The next morning Owen had made his way to the airport to pick up Ellie and Alan. Everyone was in agreement that Maisie was not to fly alone. Claire was finishing up prepping a meal for Owen to cook on the grill for everyone and Maisie was plopped on the couch watching a movie.
"Mais, do you want to go for a walk around the lake after I'm done here?"
Maise moved slightly to look at Claire from the couch. "Mmmmm, I don't know, I'm kind of tired, I didn't sleep very well last night." she slumped back into her position on the couch.
Claire frowned knowing it was probably due to nightmares, they all were still having them. Placing the items for dinner she needed too into the fridge, she cleaned up the mess she had made and then walked over to the couch where Maisie was half laying half sitting. For her and Owen not being her biological parents she surely adopted a lot of Owen's characteristics in the few years they had all been together and it made Claire smile.
"What?" Maisie asked, confused looking at her mom staring at her with a smile.
Claire shook her head and laughed a little. "You just" She motioned for Maisie to sit up as she moved to sit behind her. She was almost 15 but still really enjoyed the cuddling her parents offered, since she didn't get much of it as a kid. "You just looked like your dad for a moment. Made me smile."
Maisie tried to hide her smile and got comfortable in Claire's embrace, Claire resting her head on top of Maisie's.
"Breakfast Club, aye?"
Maise sighed "Yeah it gives me a little insight into what detention would be like if I was in an actual high school."
Claire laughed, "You would totally not be in detention if you went to an actual high school."
Maisie turned in Claire's arms a little to look up at her. "How do you know that, you tell me all the time how much I remind you of dad, wasn't he in detention a lot." she finished with a smirk. Claire nodded in agreement. "Touche."
It was quiet for a few as the two watched the movie together. "Mais?"
"Hmm" Maisie hummed.
"Would you want to try going to high school after the summer is over?"
Maisie shot up and turned to look at Claire with big eyes. "Do you mean that?"
Claire giggled softly, "I mean, I'd have to talk to you dad about it and see how he feels about it as well, but if it's really something you'd like to do, I'm sure we could figure it out."
Maisie looked down at her lap thinking for a moment. "What if kids thought I was weird or something?"
Claire brought a hand to Maisie's shoulder "Bug, you are not weird, and even if someone thought you were, that's either a compliment or you don't want to be friends with that kid anyways."
Maisie laughed. "Yea, I mean I think, I would like to try it." she paused for a moment. "It would be nice to have a friend that isn't an adult or…a dinosaur."
Claire smiled and nodded, pulling Maisie back into her embrace. "I'll talk to your dad then."
The two continued to watch the movie, but Maisie had fallen asleep and Claire smiled in contentment. She started to think back on when they first got Maise and a tear slid down her cheek. She wished she could take away all the traumatic experiences the girl had gone through already, especially the night Mills decided to tell her lies about who she was. It was still hard for Maisie to understand and comprehend that her biological mother had made her out of love and she wasn't just created in the event to replicate her mother. Claire had spent many nights in Maisie's room since they took her in because she was essentially having an identity crisis. It wasn't fair that she had to deal with any of this and Claire just wanted to take in all her pain for her. She held her a little tighter and eventually fell asleep herself.
"We are here." Owen stated matter of factly.
Ellie looked around the plot of land as Owen parked the vehicle. "Wow, you built this?"
"I did," he nodded "with the help of my girls." Shutting the car off he quickly got out, running to the passenger side to open the door for Ellie.
Alan got out of the vehicle as well, shutting his door and looking around himself. "This is really amazing, Owen. Very beautiful."
"Thank you, Sir. That means a lot."
The three walked up to the front porch of the house, Ellie and Alan with their backpacks in tow. Alan was amazed by the quality of the cabin as he ran his hands along one of the beams. Owen pulled open the screen door grimacing at the sound the spring made. "Gotta fix that."
"Claire? Maisie? We're…" he walked into the cabin a little further noticing the two asleep on the couch. He smiled and turned to Ellie and Alan, "Go ahead and set your stuff down on the dining room table." The decrease in volume of his voice was taken in by the two and they smiled and nodded walking towards the dining room. Owen slipped his phone out of his pocket and quickly took a picture of the two asleep on the couch together.
He walked over to the couch and squatted down. He brushed a strand of hair behind Maisie's ear, and then placed his hand gently on her shoulder. "Mais."
She slowly stirred a little "hmm..dad?"
Owen smiled "Yes baby girl, guess who's here."
Maisie took in a deep breath and started to stretch forgetting her mom was behind her.
