Dawn Reclaimed

The house was bustling with activity by the time Grant got home. The evening meal was busily being prepared. A herd of kids, stair-stepped in sizes, gathered around the big screen watching rerun cartoons. Nana sat in her rocker beside the fire. Busily crocheting her next project. Claire, oblivious to the commotion going on around her, was engrossed in a book. Mouse drew on blank, white pages sprawled out on the floor at Claire's feet. Grant tiptoed over and planted his cold, wet, nose against her neck. "Have a good day today? Slacker."

Claire tipped her head and accepted his affectionate peck on the lips. "It was way too short. Back to the salt mill in the morning."

"You don't have to go back. Take a few weeks to yourself before the baby is born. Relax. Enjoy being pregnant," Grant said sitting on the hearth beside her. He was all for it. Claire was in denial. She had dark circles under her eyes and an unnatural pale cast to her skin. Ignoring the physical toll the baby was taking on her body. She needed her strength.

Claire chuckled. "Grant, I don't think there is such a thing as enjoying being pregnant. My feet are swollen. I feel like a blimp. I have to pee every five minutes. And let's not talk about the hemorrhoids."

"What are hemorrhoids?" Mouse asked.

"Never mind," Claire answered. The kid never missed a beat. She was innocuously cute and naturally curious and inquisitive about her world.

Nana snorted at Claire's comments. She was curious about the child Claire carried. Who wouldn't be? She walked across the room and snaked out a hand, planting it on Claire's belly. "Won't have to worry about being pregnant much longer. About a fortnight, I'd guess."

"How long is a fortnight?" Mouse asked. Excited. Soon she'd have a new cousin to play with. She had big plans to help Claire with the baby. Finally she was old enough that she wouldn't be considered in the way. And she'd been left in charge before. She had to learn about birth and delivery. The Internet could only provide so much information. She was ready.

"Too soon," Claire whispered. Placing her hand on her stomach where Nana's had been. Grant's hand covered hers.

He was grinning like a monkey. Too thrilled at the thought of holding his newborn son in his arms and starting his family. He laced his fingers through Claire's and gave them a gentle squeeze. "I guess we'd better move up that wedding date."

"Ah... yeah." Things were happening so quickly. First the baby, then the engagement, and now a wedding, sooner than she'd expected. She had barely gotten used to the idea that she was having a baby and getting married. And now, in a couple of weeks, her son would be here. Grant was right. She should cut out of work early and go on leave. There was so much to do and so little time. But, what about her life? The one she'd lived before Grant. In so many ways, she didn't want to let it go. She loved Grant. She loved all these people she considered an extended family. But, quit her job? Give up her career to raise a family? She hadn't thought about how much she was willing to lose to gain everything she'd ever dreamed of.





Chapter 64

The alarm buzzed Claire to life way too early. She slammed her palm down on the annoying clock that dutifully reminded her it was time to get out of bed. She flipped the covers back, no way to delay getting up. She had to pee, as usual. Waddling her bloated sorry ass to the bathroom, she yawned and tried to wake the hell up.

Last night after supper, Grant had taken her on an excursion to the attic. Digging through boxes and totes, they'd found enough stuff neatly tucked away to care for a dozen babies. Luckily. If she were going to go on leave early, she wouldn't have enough finances to buy much of anything. Every cent she had was going to have to go to pay her bills.

She hadn't thought to discuss the financial side of things with Grant. Where did he get his money? Where did any of his relatives get their money? She hadn't seen anyone go to a job. Yet the house was well furnished and stocked with every modern convenience. Their cars weren't in a state of disrepair. Everyone was dressed well. There was always a fridge stuffed with food. Money had to be coming in from somewhere. She made a mental note to ask him. It really wasn't any of her business. But, if she were going to marry into the family, she supposed she had a right to know who paid for the roof over her head, the bed she slept in, and the food she ate, and how that money was earned.

She was a little nervous today. She was training her replacement. She knew the law and that when she was ready to return to work after the baby was born. She'd get her job back. Worry could still play hell with her mind though. What if the new girl was better than she? And her boss didn't want her back? There was a clause in the FMLA act, 'comparable position', it said. She would have a job. But, the hospital could put her in another spot, if they wanted to. She could end up in the Pediatrics Department, or worse, in OB. Today she was going to talk to her boss about going on leave. She was going to finish out the week and that would be it. Right at the busy time, when nurses fought like rabid dogs over a rotting carcass for time off during the summer months.

