The best thing about having a sister was that I always had a friend.

- Cali Rae Turner

The early hours of the day were pleasant particularly when the sun was about to appear. It was actually cool and calm. Cold wind blowing from everywhere. But with the rise of the sun, the mood of the day changed drastically. The high rays of sunshine fell on the leafs, leaving them hot and shiny. The birds were chirping louder as the air turned very warm.

The temperature for the day was extremely high. It couldn't be avoided even if I wanted to. I felt like if I stepped out of the house, I would turn into ashes instantly.

Currently standing by the window, I looked out and felt the sunshine over my face. Chloe never liked warm weather but I loved it. I didn't get sunburn that easily but I was tanned enough. Chloe was very different from me and I liked it that way. Oh Chloe, that reminded me of my visit to her home yesterday....

The door opened instantly when I rang the doorbell, with my sister standing there with her hands on her hips. At that moment, she looked more like a mom then a sister, more like a principal then a teacher.

Before she could pounce on me with her 101 questions, I side stepped her and walked into her well decorated apartment. "Hey, where's Luke and Carrie? It's been a while since I met them."

Chloe closed the door, the only door to my escape and turned around with narrowing eyes. "They went out with Brandon."

I gulped. "So..we are alone?"

"Yes."

Oh, there went my distraction. I was hoping to fore long our conversation about my engagement but since we were alone already, there was no way I could escape the confrontation now. I was also hoping Brandon and the kids would be home so that when Chloe gets extremely mad, Brandon would defend me like the amazing brother he was and if Brandon turned out to be too afraid of Chloe at that moment, I could've used my nephew and niece as a leverage. Yes, I would go that far to escape Chloe's rage. She could be...difficult when she gets mad. But now, I must put on my big girl panties and just get over with it.

The voice of my sister brought me back to the current situation. "Are you done yet?"

At instance, I jolted out of my thoughts. "Huh?" When she raised her eyebrows, I knew she was talking about my inward conversation that I always tend to had. I just tilt up my lips to give her a small smile but she was still giving me the stink eyes and I knew she might be waiting for me to start the explanation. Oh well, here goes nothing. I sighed and turned around to avoid looking at her eyes, and took a seat at the couch. "Fine, ask me whatever you want."

The low sound of Chloe's footsteps reached my ear, so I leaned my head back to look at where she was going. She was walking toward her kitchen and said over her shoulder at me. "Firstly, do you want something to drink?"

"Yes, please. I'm thirsty!" I replied. This was Chloe. She had many sides of her. She really wasn't that bad. She just wanted to watch over me. She felt like as she was the elder sister, she needed to protect me and I just let her.

I heard Chloe shout from her kitchen. "Claire, you can start with how you met a rich businessman with your waitressing job? I don't think a man like Tyler Sanders would just walk into your small diner casually and find you? Right?" Her voice was nearer so I looked over at the entrance of the kitchen and her head popped out of the kitchen doorway. "No offence about your job though!" Then her head disappeared into the kitchen again.

I chuckled and called out. "None taken." I realised she didn't know about my ex-job at the diner. Good, let it be that way. And about her question, I came prepared so I just knew what I had to say but couldn't help being nervous about it.

By the time I calmed down my nerves, Chloe came out with two glasses of drinks and left them on the table. Then she sat herself down at the sofa to my right and said. "Okay, now you can answer."

"I met him at the school." I told her. A total lie but she didn't need to know that.

Chloe automatically leaned forward, her forehead creasing. "School? What school?"

I rolled my eyes and picked up a drink to wet my throat. "Really, Chloe? Your school, where you teach ofcourse!"

Technically I met Little Ariel at school but for Chloe I was keeping my lie as close to the truth as I could. She was my sister after all and I couldn't full blown lie to her like that.

"How did you meet him there?"

The exact question I knew she would ask next and the answer was ready. I relaxed myself at the couch and sipped slowly from the juice she gave me in the name of a drink. Since, she couldn't drink alcohol as she was still breastfeeding little Carrie. I knew she was keeping me away from beer too, for her selfish reason. I let it slide. "Remember few months back, I was volunteering at your school?" When Chloe nodded, clearly remembering the days. "I met him at that time. He came to pick up Lydia and we just met."

Wow, Claire! Another full blown lie but Chloe didn't know that and what she didn't know, wouldn't hurt her. I did volunteer at that school few months back though but it was just that. Back then I never did meet a guy named Tyler.

"Who's Lydia?"

I expected that question too. It was better to let Chloe know about Tyler's daughter right about now then to let her find out about it later on. "Tyler's daughter. The Little Ariel I told you about."

Chloe raised her hands out to me and said. "Wait, wait! His daughter? Lydia? Little Ariel--?" Suddenly, she stopped whatever she was about to say and widened her eyes as if she realised something. "Lydia? That quiet red haired Lydia in my class? Oh that's why, you called her Little Ariel! Wait, Lydia Sanders! Oh my god! How did I not guess that already?!"

That I didn't expect at all. I shook my head and stopped her before she could exclaim anything else. "Wait, Lydia is in your class?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah, how did you not know that already?"

I huffed and crossed my hands, "Oh come on Chloe, I just met her once and I'm yet to meet her again."

