Clearwood Town

Jenna/Sr. Claire

"Would you be so kind to take Sr. Claire around for a tour?" Colby asks Shawn which made me sigh in relief. I try to wipe away the sweat on my forehead. 'God! why am I overthinking the situation in McCarthy's home?

I look at Shawn and he looks conflicted as to if he doesn't want to take me around. I bet if I was an ordinary woman he would take the chance but since I am a woman of God and look ordinary, he doesn't seem to be interested.

'Men' I thought in my head.

"Colby, I am sorry, but I have things to do. I think Hailey should do it" Shawn replied.

Hailey stiffens in her seat; her smile looks forced. She glances at Shawn, and I can see her gritting teeth through the smile. The moment became awkward. Luckily the children came running into the living room alleviating the tension and awkwardness in here.

Sora exclaimed when her eyes meet mine. She came running to me excitedly. She hugs me and I let her sit on my lap. I glance at Hailey who looks at us with a frown on her face. I look aside to see Hans staring at us.

"Come on Hans," I said to him and open my other arm. He came running to me and this time I see a happy look on his face. I kiss him on the cheek and let him sit on my other lap. I pinch their cheeks.

'Awww cute' I gush over their cuteness.

"Where are the people of this house?" a hoarse voice interrupts my moment from the kids.

"Hide" they both squirm in my arms and jump down from my lap and run to the exit door. I glance to the entry side and find a young man standing there with a smile on his face.

"Gosh, it's good to be back home," he happily announces and his eyes close for a second before opening them.

"Okay, I guess Jude here," Colby stood up and walk towards the man's name Jude. He put his arm around the young man and face him toward me. He gave me the same look that everyone had been giving me since my arrival. Before Jude could say anything, Colby cut him off. "Jude, meet Sr. Claire, Claire this is Jude" he introduces us to each other. I stood up and wave to him nervously.

