---- Chapter 29: Because He's Handsome By now, they'd reached the mountain's hottest spot - Honeydew Run. The two kids had already sprinted off to play in the creek. Sierra noticed Clara staring off into space and gave her a gentle nudge. "Missing your mom again?" Clara blinked and snapped back. "Yeah... 1 was thinking about Mom. And Leo too." Sierra smirked. "Honestly, back then, I was impressed by you! How did you even get the guts to go after Aaron like that?" Clara's cheeks flushed as the memory hit her. "Well, we're med students. Plus, honestly? I wasn't thinking that much back then!" Sierra morphed into Miss Curious. "So why Aaron?" Clara grinned, "Because he's handsome, duh! ---- Isn't that reason enough?" They started trekking down the mountain just after three. By the time they reached the hotel, it was dinner time. The kids finally got to feast on their long-awaited Fortuna roast chicken. Midway through, Clara's phone buzzed. It was a message from Aaron: "What time are you coming back? I'm waiting where you got off this morning." Sierra shot Clara a teasing grin. "What's your deal with him?" "Roommates!" Clara answered and then turned toward the bathroom. At the bathroom mirror, a woman was touching up her makeup - curvy, decked out in flashy gold and silver jewelry, a little over the top. Clara stole a second glance. The woman looked familiar, but Clara couldn't place her. Suddenly, the woman's phone rang. She put it on speaker and started chatting as she reapplied lipstick. ---- Clara walked into the bathroom. The woman's voice was breathy and playful, and on the other end was a timid man's voice. Clara found it interesting. When the woman washed her hands, she was still on the phone. "Okay, okay! Luke and I are leaving the day after tomorrow, so stop bugging me!" Luke? Clara frowned, confused. The man replied, "I don't buy it! Show me your plane ticket later." That voice sent a shiver down Clara's spine - was that her dad? She wanted to double-check, but the woman snapped, "Got it, got it, I'm hanging up!" and ended the call. Clara didn't even realize how she'd stepped out of the bathroom. Only when Leo grabbed her hand did she come back to herself. No way. It couldn't be. Mom had signed the terminal illness papers. The doctors had been ---- clear - Dad had late-stage lung cancer and maybe 40 days left. Had she really heard that voice right? Back at home, Clara tossed and turned in bed. Because Mom was so sick and because she was furious, she hadn't paid attention to what was going on with Dad. Could he still be alive? Clara had no close friends in Silverton. Who could she ask for help? Austin came to mind. Over the years, she'd spent the most time with Sierra and her husband. So Clara opened Sierra's WhatsApp chat and typed: "How's your relationship with Austin these days? I've got some business in Silverton and want to ask him a favor. You okay with that?" Sierra replied immediately: "No problem!" Clara messaged Austin on WhatsApp: "Hey, you there? Can you do me a favor?"