Nana's prediction weighed heavily on her shoulders. A fortnight. Two weeks. If she saw Thomas, which she'd have to if she wanted her leave papers filled out. She was going to ask him what he thought. He'd guessed July based on her last ultrasound readings. Apparently, either his estimate was wrong or Nana was wrong. She hinged her bet on Nana. Nana seemed so certain. And all Thomas had was a guess.

To add to her nervousness, after work she was meeting with Janine. Meeting with a vampire to discuss themes and the guest list for the baby shower. It sounded completely nuts. But, Janine seemed so helpful and willing to lend a hand. Proclaiming her parties were the stuff of legend. She couldn't disappoint the woman and supposed her guests weren't going to be on the menu. Janine seemed harmless enough.

She showered and dressed. Forgoing staring at her expanding belly in the full length mirror. She had enough on her mind for today. Grant was up and ready. Dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. He didn't like the idea of her finishing out the week. But, he wisely kept his opinions to himself. Obviously, she wasn't going to get a moment's peace alone today. His protective nature was as much of a pain in the ass as it was flattering. "I can drive myself," she protested half-heartedly.

"I know. But, I have some errands in town. So, since I'm headed that way. I thought I'd drop you off," Grant said nonchalantly. His job was to provide for his family. And he didn't like the idea that Claire felt obligated to go into work. The Pack had more than enough finances to pay her bills for her. It was difficult for him to see the world the way she did. Claire was raised to be an individual and to take care of her own responsibilities. She didn't completely understand the concept of communal property and everyone owning everything.

"I might be late getting out. I've got to catch Thomas and get my paperwork filled out for my leave. And I'm supposed to meet with Janine to discuss the baby shower. You don't want to sit around and listen to a couple of women haggle over what shade of blue the center pieces should be."

"Not really. But, I want to be wherever you are."

Claire rolled her eyes. Not in the mood for such cheerfulness and sweetness so early in the morning. "Suit yourself. We'd better get a move on. I don't want to be late for the last week of my job."

"So you're really going to take my advice for once?"

"Strange isn't it?" Claire teased. "I'd planned to work right up until the moment I popped. I don't have a lot of leave time or a lot of money to burn. The attic full of baby stuff helped out a lot. I think I can make it work, if I'm careful with my spending."

"Claire you don't need to worry about money. There's plenty." Grant wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You've got to stop thinking like a single woman. I'm here for you. You're not in this alone."

"I know. But I can't ask you to help me out with debt that you didn't create."

"Claire, there's more than enough. You don't realize and maybe I should have told you. But, my family is far from poor. They're your family too, and the money yours to spend as well."

"I don't feel right doing that." Claire's eyes narrowed. Grant was bringing the subject up and was willing to divulge the secret of his family's financial success. Something she wondered about anyway. "What do they do? How did they make their money?"

"Mineral rights. After my family was uprooted almost two centuries ago and shoved out into what was thought to be a useless stretch of mountains and desert. The gold rush hit, and we were rich. Take the profit from selling the land, combine it with well planned and wise investing and voila. The pack has more than enough money to support itself."

Claire was relieved. There wasn't some super secret werewolf mafia after all, just a pack of financial wizards. Boy, would they be ashamed of her, if they ever saw her checkbook. Teetering precariously toward the red, she squeezed every penny she earned to make it through the month. "I still don't feel right about taking money that I didn't earn."

"You're not. If you need help, it is yours for the taking. If you don't, you don't. We'll play it by ear. If you don't want to work after the baby is born." He said, tossing out the offer as if her working didn't faze him. "You don't have to. We'll figure something out."

"Let's not jump the gun here. I'm planning to go back to work. Hell, I still have a student loan. I'd like to work long enough to pay the thing off."

Grant glanced at his watch and changed the subject. Not wanting to get into a tiff about the baby right now. He wanted her to stay home and care for the baby. She didn't need to or have to work. But, if she wanted to, he wouldn't stand in her way. He understood how important independence was to her. "Speaking of work. If you're going to get there in time, we'd better go."