"Careful" Owen laughed, stopping her hand from hitting Claire in the face. "Owen?" Claire whispered, eyes still closed as she helped push Maise up and off of her, feeling her trying to sit up.
"AUNT ELLIE! UNCLE ALAN!" Maisie shouted as she looked over towards the front door to see the two standing there. She ran over to them embracing them both at the same time. "I'm so happy to see both of you!"
Owen could see Maisie would have the two occupied for a moment so he leaned in and kissed Claire sweetly on the lips. She sighed into the kiss and her eyes fluttered open slowly when he pulled away. She squinted a few times trying to get her eyes adjusted to the light. When they were well adjusted she looked at Owen smiling so beautifully at her and she smiled back, cupping the back of his neck and pulling him in for one more kiss before she sat up to welcome Ellie and Alan.
Ellie leaned back in her chair sighing with the feeling of a happy food baby. "Thank you so much for dinner you guys, it was very delicious."
Claire stood up to clear the table and Owen quickly grabbed her arm. "Sit. I'll get it." She smiled and nodded, sitting back down. Alan stood up from his spot at the table on the back deck, "I'll help." Alan placed a kiss on top of Ellie's head grabbing both their plates as Owen grabbed Claire, Maisie's, and his own. Claire gave Owen a look that thanked him, rubbing his arm as he walked past her.
"It's so beautiful here." Ellie stated as she looked out towards the lake. The sun had started to go down. The sky started to fade into beautiful shades of pinks, purples, and oranges with clouds that looked like wisps of cotton candy. "It really is." Claire whispered as she looked out across the lake as well.
"Do you guys ever see Blue and Beta?" Ellie asked, taking a sip of her wine.
Claire took in a deep breath she didn't realize she was holding as she was almost lost in thought as she stared at the reflection of the sky on the lake. "Oh yea, quite often actually." she said, bringing her hand to the stem of her wine glass. "It's funny ever since we brought Beta back from Malta, it was like a mutual agreement to protect each other."
Claire took a sip of her wine and leaned back in her chair looking back out on the lake. Ellie could tell Claire was nervous about letting Maisie go with them. Reaching across the table Ellie put her hand on top of Claire's. It started Claire a little but she turned and smiled at Ellie. "I promise Claire, us three will all take really good care of this little one." Ellie smiled at Claire and then smiled at Maisie.
Maisie sat up in her chair turning to her mom. "And I promise I will call you or text you everyday, along with pictures or video, or both."
Claire smiled at both of them. " I know you guys will take good care of my girl, and you better do all of the things my little love bug."
Maise smiled and rolled her eyes at the nickname Claire had started to call her at 10 years old. "You promised you wouldn't use that around other people."
Ellie laughed "But it's so cute!"
Maisie rolled her eyes again.
"You know if you keep rolling your eyes like that, they're going to get stuck that way, then if you go to high school kids might really think you're weird and you'll have to explain to them how your eyes got that way from rolling them too much." Claire laughed.
"High school?" Owen questioned walking back out on the deck with a bottle of red wine to refill Ellie and Claire's glass.
"Oooo, thank you baby, and yes, we will talk this week, Mais might want to try it out this year." she smiled and Owen leaned in for a quick kiss.
"Ugh, must you guys always do that in front of me?" she huffed before taking a sip of her rootbeer.
Owen went to stand and Claire stopped him by grabbing him by his henley, "and just for that." she planted a firm longer kiss on his lips before releasing him to fill their wine glasses.
Maise looked away sipping on her rootbeer some more "Gross."
He refilled their wine and turned to head back into the house. Before he walked in through the sliding glass door he turned and winked at Claire.
"Ok, I need your help with something, Sir." Owen grabbed his keys off the kitchen counter.
"Owen, please call me Alan, Sir is my father, and anything, what do you need?"
Owen looked out on the back deck all three women laughing together enjoying each other's company.
Alan took a sip of his whiskey, he could see the nerves in Owen's face.
"I'm going to ask Claire to marry me tonight before Mais leaves with you guys in the am, the ring is in my car I just.. I don't …I had a plan… Maisie and I had a plan and it got messed up so … I just… I don't … how should I do it?" Owen felt himself start to sweat. He knew she would say yes, but there's always that one percent of will she really Owen thought.
Alan laughed. "Do you love her?"
Owen looked at him confused. "I …of course I do, I just told you I was going to propose."
Alan closed his eyes and put a hand up taking another sip of his whiskey. "I know that son, I'm just asking do you love her?"
Owen stood tall looking back out on the deck again. "I do."
"Then you just ask her. The rest doesn't matter."
