the_muses_stage prompt set 24 [quote prompt]
“The family is a haven in a heartless world." - Christopher Lasch
“Claire, can you come get me?”
The little tremor in Molly’s voice alerted her right away that something was wrong and Claire found herself frowning as she straightened behind the counter of the book store where she was working. “Molly, what’s wrong?”
“It’s been a bad day and I don’t want my dad to see me like this. I already called him and said you were coming to get me. Please come?” Molly knew that Claire wouldn’t say no because she never said no, especially if she knew that Molly was upset.
“I’ll be right there, just wait inside by the front door.” Claire was already grabbing her bag, motioning at her boss that she was going to be leaving her shift about a half an hour early. He didn’t really mind since she had worked through lunch.
It didn’t take long for the blonde to rush down to Molly’s school, a clearly worried expression on her features as she dashed up the front steps and hurried inside. She found Molly sitting by herself and immediately Claire’s heart broke as she looked at the young girl. It looked like Molly was trying to hide within herself as she sat, slouched forward with a little broken frown.
“Molly?” She ventured, keeping her voice soft.
As soon as Molly realized she was there, the younger girl launched herself into Claire’s arms and pressed her face into the blonde’s stomach. “You’re here.”
“Of course, you called me and you sounded upset.” Smoothing a hand over Molly’s hair, she turned to lead her out of the school. It was clear Molly wasn’t in a rush to go home and so Claire offered her apartment instead as it was a sort of safe haven away from boys there. A quick phone call to Gabriel caused him to worry but he consented to Molly hanging out with Claire for a little while before she came home for supper.
Once they were back in Claire’s apartment a half an hour later and tucked in together on the couch, Molly decided to come clean. “There’s this girl named Ashley in my class and today was her birthday, so her mother brought a cake to class.” She murmured, looking down at her hands.
Claire didn’t need it explained any more than that as she sat beside Molly, wrapping an arm around her. “Oh, honey.” She whispered, rubbing a hand over her arm gently.
“I don’t like her.” Molly frowned then, her small face twisted with a scowl. “She’s mean to me. She made a big deal about how her mommy came and then she gave me a big piece because I didn’t have a mom who would bring a cake to class for my birthday.”
“She did not!” Claire’s mouth dropped open in surprise. Not that she should be because she knew how cruel kids could be but she was still appalled. How did anyone think that poking at someone’s wounds was any fun?
“I hate her.” Molly declared with a dramatic flair of her arms before she crossed them, slouching back.
“Don’t let your dad hear you say that.” Claire pointed out before sitting back. “I’m sorry she did that, Mols. Some people are cruel.” It only made Claire think of some of the girls she knew back in Odessa, Jackie specifically.
“It’s okay. It doesn’t matter.”
“Why not?”
“My birthday is on a Saturday anyways, I won’t even be in school.” Molly tried saying it with a sort of false bravado like she didn’t care but Claire could tell she did. Sighing with a nod, she hugged the girl a little closer as she decided to try and fix the mess. When she called Gabriel a few days later with her plan, she knew he was confused by the vague explanation of what she was going to do but he once again gave her the go-ahead though she knew he would have questions later.
When the Friday before Molly’s birthday came, the girl tried her best to ignore Ashley through the morning as she focused on her studies instead. She also tried to keep in mind that her dad promised they would have a really good birthday party for her on the next day.
“Class, can I have your attention?”
Molly looked up, confused as their teacher called the attention of the class to the front of the class and she was even more confused when she saw Claire standing beside the teacher with a huge box resting on her arms. Blinking, she sat a little straighter as she knew she was getting some curious looks from the other kids in the class; mainly from the kids who had seen Claire picking her up from school before.
“Thank you.” The teacher smiled. “As some of you guys may know, tomorrow is Molly’s birthday and so her friend, Miss Bennet here, has brought some cupcakes for the class.” As some cheers went up in the class, Claire looked over at Molly with a smile as she noticed the young girl was beaming even with a slight blush in her cheeks.
Moving to a table, Claire set down the box she had been carrying before lifting the lid to reveal the cupcakes she had brought. She had put some time in them and that much was clear. She had alternated between pink and red icing, decorating different ones with little flowers, butterflies and hearts. The rest of the cupcakes each had a letter on them so that they spelled out “Happy Birthday, Molly” when sitting together.
The whole class made a fuss over it but since when would kids ever have a problem with getting sugar and cupcakes? Claire stood back with a smile as she watched Molly enjoy the bit of attention and when the running hug came, Claire was prepared.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Molly hugged Claire tightly around the waist again, beaming up at her.