Claire shimmied out of her jacket and hung it in her locker. Years' worth of stuff was crammed inside. Notes and handouts from meetings and training sessions, a couple of pairs of shoes, emergency snacks, at least three stethoscopes, a plethora of stray pens, and rolls of bandaging tape littered the inside of her locker.

Grant's offer rang in her ears. She wouldn't have to work after the baby was born. She wasn't sure how she felt about not working ever again. Some women would jump at the chance to stay home and raise a family. Others would be offended. Consider it nothing but subservient and free labor for their husband. She didn't know. In ways, being home with her newborn was tempting. But, in other ways, she wanted to stay on top of things. Have her own money and a career, just in case. Marriages didn't always work out, and she was practical enough to realize that.

"Hi," a friendly voice said from behind her. "I'm Jan. I guess I'll be taking your place while you're on leave." The woman had an insufferably perky voice. Cute as a button, not devastatingly beautiful, but cute with a button nose, a tiny figure, sleek waves of walnut brown hair, and the biggest green eyes Claire had ever seen. She was cute and infectiously perky and friendly. Her cuteness, Claire could forgive. Her perky, friendly attitude at six forty-five AM, Claire could not.

"Hi," Claire replied. Pressing her hand to her back as she righted herself from bending down to inspect her locker, she reached out her hand for a handshake.

Jan's eyes grew big as she took in Claire's rotund stomach. "Oh my. You must be due any day." The meeting between the two of them was awkward and uncomfortable and the comment had just slipped out. Claire was one of those women who actually looked good being pregnant. She radiated with an inward glow reflecting outwardly. And that belly protruding out from her scrubs, cutest thing ever.

Claire narrowed her eyes at Jan's unintentional rude comment and unabashed staring at the planet sized baby bump. "I go on leave at the end of the week."

"Well look at that!" A brash feminine voice yowled from across the locker room. "Has that baby dropped?" Ginger trotted around the table and rubbed Claire's belly. "Rub a baby's head for luck," she teased. Snapping her gum, she analyzed Claire's stomach. Boy, that was fast. It seemed like just yesterday she'd been in the bathroom stall holding Claire's hair out of the way as she suffered through the morning sickness. "Really, I think you've dropped."

Claire brushed off Ginger's hand and waddled over to the full length mirror. She

avoided mirrors like the plague. But, Ginger's teasing had her wondering. She stared at her reflection from the front and then from the side. Tugging the scrub top tight across her stomach to see for herself. Maybe... yes, she had dropped. More evidence that Nana was right about her prediction. She had two weeks or so to go.

"We'd better be planning that baby shower," Ginger said petting Claire's belly like a cherished family pet.

"Actually, one of Grant's family is throwing the shower." She bit her lip at Ginger's frown. She hadn't meant to not include her best friend in the planning. And Ginger was at the head of the guest list. She just wasn't sure how willing Janine was to bend. "Ah, it's a bridal shower and a baby shower."

Staring in the mirror fluffing her crimson hair, Ginger asked. Trying not to be hurt that Claire had given her duty as a best friend to someone else. "Do I know the person who has stolen my job as wedding, slash, baby shower giver?"

Claire stared at Ginger's neck. A thick black scrollwork of tattooed ink inched out from beneath her scrub top. Claire had never noticed it before. But then, Ginger usually wore her long, shaggy mane of over processed crimson curls lower in a bundle at the nape of her neck. It would have hidden the tattoo. The scroll design could be a mere coincidence. But, the markings looked too much like Thomas's to be mere happenstance. "I'm meeting Janine after work tonight to discuss the shower. Would you like to come along? I have a feeling you two might already know each other. We're meeting down at the One Shot. Free appetizer night."

"Oh ok," Ginger said, stifling a triumphant smile. "I guess I could tag along, if you don't mind. Jan's new in town. Do you mind if she tags along too?"

"Of course not," Claire answered. Jamming her bandage scissors into her pocket, she draped her stethoscope around her neck. Of course, she minded. This was a friends only kind of thing. And she didn't know this woman from a stranger. So far, she didn't like her. Jan was just too eager and too perky, and too willing to take her place on the unit. Maybe, she'd get lucky and Janine would be hungry and eat her.

