Thirty-Eight Days (48 page)

Alex was rooting for us to make it.

“We had to end, Alex. His life is in Boston and my life is here,” she explained.

“You could have transferred to Boston University. You have the grades, and I would have supported you, Clara. You’re my little sister, and if you love Noel then I’ll support you. He’s my best friend, and I had hopes you two would just tell me.” Alex’s words opened her stitched up wounds, and the pain bled out. The ache came in quick slices, and it made her breathing feel inadequate. She couldn’t change her mind about Noel. It would be unfair for everyone.

“Then support me when it comes to Liam. Forget Noel is your best friend for a day and support me. Liam deserves a chance. I meant what I said; he’s one of the good guys.” Tears started to develop. Alex pulled Clara into a long embrace and held her.

“Okay, I trust you. If you want to date Liam, then I’ll support you.” A knock on her front door had Alex letting her go.

Her tears threatened to spill as she looked at her brother. He wanted her and Noel to work out. Maybe they went about things wrong, but timing was always against them. She shook her head and walked towards the front door. She quickly blinked, making sure no tears brimmed her eyes, and Clara could see her hand tremble as she opened her front door.

Liam stood there in a light grey button down shirt, skinny jeans, and a pair of black Vans. He held out a bouquet of lavenders, and Clara looked at them.

“Lavenders?” Clara tilted her head slightly.

“I wanted to be unique, and your favourite colour is purple, right? Wait. Do you like lavenders… You don’t like lavenders. I should have gone for roses.” The frustration and creases on Liam’s forehead made her laugh.

“I love them. It’s quite a surprise,” Clara replied, and took the bouquet from him.

“Liam, good to see you. You take care of my sister,” Alex said. Clara could hear the slight warning in what Alex was saying, but she shrugged it off.

“I will,” Liam promised as they shook hands. Clara handed Alex her bouquet and smiled to reassure him.

“Right, well we’re off. Good luck with the hutch assembling, my dear brother. I love you.” Clara pressed a kiss on Alex’s cheek.

“I love you, too, kiddo. Be good!” he warned. Clara rolled her eyes and stepped out of the apartment, Alex closing the door behind her.

When they reached the elevator, he pressed the down button. Clara peeked over at Liam, who only did the same until they both let out a laugh.

It is so easy with Liam.

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” Clara asked, and a smirk appeared on Liam’s face.

“Now that would just spoil the surprise.” Liam winked. Clara let out an exaggerated sigh and stared at the closed elevator doors.

I hate surprises.

After changing into her black wetsuit, Clara stood outside of the door. Liam entwined his hands in Clara’s, and she looked up and smiled. This was the first day she had smiled so honestly in weeks. He completely surprised her when he parked his Audi outside of Melbourne Aquarium. Walking to the front desk, she discovered that Liam had connections with the aquarium, and they would be spending their date feeding penguins.

“Ready?” Liam asked as the penguin feeder handed him a bucket.

“You bet!” The cold air hit her face and then the sight of the King penguins made her heart melt as the excitement in her grew. Little black and white penguins with grey flippers waddled around the iced room. Their yellow and white chests and orange beaks made Clara laugh. One of the smaller penguins waddled up to Ben—the aquarium’s penguin handler—and flapped its flippers while making a squeaky sound.

“This is Thomas. He’s the only King penguin that knows when feeding time is every day. He comes to me first before taking his fish to his partner. He makes sure Betty eats first before himself.”

“Clara, do you want to feed Thomas?” Ben asked. Clara just looked at the little penguin, amazed that she was looking at them, let alone feeding them.

Liam placed a small fish in Clara’s gloved hand and gave her an endearing smile. She bent her knees and watched Thomas waddle closer to her.

She held out the fish to the penguin and said, “Here you go, Thomas.” The penguin’s flippers moved towards its back and leant forward, taking the fish in its mouth, and waddled away. Clara stood there speechless and amazed.

“Oh my God, I just fed a penguin!” she said in disbelief. Clara turned and glanced at Liam as he fed a larger penguin. The way he looked at her made her insides feel light, and warmth spread throughout her. She watched as more penguins waddled towards him, and Liam started to get cornered for fish, the sight sending Clara in a laughing fit.

“Uhh… Clara. I need help!” He looked up before a penguin nipped his hand. “No need to get frisky. Listen you… I’m already on a date…  You don’t have to get my attention for fish.”

Clara walked over to Liam and took the bucket from his hand. She didn’t say another word as she placed a kiss on Liam’s cheek and whispered, “Thank you.”

She walked a few metres away from Liam as the penguins started to follow her. Clara stopped next to the pool and started to hold out fish to the little penguins. She looked up to see Liam staring at her, and she smiled at him. As quickly as she dished out the fish, the quicker the penguins made their return for some more.

“I’ll get you guys another bucket before we move on to feeding the Gentoo penguins,” Ben said and he disappeared behind the grey door. Clara handed out the last of the fish and looked up to see Liam walking towards her, taking slow and long steps to avoid the waddling penguins.