“You’re welcome but the cupcakes aren’t the only thing I brought.” Claire smiled, taking Molly’s hand before leading her over away from the group. From inside her purse, she then revealed a tiny blue box. “Happy Birthday, Mols.”
Molly looked at the blue box with wide eyes because she recognized where it came from. “Claire.” She sounded breathless as she took the box from Claire, eagerly opening it up and then gasping when she saw what was inside. Reaching inside, she gently removed the necklace by the delicate chain as she looked at the tiny heart pendant with wide eyes. “It’s so pretty.”
“It is.” Claire agreed, looking somewhat relieved though it didn’t last for long. Now she gave a somewhat nervous smile as she reached beneath the neckline of her top to pull out her own necklace with the matching pendant. “I got myself one too.”
“You did?” Molly’s smile started to grow.
“I did.” Claire nodded, keeping her voice low. “I thought it could symbolize that maybe we’re not of the same blood but we’re definitely of the same heart.” She explained as she took the necklace from Molly’s hand, undoing the clasp before leaning forward to put it on the girl. When she pulled back, she noted the way Molly’s eyes shimmered a little. “Molly, are you okay?”
Molly swallowed thickly before nodding. “Thank you.” She wrapped her arms tightly around Claire’s neck, hugging her again. When they pulled apart, she smiled brightly. “And thank you for the cupcakes!”
“You’re welcome.” Claire chuckled, pushing to her feet. “I should go and let you have fun with your class. I need to get to your place so I can make sure your dad doesn’t burn down the apartment building while trying to make your birthday cake.” That statement made Molly giggle a little.
“Can you drag Uncle Ben out shopping too because one year he gave me a bunch of CDs. I think they were ones he didn’t listen to anymore.” Molly wrinkled her nose, rolling her eyes.
“I promise, I’ll drag him out by his ear.” Claire made the crossing motion over her heart as she promised. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
With a quick wave to the class, Claire slipped out of the room with a proud smile as she touched the heart pendant resting against the hollow of her throat. She knew she couldn’t fix things the way a real mother could but she had learned from the master to try anyhow.
[Molly is humanmapquest and she's used without permission but with lots of love. This is the idea for the cupcakes.]
“Claire, can you come get me?”
The little tremor in Molly’s voice alerted her right away that something was wrong and Claire found herself frowning as she straightened behind the counter of the book store where she was working. “Molly, what’s wrong?”
“It’s been a bad day and I don’t want my dad to see me like this. I already called him and said you were coming to get me. Please come?” Molly knew that Claire wouldn’t say no because she never said no, especially if she knew that Molly was upset.
“I’ll be right there, just wait inside by the front door.” Claire was already grabbing her bag, motioning at her boss that she was going to be leaving her shift about a half an hour early. He didn’t really mind since she had worked through lunch.
It didn’t take long for the blonde to rush down to Molly’s school, a clearly worried expression on her features as she dashed up the front steps and hurried inside. She found Molly sitting by herself and immediately Claire’s heart broke as she looked at the young girl. It looked like Molly was trying to hide within herself as she sat, slouched forward with a little broken frown.
“Molly?” She ventured, keeping her voice soft.
As soon as Molly realized she was there, the younger girl launched herself into Claire’s arms and pressed her face into the blonde’s stomach. “You’re here.”
“Of course, you called me and you sounded upset.” Smoothing a hand over Molly’s hair, she turned to lead her out of the school. It was clear Molly wasn’t in a rush to go home and so Claire offered her apartment instead as it was a sort of safe haven away from boys there. A quick phone call to Gabriel caused him to worry but he consented to Molly hanging out with Claire for a little while before she came home for supper.
Once they were back in Claire’s apartment a half an hour later and tucked in together on the couch, Molly decided to come clean. “There’s this girl named Ashley in my class and today was her birthday, so her mother brought a cake to class.” She murmured, looking down at her hands.
Claire didn’t need it explained any more than that as she sat beside Molly, wrapping an arm around her. “Oh, honey.” She whispered, rubbing a hand over her arm gently.
“I don’t like her.” Molly frowned then, her small face twisted with a scowl. “She’s mean to me. She made a big deal about how her mommy came and then she gave me a big piece because I didn’t have a mom who would bring a cake to class for my birthday.”
“She did not!” Claire’s mouth dropped open in surprise. Not that she should be because she knew how cruel kids could be but she was still appalled. How did anyone think that poking at someone’s wounds was any fun?
