Winter Legacy -16-

"Claus, I'm going to bed can you read me a story?"

"Isn't there someone else who could read you a story?"

"Yes, there are two other people who can read to me but nobody does it like you."

Claus folded his arms, "You're just buttering me up, fine, go change I'll be right in."

"Are you going to move out too?"

Claus had just started reading a story about Cleopatra to his sister and he was caught off guard by her words. Erika had just moved into a house across town with Frederick and it was clear that the youngest member of the household was missing her big sister sorely. She clung to her brother more than ever.

"I'm going to move out, and I'm going to travel, and I'll bring you back lots of toys from all over the world." He leaned in, "But you have to keep it a secret." Claus laid down beside his sister, the little girl snuggled up against her brother's strong chest.

When her breathing evened out and her body relaxed against him, Claus untangled her fingers from his shirt and adjusted her position in the bed. Claus loved being a big brother.

The next morning Agnes left the house early to get her errands done before her weekend kids came in. Jack sat down beside his son at the table.

"What?" Claus asked after ignoring his father's stare for a full ten minutes.

Content that he had his son's attention Jack started speaking, "I haven't seen you in a while, you've been rather busy with Wassaface--Jaylee Darling."

"She's my friend Dad, God! Will it kill you to mind your business?"

"Okay, first of all you'd better check that attitude before I have to. Secondly, relax your ass man, why do  you have to get so defensive...unless..." Jack grinned. "Your graduation and birthday are coming up soon, I was wondering what you had in mind."

Claus shrugged. "Nothing."

"Mmm." Jack pulled something from the pocket of his pajamas and slid it across the table to Claus. The boy picked up the colorful envelope sized paper and his breath caught, he looked at Jack disbelievingly. 

"How did you..."

Jack grinned knowingly. "When you deal drugs and run with gangs you're always on high alert for your rivals and the police. Old habits die hard." Jack held out his hand for the airplane ticket, "I'll keep this until it's time to use it." 

Still in awe of his father and his gift, Claus went out back to do his morning exercises. He was thoroughly touched by his father's offer. 

Snowie skipped over to her brother. "Claus, I wanna play princess, can you be my prince?"

Claus broke out into a wide grin. "How is it that I got wrapped around your fingers so tightly? Fine, let me go take a shower and I'll play with you."

"Yay!" Snowie squealed as she darted off to the house.

Claus spent the rest of the morning spending time with his little sister, eventually she got frustrated when he couldn't imagine the same thing she could and she sent him on his way.

Because Claus refused to leave the royal court though, he somehow got sucked back into the game, his role alternating between the handsome prince and the fearsome dragon that the superhero-ninja-princess had to vanquish. 

The game went on to late in the evening when an exhausted Agnes strolled into the house. She had taken her little group on a field trip  and then dropped all of the children home afterward. She had traded one of the cars for a van and since the day she brought it home she had been using it consistently. 

"Oh my God!" She shrieked when she finally took a good look at her husband. "What the hell are you wearing?"

"Louis Vuitton."

"You look like a pimp." Despite his not so fashionable apparel, Jack gave his wife a look at nearly made her panties hit the floor.  "No. There's a cake in there and we are going to have a small party for our son."

"You bought him a cake?"

"If I waited for his birthday he would only complain and say no, I decided to not give him that opportunity."

"Makes sense."

Claus was not at all happy about having his family singing off key to the 'Happy Birthday' song paired with Snowie's constant screaming, but they wanted to show how much they appreciated him so he sucked it up and bore the fifteen minutes of torture.

Claus spent his birthday in Paris.

He spent most of his trip exploring one of the many ruins of a once beautiful building. Claus felt as if he had the full explorer experience by the time he was ready to leave.

"Did you have fun?" Another local woman that he'd met earlier, and who had told him about the Explorer Experience asked him.

"Yeah, I'd love to do that again."

"Perhaps when you come back then. I hope to see you soon then."

"Or maybe you can come visit me in Sunset Valley."

"I'd like that." The woman said, she handed him a card and winked as she walked off.

As Claus headed back to base camp it hit him that he'd just flirted, his face heated up immediately and he blushed bright red, did he just invite the woman home? He didn't even have his own house yet.  She'd never so much as been kissed, what was he thinking!?! Claus took the moment to have a good freak out once he was locked in his room.

He returned home on his graduation day. Claus was voted class valedictorian and gave a heartfelt speech about accomplishments and hopes and dreams, when he was done not one person was left with a dry eye or the feeling that they were on top of the world and could do anything. 

