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I saw the car head up the driveway an
d started to lock up the house.
I only had a small overnight bag, so I didn’t need
any help getting into the car.
I opened the back door and sat behind
Sofia
.

“Hi, you two,”
I said with forced cheeriness.

Sofia
turned around to face me. “Claudia, please don’t ever disappear off the radar again, we were all so worried about you.”

“Especially my dad.” Ben did not sound impressed.

“I just needed to be alone for a while – it’s been hard for me, first Christmas since my parents died.” I wasn’t
sure why I felt so defensive.

“My dad doesn’t worry about me, but he didn’t stop
asking if we’d heard from you.
I can understand if you’re looking for a father figure, but does it have to be my dad?”

“Ben!”
Sofia
looked aghast, as though she had no idea of the feelings he had.

“
Sofia
, has he asked you once how you are? No. It’s only, how’s Claudia, have you been to see C
laudia, has Claudia texted you? I’m sick of it.
They should both stick to people their own age.” Ben had never been so irritated and I was scared to speak.

“Ben just means he doesn’t like to see his dad worrying, isn’t that right, Ben?”
Sofia
tried to be the peacemaker but Ben kept staring straight ahead.

“I’m not dating your dad, Ben.
I’m not dating anyone.”

“Claudia, I’m no
t blind – he’s falling for you. It’s sick. You’re younger than me.”
I’d never h
eard Ben speak with such anger.
It fired an anger in me that couldn’t be contained.

“Shut up, Ben!
Your dad h
as been nothing but kind to me.
He’s a good man and it’s up to him who h
e chooses to fall in love with.
You know what, if he did feel that way f
or me I’d be a very lucky girl.
I might be younger than you, but I’ve been through a hell of a lot more than most people, a hell of a lot more than yo
u, so give me a little respect.
Did you kno
w I was attacked the other day?
That the guy was going
to rape me?
That the guy tried to break into my house? So, do forgive your dad if he comes across as being just a tiny bit overprotective of a girl who has nobody else to look after her.”

The ca
r was silent for a few moments.
I could feel myself shaking and trembling.

“Claudia
, I’m so sorry, I had no idea.”
Ben’s voice was quiet.

“Are you OK?
I mean, about the guy who…”
Sofia
looked shaken herself.

“He was arrested trying to
break into my house. I’m fine now.
He’s locked up.”

“Now I see why Dad said we should have the party at his and stay over – he was worried abo
ut Claudia being out at night.”
Ben was back to his normal self.

“Why did you think he offered?”
Sofia
asked.

Ben sighed, “I thought he was
going to try to seduce Claudia.
He’d gone about her so much, I thought…well, now I feel like a spoilt brat.”

“You are,” I commented.

“I’m really sorry, Claudia, I had no right to comment and if you did want to date my dad, I
wouldn’t object.
Hell, if you got married, I’d have one fit looking stepmother!” Ben laughed and earned a thump on the arm from
Sofia
. “What are you moaning about?  Claudia would be an awesome mother-in-law for you!”

“Ben Acton is that a proposal?”

“Not yet, but play your cards right and it could be!” Ben grinned at
Sofia
as he glided th
e car up a tree-lined driveway.
A large house stood at the end, Tudor in outward style, but clearly a modern built house judging by the matc
hing double garage at one side.
The front door opened as we arrived and I saw Sam walk out of the house, relief washing over
his face as he saw I was well.
We all got out of the ca
r and walked over to greet him.
He gave Ben a handshake and awkwardly kissed
Sofia
on the cheek.
With me, his awkwardness increased as he debated whether to embrace me or avoid touch
ing me.
He settled for smiling at me and offering to carry my overnight bag, even though it was hardly a heavy load.

“Ben, why don’t you show
Sofia
up to your room? And I’ll sho
w Claudia the main guest room.”
Sofia and Ben giggled as they headed off and I sensed that Ben and Sam had already discussed that
Sofia
would be staying in Ben’s room.
I couldn’t imagine my dad letting a boyfr
iend stay in my room so easily.
I felt guilty as I recalled the many nights Marty had shared my bed, although I was sure my dad would have l
iked Marty, if they’d ever met.
I shook myself for imagining i
ntroducing Marty to my parents.
T
hey were all gone from my life.
Sam was staring at me, waiting for me to speak.

“Your house is beautiful,” I said.

“Thank you, I had it bui
lt from scratch.
It’s all my own design.”

“It’s lovely.” I looked around the spacious hallway he’d led me into.

“It was a risk – I bought the land without planning permission and, being next to the park, I wasn’t su
re they would approve my plans.
I wanted to design the perfect family home…I just never got
around to adding to my family.”
He was leading me up the stairs and he glanced back at me.

“So, how many guest rooms do you have?” I wondered, since he’d said ‘main’ guest room.

