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And how am I supposed to sit across from Claire and pretend I'm not about to pull the plug on this thing we started last night? This thing that completely rocked my world. She's going to be pissed at me. Worse, she'll be upset, maybe even hurt. And the fact that I'm going to hurt her will be all I'll be able to think about over dinner if I stay.
But if I leave now, it'll raise too many questions. If this were any other night and Diana offered me the chance to dine with her daughter, I would have jumped at the chance to see Claire and put that irritated look on her face. And I just told Diana I was going over to Claire's place to tell her about my trip. How would it look if I left before she got here?
“Sure, I'd love to stay for dinner. Thanks.”
“Excellent. Much more convenient for you.”
“Yup.”
“Besides, I wouldn't mind bending your ear about a few things if I could.”
Immediately, I'm on alert. “Of course. Shoot.”
“I'd usually talk to Austin about these things, but he's been so busy recently. I can't help feeling he's a little more distant than usual. I miss him.”
I make a mental note to kick Austin's arse over the phone next time we speak. Mother and son have always been close, and it sounds like Diana needs Austin right now. I'd help if I could, but even though Diana likes to refer to me as family, I'm not.
“What's going on?” I ask.
“Well, you know I always worry about Claire.”
Yes, I know that. Claire's main goal in life is to live her life the opposite way her parents lived theirs. That's caused both parties involved a lot of grief at times.
I nod, encouraging Diana to continue.
“She's been working herself closer to death. The only reason she doesn't work Sundays is because the bank is closed. Thank God for small mercies. She stays late every night, and while I admire what she does for her customers, she's wasting her life away.”
Diana's words rub me on the raw as I think about Claire working herself into an early grave the way my father did. The last thing I want to do is bury another person in my life because their priorities are so far out of whack it isn't funny. The fact that it's Claire she's talking about, however, sends an additional wave of terror through me.
“She goes in early and stays late. And when she isn't at work, she's dating those stuffed suits. They never seem to make her happy.”
I nod again, showing I'm listening, but I haven't heard anything outside the norm. That's what Claire does. Diana isn't a fan of the men Claire dates, but that's because she's certain her daughter needs someone to balance her out. Austin disagrees, and I have his back on that one.
“Austin's always approved of her choice of boyfriends,” I remind her.
“Well, there's a surprise. He doesn't want to think about anyone with a personality defiling his baby sister.”
I just about choke on my coffee.
“Austin has tried to play the role of father since Darren left for India, but I know that Darren would hate the men she dates as much as I do. Face it, Dylan, she doesn't date anyone memorable or interesting.”
That's not true. I remember the name of every man Claire has dated, starting with the guy she ended up dating a week after I rejected her. His name was Howie Cupps. His blond hair was too long and too greasy, he wore glasses, and he was the president of the math club at school. Austin approved, though, and so I shut up and went along with it.
“They suit the life she's trying to live, Diana.”
Diana gives me a motherly look. “If you have children one day, you'll understand that sometimes they don't always want the things that are best for them. When they're Claire's age, you do your best to step back and hold your tongue, but when your daughter is beyond miserable, you find it harder and harder to sit back and do nothing.”
“I don't think Claire's miserable.”
“Then take a closer look,” Diana says. “She's lost weight, and she's already so tiny. I begged her to come for dinner tonight just so I could feed her a decent meal. She doesn't get enough sleep. Those bags under her eyes aren't small enough to be covered with foundation anymore, and she's so damn pale. I don't thinkshe gets any sun at all. She's probably completely Vitamin D deficient.”
I chuckle, aware it's half-expected, even while I'm chewing over everything that Diana's just said. Claire's friends staged an intervention, and now it sounds like her mother is attempting to do the same. The people closest to her are worried about her and that's reason enough for me to pay serious mind to the idea.
I've always thought Claire was living her life the way she wanted to, but maybe things aren't quite as good as I'd like to make them out to be. Claire did tell me she wasn't enjoying herself much at the moment. She deliberately sought me out for that very reason. She wanted a break from routine and her plans. She wanted to have fun.
As for Diana's other concerns? I haven't noticed Claire being pale. Then again, it was night-time both times I saw her this weekend. As for her losing weight? Claire has always been slender, but there might be some truth to it. Maybe Claire is skipping lunch to fit more work in. Which is an abhorrent thought. One should always take the time to eat and enjoy their food. And as for the circles under her eyes? I've seen those firsthand, right along with the misery in her eyes.
Yup, there's a good chance I've been so busy trying to avoid temptation that I've imagined Claire being happy with her suits when she clearly wasn't. I've missed some very important cues. I'm a dumb arse.