Again Chloe started giving me her stink eyes. "You are engaged to her dad who I might add you know only for few months and you say you didn't meet Lydia more than once yet?"

Just freaking great. I had to blow my cover with that. Great. Maybe I could recover it with another act. But oh well, I did intend to keep her as close to the truth as possible.

"Chloe, Tyler is everything I want. He makes me happy. I thought you'd be happy for me?" I asked her.

Chloe smiled at me. "Ofcourse, I'm happy for you. I just want to make sure this Tyler guy is alright for you or not."

I leaned forward and squeezed her hand. "He is more than alright." Whatever I said now wasn't a lie, it was the truth. Tyler Sanders was more than alright for me. He really turned out to be my real life Knight in shining armour or should I say suit? Knight in shining suit! Ha, that was more like it. I hid a amused smile and said to Chloe. "And about Lydia, I'll meet her soon. That girl didn't have her mother by her side from her birth so I think Tyler is just confused about how our relationship would affect on Lydia."

Truly I think Tyler and me both were confused. We knew Lydia wanted me as her mommy but could she accept everything that comes with me being her mommy?

"Claire, I'm sure Lydia will be just fine with you. Now that you mentioned it already, I think she needs a mother in her life badly. I mean, I can recall how she used to get all sad upon hearing all the other students talk about their parents and seeing their drawings on family." Chloe said thoughtfully. She suddenly looked at me, with a newfound happiness evident in her eyes, a bright smile on her face. "You love kids. You already know how to handle them. I think you being her step-mother wi--"

I abruptly corrected her. "Mother. Only mother." It was like a reflex. An instant reaction of mine. Since Tyler also pointed it out to me, I started thinking about how mother was so much better than step-mother. When Claire raised her eyebrows at me, I explained. "Tyler as well as I want it that way."

Chloe only nodded and continued speaking. "That's really good. Now as I was saying, I think you being her mother will be good for her as well as good for you. I think you need a man like Tyler in your life if he is the reason behind your happiness."

Since the whole Tyler-Lydia matter started in my life, my doubts on it never clearly went away but talking with Chloe today did it. When Chloe opened up about Lydia's behaviour at school, it instantly rose an ache in me. Lydia's bright smile flashed before my eyes along with Tyler's smile and I just knew at that moment, all of us will be good for each other.

With that newfound knowledge, I brightly smiled at my sister. "Thank you, Chloe. I knew you would understand."

"Yeah, yeah. Now, let me see that rock on your hand."

Then, she pulled my left hand toward her and started inspecting the engagement ring Tyler gave me. He clearly stated never to take it off. I didn't know why but I guessed it was because he wanted to let others know we were still engaged.

Chloe kept on examining it with bright eyes and muttered curiously. "Ah.. Claire one more thing, did you tell mom and dad about your engagement yet?"

I instantly gasped and pulled my hand back. "Oh my god! I totally forgot about it."

My dear sister just laughed at me. "Oh Claire, I still remember my experience with mom and dad about my engagement. I feel really bad for you but can't help myself from enjoying it."

I spread my palm over the other side of the couch and grabbed the stuffed toy that was laying there to throw it at Chloe's face. "It's not funny. You have to help me, Chloe!"

As the toy was soft, it made no damage on her still laughing face. She shook her head, while snickering. "Ah no, you are on your own sister. Good luck with that though."

I groaned, cupping my head in my hands. I felt my sister pat my shoulder as a form of some kind of condolence. I didn't need condolences. I needed ideas, ideas which would help me get through another confrontation I would have with my parents.

"Parents!"

That brought me back to present and I groaned loudly when I remembered that I still hadn't let my parents know about my engagement. I really needed to think first or else my small town living parents would know it from somewhere before I even got the chance of telling them.

I had the feeling that my mom would be too much happy. I'm not worried about her feelings much but I knew I should be worried about my wedding arrangements because I was damn sure if my mom even got the slightest news of my engagement, she would start planning and planning, and reach my future baby shower on the way. Yeah, she could be very excited when it came to her daughter's love life. I still remembered Chloe's wedding and her children's birth. Oh god, I bet mom would do so much more than what she did before.

My main worry was about my dad. My dad wasn't too fond of his daughters living in the big city. He wanted us to settle in our hometown, which was in a quiet town of Boston. I never did fully tell my dad about my life in NY. I used to tell him bits and pieces only. I knew he would be disappointed at the way my life was going. I was always the good daughter. The sensible one. He used to say that to me. I hoped dad wouldn't be too disappointed with my engagement. No matter what, his feelings did matter to me.

The sound of a text receiving in my phone made me aware of my surroundings. It was around 1 in the afternoon and I was fully ready for a outing with a thin summer dress on me and a pair of wedges with a touch of light makeup on my face.

Turning away from the window, I went over to the bed of mine and picked up my phone. There was a text from Tyler.

Tyler: Are you ready? We are here, waiting.

Quickly typing in I'm coming, I walked out of my bedroom, putting the phone in my bag. I grabbed the apartment keys and locked the main door with it. I quickly ran down the stairs, making sure I didn't miss any steps in hurry. When I came out of the apartment building, I found the same expensive looking black car that I had first seen outside the diner where I met Tyler Sanders for the first time.

I released a deep breath and walked ahead, preparing myself for a ride and then a lunch with a certain father and daughter.