CLara

Clara Joe stood in front of the mirror with her hair brush in her hand and sang out in a high pitch, screaming out with the whole of her strength. Music was Clara, her whole revolved around music probably cause her mother gave birth to her on the Day Robin Steel had released his debut album that had given him fame.

Clara started singing ever since she was four years old, she was always with a pencil in her hand using it as her microphone, standing in front of the television singing and dancing, as she grew up in nursery and elementary class she was always involved in singing, taking the lead for the songs.

Maria had supported her daughter all through, she bought her a guitar twice, got her singing books and even bought her a keyboard for her last birthday. "You'll be a star someday, singing on the stage to thousands and millions of people", she always told her sweet Clara.

Clara loved it when her mum told her such words as it encouraged her and made her push herself to do better unlike Katelyn her sister who got tired of the songs Clara sang and disliked hearing her sister sing in the house.

"Clara you are disturbing!"

"Please get out of the room! I want to sleep!"

"I want to study! Can't you see?"

Katelyn always complained but Clara wouldn't stop singing she would sing out more louder just to disturb her sister and prove to her that she wasn't going to be given orders by her, Maria always came in to settle the girls as they would both start out in a fight or an argument unlike Eddie their father who would force Clara to reduce her noise, he always gave her this look that would force her to shut her mouth.

Clara hated her father for his attitude towards her although sometimes he listened to her sing and praised her, she still disliked him and also hated the fact that she had his colour, black.

"Why ain't I light skinned like Katelyn mum? Why do I have to have Eddie's colour?" she had asked her mum few months ago as it had always bothered her that she hadn't been light skinned like her mother.

"Come on Clara, he's your father not Eddie."

"Isn't he also Katelyn father and he's more of Katelyn's father than mine, cause he always supported her in every single thing she does, he never sees any wrong in her but in me he sees all wrong, I just wish I didn't have his colour." Clara wished she had Katelyn's colour and body, Katelyn was slim, light skinned and very beautiful, she was a striking resemblance of Maria and was also very brilliant unlike Clara who didn't seem to understand what they taught in class due to her lack of interest in school.

Clara considered school a waste of time and energy as she didn't see its usefulness in her dream of becoming a musician but she still tried to finish high schools and was in her final year, all because of her mother, she wanted to make her mother proud as her mother had insisted that she must go to college.

"Clara!", Katelyn shouted from the bed.

Clara, dark skinned tall beautiful sixteen year old girl with curvy rounded hip and butt laughed out gently as she removed her headphones. "Did you listen?"

"Clara, it weekend and I'm tired and want to sleep..."

"Clara sweetheart come help me out", Maria said as she opened their room door, "and you lazy butt get up and join us."

Clara joined her mum in the kitchen, she was baking a cake for Nathaniel, her nephew. "I heard you singing this morning, disturbing your little sister."

"Mum she was awake already, she had a phone call with her Romeo and that was when I decided to sing out loud plus I wasn't shouting was I?"

"Get me my purse in the room, I forgot to get colouring."

"I don't see need for colouring, they can eat the cake..."

"Clara, get my purse", Maria said to her beautiful dark skinned daughter, Maria watched her leave to the room and admired her curvy hip and butt. Maria smiled happily, she thought about how lucky she was to have two beautiful daughters.

Clara starred at the bed, it was scattered and everywhere smelt cigarettes, was her mum smoking again? Clara heard water dripping from the bathroom, she stood frozen and heard her father sing out, "Eddie".

Clara's mind went back to two years ago, when her father had picked up his bags to leave, Maria had pleaded with him to stay but he had to leave because of Rattles.

Rattles, king of the ghetto, he was known all around for his indulgence in drugs, Eddie had borrowed some money from him to run a business but hadn't been able to return the money.

"Please don't leave... Please", she pleaded with him, Eddie kissed Katelyn's head, he looked at Clara who was staring at him blankly with hate, "take care of your mother", those were the last words he said and left the house.

Maria became miserable, she started smoking everyday and crying out, Rattles came over to the house to ask for his money and threatened to take Katelyn if the money wasn't paid in two days time. Maria had gone to Diana, her senior sister who lived in luxury to help her with the money.