“Enjoying yourself?” he asked once he approached her.

“Yes, this has been amazing. Thank you, Liam. I’ve never done something like this before.”

“Clara,” Liam said as he closed the distance, removed his gloves and dropped them on the ground. He placed his hands on either side of Clara’s cheeks, surprising her, but she didn’t step away. She found herself needing Liam and that feeling was one she wanted to keep.

“Yes, Liam?” His hazel eyes went darker as his pupils dilated.

“Can I kiss you?” Clara’s hand tightened around the handle of the steel bucket and she looked up at him. The hope in his eyes disarmed her.

“I smell like fish.” She frowned, and Liam let out a laugh.

“I do, too. We can smell like horrible fish
together.”
That one word caused a burning sensation in her eyes.

And before she could really think, she found herself saying, “Yes.”

“Yes?” he breathed out in surprise and Clara nodded her head in his hands. Liam’s face inched closer, his lips almost touching hers. Clara’s eyelids fluttered shut at the first contact of Liam’s lips touching hers. It was different, it was new, and it made the stinging in her eyes start to burn. Liam’s lips were soft and smooth as he kissed her. The fireworks she had once felt were non-existent, but Liam’s kiss still had the power to make her knees weak. She wanted to hold onto Liam and deepen the kiss, but she still held the fish bucket in her hand.

Liam broke their kiss, and disappointment sunk to the pit of her stomach. He was doing things to her, things she couldn’t understand. He was fixing her broken heart, and he made her better. Liam saved her.

“Wow, if I knew kissing you would be like that, I wouldn’t have waited a year. I think some of the penguins are jealous.” Clara let out a laugh as Liam skimmed the pad of his thumb along her lips, sending a shiver down her spine.

“Thank you for today. You have no idea how much I’ve enjoyed myself.” Clara smiled honestly. For a moment she forgot the pain that called her heart home.

“Don’t think our date is ending with these King penguins; we still have Gentoo penguins to feed. I’m hoping I can wow you this time. I won’t let them corner me. These Gentoo penguins don’t stand a chance!”

She’d always love Noel, but it was for the best. Clara had to move on; they didn’t have a future, but with Liam there was a possibility. There was no second-guessing with Liam. Clara was his first choice, and it made her smile. He stroked her cheek lightly before removing his hands off her face and taking the bucket from her hand.

“Lets go feed these cute bastards!”

The elevator door dinged opened and they walked onto Clara’s floor. Liam hadn't let go of Clara’s hand since he let her out of the car. Not that she minded. They didn’t kiss again after their first in the King penguin enclosure. The Gentoo penguins were quicker than the King penguins, and they surrounded Liam as soon as he walked into their enclosure with the bucket of fish. Clara found herself laughing when he tried to tell a penguin off and as another one stole the fish that he held behind his back.

When they finished feeding the penguins, they roamed around the aquarium, watching the sharks and the stingrays, before walking towards the aquarium café for lunch. Everything was easy with Liam, and Clara found herself comparing him to Noel. When she did think of Noel, the aching returned, and she needed to stop for a second to compose herself. Clara stopped outside her door and smiled at Liam.

“I had fun,” Liam said with a grin.

“Me too. Thank you again, I’ve never been up so close with penguins before.” Liam took Clara’s left hand in his and his hazel eyes looked deep into hers.

“Can I see you again?” he softly asked.

“We live in the same building,” Clara pointed out, and he pouted slightly.

“I meant, can I see you for another date?” Liam clarified.

“You still want to date me?”

He nodded eagerly.

I need Liam more than he needs me.

“Okay.”

“I intend on this being exclusive, Clara. I won’t be dating anyone else while I date you. It’s only you I’m interested in.” There was a sad smile on Liam’s face. Clara stood on her tippy toes and kissed Liam’s cheek.

“There’s no one else,” she stated. The slight pain in her heart tried to convince her otherwise.

“You have no idea how good it sounds to hear that. I’ll call you tonight,” he promised before she opened her front door. Clara stepped in her apartment and turned back to him. Liam could mend her heart.

“Thank you for today,” she said graciously. He winked before he turned for the elevator. Clara shut the door and made her way towards the kitchen.

She stood there looking at the French hutch that was against her wall. Glancing around the room, she saw tools and boxes all over the floor. She knew Alex put up a struggle to build it. Clara slipped out of her jacket and flung it over a barstool. She saw letters on the bench and realised that Alex retrieved her mail. Sifting through the envelopes, she came across an ivory embossed envelope, her name and address written beautifully across it.

She turned it around to see an unfamiliar address on the back. She placed her finger under the flap of the envelope and ripped it open. Clara took out the contents of the envelope and her heart stopped.

You are cordially invited to witness and share the marriage between,

George Anthony Parker

And

Penelope Rose Jacobs

On Tuesday the 17th of December 2013

At the Waterview in Bicentennial Park, Rhodes Waterside, New South Wales.

6:00 p.m.

RSVP: 29th of November 2013.

We hope you can attend and celebrate this important event in our lives.