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Chapter 11

"Mom," Clare said softly as she opened the door to her mothers bedroom.

"Care to explain what's going on downstairs?" Erin asked as she turned to face her daughter. Clare sighed and sat down on the bed next to her mother.

"They're dads friends."

"I know who they are, but why are they here?"

"Dad really needs to talk to them okay. What's the harm? It's only one day. A day that he really needs," Clare explained.

"How do you know what anyone needs Clare? You're too young to understand."

"When are you going to realize that I'm not a child anymore?" Clare asked. "I'm all grown up now mom."

"Can I just ask you why you decided to do all of this behind my back?"

"Because of how dad told me the story. He told me that you wanted him to forget the past and move on. I'm not telling him that he should hang on to something that will never be, I'm just telling him to find closure on something that has been haunting him for a while." Erin sighed as she looked at her daughter.

"You don't know what was in his past. There was a lot that he went through before we got together," she explained. "I'm just afraid that he's going to cause himself pain."

"He told me about everything mom. I knew what I was getting into from the beginning. Nothing I found out after he talked to me was a surprise."

"Why did you have to get involved with all of this?" Erin just about yelled as she leaped from the bed angerly.

"He's my dad. I want him to be happy. You should want that for him too!"

"Clare, I know what is right for your father!"

"Really? If you knew what was right, then why did dad talk to me and not you? Why didn't he tell you any of this? I'll tell you why, he knew that you wouldn't support him. Everything he does is to make you happy mom. Why don't you return the favor everyone and a while."

"Don't tell me how to handle my marriage! Come back to me when you're married!"

"Alright, fine. I will. Brad and I are getting married. You didn't know that either. You're the only one that didn't. Why do you think that I didn't tell you about this! I can't talk to you mom! Everytime I try and talk to you we end up fighting!"

"That is not true?"

"Oh it's not? Aren't we fighting right now? I came in here to talk to you. To explain myself, but you had to go and act like I'm still a little kid!"

"Hey!" Nick said as he walked into the living room to see the four faces that he had been longing to see since they had gone their separate ways. "I'm sorry about my family. We can get a little crazy sometimes."

"Hey Nick, it's alright man," Brian greeted as he stood from the chair that he had been sitting on. "It's great to see you!"

"You too man," he replied as he gave his friend, his best friend in a past life, a hug. The others followed suit.

"How've you been Nick?" Kevin asked.

"Okay, but been better."

"What's the problem?"

"Nothing really. It's just I know as soon as ya'll leave, Erin is going to go insane."

"You never did tell me why she didn't want you to look at your past," Alex stated.

"Well, I'll let you know as soon as she tells me," he answered. "I'm actually surprised that the stuff I found was still around and hadn't made its way to the trash with her."

"Clare don't walk away from me when I'm talking to you!" Erin yelled, causing the five men to look towards the hallway where Erin and Clare were quickly making their way.

"Why? Because it's rude?" Clare said with a bitter laugh. "Like you taught me any better."

"Don't you dare speak to me like that!"

"Why not? It seems like this is the only way that you'll listen to me! I'm sick of pretending like everything is okay between me and you! Do you wanna know why I almost didn't come here for Christmas? It was 'cause of you! I knew that you would start with me like this. You always do! I had no reason to believe that this time would be any different."

"Clare," Erin said calmly. "Please."

"No, you want to know the truth so I'm telling you the truth."

"Clare relax," Brad stated as he walked towards his fiance. "Look, why don't we go outside for a while so at least that way you can have some time to think things out before you say something that you'll regret."

"The only thing that I regret is that I didn't do this sooner," she replied. "Get your stuff. We're going home."

"Fine, bye," Erin said angerly.

"Fine," Clare responded as she grabbed Brads arm. "Lets go."

"What just happened here?" Alex asked as he looked at Nick. Nick returned his stare.

"Clare finally broke," he responded. "She's been so pissed for so long she just couldn't take it any more."

"You gonna go talk to her?" Brian asked.

"It would probably be better if she did go home. I love having her here but she and Erin can't be around each other right now," Nick answered sadly.

"Dad," Grace said from the living room door.

"Yeah?" he answered, trying to be as calm as he could.

"There's something that I think you should see," she told him. He looked at her questioningly. "I've seen you and Clare going in and out of the attic and I wanted to know what was up there so I went to check it out and I found this," she explained as she handed him a photo album. "I really think that you should look at it."

"What's in here?"

"Pictures," she answered, turning around quickly and walking towards the door.

"Why is it so important that I look at these?"

"Once you see them, you'll know," she replied and dissappeared down the hallway. Nick looked down at the photo album in his hand.

"Do it Nick," Alex said, "we're here for ya." Nick nodded and opened the photo album, only glancing quickly at the photos that he saw. Shutting the album he stood up.

"Erin!!" he yelled.