Owen smiled. "I'll be back."
Alan nodded and raised his whiskey glass to Owen and headed outside with the ladies.
Owen ran out to his car and pulled the ring out of his glove box. He was about to walk into the house to go to the back deck but decided to take the long way around and get some fresh air and collect his thoughts. He made it to the side of the house and paused for a moment leaning up against the house. He should have done this years ago, he thought to himself staring at the completed, customized ring he had gotten the call about this morning. He told Claire he had to stop into his office before picking up Ellie and Alan. She didn't even question him. She trusted him. She loved him. He needed to spend the rest of his life with her. The sound of her boisterous belly laugh broke him from his thoughts, making him turn his head in her direction and smile.
He put the ring in his pocket and walked slowly towards the back deck. He ran up the four steps that connected the ground to the deck and smiled as Claire looked up at him and smiled. It was as if time was slowing. He could hear the conversation being held but couldn't register the words. The sunset was bright and powerful, making Claire's sunkissed skin glow even more. Her cheeks were even more rosy than normal from the wine. Her long waves fell delicately over her shoulders, resting gingerly to the sides of her breasts, fringe perfectly styled like always, sometimes skimming her eyelashes when she blinked. Her white ribbed tank top turned the colors of the sunset. Owen stood at the end of the table staring and smiling at Claire. The conversation slowly dissipated and Claire's laugh simmered slowly as everyone stopped to look at Owen.
"Dad…" Maisie looked to Claire and to Ellie and then back to Owen, looking very confused. "Arrre….you ok?"
Owen quickly snapped out of it as soon as he heard "Dad". He took in a deep breath and reached a hand out to Claire. Claire looked just as confused. "Owen…what.." she looked at Maisie and she shook her head not knowing what was happening either. "What's going on? Are you…"
Owen laughed. "I'm fine… just…just come here please."
Alan smiled and Ellie looked at Alan. "Do you know what's going on?" she mouthed. He just nodded once and put a finger to his lips.
Claire scooted her chair back and stood pulling up her jeans as she stood. She smiled while biting her bottom lip due to the silence that was wrapping around her. Owen smiled and reached out for her hand which she happily took. "Owen…" she whispered standing in front of him, hating that everyone's eyes were staring right now with the same confusion she had.
"You know I love you right?" he asked, his nerves making it harder to breathe in the moment.
Claire brought a hand to his cheek "Of course I do, as much as I love you."
Maisie's eye's got big and she took in a deep breath to keep herself from squealing with happiness as she knew what was about to go down. Ellie looked at her, feeling her feet bounce on the deck with excitement.
"I should have done this years ago. I should have chased you when you told me to leave. I had so much more than this to say." he laughed out nervously as Claire just stared at him, eyes sparkling, mouth slightly ajar, as her grip on his hand tightened.
Owen reached his other hand into his pocket and quickly got down on one knee. Claire ripped her hand from his to cover her mouth with both hands while she gasped. "Owen" she whispered into her hands, as tears started to fill her eyes quickly.
He opened the velvet box "Will you marry me?" he asked. She gasped again and screamed "MY RING!" she dropped to her knees with him as the tears fell freely down her face. Her hands covered her whole face now and she sunk into herself sobbing heavily. Owen scooted forward and wrapped her in his arms. "I thought I lost it forever". He held her tight. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you." he whispered. Everything was silent for a moment longer, everyone trying to hear their conversation.
"Yes," Claire sniffed, dropping her hands from her face. Owen pulled back with his boyish smirk on his face.
"Huh?"
Claire laughed through tears "YES! I'll marry you… always yes…" she pulled his face to hers with both hands smashing their lips together.
Maisie jumped up squealing hands in the air. "It's about time!" She laughed.
Ellie grabbed Alan's hand and stared at the pair who sat for heads together while Owen put the ring on her left ring finger. Claire leaned in and kissed him again. "This is…. It's beautiful… even more beautiful than the first time you gave it to me." Happy tears still streaming down her face. Owen kept his eyes on her admiring the ring on her finger. Smiling ear to ear with relief and happiness. She was going to be his wife.
"No, we insist you both take our bedroom, this pullout is not the most comfortable, and you guys will be traveling all day tomorrow." Claire said taking Ellie's bag from her and walking it into her and Owen's bedroom setting it on the bed. "Please. I changed the bedsheets this morning, and you guys will have your own bathroom, which I also cleaned this morning."
Alan walked into the bedroom, setting his bag on the bed, "we thank you for the hospitality you both have shown us today."
Claire smiled, "You two are family."