“I hate her.” Molly declared with a dramatic flair of her arms before she crossed them, slouching back.
“Don’t let your dad hear you say that.” Claire pointed out before sitting back. “I’m sorry she did that, Mols. Some people are cruel.” It only made Claire think of some of the girls she knew back in Odessa, Jackie specifically.
“It’s okay. It doesn’t matter.”
“Why not?”
“My birthday is on a Saturday anyways, I won’t even be in school.” Molly tried saying it with a sort of false bravado like she didn’t care but Claire could tell she did. Sighing with a nod, she hugged the girl a little closer as she decided to try and fix the mess. When she called Gabriel a few days later with her plan, she knew he was confused by the vague explanation of what she was going to do but he once again gave her the go-ahead though she knew he would have questions later.
When the Friday before Molly’s birthday came, the girl tried her best to ignore Ashley through the morning as she focused on her studies instead. She also tried to keep in mind that her dad promised they would have a really good birthday party for her on the next day.
“Class, can I have your attention?”
Molly looked up, confused as their teacher called the attention of the class to the front of the class and she was even more confused when she saw Claire standing beside the teacher with a huge box resting on her arms. Blinking, she sat a little straighter as she knew she was getting some curious looks from the other kids in the class; mainly from the kids who had seen Claire picking her up from school before.
“Thank you.” The teacher smiled. “As some of you guys may know, tomorrow is Molly’s birthday and so her friend, Miss Bennet here, has brought some cupcakes for the class.” As some cheers went up in the class, Claire looked over at Molly with a smile as she noticed the young girl was beaming even with a slight blush in her cheeks.
Moving to a table, Claire set down the box she had been carrying before lifting the lid to reveal the cupcakes she had brought. She had put some time in them and that much was clear. She had alternated between pink and red icing, decorating different ones with little flowers, butterflies and hearts. The rest of the cupcakes each had a letter on them so that they spelled out “Happy Birthday, Molly” when sitting together.
The whole class made a fuss over it but since when would kids ever have a problem with getting sugar and cupcakes? Claire stood back with a smile as she watched Molly enjoy the bit of attention and when the running hug came, Claire was prepared.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Molly hugged Claire tightly around the waist again, beaming up at her.
“You’re welcome but the cupcakes aren’t the only thing I brought.” Claire smiled, taking Molly’s hand before leading her over away from the group. From inside her purse, she then revealed a tiny blue box. “Happy Birthday, Mols.”
Molly looked at the blue box with wide eyes because she recognized where it came from. “Claire.” She sounded breathless as she took the box from Claire, eagerly opening it up and then gasping when she saw what was inside. Reaching inside, she gently removed the necklace by the delicate chain as she looked at the tiny heart pendant with wide eyes. “It’s so pretty.”
“It is.” Claire agreed, looking somewhat relieved though it didn’t last for long. Now she gave a somewhat nervous smile as she reached beneath the neckline of her top to pull out her own necklace with the matching pendant. “I got myself one too.”
“You did?” Molly’s smile started to grow.
“I did.” Claire nodded, keeping her voice low. “I thought it could symbolize that maybe we’re not of the same blood but we’re definitely of the same heart.” She explained as she took the necklace from Molly’s hand, undoing the clasp before leaning forward to put it on the girl. When she pulled back, she noted the way Molly’s eyes shimmered a little. “Molly, are you okay?”
Molly swallowed thickly before nodding. “Thank you.” She wrapped her arms tightly around Claire’s neck, hugging her again. When they pulled apart, she smiled brightly. “And thank you for the cupcakes!”
“You’re welcome.” Claire chuckled, pushing to her feet. “I should go and let you have fun with your class. I need to get to your place so I can make sure your dad doesn’t burn down the apartment building while trying to make your birthday cake.” That statement made Molly giggle a little.
“Can you drag Uncle Ben out shopping too because one year he gave me a bunch of CDs. I think they were ones he didn’t listen to anymore.” Molly wrinkled her nose, rolling her eyes.
“I promise, I’ll drag him out by his ear.” Claire made the crossing motion over her heart as she promised. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
With a quick wave to the class, Claire slipped out of the room with a proud smile as she touched the heart pendant resting against the hollow of her throat. She knew she couldn’t fix things the way a real mother could but she had learned from the master to try anyhow.
[Molly is humanmapquest and she's used without permission but with lots of love. This is the idea for the cupcakes.]
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