14. Clara

CHAPTER 14

CLARA

I t was the Fourth of July, and Clara's family had planned to spend the day together. They were going to grab a picnic table at a nearby park, or if there wasn't one available, spread out a blanket on the grass and watch the distant fireworks. Over the years, the park had gotten more and more crowded, and Clara's dad, who normally liked to barbecue, wasn't sure he'd have access to a grill this year.

Clara sat on the bed she'd been sleeping in — she still couldn't think of it as hers — shared her family's plans with Luis, and then invited him to join them. "It's not going to be anything spectacular, but it'll be quality time. Dad's burgers and dogs might not be available this year, though. It might be kind of crowded."

"Clara." Luis stepped in and ruffled her hair like she was a precocious child. "I'm going to love spending time with your family, no matter where it is. But if they'd like, I can supply a grill for your dad. It won't be the park, but I promise the view will be spectacular."

And that was how the entire Ashford family found themselves aboard a huge yacht in the middle of the bay on the Fourth of July. Initially, Luis hadn't told them where he was taking them, but Dawn said they'd be fools to pass up any change of venue being offered by a billionaire and she was one hundred percent correct.

The water was gray and moody, the city skyline glittering on the horizon. Clara's dad was on deck, grilling, which smelled like pure childhood to her. It brought back only good memories, and just now, it was bringing daydreams of the future, too. She imagined sharing a Fourth of July like this with her child. Dawn and her family, their parents, and now Clara with her family. It made her so happy to just dream about it, and none of it would be possible without Luis, who was currently learning to grill like their father. Nothing made Ted Ashford happier than teaching his daughters' partners how to carry on the family traditions. Stan had gone through it, and now it was Luis's turn, apparently.

But Luis seemed to enjoy every second of it. "It reminds me of learning to cook my mother's recipes," he said when Clara told him not to let her dad pressure him into anything he didn't want to do. "We all had to learn to cook in my family."

"If you say so," Clara said.

As the sun began to set, Luis turned the boat so they were facing the cityscape. "The whole sky will be filled with fireworks," he said. "You don't have to choose which display to go see if you're able to watch all of them at once."

Clara's dad passed out plates filled with food, far more than anyone there would likely be able to eat, but the man was nothing if not generous. Then they all sat back and waited for the show. The sunset was as much of a show as the fireworks would be, Clara was sure. It looked like the whole city was glowing as the sun sank.

"I'm never doing Fourth of July on land again," Dawn said, laughing. "This is amazing." She got up and went to the fridge to grab a drink.

"Luis, you're making me look bad," Stan joked.

"Not possible," Clara said. "You're practically perfect in every way."

Stan grinned and sat a little straighter. "Call me Mary," he said, catching the reference right away.

The sky was darkening fast. "Here we go!" Dawn said, and she handed Clara a beer.

Normally, Clara would have enjoyed the drink. It was her favorite kind, as her sister well knew. Dawn wouldn't have brought it to her if she hadn't known for sure Clara would take it. But Clara turned it down.

Dawn cocked her head. "You didn't just decline, did you? I must be dreaming."

She made such a big deal of it that the rest of her family was soon giving their full attention to Clara and Dawn. "What's wrong, honey?" their dad asked. "I was sure I got the right brand. Have you gotten even fancier since dating America's greatest beer mogul? I could never keep up with you as it was. Now you'll have to order your drinks from me ahead of time." He laughed.

Dawn didn't crack a smile.

"I'll just have lemonade, thanks," Clara said. "I'm just not feeling beer tonight. It's no big deal."

"No big deal?" Dawn arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms, her own lemonade in one hand and Clara's rejected beer in the other. "Something's fishy here." She narrowed her eyes. "You've never refused a drink on the Fourth of July. I've never refused a drink on the Fourth of July either. Until now. Because I'm pregnant."

Clara pinched her lips together for about ten seconds before she finally blurted it out. "Okay, you got me. But I didn't want to tell you right away, just in case. I was going to wait a bit until things were more certain."

"Clara!" Dawn set the drinks down haphazardly and threw her arms around her sister. "You little sneak! The last I heard, you were worried you might never get to. Why didn't you tell me right away? Always tell me everything, Sis. I don't care if it's bad news, good news, or scary news. You tell me. I'll get you through whatever it is. Do you understand? You're my sister. I want to celebrate with you and cry with you, too. Never, ever leave me out again."

Luis coughed to hide his reaction. Dawn and Clara's mom sat with her mouth hanging open, and their father looked deeply confused. "What's all this about, then?" he asked.

