Part 1

"Claire!”

“Claire! Wake up, now!”

Claire twitched her brows and hid her face in the soft pillow more to avoid her mother’s boisterous shouting, which had been commencing for the past 20 minutes. Cuddling into the sheets more, she tried to sleep.

“Claire, you have 10 minutes. Either you come down yourself, or I will come up and it won’t be pretty!” From her mother’s voice, she knew she was losing patience and her temper was rising.

Hearing that, she jumped out of her precious bed, which she loved the most in the world except her family, of course.

She groaned at the thought of leaving her precious sleep, so with a sad pout, she entered the bathroom and came out after having a good bath.

She took out her towel and grabbed her matching black underpants, and wiped her wet hair with the towel while searching for the outfit to wear for the day.

“Should I wear this, umm no, then black, or-” SHe was talking to herself when she was cut off by her mother’s another angry shout.

“Claire, don't waste your time by just looking at your clothes. Get down, we are getting late!”

Her mother, Lauren Brown, was the proud owner of a small bakery that was loved by everyone in the locality. 

God! She mentally rolled her eyes exasperatedly. Why did she know her that much? She didn’t waste any more time and grabbed a green knee-length floral dress and brushed her hair after drying them.

She applied just a thin layer of eyeliner and her blush-pink gloss and smiled in the mirror after making silly faces. Claire never applied too much makeup, always relying on the natural beauty she inherited from her mother.

Hurriedly, she wore her dark brown boots and came out of her room with a small sling bag. In her hand was her cell, as she messaged her friend Kelsey to give her a ride to college while climbing down the stairs.

She entered the dining area to see no one around, being the first one to come down. She was angry.

I could have slept more. She grumbled inwardly.

Keeping her bag on the nearby table, she went to her mother. “This is not fair mom!” she complained with a cute scowl on her face.

Her mother smiled innocently at that, knowing how much her daughter loved her sleep.

“Good morning to you too,” Her mother said, placing a plate of cupcakes in front of her, knowing that Claire would melt at the sight of them.

A smile broke on her face, as expected by her mother and she forgot about her complaint.

“Mom, I love you!” she exclaimed, caging Lauren in her arms, while she just laughed at the crazy daughter’s antics and rubbed her back lovingly.

“Y’know, Ken will be pissed off. You owe me for this, young lady,” Her mother said, struggling to keep a straight face.

Claire’s happiness was doubled. Ken and she had made a bet yesterday, on whose favourite breakfast will be made. Looks like she had won it already!

“Of course mom. I can’t wait to see his face. You made my day!” This was Claire, finding happiness in the littlest things.

Lauren shook her head, thinking about her grown-up kids who always fought on silly topics. 

“Go arrange these on the table, I am coming with your father’s coffee.” Her mother ordered.

Her father, Matthew Brown, loved the coffee made by her mother’s hands. She didn’t know what was special in that coffee. Sighing she did what her mother told her to.

Coming out of the kitchen, she went to put the dishes around the table only to meet with her dad, who took two plates and put them on the table.

“Good morning, dad,” she hugged him and gave a bright smile.

“Good morning to you too, my beautiful daughter,” Matthew greeted with equal happiness.

Her father worked hard in a firm as a general manager for his family. They were not super-rich but were content with what they had with their sweet family.

Soon her mother came and joined them. She gave her husband his coffee and kissed him on the cheek and sat beside him. He took a sip and smiled at her sweet wife.

“Thank you so much, love,” Matthew said, pecking Lauren on her lips who shied in return, like a teen girl who just got a kiss from her crush.

Claire aww-ed silently, seeing her parents’ evergreen love. For her, they were just perfect. She always wished for a simple and sweet love story like her parents’. They were college sweethearts and married instantly after starting their careers.

She came out of reverie when she heard the footsteps of her brother and was excited. Ken Brown, her 19-year-old brother, was in his first year in college.

“Good morning, mom, dad,” he said, giving a side hug to both.

“Good morning, sit and have your breakfast,” her mother said, patting her cheeks.

He, in return, turned to Claire and said, just to annoy her, “Morning Clairey Berry!”

She hated that name, but he being the annoying brother used it every time to irritate her. Typical brother thing.

"Good morning monkey," Claire said, giving him a fake smile.

He upped his brows at her not getting annoyed. He knew something was going on. Their parents shook their heads, seeing their grown-up kids, behaving like 5-year-olds.

Soon Ken looked down towards the cupcake decorated with chocolate toppings, which he seriously hated. "What's this mom?" He whined.

Clarie smothered into laughter, seeing his face. Her dad also joined her soon. Now Ken understood why she was behaving differently.

Her mom gave a hard glare to Claire and her dad and both immediately shut up. Well, as much as they could, considering their shoulders were still shaking with silent laughter.

"Ken, I have made sandwiches also. You eat this" she said while forwarding him his plate.

"Mom, we have discussed this yesterday, why do you always take her side? You know I don't like cupcakes….they are just, so sweet" he made faces.

Lauren knew this, but she also knew Claire hardly ate anything, she always neglected her food. That's why she had to pamper her more than Ken. Ken wasn’t that picky.

"Hey! Don't say anything about my cupcake, it's simple mom loves me more, accept it," she said, giving him a light slap on his arm.

"Ken, lunch will be as per your wish, promise," Lauren said seriously. 

"No mom," Claire intervened but her mother stopped her.

"Better.." Ken smirked towards her sister, who just rolled her eyes.

Her mother poured juice for her children. Both of them were overly pampered by both of their parents. Claire mostly because she was a very innocent and sweet child.

"Kids, me and your mom are leaving in an hour and will be back in 2 days. And I don't want a problem behind us. Ken, you better take care of your sister" Matthew said in his stern voice.

They were going to meet Matthew’s brother, who lived in a nearby city. He was not well for some days. But hearing this, Claire's smile faded.

2 days without Mom Dad. 

She was scared of living alone. Ken mostly spent these days with his friends, leaving her completely alone. These 2 days going to be difficult for her, for sure.