Diana gave Maria the money but warned her never to come knocking at her door again as she had warned her against marrying Eddie. Maria paid the debt but didn't hear from Eddie since then, they all never saw him again and she had forced herself to stop smoking and took care of her children.

"No, no it can't be", Clara said as she starred at the bathroom door, Maria entered the room and realized Clara had found out that Eddie was around, Maria touched Clara, "sweetheart, are you okay?"

Clara looked at her mum, "why is he back?"

"Clara...", Maria started to say as Eddie came out of the bathroom. Eddie looked at them and smiled at Clara, "Surprised to see me...",he laughed.

"What is he doing here?"

"Clara can we talk in the living room?"

Clara shook her head. "No! What is he doing here? He left us mum and no...",Katelyn entered the room and gasped as she saw Eddie and ran into his arms happily.

"Daddy!", Eddie laughed and carried her up, "you have grown a lot to look just like your mother."

Clara walked out of the room angrily to her room, picked up her bag, her headphones, book and pen.

"Sweetheart..."

"Don't call me that", Clara said in tears, as she picked up the items into her bag.

"You're angry at me, I know, I shouldn't have let him in, I shouldn't have let him in my bed, to touch me or sleep with me, that's true but... I can't help it", Maria said as tears rolled down her cheeks, Clara was in her cupboard picking up some clothes.

"I can't help myself, I can't keep myself from him", Maria continued, "he came to me yesterday, he had nowhere to go..."

"He has somewhere to go, the place he went to for the past months", Clara turned to her mum, "stop defending him mum and just send him away! He isn't worthy of touching you, he left us here, he left you miserable and he's gonna do it again and.. I'm gonna be so mad at myself if that happens to you again", Clara said in tears.

"It won't happen again..."

"It will mum! This is the third time he has left you mum, just send him away please, we are happy without him", Clara said and held her mum hands.

"I'm not happy without him", her voice broke, "I love him.."

Clara withdrew her hands back and picked the bag with clothes on the floor. That was the word she hated to hear from her mum, "love". Clara picked her bag and kissed her mum's face. "I'll be in Janet's house."

"Clara don't go...", Maria said to her crying, "today is our anniversary."

"No mum, today is Nathan's birthday not any celebration of a stupid love!", Clara said and went out of the room, she met Eddie in front of her, Clara looked at him and saw her beautiful face on him, "I hate you."

"You gonna leave your mum crying?"

Clara looked at him and walked out of the house. Katelyn went to her mum and hugged her consoling her, "it okay mum, she'll come back."

Maria hugged Katelyn, "let's go and finish the cake", they went to the kitchen together, Maria gave Katelyn money to get the flavouring she had forgotten to buy, Eddie watched her leave and smiled, "I can't believe I brought forth two beautiful daughters who are now almost full grown ladies."

Eddie walked to Maria who was using the mixing machine and held her waist gently, "I don't regret marrying you or falling in love with you."

Maria switched off the machine, turned to Eddie and kissed his lips gently, "I don't regret meeting you at barcode club, I only wish you didn't have to leave everytime."

"I'm gonna be much around, I promise you although I know Clara won't like it, she hates me."

Maria's mind went to her daughter, her sweet little girl, "she doesn't hate you, she's just having a hard time", Maria lied, "she'll get use to it eventually", Maria said but it was more of a prayer for her as she knew Clara hated Eddie for more than he just leaving her but because she had seen him beat her up.

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

Katelyn picked up the flavouring and decided to shop for some other items with the money Tony had given her, "an anniversary gift" for her parents. Tony, popularly known as Romeo in the house was the young man she loved and had invited him over to the house for the anniversary as she knew that her father would never miss his wedding anniversary, she saw it as a time to finally introduce him to her family but Clara had freaked out at the sight of Eddie like she always did since she was young.

Katelyn knew Clara hated Eddie for always shouting at her whenever she sang out loudly and for always supporting her, these were the first walls of hatred she had built for Eddie but when he had left and made their mum miserable, not calling or reaching out to them at home, she hated him totally and saw him as the devil. Katelyn's mind went to a song Clara had written for him but she couldn't seem to remember, Katelyn picked her phone and texted Clara as she went back home.

"Romeo is coming to the house today, please come home by 2 so you'd see my Prince Charming."