"You will do the honor for our pack and take her around for a tour. Besides, it's a perfect time for you too, maybe you want to revisit memory lane." Colby said and squeezes Jude's shoulders before pushing him forward. Shawn glared at them, and I have no idea why he would be mad when he didn't want to tour me around.

~~~

"I don't know whether you prefer to go by car or take an adventure walking. Which one do you prefer?" Jude asks, flashing his white teeth at me when we were out of the house.

"Walking," I told him, and he gave me a sincere smile. "Come one Sr. Claire, I'll show you around. The wonders of Clearwood," he proudly says.

"Since our town is quite big and mostly surrounded by woods, I will just show you our main street and some suggestions for your choice of food and clothes." He eyes me up and down. I defensively cross my arms around myself.

"Hello, don't you dare," I warn him.

"Right, I am sorry, but I was just saying in case you want to wear something other than that," he said and surrender his hands up. I narrow my eyes at him.

"Should we go now Jude?" he nods his head and walk ahead while I follow behind him. We pass Mr. Odega's home and then to the dock just down not too far from Colby's and Odega's house. We pass by the dock until we made it to the main street.

Jude shows me around the museum, their theatre, the post office, and then their nursery place, the kindergarten, and the high school. He also showed me around the park, and he suggested some really good restaurants around the area before we move 60 meters away from the street to see their college is located. It's nice to also see their small stadium opposite the college. Few people were living on that side of the town.

I must admit it is a beautiful place endowed with natural resources. It had a few traffic lights, but it is unlike the big cities and not to be compared to where the orphanage is located. The town is well endowed with everything that anyone could ask for. I will say classy is one word I would describe this town. Everything here makes it feel like I am home.

"So, this is Clearwood?" I mumble as we both come to rest at a restaurant after the long tour.

"Yep, that's Clearwood to you," he said.

I glance aside and find Jude staring at me. The waitress came around to take our order. After the waiter left, I turn around and narrow my eyes at Jude.

"I know why you're giving me that look...Come on say it."

He let out a sigh. "Yeah, it's just that you look like her," he said rubbing his face.

"Let me guess, when you say her... you mean Jenna" I replied, and his eyes widen.

"How did you?" he start to ask but I stopped him.

"Trust me, everybody here in Clearwood was giving me the same one you gave me earlier. I've been called Jenna by most people," I told him.

"Yeah, Jenna is a sour topic to our pack, especially to our Beta," he said without thinking.

"Wait you said pack and Beta. Are you implying that-"

"Got you there Sr. Jenna" he jokes and lets out a laugh.

However, there's something I can see he is hiding. "I am not Jenna." I sigh and take a sip of my juice.

"I am sorry if you feel offended, but you look exactly like her. Except for the clothes you're wearing," he replies.

I roll my eyes, asking "so, Jenna?"

"Jenna is one of my fuck buddies," he said cutting me off.

My jaw drops and I was stunned for a minute before I came back to my senses and whack him on the back of his head.

"What was that for?" he complains while rubbing his head.

"You swore in front of me." I narrow my eyes at Jude.

"Well, I am sorry but that's just the way I talk," he defensively retorts.

"Not in front of your elders," I said and glared at him. "Show some respect when you talk young man," I warn him, and he rolls his eyes.

"You don't look old, and I know you're not an elderly woman. We look to be the same age" he said, and I move to whack him on the head again, but he just moves back quickly and held his hand up in surrender.

"Oh my gosh, why so physical woman. I thought people of God won't be violent, especially nuns."

"Yeah, do you want me to castrate you?" I threaten again.

"Fine and no, I do not want to be castrated," he replies.

"Good, now let's do this again. Tell me about this Jenna."

Jude let out a heavy sigh. He rubs his neck with his hand before he looks outside the window. The silence makes me nervous as if I were Jenna who is trying to know her past. However, I know that I am not her.

"I first met Jenna at the age of thirteen when my family moved here. From then on, I attended the same school as her. Jenna was the type that nobody in this town ever mind. The type we only go to for our homework and school stuff, but we were never friends with." Jude stopped for a moment as if he is recalling the past before he continues to speak.

"You can call her an outcast as she was never wanted in any friends circle or our town activity for unknown reasons. Even though she's the kindest woman I ever met and yes, she's a beauty but she was never fit in any crowd I mingle. So, I never bother to befriend her." Jude takes a deep breath after telling me about her.

He looks away shamefully and I didn't know I am crying after hearing about her tragic life. It hurts so bad to hear someone faces such hardship while growing up. I wish for a moment that I was there for her perhaps we would become best of friends.

Grabbing tissues from the box in front of me. I use it to wipe off my tears. "I am sorry," I say to Jude and try to smile but fail in doing so.

"It's okay and please don't be," he sadly said.

The waitress came back with our food. Her smile vanishes when she sees me blow my nose and wipe off the last of my tears. She glared at Jude who only ignore her and hand me another tissue.

"Thank you," I said to her. "Oh, it's not him. I promise you he didn't make me cry. I am crying over something I love" I lied as I didn't want her to think badly of Jude.

She looks convinced and apologizes to Jude before turning away from our table. I fake a smile and close my eyes to do a prayer to bless our food. "Close your eyes and don't think of taking a bite of your food," I said firmly. I hear a faint chuckle from him.

"As you say Sr." I heard him mutter as I bow my head and do a quick prayer. As was to finish our food blessings when I remember Jenna's hardship living in Clearwood.

I then pray for her soul to find peace and for Clearwood to be forgiven for such an awful crime. It may not be a crime in our eyes but to God, it's a crime to reject your sister and brother in his presence. Afterward, I open my eyes and take my fork.

"Shall we?" I smile at Jude who only shrugs his shoulder and digs into his food.

"Oh wow, that tastes so good" I lay back on the chair sometime after eating and pat my full stomach.

"Should we go home now Sr. Claire?" he asks. I smile at Jude and nod my head yes.

He walks me back home afterward and I didn't need to go anywhere else.

Passing by the houses down the streets I thought about my conversation with Jude. I would say Clearwood is a nice town to stay but after hearing the heartbreaking story of Jenna I came to conclude that the people are not so nice at all.

However, who am I to judge them? I know only God will do that. And I hope he forgives them for their awful crime when that day comes.