"Dad, you dork. She's pregnant!" Dawn let the information slip without hesitation. Of course, she would. The twins never hid anything from their parents. She would have assumed Clara felt the same way she always did, but this had been different. Clara was still in her first trimester, and her plan had been to wait to tell her family until things were more certain — but the universe had other plans, it seemed.

And now family was crowding around her, hugging her, congratulating her. She hadn't even seen them get up. She was in a daze, overwhelmed by the love and excitement. But what she found most interesting was the way her eyes scanned around for one person, Luis. And when she finally found him, she locked onto him. Somehow, his just being there, watching the excitement with calm eyes and an easy smile, drained all the stress from her body.

Their mom broke away from the family huddle and approached Luis. "So, should we be congratulating you as well?" She always did know how to ask the rudest questions in the politest way possible.

Luis smiled and nodded, and the family huddle immediately shifted to him. That was when the fireworks started.

"Look!" Dawn pointed at the horizon, and they all turned to see.

All across the city, brightly colored fireworks shot to the sky and blossomed. The whole city was alive with it, and from the boat, they could lay back and see it all. It was one of the most beautiful sights Clara had ever seen, and she had Luis to thank for it. She had Luis to thank for a lot of the good things in her life lately, and it took a great deal of effort to keep herself from falling head over heels in love with him. The last thing she wanted to do was fall in love with someone for all the wrong reasons.

The skyline full of fireworks was a gorgeous view. It was somehow both peaceful and exciting at the same time, with the waves rocking the boat gently and faint booms in the distance.

After the show, Dawn asked Clara to help her clear away everyone's plates.

"Oh, you don't need to," Luis began.

"Let us help," Dawn insisted. "We want to." Her pushiness was not the result of her desire to do chores, Clara knew. She wanted to get Clara alone to talk. So Clara stood and started to help before Luis could stop her.

"I've got that," she said when Dawn reached for a glass. Then she followed Dawn into the boat.

Inside was as warm and comfortable as any high-end city apartment. Clara thought she could comfortably live aboard Luis's yacht without any complaints. The place had a warm, clean feeling, not clinical at all. There were natural wood finishes here and there along with brightly colored throw pillows, which Clara knew were the little hints of Luis's true personality among all that glossy white.

"So it's Luis's baby?" Dawn said when she was sure no one had followed them in. "Was it planned?"

"It is, and not at all," Clara answered with a laugh. "I really didn't think I could get pregnant easily, which is why we didn't bother with precautions. The whole thing took me completely by surprise."

"So it was a surprise pregnancy." Dawn leaned in. "But was it unwanted?"

Clara didn't hesitate before shaking her head. "Oh, it was absolutely wanted! Are you kidding? I'm so beyond ready."

Dawn laid a hand on Clara's shoulder. "Just tell me this isn't the reason you're marrying him. I want a fairy-tale romance for you, Clara. You never have to marry someone you don't love, got it? No matter how rich he is. Your family, including me, is here for you. That's the whole point of family."

Clara looked her sister in the eye and lied to her. "It isn't the reason I'm marrying him. I love him."

It was only a partial lie. While she had agreed to marry Luis in order to have a child, she hadn't spontaneously decided to marry him after an accidental pregnancy, which was definitely the question her sister wanted answered. Clara knew, though, that Dawn would not approve of her agreement with Luis either way, so she wasn't about to share it. Anyway, it seemed like a secret she should keep for Luis's sake, too, not just her own.

Dawn frowned at her, clearly sensing the deception. It had always been especially hard to lie to her twin sister. No matter how many times Clara tried it, she was never able to keep the truth from Dawn for long. But Dawn didn't push the matter. She seemed to sense that there were things Clara wasn't ready to say just yet.

"Okay, Sis," Dawn said, giving Clara a quick squeeze. "I'm happy for you either way. I'm so excited for us to raise our kids together. They're going to be the best of friends. I just know it."

Clara started rinsing the dishes she'd brought in, partly to help, but mostly to keep herself busy. She was too tempted to tell her sister everything, to just unburden her whole self onto the person she considered to be her better half.

Dawn helped, and while they washed up, the two of them chatted and laughed about the "joys" of early pregnancy. Now that they had this in common, it felt like they were in their own little club. Aside from the lies she knew she would have to keep telling, Clara had never been happier. Her life was finally moving in a direction she wanted it to. It may not have been perfect, but at least she had some measure of control. That's what she told herself anyway.

They finished up the dishes and joined their family back outside. Stan nodded to Dawn like he knew exactly why she'd asked her sister to help with the dishes. And Dawn nodded back. They had the kind of wordless communication between them that Clara had only ever had with her twin sister. She was sad to think she'd never have that kind of closeness in a marriage. Then again, she would never have to worry about money. Then again…