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

The tree house was Clara's favourite spot in Janet's house, Clara sobbed out gently as she listened to "forever gone" by "The Brothers", why did her father have to come back? why did her mum opened her arms to always welcome him? Clara thought about the number of times she had watched her father hit her mum, made her mum cried, Clara couldn't understand why her mum could still open her arms and welcome a man that left her without looking back.

Clara phone beeped, she looked at the message that Katelyn had sent and deleted the message, "Romeo", Clara hissed out loudly. Love? Her mum and dad, Katelyn and Romeo they were all perfect together without her, her parents would approve of Romeo and Katelyn would also maybe be madly in love with Romeo like her mother, maybe he'd hit her, best her with his belt and she'd sit back with him loving him just like her mum.

Clara had never been in love, she didn't have any boyfriend at age sixteen, she paid no attention to guys as she grew up as she poured all her attention on Robin Steel her role model, the young man she wanted to be with, Clara had wild fantasies about him and made up her mind that she was going to work very hard and make sure she gets to sing with him, sleep with him, travel with him, have kids with him and even marry him, everyone felt Clara was been unreal and tried to talk her out of it but to no avail.

Clara thought about Robin, would she let him hit her because she loved him? Clara shook her head, never was she going to stay in an abusive relationship. Robin would be sweet to her, he'd give her surprises every day, he'll write letters for her through his songs, he'll sing about her, about their love.

Clara removed her book from her bag, she took her pen and opened the song book gently, she was going to write a song on "let go if he hits!", she wrote the tittle boldly and removed the headphones and started writing, she thought about the silent tears and screams her mother suffered from as father raised his hand and slapped her, Clara stood near the door and peeped as she watched her mother beg, "please..."

"Shut up", Eddie said to her, "I told you not to go to beg from Diana again... ", Eddie said to her, as he slapped her legs, "your sister, your sister insulted me in the front of everyone."

"I did it for you... Zane was coming to the house..."

"She did everything for you but you never appreciated any of it! She crawled on glass for you! Yet your pride never made you appreciate her...", Clara stopped writing and broke into tears, she couldn't continue writing anymore.

###########

The cake colour was pink and white, it looked very beautiful it was a heart cake with eighteen written on it, Maria looked very beautiful in the white sleeveless gown she was wearing, the gown stopped above her kneel, Eddie had a brown suit on him, he looked very handsome and charming, Katelyn squeezed Tony's hand gently as she watched Eddie lead Maria to the dining chair, "you look lovely mum", Katelyn said, Maria smiled and held Katelyn hand and kissed them gently as she smiled at Tony.

"We should get started..."

"No. Clara would soon be here", Maria said to her husband and turned to Tony, he was a very fine young white man, he looked way older than Katelyn, "Tony Jeeps."

"You're Dr Jeeps son?"

"Yes sir."

"Wow_oh my...nice to meet you Tony", Eddie said as he shook his hand, Tony's father was the owner of Jeeps motor company, one of the top car producers in the world like Kia, Ford, Toyota.

"How did you guys meet?"

"It was on Clara's sixteenth birthday", Tony said, he had gone to the eat with his friends when he sighted Clara and Katelyn, the girls had walked past the eatery, Tony had felt an urge to follow them as he felt drawn to Katelyn, he had caught just a glimpse of her face and wanted to see more.

He left his friends and followed them, the girls walked into a cake store and began to make a choice of cake, Clara loved the cake with a guitar and wanted it but the price was expensive, she was about to start going over the cakes again when Tony stepped in , "don't change the cake, pick the one with the guitar."

The girls turned to see a very handsome young man, Clara was excited and pointed at the cake, the cake was packed and given to the girls. Tony paid for the cake, got Katelyn's number easily as Clara had given him the number happily.

"Clara does things when she's really excited and happy but I'm glad she gave you my number", Katelyn said smiling happily, Tony was the best thing she had in her life, ever since he became a part of her, she had become so happy and excited although he was seven years older than her, she didn't care and hoped in her heart that her mother would be in support.

"What are your plans for my daughter?"

"Really?", Maria asked Eddie, they had just met Tony for the first time and her husband was quite in a hurry.

"I need to know, cause if you recall I had a plan for you and that's why we here with our kids."

Tony looked at the cake on the table, the food on the table and the snacks as well before answering, "I love Katelyn a lot and I plan to settle down with her in the future."

