will!

I log off my email and I'm about to turn off my laptop when Phillip's face pops up on my screen. Shit. It's almost as if he knew I was doubting his food. I click on the answer button.

"How are things coming along, man?"

"Everything is ready to go, brother. I've already made sure to have the best people from my staff to serve you both on Friday."

"I know I've said it before, but thank you, Phil. This means a lot. I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you."

"Non sense. The only thing I ask is for you not to screw it up." He laughs.

"I won't, or I'll try my best. You know how I have a penchant to screw things up."

"Yes, but somehow I don't think you will. Not when it comes to Claire, at least."

"I hope so." I think of all the things that have changed in my life, all the things that have changed about me and it's all because of Claire. I mean, I'm about to fly home to my parents, something I thought I would never do again. And it's all really because of Claire. She deserves someone who is willing to give her the moon and I plan to be anything but.

"Well, brother. I'll leave you to it. Just remember to wear your best clothes. Don't you dare show up in my restaurant with board shorts, 'cause I will have you escorted out."

I laugh. "Well, I was planning to, but I decided to just go and buy some decent clothes."

"Good, at least you'll look decent for once. Okay, brother. See you on Friday with the lady. I'll probably just pop out and introduce myself when it's time for the dessert. Also to receive the compliments I obviously deserve for the food I'll be giving you."

"Okay, Phil. I can't believe how down to earth you've turned out."

"I'm as grounded as they come. Bye, brother."

"Bye, man."

During all the chaos, I managed to set the date I'll be going home to my parents. I haven't even thought about it much to be honest. The only reason I haven't aborted the plans yet, is because of Claire. She has utter belief in me. Plus, at some point, she has to meet my parents and Isabella, which reminds me…

"Oh, now you're calling?"

"Come on. Don't be like that, Isa. Until when are you going to be pissed at me?"

"I don't know, ask me next time you see me. If you haven't found an excuse not to come yet."

Ouch. "I was actually calling to tell you that the plane tickets have been purchased and that Claire and I will be in New Haven on Sunday at 12pm. I promised you I was coming this time. When have I broken a promise to you?"

Her face softens and a soft smile appears on her face. "Never. You've never broken a promise."

"Exactly, I'm not planning on starting now. Or ever, for that matter."

She sits up straight, looks up and exhales loudly. "God, fine! You're forgiven! Happy now?!"

I do a little dance and she laughs. "Finally! I missed talking to you, sis."

"Yeah, me too." She leans forward and asks excitedly. "Now that I'm not pissed at you anymore, I gotta ask. Claire Dearing, Owen? Really? What happened with the 'This chick is too much like the ones mum kept wanting me to marry someday' shtick?"

Oh yeah, I remember. I had called Isabella as soon as the date with Claire had been over. I told her all about it. The itineraries, the tequila, even the board shorts, for good measure. I told her that Claire was the kind of woman my mum would've loved for me to marry one day. Which I had forgotten completely. My mum is going to love her. Funny the things we forget.

"I know! But after spending a whole day with her running through the jungle, you stop pretending, you know. I got to see who Claire really is. And I gotta say, me likey."

"So, she's not an uptight, boring workaholic?" she laughs.

"Oh, she's a workaholic. She's definitely not boring. She can be uptight, but really, is just a cover. She doesn't act like that around me. She's awesome. In a way, I'm glad I got to run through the jungle with dinosaurs stepping at our heels with her."

"Okay, then. I guess we like her. Have you told her?"

"Have I told her what?"

"You know what, Owen. Don't play dumb."

I sigh. "No, I haven't told her. But I definitely will before our flight. I have to, anyway. She'll realize it as soon as she steps foot in our house." I rub my face. "I don't know when, though. We have a date on Friday and I don't want to screw it up."

"Why would you screw it up if you told her? If she likes you as much as you like her, I don't see why she would care."

"I don't know. I don't want her to look at me differently."

"Dude, I think you're being insecure for no reason. Just tell her. Just make sure you don't tell her on the flight here. You tend to do things a bit aggressively sometimes. Give her enough time to process it. I think maybe on Saturday? A day should be enough time. Although she might be pissed at you… I don't know, Owen. You know her. You tell me."

