Chapter twenty three

Claire had sighted Jeff earlier having nice time with his family and her teeth set on edge. He must have been very happy all these years with her gone.

it's just her luck that he decided to come to the pack just when she decided to bring Adrian to the park.

She was going to get Adrian so that they'll leave when she heard him call her. She stiffened but for just a moment.

Jeff reached where she was and turned her around so that she could face him.

“Claire, you're alive!” He cried and hugged her . Claire was disgusted, just one moment, he was having fun time with his family and the next moment he was crying over her as if he truly cared.

What a prick!

Claire pushed him away from her and he almost stumbled.

“I'm sorry, I don't know what you are talking about”. She said gracefully.

Jeff looked confused for a moment and stared hard at her.

True, the person standing before him looks graceful, her manicure perfectly done, her hair was long and straight where Claire's was wavy and always packed with a band. She walks gracefully and carries herself well where Claire is always clumsy and always looking hassled but then, apart from these, she was Claire.

Maybe she did something to refine herself but she is Claire and he understood that she must be angry with him.

He took her hands in his, “Claire, I am sorry for everything, I realized my mistake now please…”

Claire gave a small laughter and removed her hands from his grip.

“I am sorry mister, you must have mixed me up with someone else because I don't know who you're talking about”.

“Claire please, don't do this”. Jeff says, desperation laced his voice.

“I know it's you Claire, deny it all you want but I know it's you”.

Claire again removed her hand from his grasp, “I'm Amber Clark, touch me one more time and I'll call the police”. She snapped.

“Go and look for whoever this Claire is and apologize to her because it seems to me that you owe her an apology.”

Jeff stood there like a fool, looking at her. Was he wrong? Was he missing Claire so much that he had to mistake someone else for her?

Now that he noticed it, Claire had bright and innocent blue eyes while the lady standing in front of him has brown eyes but still why does his heart tells him it's Claire.

“What's going on here?” Irene’s voice cuts in and she gasped when her eyes landed on Claire.

“Claire!”.

“Oh no, not you too…I'm Amber and who the hell is this Claire’.

Jeff visibly swallowed, “Claire was…”

“A nobody” Irene cuts in, “I'm sorry I mistook you for her. You couldn't have been because she's dead”

“Mummy…come see what I found”. Adrian suddenly ran excitedly to Claire and stopped when he saw Jeff and Irene.

“Mom, who are these people?” He asked cautiously and Claire crotched in front of him.

“I don't know them either but it's okay because we're leaving”.

Jeff stood still for a moment watching this kid.

“What's your name?”

“Adrian.”

“That's nice…how old are you”.

“I'm…”

“He's four”. Claire quickly said to override him.

Jeff's heart constricted painfully, she is married.

It could have been Claire and even if it was her, the child won't be this young…the child would have been five to six years old by now if he had children by Claire.

“If you'll excuse me, I have to go”. Claire said then grabbing Adrian’s hand, she elegantly sashayed off.

She didn't stop until she got to the safety of her car because she allowed the emotions overwhelmed her.