บท 44: he watched your TV commercial every night....
"Big sister, you change now so we can already start swimming", Claire said excitedly which halted her train of thoughts. Joseph looked at her with amusement in her eyes looking at her expression.
"Yeah.... you are right.....I should change now", she stammered and hurriedly went inside the car and slammed the door. She patted her head twice. She felt embarrassed and upset about her own reaction. She should act normal.
She changed into her swimsuit. She has a tie-front black bikini top and a black high-waisted bottom. This is the most modest of all her swimsuits. Since she is in the modeling industry, she has the privilege to be gifted with all sorts of swimwear from her sponsor companies. Most of them are very revealing. She did a shoot before on a beach wearing a skimpy bikini and that was the last of it. She did not accept any other projects that require her to wear a bikini.
She came out of the car and walked around it to where Claire was waiting. Joseph has already gone swimming and Claire waited for her. Claire's jaws almost dropped when she saw Christine.
"Wow!"
Christine chuckled at her reaction.
"You look like that model in a TV commercial", she said without taking her eyes off of her. Christine applied sunscreen on herself. Claire also helped her and applied it on her back.
"Will I be as beautiful as you big sister?'' she asked while applying lotion at her back.
"You will be more beautiful than me Claire", she said smiling and patted her hand.
"But why Mom said that I am not beautiful", Claire said sadly.
Christine stiffened upon hearing this. She turned around and scooped her face with both hands. She looked her in the eyes.
"You are beautiful Claire, more beautiful than me or Celine", she said. She felt pity for her. How could a mother tell that to her own child?
"Celine must be kidding you when she said that", she tries to console her.
"No, it is not. She said that all the time whenever big brother Joseph is not around", Claire protested and tears are forming her eyes.
Christine's heart is like pricked with hundreds of needle seeing how sad Claire is. She must have eternalized the idea that she is not beautiful.
"Is she your mother also?", she asked.
"No, she is not. My Mom died when I was little", she explained stroking her face. She was squatting in front of her so their eyes will be leveled.
"So what are we? Are we sisters?"
"Yes, we are. It is like this. We have the same Dad but different Mom. Dad married Celine and you are their daughter which makes us sister", she explained in the most simple way she can.
"What about big brother Joseph and second brother Jolo?"
"They are your brothers because you have the same mother as them but they are not brothers my because we don't have the same mother or father".
"I see. It is confusing sometimes", she said with a small smile.
"Yeah you are right", she agreed and pinch her nose.
"You see, Mom is always angry at me so sometimes I think that she is not my Mom", Claire while she lowered her head and her hands at her back while she twists her body a little from right to left.
"She is your mom", Christine is already on the verge of crying. How could a little child like her discern such an idea?
She extended her hand to give her a hug. Claire hugged her and felt for the first time the sense of security and confidence. She liked the idea of hugging Christine.
"You smell so good, I wish I will smell like you", she said while her face was buried on Christine's chest.
Christine chuckled but also felt pity. She must be feeling so insecure the whole time but she is so brave and Christine promised to help Claire gain her confidence and get the love that she deserves. She hugged her tighter.
Claire loosened her hug on Christine and started to stroke her hair.
"I like your hair, it is so soft like Poseidon's mane". Christine laughed.
"Do I look like a horse?" she jokingly asked her.
"Of course not!" she exclaimed and get out of Christine's embrace and she sat down on the mat. Christine also sat on the mat facing the ocean.
"You really are so beautiful and I will tell you a secret", she said in a whisper voice.
"What is it?", Christine whispered back.
"You promise that you will not tell anyone?", she looked up at her.
"I promise!", Christine said while she raised her right arm like taking an oath.
"Okay", she said in a serious manner which makes her so irresistibly cute.
"Hmmm...", Christine was waiting for her to tell her secret.
"Big brother Joseph recorded your TV commercial and he watches them every.....night...", she emphasized the last word.
Christine's brow creased. Why?
"Actually, we watch them together each night before I go to sleep", Claire continued.
"Seriously?", Christine asked with disbelief on her voice and facial expression.
"Yes, it is true, I swear", she said while doing a cross sign on her chest indicating that she is telling the truth.
"Why?"
"He loves you", she said.
"Why do you say that?", her heart is beating fast. How could he love him when all he did before was judge her and avoid her?
"That is what he said to me. But remember, this is a secret", Claire stood up and leveled her eyes with her. Her heart is beating faster and wilder. She felt her face is getting red and she can't explain what she is feeling right now. 'Kids don't lie, right?' she thought to herself.
"Promise that you will not tell big brother Joseph what I told you, please", she said with a betty boop eyes.
"I understand", she said and saw that Joseph was walking towards them. And again, she is almost out of breath looking at him. She is getting hotter by each second that passed. And just like in the movies, Joseph was like walking in slow motion with seawater dripping down all over him.
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mockingbird81
mockingbird81 Thank you guys for supporting me. It's back to school for me so I might not be able to publish a chapter on a daily basis but I will do my best to have 2-3 chapters a week. I hope you guys will understand and still continue to support me. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. XoXo
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