"Perfectly said!", Eddie said as he took the wine and popped it open, "we're going to toast to me and my wife, to many beautiful years ahead for us all and also to you and my beautiful daughter, to many beautiful years ahead."

Eddie poured the wine into everyone's glass, they clicked their tumblers together and drank the wine.

"The cake is next", Eddie said as he stood up and helped Maria up, Maria thought of her daughter, Clara as she stood side by Eddie to cut the cake, Tony had brought a camera with him, he took the pictures, Katelyn joined them and the pictures were taken, Katelyn watched her parents cut the cake happily and shared a beautiful kiss.

Eddie cut a slice of cake and fed his wife, "I love you beyond words and thank you for not giving up on me."

################

"I'm worried about her..."

"She's fine, she's a grown up woman with lots of boyfriends I'm sure she's with one of them", Eddie said as he pulled Maria closer to himself, he wanted to make love again, Maria shook her head, "she doesn't have a boyfriend."

"Okay. She's safe, I just know, she's a black girl and black girls always find their way around", Eddie said as he touched her shoulders gently, using his fingers to draw lines on get body.

"I'm worried, she's not with Janet, Janet hasn't seen her since..." Eddie placed his lips on her neck and kissed her slowly making her stutter in her speech.

Maria touched his shoulders gently caressing his back with her hands as they kissed each other.

#############

Janet walked into the house with her brother, Rick, they had gone to check around for Clara but hadn't been able to find her, "I can't find her", Janet said as she sat down on the chair.

"She'll be fine Jane, stop worrying", Mrs Sharon said as she came out of the kitchen with hot cups of coffee for her kids, "I saw her go up the tree house in the morning while I prepared for work..."

"I wish I was here at home and not go to that tutorials."

"Tutorials are important for you to pass your college exams sweetheart and why didn't Clara go for tutorials again?" Mrs Sharon looked at Janet, "you better talk to your friend, you girls both need to pass college exams, she needs to work hard.."

"Oh mum, please don't say this", Janet said as she knew her mother would bore both her and her brother with speeches on the importance of studying and remind them that after their father had died, she was left with the burden to carry alone to take care of them, she had to find a way to take care of them and that meant finding a good job than her present job as a waitress in a small cafe. Mrs Sharon had wished in her heart that she had finished her college education at least she would get a better pay and job. She struggled all through the early years trying to cater for her kids, and give them the best, today she was a successful business woman with two having two Sharon cafe of her own.

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

It was a dark night, the stars shone out brightly in the sky, Clara connected the stars together and wrote out, "Star". She smiled at herself happily, she was going to become a star and achieve all her dreams, singing with Robin Steel, The Brothers, Spice Girls.

Clara sat up from the chair she was lying on and thought of her mother, she was possibly in her father arms, Clara looked around it was getting more darker, she stood up and decided to go to Janet's house for the night.

""***********

Clara knocked at the door gently, they were probably asleep, she removed her phone and was about to call Janet when Mrs Sharon opened the door, she was in her night gown already, "Clara..", she said as she entered inside the house.

Janet came out of her room quickly, she looked at her friend and ran to hug her, "where did you go to?", she asked her as she held her hand to her room. Mrs Sharon shook her head, she couldn't understand Clara, how much hatred could she have for her father that made her act irrational.

"I was just on the street, you won't believe what happened today, how could my mum..."

"Go take a shower first, have you eaten?", Janet asked as she handed her a towel and left the room to pick some snacks for them to eat, Clara undressed and went to take a bath.

The shower made her feel calm and relieved, she felt better, she wore a gown Janet had kept on the bed. "Now I want to hear the whole story..."

"My dad is back to the house, can you imagine him just coming back and my mum letting him in?" Clara asked her as she gave her the full details of everything that had happened, Janet listened to her friend with rapt attention.

"What are you going to do now? You know he won't leave soon, he may stay forever."

"No. He would leave..."

"what if he has truly changed and Won't Leave your mum or raise a hand to hit her again?", Janet asked her trying to make her understand that she had to forgive her father and learn to live with him in the house

"Eddie won't change but if he does it makes no difference to me, I don't still like him."

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

Maria was relieved to hear that Clara had stayed at Janet's house. She felt a kind of peace and hoped she'd soon come back to the house