Painful Smiles

“Oh, dear. I forgot to ask, do you like sugar or honey?” Mrs. Larabee returned to him.

He stood up abruptly, “None, please, I need to leave now. My father would be worried”.

Mrs. Larabee looked disheartened but agreed, “Thanks for staying. Drive safely home”.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

Michael slammed his car door hard behind him. He was sure not going home to answer all Mrs. Peniel questions on where he went to.

He had to deal with Clara and her psychosis. And would pay Claudia a visit. She deserved it. She ways had.

Michael searched through for the nearest hospital that Claudia might have been taken to. He would visit her mad twin later.

The nearest hospital reported not to have any one under her name and that was when Michael remembered the other hospital which Clara referred to as their family’s hospital. Hopefully, it wasn’t part of the numerous lies she had told him.

The nurse confirmed that Paul and Claudia Larabee had been registered at her hospital but she refused to give the ward number per order.

“I am a friend of one of the twin girl. I just need to see she’s okay, I’ll leave soon” Michael pleaded but the nurse was adamant.

It was an instruction and no matter who, she wasn’t supposed to allow. The instructions came from the mother of the patients so Michael decided to back off.

Mrs. Larabee might have been being careful to avoid anyone harming her children more than they already are. He’d respect her decisions.

He felt irritated leaving to meet Clara at the station. He was more irritated seeing her as she came into the room to meet in. The officer that had brought her left and that was when she began fake crying.

“If only you’d come earlier. Why are you coming now?” she cried.

Michael could see through her disguise. He kept a straight face and asked, “Why did you call me? What were you expecting me to do for you?”.

Clara sniffed and shrugged, “Talk to the police maybe. I really didn’t kill anyone. You know I wouldn’t”.

He shook his head, “You didn’t kill anybody but I don’t know if you wouldn’t. You need help Clara. I won’t be forgiving you anytime soon for what you did to Paul and Claudia, especially Claudia”. She looked confused but just bent her head down.

“Just came to say I wish you happy rehab and psychology classes. You need them a lot”.

A smirk came up to her face and she glared at Michael. “My dad won’t let me stay here. I’ll be out soon. I’m not insane, you’ll are for thinking I am”.

Michael looked at her with pity. The worst thing she could do to herself is to keep on saying that she didn’t need help.

Her lies could be normal. But her quest for attention and not minding hurting her sibling to get it, was so overwhelming.

“Just in case, I know that my kidnap had to do with you. If I’m really going to rehab, then you and your father would be found with me” Clara sneered. When she didn’t a shocked expression on Michael she repeated her statement again but he still stayed quiet.

“You don’t think I’d do it?” she narrowed her eyes at him.

“Now, I get why you claimed to be my donor. You thought you’d get financial entitlement right? Well, yes, we should have given more financial entitlements. I’d be giving them to Clara” Michael responded.

Clara frowned and stood up and left for her cell.

Michael braced himself for the scolding he would receive when he got home but fortunately, Mrs. Peniel was too busy calling her sister, Audrey, on the phone.

Soon she began singing a happy birthday song to her and that was when Michael realized that it was her birthday.

“Oh no, I will be missing the party. You know I can’t leave Michael alone here. And he maybe reluctant to come with me” she complained to her sister.

Michael came closer and began trying to communicate with her.

“What are you saying?” Mrs. Peniel asked in her hushed tone.

“That I don’t mind going to her party. I have some questions for her. And I’ve had a bad day myself” Michael pleaded.

Mrs. Peniel agreed and they were on their way to Audrey’s birthday party, though they stopped for some gifts along the way.

Audrey was pleased to be having them for her party. “Even the French heir came to grace my mini party. Will you be comfortable here? I have some going friends?” she winked at him.

He nodded, he just had to find a place to hide at and enjoy the party. Or so he thought.

A young girl had noticed him and had quickly taken a seat besides him. “I’m Angela” her voice was sweet.

She reminded him of the school cheer girls who flocked around him while at France. He never treasured the attention anyway.

Thankfully Audrey sat beside him and the girl excused herself. “Hmm. So I was wondering how you and Clara is doing? My sister’s been filling me in” she chuckled.

Michael nodded. “Alright” he sniffed.

“Does she know who you are? You know, I did suggest to your dad that year to pay a visit to her family properly, with gifts and a apology for what happened. I suggested due to guilt of course but he doesn’t listen to anyone”.

It was actually a good idea. And with the way Mrs. Larabee spoke spitefully about the “French Man”, it would be good to make a proper visit to pacify her.

“I know you may not like it, that girl could hate you for the trauma she had to go through for your same but for conscience sake, do that, please” Audrey added.

Michael was full aware of his next action. He’d have to appease the Larabee as a first step. His initial plan of hiding in the shadows and protecting his life savior didn’t workout.

To be honest, it was a huge failure as he ended up with the wrong daughter.

All would have been averted if he had been upfront with who he was from the beginning. It would have been chaotic but Claudia would have gotten over it by now.

And he was going to right that wrong.