A Fight for Claire
"Ms. Ursine, Sue would like to see you now."
Claire looked up. She had been holding her head in her hands, and she realized she had mused her carefully done bun. Red strands now floated around her face, which was drawn and pale. Dark purple shadows underlined her tired brown eyes. Being a single, unemployed mother had taken its toll on Claire. Emily was the light of her life of course, and the baby had brought days of laughter and happiness. The memories warmed her: of River learning to change Emily's diaper, of mornings spent on her bed, reading a magazine while Emily gurgled or slept next to her, the start of the babbling baby talk, and the receiving of Emily's first smile on her play mat. But babies were not all coos and giggles. Emily rarely slept fully through the night, for she was more naturally accustomed to little naps throughout the full 24-hour day, and Claire expected waking up around two in the morning to the little one's demanding screams. Babies seemed to need constant attention, and Claire hadn't gone fishing in the three months since Emily was born, leaving her edgy and craving solitude.
The last meager maternity paycheck had come a few weeks after Emily's birth, and Claire had quit her career as a thief by phone right after she cashed it. After that was used--babies were quite expensive, Claire was shocked to find--she was left flat. Suddenly, Claire found herself at the computers in the town's library with Emily in her pram, filling out job applications for any opening she found. She was desperate; she needed to support herself. If her mother's house hadn't already been paid off, Claire thought she'd be evicted. Already the water and electricity bills were piling up, their demands keeping her awake at night. River McIrish was eager to help her with her overwhelming finances, but Claire thought River had helped her out more than she should have, for she privately thought that her friend's household struggled a little bit more than they revealed. Yes, the truth of being a mother had slapped Claire in the face rather hard, and she was barely keeping up. At least the selfish, self-conscious thoughts had left her. Not entirely- there were a few individuals in the town whose judging looks could still cause shame to heat her cheeks as she passed them with Emily in her arms on her way to do her grocery shopping or the whispers she saw passed around when she grouped in the park with the two McIrishes and Molly French and her daughter. Claire kept her head held high. She had matured in leaps and bounds without knowing it in the past months since Emily was born. She didn't feel quite so young anymore when she played with Emily on the grass at Central Park, talking earnestly with Molly French and Fiona McIrish, both single mothers themselves, about childrearing topics, with River jumping in with all-knowing remarks. Her pregnancy had been a time of healing, yet now Claire had discovered what she was healing from never really mattered. She had started a new life.
A job was part of it. Claire stood up, took a deep breath, and looked at the secretary for direction. He looked pleased that he was allowed to address the school's principal by her first name. "That way, last door on the right." he told her with an appraising smirk. Claire hurriedly moved down the hallway, and barely paused to knock before she entered. It may be considered rude, but Claire had a feeling that if she stopped, she'd never make it through that door. Ms. Scotch was seating at her desk, looking over what Claire thought was her application. Claire felt sick to her stomach.
"Sit down."
That was it, no hello or anything to make Claire feel more at ease. She sat.
Sue Scotch didn't look at her for a long time, but when she spoke, her voice was rather cold. "Ms. Ursine, I am rather...surprised that you applied here, for a job as a playground monitor."
Claire immediately opened her mouth to speak, but blue eyes, watery and dull in their colour, silenced her as they fixed on her face. "You have no credentials; you barely passed high school, and you did so with numerous disciplinary records, not to mention accounts of theft continuing after. You have even spent a month in jail. Yet, now, you still expect us to hire you to watch and eventually teach children." Sue's words were harsh, but harsher still because they were true.
Claire felt like weeping. This was her last chance; all her other applications had be denied or never answered. If she didn't receive this job, she'd have to settle on a part-time one, and the pay would never be enough. But she couldn't give up. If there was ever a time to give up, it had been that evening on the beach, and she hadn't then. Just because things were tough now didn't mean she had to give up. Who had told her once, a long time ago, that she had to fight for what she wanted? Claire thought it might have been her father, before he left. In any case, the words were true. Claire spoke, "Ms. Scotch, I understand if you turn me away. But you must think I have a shot, otherwise you'd have never brought me in for an interview, and I think I know what this is. I'm here to tell you why you think that. You're right, I don't have any credentials. I have a record. Most think me a bad influence, because I've had a hard life and made awful choices. They don't realize people can change. I understand that- until now, I didn't think I could change until I saw that I already did. People don't change unless they want to, and I'm here to tell you that I wanted to. Ms. Scotch, I've got a beautiful baby girl at home, and her name is Emily Grace. She's what made me want to change, so she can have a better life than I did. I'll do anything for her, and that's why I'm here. Sure, I need a job, any job right now. But I honestly want to work at the school, to eventually teach children. Now, you probably still can't hire me, because my word that I've changed my ways isn't enough. That's...That's fine. Thank you, for letting me have my say. Sometimes I think I'm still healing, and I needed to do this. Thank you." Legs shaking, but feeling something heavy lift from her chest, Claire stood up to leave.
