Clawen • What comes next

|| CHAPTER 17 ||

           

The rest of the week went by just fine. Owen made a lot of progress on the house and had gotten a plumber out to install what was needed. Claire and Maisie went on a trip to the city, to buy some more clothes for the both of them. Get some groceries and so on. The adults had talked about how they were going to get Claire's stuff from her apartment. Eventually they just decided to get it delivered when the house was done.

Claire and Maisie were sitting outside the van, coloring an Apatosaurus in a coloring book, that the two bought on their trip. After having finished the final walls both inside and outside, Owen walked over to his girls. Claire stopped drawing and looked up at him. Leaning down towards her, he placed a kiss to her lips and walked over to place one in Maisie's hair.

He came out of the van with a beer and grabbed a chair, placing it next to Claire. Sitting down and taking a sip of his much deserved beer, before asking. "Have you told Karen about any of this?" Her hand stopped coloring and Maisie looked over at her curious of who this Karen was. Claire sighed and continued coloring slowly. Pursing her lips before she said. "No Owen, I have not". He took another sip and asked another question. "How long since you talked to her?". Taking in a deep breath, Claire turned in her chair to look at him and said. "I don't remember. Why do you ask?". Owen couldn't help but laugh. She knew very well why he was asking. Shaking his head, he told her exactly that. "Well do you want them to fly out here and help you with the house or what?" Claire asked sarcastically. He placed his beer on the table and said. "I don't see why that's a bad idea. The first part that is". Claire's mouth was seen open and close several times before Maisie spoke.

"Who's Karen?" She had put down her pencil and looked up at Claire who gave the girl a smile and answered. "My sister" Maisie's surprise and happiness by those two words could surely be seen on her face, because Owen laughed and nudged Claire to tell more. "My older sister. She lives far away with her two sons" Claire said, still with a smile on her face. Getting reminded of her other family, of her sister and her nephews. She couldn't help but smile. Owen reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind Maisie's ear as he said. "You have two cousins, Maisie" And looked over to Claire with wiggling eyebrows.

Maisie was over the moon about this new information. At first, she got a new mom and dad and now she had even more family.

"Claire honey, call her" Owen said and put a hand on her cheek, stroking her cheekbone with his thumb. Looking at him, with a surrendering glint in her eyes, she sighed. "Yea okay" and walked inside to get her phone.

Sitting down in her chair again she dialed Karen and waited. One beep. Two beeps. The third was just around the corner when Karen's voice was heard. "Claire hey, how long has it been? What three years?" Karen said sarcastically. "Ha Ha funny. I wrote to you that I've had a lot going on" Claire said, sitting back in her chair to at least try to relax. She knew this was going to be a long and exhausting conversation so she might as well get herself ready. "What got you to call me now then? Craziness die down?" Karen asked, sarcasm still in her voice. "Owen reminded me" Claire said hesitant, among the things she had to tell Karen, Owen and her being back together was one of those that would spike conversation for days.

"Are you two back together? Is he there with you?" Both Maisie and Owen could hear Karen through the phone. "He's here yes" Claire said to which Karen told her sister to put her on speaker. "Hi Owen" She almost screamed. "Hey Karen, how are you?" Owen said with both elbows on the table, his right hand around his precious beer. "I'm good, yea we're good. I hope you're treating my sister alright" Karen said. Owen had quickly learned after meeting Karen, that she was very protective of her younger sister. "I am, Karen, you know I'd do anything for your sister, and I have" Owen said and send a look Claire's way. Who was pursing her lips as a blush made its way onto her cheeks. She looked away from him and over at Maisie.

The girl was calm, listening intently. She didn't have a face to put to the name or much else, yet still very interested. She smiled up at Claire, reassuring her new mom that she was okay with it all.

"Okay Claire, you have a lot to tell me so cut it short for now until we make it out there" Karen said and Claire sighed. How did you cut all of that short? They almost died again. Got back together in all the chaos and are now parents of a 10-year-old girl? That doesn't really say enough and would raise more questions from Karen than what was good for either of them.

"I don't really know how to cut it all short Karen. It's a pretty long and complicated story, a lot has happened" Claire said and took a deep breath, pursing her lips and desperately pushing hair out of her face. "Well start talking then" Was all Karen said and Claire could just see her sister sitting or leaning back, getting comfortable.

Claire told Karen about the whole rescue, about how she asked Owen to come with her and he did. How they were left behind on the island but made it on the boat anyway. About Lockwood and Mills. How they were held prisoner but broke out. Watched the dinosaur auction and stopped it. Released all the dinosaurs and drove off. One thing Claire left out though, was Maisie. How in the world, did you tell your sister that you just adopted a 10-year-old in a matter of weeks? Over the phone to be more exact.

"Claire you've got to stop getting involved in all of this business. You're going to get yourself killed at some point and we can't stand to lose you" Karen said. Claire could hear that her sister was on the verge of tears from hearing it all. The only good part about it other than the fact that they survived, was that her children weren't involved this time.

"I know Karen" Claire said and sighed. She had to tell her about Maisie but how. "Karen listen...There's something that I have to tell you but I really have no earthly idea of how to do it" Claire said, looking to Owen who put a supporting hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. Sending a thankful smile his way, she sighed before continuing her attempt at telling Karen about Maisie. Before she could get a word in though, Karen's voice rang through the phone.

"Claire are you pregnant?" One of the most serious tones, Owen had ever heard from her. Claire huffed out a laugh and said. "No Karen I'm not, not that I know of anyways" She winked at Owen because who knew maybe she was. "I am however, sort of a mom" Claire said very slowly, with a lot of hesitation and deep breaths. "Excuse me what?" Was yelled through the phone. "Claire?" Karen said sounding out of breath. Probably hyperventilating, Claire thought.

"Well in the chaos, we found Lockwood's granddaughter and things happened here and there and well yea I sort of got custody of her earlier this week" Claire said and squeezed her eyes shot, knowing that she was probably about to get her ass whooped through the phone.

"Is she there?" Was all Karen asked though. Claire nodded and said yes. "Maisie sweetie, say hi" Claire said in a calming voice, stroking the girl's hair to make her feel better. Claire knew that this might not be very fun for Maisie. That it was probably extremely uncomfortable for her.

A small 'hi' was heard from a little insecure Maisie who was leaning forward towards the phone. Hands having a life of their own in her lap as she bit her lower lip.

"Alright that's it! Me and the boys are coming to you guys on the next flight possible" Karen said very demanding. "Karen, I think its better if we come to you, there's nowhere for you to stay here" Claire said and looked at Owen for approval who nodded and smiled. A 100% with Claire on the idea of taking a trip to visit her family.

"Okay you come here, I've just got to meet that little nugget. Text me when you get details" an eager Karen said. Claire laughed as she told her sister that she would. They hung up with a few 'love you' and a goodbye.

"Well I guess we're going traveling"

ALRIGHT

I had to rewrite the part with Claire telling Karen because I didn't like the first part at all – I hope this is okay

Also, I don't know if I portrayed Karen correctly, its hard when you don't have much knowledge of the character.

Plus, I thought it was time that they made an appearance, they still exist after all.