Curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will.

- James Stephens.

The day Tyler Sanders came in my life had to be one of the best day for me.

There was a chance for me to be happy. To make a life for myself. To make a life with a little girl who looked up to me as a child would to their mother. To make a life with a man who would give me the place of his wife but the constant wall around his heart would always be there. The wall which didn't let him get close to me.

Alone with my thoughts, I had been thinking. I had been going all over the things that happened between Tyler and me since the moment we met. There had been unknown sizzling between us. There had been moments when we just unintentionally touched each other and felt those tingles shooting throughout our body.

There was no denying Tyler felt that. He definitely felt that tug whenever we touched because he immediately moved away from me, from that touch. He would always go back to that shell of him whenever we get close to each other, even by just talking.

Like what happened few days back at the restaurant. He was being sweet and he wasn't even aware of it. My blasted mouth had to inform him and that made him turn away. Life could be so cruel sometimes. It threw a reliable guy at me but that guy had a complex mind of his own. So hard to understand. Were all businessman like these? Hard to understand them? Hmm, Could be. I had never been a curious person but this obnoxious man made me really curious about him, curious to know what had happened to turn him into however he was now.

Had his wife's death been that painful to affect him? He might had loved her. It was hard to imagine a guy like him to love someone so deeply.

The ache in my chest whenever I thought about his love for his late wife came back to me at once. So cruel of me to be jealous of a dead woman. Why was I even jealous? It wasn't like I liked this dead woman's husband. Was it? No! It wasn't.

Yeah, be in denial.

Shuddering from the inner taunts, I turned away from the laundry that I was doing. I took the basket of clothes and walked out the laundry room to climb up the stairs to my apartment.

The sun had already set. No more sunshine on the sky. I couldn't believe I had sat idle in my place the whole day. Since there was no work for me, the day went away slaking. I hadn't heard from Tyler after the call he gave me this morning.

Now a days, the morning alarm for me was the ringtone of my phone. Maybe I should get used to it. I didn't know how I sounded but I sure as hell knew I might had been cranky. That guy interrupted my relaxing slumber! He deserved to had a cranky lady upon him. I loved my sleep far too much.

No matter how my morning started, my day went away with me reading books, trying out new goodies in my oven since I seemed to lose my dream of opening a bakery and ignoring the magazine dropped by Brandon on his way to work as directed by Chloe. I knew our outing yesterday had to be in that magazine but I had no intention of looking at it and getting irritated by it then go all super cranky at the guy responsible for it. Thus, the magazine still looking lonely at my coffee table.

I dropped the basket of clothes on the bed and started folding those. Halfway through, my ringtone yet again disturbed me. Since I knew I had no friends, there was only Chloe, my parents or Tyler that would be calling me. There was no force that could've stopped my fast movement to get to the phone when Tyler's name crossed my mind.

And it was his name that lightened up on my screen.

I clicked the answer button to have the phone pressed against my ear. "Hello?"

"Claire." He simply said over the phone.

"Ah, yeah." I answered cautiously. What was up with him now?

His voice turned wary. "Are you okay now?"

I huffed. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Did he expect me to go all apeshit on him again? Maybe I really overdid it in the morning to have him be cautious of me now. Poor guy probably thought he was engaged to a mad woman. Too bad he wouldn't get rid of me that easily. I kind of got used to his arrogance by now but that wasn't just it. The little daughter of his had a big part on making me latch onto their family. There was no way they'd be getting rid of me now.

Tyler's voice jolted me out of my obsessed thoughts. "Good because there was something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Yeah, sure. Go on." I said, clutching the phone with my shoulder to get back to my work at hand. I pulled out the dress I wore for my family outing with my fiancé and his daughter, out of the basket and at once, the arguments flashed in my mind.

I knew Tyler really didn't think that horrible about my dress. He was just irritated with me pointing out his wardrobe malfunction. Seriously, he really had a big crisis in his closet if it all consists only formal shirts and suits. But it was quite fun to poke his buttons.

I didn't know I was chuckling when Tyler pointed out. "What's so funny? I didn't even say anything yet."

At instance, I stopped my unexpected laugh that was bubbling in me. "Nothing, nothing. What were you going to say anyway?"

He thoughtfully replied. "When there is nothing, there is always something. So, what is it?"

