Two weeks already passed after the eventful meeting with Lucas. She filled the passing weeks by being busy with the expansion of her bookshop/cafe - her very own business. She started it when she was still eighteen as a lending store for books, until three years ago when her clients started asking for new books either for school or just for recreational purposes. It was hard at first because looking for supplier with a good deal and reasonable price was difficult that she already considered stopping her plan of turning it into a bookshop. Good thing Ethan helped, he knows someone who knows somebody who supplies books at a great deal within a reasonable price.

The cafe was added just recently when out of a whim she attended a crash course on coffee making and decorating, when an idea of adding a cafe into the bookstore came into her mind. So this is what makes her occupied that it helps to forget her problem even for awhile. But these past few days she had been on edge because of the ultimatum she gave to Lucas' lawyer regarding the divorce papers. Thanksgiving already came but they did not try to reach her even once, so she is thinking that they will not heed her demand at all.

Another deep sigh escaped her lips. So deep on her thoughts she felt her heart jump when she heard her mother's voice.

---

"I know that peeling and slicing potatoes is kinda boring, but is it that boring? You sighed so many times already that I'm starting to think you don't want to be with me. Do you need to be somewhere else?" Alessa, Claire's mother, asked her youngest child. She is bothered with how Claire behaves these past several weeks, she can feel that something is wrong, that is why she had been looking forward to today for them to be able to talk without the the boys around. They are always raucous when together that a serious and one-on-one talk is impossible especially if it concerns Claire, they are all protective of her since..- She shook her head to clear the memories of that traumatic time in their family and to focus her mind into her daughter's concern.

"Something is bothering you I know, and you know you can talk to me with anything Claire." She prodded her slowly.

Claire looked at her with her green eyes, eyes that look exactly like hers. The likeness always sends a sense of pride and wholeness in her.

She saw in Claire's eyes that she is contemplating whether to tell her or not.

"You know, if you were able to tell Penny, you can also share it with me. Although I am way older than her I am also your bestfriend, am I not?" She told her with slight teasing.

A smile formed in her angelic face, a face exactly like hers, brightening up her whole mien.

"We should also take this opportunity while your brothers are not here, otherwise there will be shouting and cursing, if you know what I mean." She even winked that Claire chuckled.

---

"Oh mom, you know that I know that I can always tell you my problems, it's just that I don't know how you will react, unlike your sons, they are predictable you know. They will fight first, questions later." She explained with an eyeroll. Her mother just looked at her with a promise not to judge or react harshly.

Claire took another sigh before opening her mouth and told the tale to her mother from the very beginning, to the meeting and her ultimatum that is due in another week and a few days.

She expected a rant from her mother but instead she surprised her with a laugh and clapping of her hands excitedly, like a child who got an ice cream for a snack, that made her jaw-slacked.

---

"Isn't it exciting? It is like a fated love story." Alessa exclaimed, all smiles and eyes glittering with romantic notions. She had always been romantic since she experienced it first hand with her husband of thirty two years.

With her daughter's surprised face, she quickly added. "Oh Claire, I know that you have always been romantic, that is why you have never had a boyfriend your whole life, although, you have so many suitors who are always lining up waiting at our doorstep for you to let them in, you never spare them a glance because you are expecting more than a gesture of admiration from a man."

"What?! Mom, you are talking as if I have thousands of suitors, I don't have any growing up that is why they don't line up our doorsteps." Claire exclaimed at her in disbelief while continuously slicing the potatoes for the roast.

"What do you mean you don't have suitors?" Alessa asked puzzled and checking the turkey on the oven.

"No one pursues me, I think they are all afraid of your sons. Maybe they are threathening them or something." Claire explained.

Alessa's brows furrowed in deep thoughts. When she remembered the name of some of the boys who she clearly remembered are her daughter's suitors, she started questioning her in quick succession which Claire answered immediately.

"What about Michael? The son of the grocery store owner." -- "A friend."

"William? Your classmate in seventh grade?" -- "Just a classmate."

"Joshua? The son of your teacher in biology? I remembered he has been talking to you everytime there is a chance." -- "He is just asking about schoolwork, everytime."

"How about Jake, the principal's son? He asked you to be his date in your prom night senior year, didn't he?" -- "He asked me because of a bet with his friends, that is why Oliver beat him to a pulp with the help of the others."

"Oh, I didn't know that is the reason why your brother came home that day with a bruised hand." Alessa was again deep in her thought when Claire interrupted her.

---

Claire couldn't believe her ears at what her mother had been asking her. She didn't know that her mother knows those names, yes, they did asked her in one way or another for a date but they stopped the very first time she said no, except of course, Jake, thus, the bet; so she do not consider them her suitors. At her mother's last comment, she opened her mouth to tell her the truth.

"Oliver and the others doesn't want you to worry, that is why they didn't tell you about that. Ethan, Sean and even Zach were there with him. It's just that Oliver volunteered to do the deed since he's been practicing jujitsu, you will not bat an eye if he come home with a bandaged hand and bruised knuckles. Dad knows about what happened, he condoned what they did at first but since it is because of me that he gave the approval and did not told you about it." She explained lenghtly and added when she remembered something.