“Well, aside from Ben’s room, and my room, the other bedrooms
are all guest rooms, so three.
You get the best one though.”

“This is really kind of you.”

“We had
to get you to leave your house.
And
I’d rather know where you are.
I can’t bear the thought of you being hurt.”

I wa
sn’t sure how to respond.
I didn’t have anyone else looking after m
e and he did make me feel safe.
I wondered if I could grow
to love him, given enough time. Part of me wanted to.

“Here you go, the main guest room…”

He led me into a beautifully appointed room, with white walls and turquoise
satin curtains and bed covers.
The room had a theme of peacock feathers and felt
luxurious, like a fancy hotel.

“I also designed the interior decor myself, but t
his room has never been used.”
He showed me the adjoining bathroom, complete with J
acuzzi bath and double shower.
I felt self-conscious
standing in the room with him.
I struggled to think of something to say to break the silence.

“It’s beautiful.”

“So are you,” he sai
d and I stepped away from him.
“I’m sorry, you’ve b
een more than upfront with me.
You just can’t imagine how difficult it is for me - wanting to touch you so much, but knowi
ng I have to keep my distance.
I’ve thoug
ht of nothing but you for days.
I just want to take care of you.”

I walked out of the bathroom, into the bigger bedroom area, but that seeme
d an even more intimate space.

“Claudia, I know it’s too soon for you and I will wai
t as long as it takes for you.
If you need a
nything, you only have to ask.
My bedroom is next door, so
I won’t be far away.”
He left the room and I slu
mped onto the comfortable bed.
I could hear party guests arriving downstairs,
Sofia and Ben acting as hosts.
I got changed, put my make up on and went downstairs to join them.

Sam kept his distance from me for most of the evening, stealing glances from across the room wh
ere he chatted to his friends.
I sat with the younger guests, mostly people I recognised from university, and tried to keep up with their conversations about TV shows I didn’t watch and ni
ghts out I hadn’t been on.
Afte
r four hours, I needed a break.

I walked out of the large living room and found a qui
et place to sit on the stairs.
I buried my head in my hand
s, wondering why I’d come out.
I heard a creak on the stairs and looked up to see Sam off
ering me a glass of champagne.
I smiled weakly.

“Is it too much for you, Princess?”

“Yes.” I took the champagne, and h
e sat on the steps next to me.

“Am I too much for you?”

I looked at
him. “No, you’ve been so nice.”

“Not in my thoughts tonight…”

“What do you mean?”

“You should have heard what some of my so-called friends said when th
ey spotted you across the room.
It took all m
y restraint not to punch them.”
He looked away from me and swigged from his champagne glass.

“What were they saying?”

“Uncouth remarks. Not fit for you to hear.
Safe to say they fancied you rotten, working out how to get close to you for midnight so that they could kiss you.”

I sipped my drink.

“Is there another man out there that
you want to kiss at midnight?
I wouldn’t be offended.”

“There’s no other man on Earth.”

“You’re just not ready yet?”

I nodded.
I didn’t want to break his heart
when I was still fixing mine.
Who knew if mine would one day beat
for someone other than Marty?
He gently put an arm around me and I leant
my head against his shoulder.
It felt nice, comfortable.

“Not yet.”

“You will be.”

“Someday.”

“I’ll be waiting. I love being close to you.
Doesn’t this feel nice?”

I nodded. It did.
It was second best to Marty being here.

“I’ll be here as long as it takes.”

The living room grew noisier.
Chimes rang out from the TV.

“Happy New Year, Claudia, I hope
this year is better for you.”
He kissed my cheek and then allowed me to rest my head back on his shoulder without me having to give a kiss awa
y.
I leant against him, knowing he was the closes
t to home I would feel tonight.

“Happy New Year.”

“You’ve had enough of the party, haven’t you?”

“I’m not good company.”

“I be
g to differ.
I think you’re amazing.”

“I don’t fit in with the teenagers anymo
re.
I’d give anything to have a fight with my mum and dad now.” I looked down at the floor.

“I don’
t think of you as a teenager.”

“And I don’t deserve you.
I think I’ll go to bed.”

“I’ll walk you up.
I like the idea of being the last man you see befor
e you go to sleep.
And I like to know you’re safe.
You know there’s a lock on your door, so nobody can
get in unless you let them in.”
He stroked my arm as we walked up the stairs.

“Goodnight Sam.
Thank you for…well…everything.”

“Goodnight, Princess.
I’m only on the other side of that wall, I’m here if you need me.”

January broke into a frenzy of rehearsals and lectur
es and being busy kept me sane.
Sam continued his daily texts and I answered politely, starting to
look forward to his attention.
Donna had less and less to be vile to me about in rehearsals and the show wa
s almost ready to be performed.
The first two weeks of the month passed with little to validate themselves, except the fa
ct that I made it through them.
I was surprised when Sam arrived at my
house one evening, unannounced.