Now, this guy was really pushing me. Why couldn't he just let it go? "Really Tyler, since when did you become so curious?"

"Since you became my fiancée."

Just like that. My annoyed mood disappeared. Did this man even know how those simple words make smile like an idiot? How they caused a turbulence in my stomach? There was something wrong with me. I scowled down at my stomach. Definitely wrong. But I couldn't let this opportunity to tease go waste.

"Aww, you know you're being sweet again."

"Forget I asked anything." He responded at once. "I have a more important matter to discuss with you."

I pouted. "Fine but for now. So what is so important anyway?"

I wondered what else he had in store for me. He voiced. "My parents wants to meet you."

Wait, what?! My eyes widened when the meaning of those words set in. Parents? I nervously swallowed. "So soon?"

"So soon?" He asked in a flat voice. "Claire, we are already engaged. Soon to be married. Do you want to wait for us to be married then perhaps meet my parents?"

"Ah..no. I mean..this..I just thought..." There was no way to explain what I was feeling at that time. I knew it was bound to happen but still meeting the parents made everything real. The whole thing was happening. It just got more real.

Maybe my hesitation toward meeting Tyler's parents had to do something with me not telling my own parents. I still hadn't told them yet. That was something I had been hanging around. Tyler's admission of meeting his parents let me know, it was time to inform my own parents about it which I wasn't really looking forward to.

"Claire, what is it? You know you can tell me, right?" My once in a while compassionate fiancé asked me softly.

I sighed. "It's just...I haven't exactly informed my parents yet."

His irritation was quite visible through the phone when he sighed. "Oh Claire, I already told you I could do that if you want."

Turning around I held the phone tighter and had my other hand on my hip. "No no, I can do it. In fact I'll do it right after I finish talking to you."

It was better to get it over with now or else I didn't trust myself for sticking to this decision long enough. Even though they couldn't change my decision to marry Tyler, I was still anxious about their approvals. They were my only set of parents after all.

"Okay, Claire but this time better be last time or else I wouldn't wait to call them." Tyler threatened, no advised. I rolled my eyes at him even though he couldn't see. "And while you're at it, why don't you invite them for the party as well?"

I dropped my hand from my hip and asked him with confusion clear on my voice. "What party?"

"An engagement party." He said in a matter-of-fact manner. "My mom thought it was better to have a party so that everyone would get to see you."

How could I forget Tyler was a known guy around the city? Of course people would want to see his fiancée but they'd be in for a rude awakening when they see me, plain and simple Claire. Even my pictures on the papers and magazines, the few times they came, were plain and simple looking Claire with the high class businessman Tyler Sanders.

"Is it necessary?" I asked him with a shaky voice. Crowd wasn't my thing. They made me nervous and when I became nervous, I ate which wouldn't be good for Tyler's image if I did that on that party. Constantly stuffing food in my mouth? Yeah, wouldn't be good for Tyler's image.

He sighed over the phone. "If you want, I can cancel the whole thing but mom thinks it would be good for you to get familiar with my kind of life."

If I wanted to keep a good impression on my future mother-in-law's eyes, then I had to go through with this engagement party.

"It's alright. Your mom is right." I agreed reluctantly. Maybe it was time to see his world by being on the spotlight. I should get used it.

"Good. Now, I have to go but I'll talk to you soon, okay?" He said with a rush. I could detect multiple sounds from behind his voice. "Oh and Lydia calls you every night, right?"

He might be at his office. I looked at the clock above my dresser and noted the time. It was well past 7 pm and Tyler was working late yet again. He never liked interference with his working schedule so I knew better than to remind him the late hours. I nodded my answer to his question but then I realised he couldn't see me so I spoke up. "Yeah, she calls."

"Alright. That's good. Now, I really need to go. So good bye, Claire."

"Bye! And uh..take care." I responded with unease. It was true we were getting comfortable around each other but still, worrying about each other were quite far.

Ending the call quickly, I didn't even wait for his reply. I walked back and sat down on my bed, crossing my legs under me, making myself as comfortable as I could so that it would help me go through the conversation I was about to have....with my parents. God, help me!

I scrolled through my contacts and clicked Mom. Better mom than dad. At least she would talk my dad into the matter when he started to grumble. Three rings went by then Mom answered. "Hello, Claire?"