"Ms. Ursine, I haven't dismissed you," Sue Scotch said sharply, and Claire flinched as she practically fell back into her plastic chair. Sue's face relaxed into something more like kindness. "Claire...you have spoken rightly to me today. I wasn't certain, you know, and I'm sure you have heard nearly every cruel thing used in gossip about you. Sunset Valley has a disadvantage in being a small town, and we aren't as much of a close community as we'd like. Many of us have been unfair, and I didn't want to be, so I gave you the interview. I'm glad I did. I like you, Claire Ursine. The new you, of course, and I hope you really did speak from your heart today...no, actually I believe you. Call me crazy, but I do." and here, the woman cracked a smile, "I'll have to talk to my superiors, but I want you to know that I want to give you a chance. I'll do everything in my power to fight for you, and I want you to know that."
Claire couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears flowed freely down her face, and disbelief shook her hands. "Ms. Scotch, oh-"
"Please, call me Sue."
"Sue, I-I I don't know what to say, or how to thank you."
Sue came around the corner of her desk. All strictness and formality was gone; she was just a sympathetic woman who had looked beyond Claire Ursine's past. It was something few did. They embraced, while Claire struggled to control herself. The interview had been nothing she'd expected. When she appeared outside the school to where River was babysitting Emily on her lap, Claire was still much too drained to explain herself to her friend, and instead gently excused herself with the wish to return home to put supper on the stove and retire early. Claire settled Emily on her hip, smoothing the fine red hair that seemed to lengthen every day. It wasn't quite the same shade as hers, but it was close. Smiling through fresh tears, she pressed her lips to Emily's head in a kiss.
~ ~ ~
It was days after Claire's interview, nearly a week, and after the first two days of anxious waiting, Claire had relaxed. She was at peace. She had connected with Sue, and had somehow lifted a great burden from herself. Claire had said out loud that she had changed, and she knew why. She could see herself through an outsider's eyes and understand, which made a huge difference. It finally made it clear in her mind that whoever she was now, it was not the old Claire Ursine. That she could express that was such a leap forward for her that Claire couldn't even see the furthest results.
The phone rang, and Claire was in the kitchen, mixing formula for Emily's bottle and thinking about future mealtimes, when Emily would be able to eat solid, cooked food. She reached for the handset, remembering the time when she was scared to answer the phone, expecting unfriendly callers. Since Emily's birth, she accepted calls more easily, knowing that they were usually from River, Fiona, or Molly.
This time however, it was Sue Scotch. Claire inhaled sharply, grabbing onto the edge of the counter to support her suddenly weak knees.
"Claire?"
After a pause, Claire remembered how to answer. "Y-Yes?"
The following silence may have been dramatic for Sue, but for Claire, disappointment caused the ground to disappear under her feet.
"I got you the job!" The Principal's victorious shout seemed so unprofessional, Claire's initial reaction was to laugh. When the meaning of the words sunk in, Claire knelt, relieved that the floor was still there, and shook with silent sobs. Emily's bottle sat forgotten on the counter. She thought she should say something in response, but Sue kept going, and it was all Claire could do to keep up with the rush of information. "The hours are 8am to 2pm Monday through Friday, $20 an hour and $120 a day. It's not much, but I'm sure you can work your way up as long as you show everyone what you showed me. I have to say, it took some persuasion, but they all agree you should have a chance."
Claire finally broke in. "Sue...I can't tell you how grateful I am, for doing this for me. You didn't turn me away because you already had the presumption of who I was. You really did give me a chance. I-I...thank you, just...I don't know how to thank you!"
"You can do something for me, if you really want to thank me," Sue said, a scheming tone to her voice.
"Anything!"
"I'm throwing a party next week, just a girl's night, and you must promise you'll be there. I'll introduce you to some friends, and we'll have a good time. Oh, and bring Emily of course. I'm sure everyone will wish to hold her!"
Claire felt incredibly shocked but please that she was being included, and agreed at once. They chatted awhile longer, before Emily began to fuss in her swing, and Claire said goodbye feeling for once fulfilled. She had never really had 'girlfriends' before, despite beginning to consider Fiona and Molly as close friends. Sue came across more as...wild? Spontaneous? Claire couldn't come up with the right word. Like the friend you had in high school, she finally decided.
Claire bent to heft Emily into her arms, bouncing her to calm her cries. She couldn't stop smiling, and it sparked a similar response from the infant. Claire felt that she had somehow sorted through a big mess inside herself and she was pleased with the results. Some things she had been able to officially throw away. Other things she had been able to mend. And she had even found a few items she really wanted to keep. Claire felt that she had found a path to walk, a good one, and at last her life was moving forward. The time of before was the preparation, crawling forward, but now she had taken her first step and was ready to walk. Claire couldn't wait until she could run.
And all it took was to have someone fight for her.
______________________
I'm so sorry! The past months of my life have been a whirlwind in which Sims couldn't fit into. As such, this chapter was finally finished when I could and I hope it makes up for the long wait. I intend to finish this story no matter how many years it takes me! I hope those who have kindly commented and enjoyed Claire's story so far will be able to stick with me. There won't be any promises from me about when the next chapter will come, for I always seem to break those, but as things are more settled in my life I hope I can update more often! Thank you for reading.
P.S I found it really weird that Sue Scotch was the head of the Education career, considering three of her traits are Dislikes Children, Commitment Issues, and Inappropriate. Makes all the parents comfortable with their children's education, huh?