They all hugged and said their good nights. Claire grabbed a laundry basket of all the clothes and toiletries she had put together that morning before she left the room, Alan closing the door behind her.
Claire walked past Maisie's bedroom hearing Owen and her talking. She stopped leaning against the wall to listen in.
"I'm so glad you were able to get the ring before I left so you could ask mom with me here. I'm not going to lie, I was a little sad that it wasn't going to happen with me here."
Owen sat down on the edge of Maisie's bed and kissed the top of her head. "Me too kid, me too."
Claire set down the laundry basket outside Maisie's door and walked in leaning against the door frame, arms crossed. "So you knew about all of this?" She smirked.
Maisie tried not to smile and looked at Owen. "I made her promise not to tell." Owen looked at Claire with a smirk of his own.
Claire walked over to the bed slowly, with her arms crossed still. She stood in front of both of them just staring trying to look smug. Owen and Maisie looked at each other and Owen shrugged. Just as Maisie was preoccupied with looking at Owen, Claire lunged forward starting a tickle attack on Maisie's ribs. "NOO!" Maisie yelled as she fell back laughing. Claire fell into Owen and he held on to her as she continued to tickle Maisie.
"OK! OK! Mercy!"
Claire sat up in Owen's lap wiping tears of laughter from her own face. Maisie had an infectious laugh when you got her going. Maisie laid there smiling trying to catch her breath. When she caught it she looked to Owen and they had a sneaky conversation with their eyes. Claire noticed it a second too late. She tried to get up but was too slow. She squealed as Owen grabbed her hips and held her tight to him as both Maisie and him began to tickle her. "NOT FAIR!" she yelled through laughter. "TWO ON ONE!" When her face turned red with laughter they both decided to give her a break and let her breathe.
Again she wiped tears from her face and took in a deep breath and sighed. "You guys are mean" she pretended to pout. The three of them smiled and were content in each other's happy silence.
Maisie grabbed Claire's hand and examined the ring. "It's really beautiful mum."
Claire smiled and looked at Owen then to Maisie. "I'm really happy you two are finally going to get married, and I get to be a part of it." Maisie held Claire's hand still as she looked up and smiled at them both.
"I love you so much, bug." Claire leaned forward and kissed Maisie's forehead. "I love you too."
"Listen kid, we want you to have so much fun while you're away, just remember to always stay alert and you can call us whenever and if you need us we will be there in a heartbeat." Owen said while rubbing his hand soothingly up and down Claire's back.
Maisie nodded and smiled "I know. I love you both, and please try to enjoy yourselves, and try not worry so much about me. You have a lot to celebrate."
Claire stood up kissing the top of Maisie's head "I'll do my best."
Owen stood up and kissed the top of Maisie's head as well. "Get some sleep kid, we'll see you in the morning." Maisie smiled and nodded, while she scooted under her covers to get comfortable. "Good night my little love bug."
The two walked out of Maisie's bedroom, shutting the door behind them. Claire grabbed Owen's hand and dragged him into the bathroom with her shutting the door and pinning him to the door, and fusing their lips together in a fiery passion. He grabbed onto her hips pulling her closer to him as his fingertips dipped into the waistband of her jeans. His skin on hers sent chills running through her whole body.
When they pulled apart for hair bothers their chests heaving as their lungs begged for air. "I can't believe I'm about to be your wife." Claire panted out, her hands cupping his face as she looked into his love filled eyes. She searched his eyes for any type of hesitation or fear and found none. "I love you so much Mr. Grady."
She kissed him hard and quick, and smiled. He took in a deep breath and smiled back at her. "I love you too, practically Mrs. Grady."
Claire wrapped her arms around his neck, she felt like she was going to have to unhinge her own smile from her face. "Mmm" she hummed "I like the sound of Mrs. Grady."
Owen nodded "me too" then leaned placing kissed on the side of her neck.
She wanted him badly, but there was no way with Ellie and Alan in the house Claire was allowing anything more than a make out session. "Mmm, behave Owen, we have company."
He moved up to her ear lobe and bit it softly, soothing it with a lick making Claire shudder and moan. "Company smumpany" he husked.
Claire laughed and pulled away from him slightly, kissing his cheek. "Let's get ready for bed Mr. Grady" she walked past him letting her left hand trail across his chest as she moved to open the door. "If you behave, maybe I'll let you get to second base tonight."
Owen's eyes lit up just thinking about it "Yes ma'am!" Claire opened the door and grabbed the laundry basket of their things and brought it into the bathroom with them, shutting the door behind her with her foot.