Christmas in Dixie

CID 11-Goodbye

Chapter 11........Goodbye

I stood there frozen. My heart so badly wanted to say yes to Scott, but in the long run who was I kidding. It was all for show and no matter how much I loved Scott, nothing could ever change that. I felt a tear slowly make its way down my cheek, as a new scar made its presence on my heart. I could no longer look into Scott's eyes, or anyone else's around me.

"No," I stated and the tears started to flood down my face. So instead of staying around I grabbed my coat and ran out the door.

"Claire wait!" I heard Scott yell, but it didn't matter I was already gone.

Scott's P.O.V.

Okay so that didn't go as I had planned. I don't understand why Claire rejected the ring. It would have been the answer to her problems. Her parents would live her alone. It made me mad just to think about it.

"John David, can I borrow your car to go find Claire?" I asked not really paying attention. I was too worried about Claire.

"Go after her Bud, and fix it. If you don't I'll have to do something about it," John David said protectively. I totally understood his reasoning, and I really couldn't blame him.

I ran out the door and got in to the SUV. I started down the road, and Claire was still running. I went after her, and then slowed down so I could stay close to her. When I reached her she automatically stopped running, and started walking.

I rolled down the window so she could hear me. "Claire!" I yelled as she continued to ignore me. "Claire!"

"Go Away!" she yelled back never even looking at me. She was ticked.

"Claire please listen to me," I pleaded.

"No just leave me alone, I don't have anything to say to you," she stated upset.

"Claire please come back in the house where it's all nice and warm. Your family is worried sick about you," I pleaded. She abruptly turned in my direction, with a red tear stained face.

"You can not honestly tell me you didn't see the way they looked at me," she cried. Her eyes were red and swollen.

"Claire all I saw was caring people that love you, and you're too stubborn to open your eyes and look. Now please get in the car and let me take you back," I stated.

"NO!!! I'll just be another disappointment to them," she continued to rant. "Why did you have to propose? Are you stupid or something?"

I was hurt. She just insulted me for helping her. "Claire I thought it would solve everything."

"Well that's what you get for thinking!" she yelled.

"Will you get back in the car now?" I asked irritated.

"No," she stated flatly.

"You stubborn woman," I grumbled. "Get in the car and I'll take you to the cabin, and then I'll leave you the heck alone."

She looked at me for a minute. Swaying from one foot to the other trying to keep warm, and weighing her options.

"You know it's a lot warmer in the car," I stated.

She rolled her eyes, and got in the car. "Okay take me back," she said.

"Okay, we finally agree on something," I gripped.

"No not to the cabin, to Nashville," she stated angered. "I'm not going back to face my family with their guilt. Plus you drove my car down here."

"I'll catch a bus," I said.

"Sorry, but you are in Jackson County, Alabama. No buses," she laughed.

"You have to be kidding me?" I grumbled.

"Nope, I'm being serious," she stated.

I drove back to the Cabin, and loaded our luggage into the SUV. John David agreed to drive us back to the house so we could get Claire's car. The ride back was so quiet, it was killing me. Every now and then I would get a threatening stare from John David. Well Edwards enemy number one, yep that's me.

"Claire you call me when you get back to Nashville that way we know that you are safe," John David said as we got into Claire's car.

"I will," Claire replied, and hugged her brother.

She got in the car, and waved goodbye to John David. We had a two hour drive ahead of us on Christmas morning. Everything was just peachy. That's an understatement. As we pulled out of the driveway, under my breath I said, "Welcome to Hell."

We sat through 4 hours of backed up traffic because Claire had to take so many pee-breaks. The woman had the smallest bladder in the world. Two times she called her brother telling him that we were stuck in traffic. It was a living nightmare. Even some organizations even took the opportunity to go by all the stopped cars to ask for donations. Those people never took a break, it seems. The whole ride to Nashville, Claire was cold as a brick of ice, she never looked at me, or tried to make any kind of conversation. I hate to say it, but I was kind of relived when we got to the coffee shop.

At the coffee shop I got my stuff out of Claire's car, and loaded it into my own. When I was through I went to the driver's side and motioned for Claire to roll down the window.

"Yes?" she questioned aggravated.

How had something so simple and going so well, turn into such a disaster? "Claire I just wanted you to know I truly am sorry. I was just trying to help, and honestly thought things were going so good--"

"Things were going good, but then you proposed," she stated softly and before I could say anything else she slipped on her sun glasses on. "Goodbye, Scott." And with that she drove off. Leaving me bewildered, but I knew I had to fix things someway.

(Claire's P.O.V)

I tossed and turned every night for the next week, and my answering machine was spilling over with concerned voices, while my cell phone constantly buzzed, but it was never him. You would find it stupid for a perfectly grown woman needing a teddy bear to go to sleep at night, but I continually found myself drifting to Scott in my dreams, daydreams, and thoughts. It was driving me up the wall. I no longer saw him at work for I quit my job at the coffee shop. I wouldn't be able to stand seeing him every day, and not falling to pieces. I know what you're thinking, but really that's all that's left. Pieces.

When I got home from work the next day, I checked my long overdue answering machine.

"Hey Claire it's me Zach, hey I'm so sorry things between you and Scott didn't work out. I just wanted you to know that I'm here for you. Give me a call sometime."

I automatically erased that message. Thank you mother already playing "Matchmaker" once again.

"Hey Claire it's Ashley, I just wanted to catch up with you. Ever since you quit working at the coffee shop, I haven't got to talk to you as much. I miss you girl. Call me."

I will have to remember to call Ashley back.

The list went on and on again, until I got a strange message.

"Hello Mrs. Edwards, we received the portfolio you sent us and the application, and we would like to congratulate you on your acceptance to The Austin Chronicle. Congrats. If you would please call Martha Crane, she will give all of your information."

Austin, Texas? Wait a second, when did I apply for a job to a newpaper, and why would I send one to Texas?

Needless to say I called Mrs. Crane and found out that I have received a job at The Austin Chronicle as a columnist. Yes it was in Austin Texas, so I moved to Texas and said Goodbye to Tennessee.