The next day the Winter men accompanied the youngest member of the family to the hospital. She had a huge project coming up and they all wanted her to do well, especially Jack who had a taste of success and was determined to be the father of the valedictorian once again.

It had been three months since he'd left Paris, but he couldn't get the beautiful woman out of his mind. He dug around in his things until he found the card that she'd given him. He dialed the number, and to his surprise it answered on the first ring, but the woman he spoke to was not Charlotte Dubois, the woman he'd met in Paris.

"My name is Tahiya Shalut, I am in Egypt. Charlotte has told me about you, and your phenomenal performance on the Explorer Experience. I shall tell her you called, but is it possible that you can come to Egypt when you get a chance, I would like to further test your skills."

"Um sure."

Two days later Charlotte gave Claus a call, he invited her over and she agreed without hesitation. A week later Charlotte arrived in Sunset Valley and just like the first time he'd seen her, she took his breath away. The two got to know each other better, Claus found out that Charlotte had recently graduated from College. When he asked about Tahiya Shalut, Charlotte seemed genuinely confused, she told him that she did not know the woman and perhaps he was mistaken, but Claus assured her that he was not.

"Oh, it must have been some business card I had in my wallet, you know how people have many of those lying around."

"Perhaps." Claus said, even more confused than before.

"Sorry, there's only one room." Claus told his guest. "You can take my bed, I'll sleep on the couch."

"Why?" Charlotte asked, her voice dripping heavy with an accent that went right to Claus' groin.

Charlotte scrambled onto the bed, "Come sit, talk to me." Charlotte told Claus about her childhood in Paris, they compared it to his growing up in Sunset Valley. "There is so much to appreciate in this place. The ocean, the sense of community." Charlotte gushed.

Eventually their conversation died, Charlotte snuggled against Claus, she frowned when his heart began hammering loudly in his chest. "Are you alright Claus?" She asked, then an amused smile spread across her face. "You have never been with a woman have you?"

Claus blushed bright red, he hated his pale skin. "That is alright," Charlotte said. "I respect that you have chosen to wait, such a long time too. You are different from the men that I know Claus Winter." Grinning she rubbed her lips against his. Her hand caressed his chest then slipped beneath the covers. Claus' jaw tightened as he tried not to shriek like a little girl.

Charlotte taught Claus things that most young men knew by the time they were seventeen. When they were done, Claus laid panting and staring up at the ceiling wondering why he waited so long. 

Charlotte stayed with Claus for one week, but she never got so see any more of Sunset Valley than she did in the cab because they never left Claus' house. Charlotte told Claus that she'd studied Art and she hoped to be a famous artist some day, she'd already started many paintings and sculptures.

"I hope to see you again Claus Winter." Charlotte said on the day she was to leave.

"I'm pretty sure we'll run into each other again." 

Claus and Charlotte were enjoying their last few hours together when somebody started hammering on Claus's door. He pulled it open and frowned, "Erika? What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Erika shouted at him. "Nobody's heard from you in a week..." He voice trailed off when she peeked over her brother's shoulder and saw the confused looking woman. "Who the hell is this?"

Claus sighed and pulled his older sister into the house. "Erika this is my friend Charlotte, Charlotte please excuse my overly-dramatic big sister Erika, she's a bit insane."

Charlotte giggled, "It is good to meet you Erika."

Charlotte continued, "I am sorry I had not met you sooner as I am leaving tonight."

"Mmm." Erika said with her face blank.

"Don't be rude." Claus gave Erika a stern look.

"Well, I'm sorry my brother tried to keep you to himself. I came over here because I was worried and my phone has been ringing off the hook. Claus, I'm trying to get pregnant, the last thing I need is stress, so be a good boy and call your parents...please."

In the middle of Erika's tirade, the taxi's horn blew cutting her short. She gave Claus another hard lok then swung both sides of the double doors open. "Charlotte, I'll walk you to the car." She grabbed the woman's arm before she could kiss Claus. 

"What are you doing?" Claus whispered to his sister.

"I'm looking out for my sister."

"Well stop. Jay and I have come to an understanding a long time ago. I really like Charlotte."

"You don't know what you like."

"Excuse me?" Claus leaned in closer to Erika, "I'm a grown man, I make my own decisions and I'll make my own mistakes. I'll appreciate it if you mind your own business, nobody ever meddled in your love life so don't stick your big-ass nose into mine."

Before Erika could rebut, Claus flung his arms over both of the women's shoulders and ushered them to the door, swinging both sides of the double door open. "Good night Erika," He sang, "Charlotte, I'll see you again soon."