Chapter 997 - 996: A Good Thing
Simon Sterling and Claire Sullivan were really there to get their marriage certificate, and they arrived not long after Ethan Grant and Serena Sullivan.
The reconciliation between these two did not happen recently—it was during Serena’s last visit.
Claire didn’t come back with Serena; she chose to talk to Simon.
She had once been unable to get past her past, and truly hadn’t considered any future with Simon!
Willing to give it a try, saying it was for Serena and Wyatt, but in reality, it was for herself.
This time, Simon came over, not entirely for Serena and Ethan’s wedding, but mainly for his own matters.
Ethan mentioned there was a young man pursuing Claire.
Of course Simon knew about this!
It was precisely because he knew, he made the trip over, wanting to solidify his relationship with Claire.
He brought up the subject of getting their marriage certificate, and Claire refused.
A day later, Claire agreed.
However, they didn’t expect that even though they deliberately arrived a bit later, they’d still run into Ethan and Serena.
"Isn’t getting a certificate a good thing? Why didn’t you let us know?"
Serena felt a bit miffed about being kept in the dark by her parents.
"It wasn’t like we planned to keep it a secret from you indefinitely."
Claire explained, "It’s just that we felt a bit embarrassed."
In Willow Yarrow, the four of them sat together and chatted.
"What’s there to be embarrassed about?"
Serena said unhappily, "If we two hadn’t seen you, when would you have let me know?"
"Are you going to wait until you give Wyatt and me a little brother or sister?"
"Cough, cough!"
This comment made Claire feel even more embarrassed as things were developing quite fast between her and Simon.
Many times, she’d wanted to tell Serena and Wyatt but didn’t know how!
"Your mom was worried that you wouldn’t approve."
Simon answered for Claire.
"After all these years, even going to get a marriage certificate now, to put it bluntly, we’re practically one foot in the grave."
"Even with one foot in the grave, you can still get married and get the certificate."
Serena didn’t think it was a big deal, "My brother and I wouldn’t disagree either."
As she spoke, her eyes reddened.
She sat next to Claire, "It’s not like you’re finding me a new stepfather."
"And he’s not getting me a stepmother, so I have no reason to object."
"Really, I’m very happy!"
Serena spoke and tears started to roll down.
She wasn’t the kind of girl who cries easily. She had always been stubborn, and after a falling out with Claire, she especially avoided crying in front of her.
Claire hadn’t seen Serena cry for a long time, and seeing her tears drop one by one now, she felt at a loss.
"Serena, I’m sorry, it’s my fault!"
Ethan hurried to pass tissue to Serena. "Serena, this is a good thing."
"I know it’s a good thing."
Serena let Ethan wipe her tears away. "I’m not crying because I’m sad."
"I just feel like I truly have both a dad and a mom now. It’s wonderful!"
"When I was little, I wanted it so much, imagining having a dad, imagining having a man who could protect both me and mom."
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have initially agreed to Claire marrying Joel Quinn.
"Now, with my real dad and mom together, what could be more perfect than that?"
"Exactly." Claire echoed Serena’s sentiment, "Us being together is the most perfect thing."
She had really contemplated the reconciliation with Simon for a long time.
The past issues had once haunted her like demons, so much so that she feared opening her heart and loving someone again.
Joel Quinn treated her well, but there was no love; Felix Lockwood had been waiting for her, but she knew she shouldn’t accept it.