"What's the One Shot?" Jan asked. Sensing Claire's dislike, she didn't let it get to her. She was in desperate need of something different to do after work besides watch TV and shiver in her matchbox sized apartment. She'd come from a bustling city in South Texas and hadn't anticipated how much cooler and drastically the weather changed in the Midwest.

"The one and only bar in town. But don't let the name fool ya'. They'll serve you more than one shot." Ginger snorted, "Many more. And the food's not bad either."

"Yeah. If you like animal products fried in week old grease. I guess the nachos are pretty safe. Haven't killed me yet." Claire tossed in the remark in hopes of dissuading Jan from tagging along.

"Sounds great. Give me directions and I'll catch up with you once I go home and change." Jan was going mainly because she knew Claire didn't want her to. She hoped that maybe after working together for the next few days she and Claire would come to terms with one another. Eventually become friends. She wasn't here to steal Claire's job or her best friend. Only to try to make a go out of small town life, having a few friends would certainly help though.

Today was her second day of orientation. And Jan saw Doctor Pricknstein stomp onto the unit. She wasn't going to give him the chance to sink his teeth into her a second time. She ducked into a patient's room, leaving Claire to deal with the 'not so good' doctor with chronic little man syndrome and the attitude from hell. Today was not going to be a good day. Her patients were grumpy and more demanding than usual. She was training with Claire instead of Ginger and Claire definitely did not like her. Her smart mouth had landed her on Dr. Sterling's radar. And tonight she'd accepted an invitation to dinner Ginger would never let her get out of. She wanted to crawl under a rock and die.

"Morning, Claire. How are you doing?" Thomas asked. She looked swollen and miserable as hell. Waddling like a duck as she tried to survive her last few weeks of her pregnancy. He hadn't discussed going on maternity leave with her yet. He assumed when she was ready to bow out, she'd tell him. He was going to have to bridge that subject with her soon.

"Thomas, I want to go on leave after the end of the week. Will you fill out my papers?" Claire asked. Pulling the paperwork off her clipboard and thrusting them into his hands. "Are you doing ok?" He looked like he hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in weeks. His hair was an unruly mess and he looked like he hadn't changed scrubs in days.

Thomas blew her off and took the paperwork from her. His eyes went to the glittering rock on her left hand every time he saw her. He swallowed the bitter lump in his throat. "I'm fine. I'll get these back to you by the end of the day."

"Thanks. Can we do another ultrasound this week? Nana thinks I've only got a couple of weeks left. Ginger thinks I've dropped. I just want to be sure."

Thomas shrugged. "No problem. Give me a call on your next day off and I'll pop by."

"Great. Thanks. I mean it when I say that Grant and I are in your debt." Gently she placed a hand on his shoulder. Thomas was not a mean person. But, she got the cold shoulder as he shrugged free of her fingertips.

"Oh don't worry. I'm sending you a bill." Thomas teased shaking off her hand. Her touch was friendly and light. But it stirred feelings that he was struggling desperately to control. He forced a bitter smile. Claire had done nothing wrong except fall in love with someone else instead of him. She couldn't help herself no more than he could help still being in love with her.

"I only wish there was something I could do to return the favor. Some way that I could make up for everything I've put you through." Thomas waited too long. Treated her as if she didn't exist. If she'd known how he felt before she met Grant. Maybe Thomas wouldn't be hurting. She might have fallen in love with him. Her speculation served no purpose. She sighed, looking away from the hurt in his eyes. She couldn't rationalize away the hurt she'd caused him. His pain, and the part she played in causing her friend such suffering, was a fact that she had to deal with.

"Have you met Jan?" Claire asked as Jan appeared at her side. Meeting someone new might help to patch the hole she'd left in Thomas's heart. If she could divert his interests onto someone other than her, they'd both feel a lot better about the whole thing.

"Yeah," Thomas cleared his throat and nodded to 'Nurse Collins' politely. "We were introduced yesterday." He was truly ashamed of himself for being such an ass to a coworker. His pride wouldn't bend and he ducked the apology he knew would eventually have to come. Claire would make him apologize once she found out. And she would. He would cower like a dog at her command, anything to make her happy.