"Hi, Mom!"

No matter what, hearing my mother's voice brought moisture to my eyes. I was in such a bad situation and I couldn't even tell my parents about it. Thank god for Tyler. I would never take money for granted ever again.

"How are you, sweetie?" Caroline Bishop, my Mom asked me with her usual soft voice that would sooth me whenever I was nervous and it was working. I was losing the nerves.

And Caroline, yes our Mom thought it would be beautiful to have all the girls in the family named with a C. Hence, Chloe, Claire and now Carrie. Carrie was named after me though as I was her Godmother. The naming with a C became a tradition now. Mom said it would be beautiful to have a tradition in our family. None of the Bishop sisters were happy with it but what Mom wanted, she always got it.

"I'm great, Mom. How are you and dad? Where is he?" I asked curiously, hoping Dad was not in hearing distance so that I could drop my news then convince Mom into making Dad agree.

She replied. "We both are fine, dear. He is outside, doing God knows whatever. Anyway, tell me about you. Did you meet someone special yet? Because I just talked with Mrs. Winter who told me about her nephew living in New York."

I face palmed myself. No one could stop Mom. This was one of the reasons why I stopped myself from calling her daily. She would always find someone's nephew or son or brother or cousin living in the big city. For sure, my news would make her a very happy mother.

"Mom, you can tell Mrs. Winter it won't be necessary because I already have someone." I cautiously told her. Mom was silent for a long time that I had to check whether she was in line or not. "Mom?"

Finally, Mom's quavering voice came. "Honey, did you just say you have someone now?"

Was it really hard to believe that I had someone in my life? My family has no faith in me!

"It's just not someone, Mom." I answered her with a smile. "It's my fiancé. I'm engaged!"

Immediately, Mom squealed so loudly from the other end that I had to remove the phone from my ear. See? Chloe and Mom was so alike. Couple of teens I tell you!

"Really? Oh my god, honey you cannot guess how happy I am!" Mom gushed over. "It finally happened. My little girl grew up. She has a man in her life. Oh, I'm so proud of you!"

I rolled my eyes at her words. "Pretty sure, I can guess." I pointed out and relaxed my muscles. There was no need for me to worry about Mom. Look at the way she kept on talking, it clearly showed approval from her side.

And she had a old fashioned mind. She thought a woman needed a man in her life no matter what. She had been pushing me to be with someone for so long after my last breakup that I bet she would be over the moon right now. She just wanted me to date someone but engaged? That was just cherry on top.

Though, I couldn't just forget about my dad. The worst was still to come. Since mom kept on talking non-stop about her happiness over the news, I cut her mid stop to get my words in. "Mom, mom, please listen to me first." When mom calmed down, I continued. "So you see, I have a invitation for you and dad for my engagement party. Tyler, my fiancé's mom is throwing it. His family wants me to meet everyone and they want to meet you both as well, Chloe and co are also included."

"A party? That's great. We could all celebrate together." Mom cheered from the other side.

And I gulped. "But mom, what about dad? Will he agree?"

Mom said in an understanding tone. "Oh honey, don't worry I'll let him know. He might be grumpy about the news but he's your dad, he'll be happy."

"Are you sure on letting him know? I could do that you know. I think it should be me considering I'm the one engaged here." I asked reluctantly. I really didn't want to talk to dad about it. I knew there would be disappointment in his voice and I couldn't handle hearing that.

"Claire, I know you really don't want to." Mom said. She really knew me well.

"Oh, mom! You're so right. I really don't want to." I admitted sorrowfully.

Chicken; my inner voice called me. Here we go again with the inner voice. I ignored it and concentrated on mom's words.

"It's alright. I know you girls but you should know Claire that when your dad sees how happy you are, he will accept your choice."

She was right. Sometimes Dad might be too hard on us but that never meant he didn't love us. In fact, I think he was just scared to let his daughters be far away from him. I smiled when I replied her. "I know Mom. He's our dad after all. And mom? Thank you for agreeing. I'll text you the details about the party. Okay?"

After mom agreed, we talked a bit then hung up and I breathed a sigh. I really didn't wanted to be the one to tell my dad that his other daughter, more sensible daughter also decided to marry a city guy.