‹ Prequel: Her Heart Beats Red Wine
Status: done
The Poison
Way Out - Clair
I stood there and watched my little girl walk out into the cold dead night with my brother. Small tears began to fill my eyes. Pete came up behind me and pulled me into a hug, salt water drops fell from my face and began to soak his hoodie. It was quiet, all that could be heard was the soft breathing of the others.
“Its gonna be alright. We will get her back I promise. But for now she is safe, as much as I hate the man I know he wont hurt her. We will be a family again soon. I promise”
With Pete’s last words Alice’s question rang through my head. The one we all ignored, and to think it could bring us all together. One small thing could fix it all. But then what about Brendon? Would he still be punished? Would William still kill him? I cant stand that. No. I cant justify murder. Its just not right. Not morally right. Its just. No. It cant happen. That would just be horrible, as much as what he did was wrong I just cant let my brother kill the father of his niece. My daughter. Could I lie to the others, get William to go along with it? I don’t think he would though. He is a man full of morals and being proper. Just the way dad was. The way we were brought up. He doesn’t lie. I never have heard of a lie he has said. He has only ever not told every detail, always sticking to the truth. Maybe though? Its worth a try. I snapped out of my daze and saw Pete looking at me with curious eyes.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
“I was just thinking of what Alice said earlier”
“About her father?”
“Yea, I mean it just, what did you say?”
“I didn’t know what to say, I mean I know I’m not her biological father but i- I want to be, just I don’t know what you want, what do you want?”
“Of course I want you to be Pete. Just I wanted to ask you first. That’s why there is this whole mess going on. She needs a father according to William. Its seen as a disgrace to be a Beckett and have a child with out marriage. I don’t want to marry him. Not after everything, but I must, he is the father” Tears slipped from my eyes as I spilled everything.
“Who- who is it that your engaged to?”
I sucked in a sharp deep breath before separating my lips and speaking the one name I have grown to hate.
“Brendon” My eyes looked at my lap where my hands played with a loose thread. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw his hands curl into fists. Skin becoming whiter with the tension and force. I looked up to his face, my tears still flowing. His blood read eyes looked at me for a brief few seconds before he stood up and walked out of the room. He left the room door open so I could hear all. As the warehouse door slammed shut sobs racked my whole body. They became louder and louder. More forceful. I was sure the others could hear unfortunately. My suspicions were correct when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Raising my head I saw Patrick. A small warm smile on his face.
“What’s wrong Clair? I haven’t seen you shed a tear in a very long time”
“I have to marry Brendon, and Pete found out”
Patrick looked at me with curious eyes. I knew then that I has to tell him everything. From the night Brendon raped me to the night I met Nate in New York. The hard times I went through in the city and my arrival back in Chicago. I told him everything. Even the thoughts of trying to get William to agree to my thoughts.
“Clair. I didn’t realise that all of that had happened. I will speak to Pete when he gets back. You know what he is like, acting without all of the facts. Apart from that you must do the rest.” With another small smile he stood up and walked out. With that I decided. I changed my clothes and put on a jacket before leaving for the mansion.
I need to speak to my brother.
“Its gonna be alright. We will get her back I promise. But for now she is safe, as much as I hate the man I know he wont hurt her. We will be a family again soon. I promise”
With Pete’s last words Alice’s question rang through my head. The one we all ignored, and to think it could bring us all together. One small thing could fix it all. But then what about Brendon? Would he still be punished? Would William still kill him? I cant stand that. No. I cant justify murder. Its just not right. Not morally right. Its just. No. It cant happen. That would just be horrible, as much as what he did was wrong I just cant let my brother kill the father of his niece. My daughter. Could I lie to the others, get William to go along with it? I don’t think he would though. He is a man full of morals and being proper. Just the way dad was. The way we were brought up. He doesn’t lie. I never have heard of a lie he has said. He has only ever not told every detail, always sticking to the truth. Maybe though? Its worth a try. I snapped out of my daze and saw Pete looking at me with curious eyes.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
“I was just thinking of what Alice said earlier”
“About her father?”
“Yea, I mean it just, what did you say?”
“I didn’t know what to say, I mean I know I’m not her biological father but i- I want to be, just I don’t know what you want, what do you want?”
“Of course I want you to be Pete. Just I wanted to ask you first. That’s why there is this whole mess going on. She needs a father according to William. Its seen as a disgrace to be a Beckett and have a child with out marriage. I don’t want to marry him. Not after everything, but I must, he is the father” Tears slipped from my eyes as I spilled everything.
“Who- who is it that your engaged to?”
I sucked in a sharp deep breath before separating my lips and speaking the one name I have grown to hate.
“Brendon” My eyes looked at my lap where my hands played with a loose thread. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw his hands curl into fists. Skin becoming whiter with the tension and force. I looked up to his face, my tears still flowing. His blood read eyes looked at me for a brief few seconds before he stood up and walked out of the room. He left the room door open so I could hear all. As the warehouse door slammed shut sobs racked my whole body. They became louder and louder. More forceful. I was sure the others could hear unfortunately. My suspicions were correct when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Raising my head I saw Patrick. A small warm smile on his face.
“What’s wrong Clair? I haven’t seen you shed a tear in a very long time”
“I have to marry Brendon, and Pete found out”
Patrick looked at me with curious eyes. I knew then that I has to tell him everything. From the night Brendon raped me to the night I met Nate in New York. The hard times I went through in the city and my arrival back in Chicago. I told him everything. Even the thoughts of trying to get William to agree to my thoughts.
“Clair. I didn’t realise that all of that had happened. I will speak to Pete when he gets back. You know what he is like, acting without all of the facts. Apart from that you must do the rest.” With another small smile he stood up and walked out. With that I decided. I changed my clothes and put on a jacket before leaving for the mansion.
I need to speak to my brother.