"Please don't tell them I told you. They didn't know that I know about that incident. I just overheard them talking with Dad one day at the garage when I came by to ask Sean to accompany me to the prom night since Jake already backed out. That is also the reason why Sean immediately said yes without qualms to be my escort."

"Oh honey, I'm sorry about that." Alessa said after sometime and putting the potatoes inside the oven.

"No mom, don't. If you feel or think that they have ruined the prom night, which almost all the girls considers magical, stop, I had a great prom night as I have told you when I came home after the dance. I'd rather be with my brother as my companion that night and enjoy it, than with someone who will only think to grope me every chance he got. At least I had a peaceful prom night without worrying about my safety. Sean acted as an escort, brother and a bodyguard. Nobody wants to mess up with me what's with my two brothers present that evening." She added with a laugh since Zach has been Penny's prom date.

---

Alessa cannot believe what her daughter just said. "So you all have been keeping secrets from me." She added with a slight hurt on her voice.

"Oh mom, it's not that we are keeping them from you because we are keeping you out of our lives, it's just that we don't want you to worry." Claire explained, came to her mother and hug her from behind.

At her daughter's reaction, she began chuckling quietly making her shoulders shake that Claire misunderstood.

"Mom, please don't be upset. We do not mean to keep things from you." At Claire's worried tone. She let go of her laughter that she's been holding.

---

Claire suddenly look at her mother when she heard her laugh, stare at her wide-eyed and exclaimed. "Mom!"

At her daughter's berate, Alessa asked innocently. "What?"

"I thought you are crying and is upset." Claire answered and came back to her chore.

"Why would I be upset of what you all did. Although I am a little hurt because of not knowing what happened, I always have a slight idea that something is wrong that I am not aware of. You know I let you and your brothers solve your problems on your own to help you become independent, it's just that sometimes I wish you are all still small that even a small problem, like a lost shirt, you all come running to me and will ask for help." Her mother answered sighing.

"But anyway, it is good that your brothers have known about what that Jake did, otherwise you will have a bad memory of your prom night with him being your escort." Alessa said as a matter of fact.

"But I did not agree to be his date when he asked me. He was just so sure that I will say yes to him - like every other girls do - even before I gave my answer, that he already told everyone about us being each other's date for the occasion. That is how your sons came to know, because the news spread like wildfire with how everybody reacted since everyone know that nobody will come near me without my brother's approval, that Jake had been bragging that he didn't need to do since I already agreed which I clearly did not." Claire explained, out of breath.

"I thought you like him because you seem down that time before your senior prom." Her mother said.

"It wasn't because of that mom. I just suddenly remembered what happened before. Your sons' protectiveness made me remember. I think they still blame themselves to what had happened before." She answered in a whisper.

"Does it still bother you?" Her mother asked her coming into her side, worry and understanding on her face.

She hugged her mother before telling truthfully. "No mom, it doesn't bother me anymore. I just kinda remember it that time, and I seldom remember now. You all helped me to recover and forget."

They were now hugging and crying when they heard raucous laughters. They immediately let go and smiled to each other while wiping their tears. Then they went out the kitchen and welcomed the rowdy men of the family.

Her mother went immediately and hugged the oldest man, their father Nathaniel, now at fifty seven, is a tall man with graying hair and with the kindest and bluest eyes she had ever seen, which his sons all inherited although they differ in shades. Her eldest brother Ethan came in next, thirty years old, an architect who owns a multimillion company. Her next eldest brother is Oliver, at twenty eight is a brooding type, he owns several buildings that he converted and made into an apartment he offered for rental. Sean is the third brother that at twenty six owns a garage after retiring as a professional race car driver. Her youngest brother Zach is twenty five and is the one helping their father in the construction business. Their older brothers have no qualms whatsoever about him inheriting their father's business since they all have their own and Zach is the only one who is really into construction, and by the way, he is also Penny's boyfriend and/or fiance.

After they all share an embrace and her brothers ruffling her hair like a small child, they all asked at the same time after studying her and her mother's faces.

"What happened?!" At their puzzled look, her father answered on behalf of the men, "You've been crying my dears, we can see it in your eyes." They were about to answer their querries when all her brothers each asked their own questions.

"Why were you both crying?" - Ethan.

"Who did it? Tell me the name." - Oliver.

"Where do they live? I'll drive to wherever it is." - Sean.

"When did this happen? Does Penny knows as well?" - Zach.

Their mother only laughed at their querries then promptly stopped and assured everyone that nothing bad happened while they were away and having their boy's monthly outing, in which everybody exhaled their relief.

"Okay, everyone, go change, dinner will be ready in fifteen. Come on Claire we have to finish making dinner otherwise we will hear their thundering belly because of starvation." She only chuckled at her brother's faces at what their mother said, their eyes wide in disbelief while their gazes following their mother walking towards the kitchen.

When their bellies were full because of the sumptous dinner, the kitchen clean and the dishes washed, they made their way to the living room were they will play a game or just simply watch a movie. This has been their monthly routine where all her brothers made sure they can come, especially today because it's Thanksgiving, otherwise their mother will have their hide.

This is what she likes, this is her dream, to have a family of her own full of love, but not through a made up marriage.

************************************

Who wants a mother like Alessa? I love her, her love and support for her family is great.

Please write your comments and insights if you have any. Don't forget to vote and share this story if you happen to like it.

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