"I guess if the date goes as planned, then the next day she'll still be happy and then I'll drop the bomb on her. A plan as good as any, I guess."

She looks at her watch and then looks up again. "Sorry, bro. But I gotta run. I told nonna I would go to the cemetery with her to visit nonno Luca. Email me the details of your flight and I'll pick you guys up. Sound good?"

"Sounds awesome. I'll do that right now. Love you, Isa. Say hi to nonna for me. See you on Sunday."

"I will. Love you, too. See you."

Oh, God. Claire is going to murder me when I tell her. I should've just told her that day on the park. She wanted to know me, I could've dropped the bomb on her then. But, noooo. I had to wait until days before she meets my family. It had to be me. It had to be me.

I put that topic out of my mind for now. I have to get the final things ready for the date. First, I need to think of questions for the rapid fire and write them down. Then, I need to go buy some decent clothes and finally, I have to tell Claire where we are going, as per her request, so she knows how to dress.

Claire and I had breakfast together and then she had received a call from HQ. So she had to leave pretty quickly after that. We agreed on having lunch together.

So, I took advantage of my time and went out and bought some nice looking cue cards to write my questions on. Now, I have to think of some. Let's start with the basics.

I feel my phone jump on the nightstand, caused by the vibrations.

"Hello?"

"Owen, it's Claire."

"Hey, how are things going over there?"

"Things are tense right now. I don't think I'll make it for lunch. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Do what you have to do. Just remember not to strangle anyone with your glare."

"I'm not Darth Vader, Owen."

"Yeah, well. Sometimes you're a little scarier than him."

"Nice, thanks."

I laugh. "Just remember to breathe and that you have a guy waiting for you here. Yes?"

"I'll remember that. See you later then."

"See you." I hang up, hoping Claire doesn't have a difficult day today. That's all we've been having lately. I, at least, don't have to deal with those guys. So, I start writing down my questions, more determined than ever to make Friday as fun as possible for Claire.

If not for my stomach growling, I wouldn't even had looked up from my cue cards. I look at the time. 2:00pm. I have officially been writing questions down all morning and part of the afternoon. I bought a pack of 70 cue cards and I only have 5 left. I'm going to have to cut it down to 15, maybe? It's not supposed to feel like an interrogation. First things first, I have to go eat. Then, I'll take advantage of Claire not being around, and go buy some nice looking clothes.

3 hours later, I'm back in the hotel. Clothes, check. Restaurant and food, check. I need to select the best questions and I need to tell Claire of the plans for Friday. I go to my room, hang my clothes in the closet and I pull out the cue cards from the drawer in the nightstand. I spend the next hour selecting the best questions. The ones I've picked will definitely tell me more of Claire, the little things that make up Claire, I hope. I put them safely back on the drawer, grab my wallet and step out into the hallway to go to the vending machine and buy some junk.

I end up buying Doritos, peanut m&m's and a bottle of water. I'm walking by the elevators, to my room, when I see the doors open and I see Claire coming out of them. She looks tired and ready to pass out.

"Hey, babe."

She starts walking towards me. I do the same and she hugs me and rests her head on my chest.

"Hey."

"You okay?"

"No, I'm not. Today was not a good day. Some of the families of the deceased where in HQ today. Zara's family was there. I don't know how I kept it together for so long. Her fiancé wouldn't stop crying, Owen. I've never felt surrounded by such pain before. "

"Come on, let's go to my room. We can talk there." I put my arm around her shoulders and guide her to my room.

Claire falls apart and I don't know what to do. The only thing I can do is listen to her and be there for her to reassure her and tell her that none of this is her fault. I repeat it so much, it feels like a mantra. I only stop when Claire spends the last of her energy and falls asleep on my bed with tears still running down her cheeks.

So much for her having a good day.

Sorry this is not the happy, funny chapter you were probably expecting, but last night's news were truly shocking and I guess it reflects in this last part of the chapter. I cannot belief there's still people out there who can be so evil and spread hate and pain in the way this terrorist group did last night in Paris. I know I have French readers, my thoughts are with you and anyone else whose lives have been affected in horrible ways because of this group of people. Stay strong and remember how strong you are! Never give in and never lose hope.