Chapter Four

The drive across town only took a few minutes, and soon Callie and Jon were standing at the gate outside a comfortable split level house. She didn't know why he'd come with her, but she was glad in a way...she was not expecting what was about to unfold was not to be pretty.

“You still live here?” Jon asked curiously as they walked up the driveway which was lined with roses, carefully manicured. Someone had put a lot of time and effort into keeping the garden looking as pristine as it did.

“God no, I've been out of home for a few years. I don't live too far away from here though, and I do come home often to see them.” She fished around the bottom of her purse for the key she still had. Her hands were trembling, god she had no idea what her parents were going to say about this.

“Hey, you ok?” Jon asked. She visibly was anxious, evidently when it came to her parents she wasn't as silver tongued as before.

“Yeah, just nervous I guess. My family is very big on reputation... I'm not sure how they're going to react to be honest. I’ll apologize now for anything that might be said, they're going to be angry, so please don't take it personally.” She found her key and slid it into the lock.

“Here we go...” she took a deep breath and walked into the hallway that was lined with family pictures from the decades, in chronological order of course. Her mother was meticulous when it came to anything to do with organizing. Callie called it anal, but Shirley Richards took pride in it.

“Mom? Dad?” she asked into the empty hallway.

Jon looked around, the home was very classic, wooden paneling inched up the walls to waist level and the hundreds of photos that lined the walls all the way to the living area were amazing. He felt a little overwhelmed, like a high school kid going to his girlfriend's parents to ask permission to take her the school dance. Well it was kind of the same, except he skipped about five important steps along the way.

“How many people are in your family?” Jon whispered still looking at the numerous photographs that lined the walls.

“Six. Mom, Dad, Chelsea, Daryl, Michaela and me, the youngest.” She explained. And she had big shoes to fill, “My brother and both of my sisters are all successful lawyers, though Chelsea is taking some time off on maternity leave right now...she just had a baby.

“Holy smoke, bigger than mine – I've got two younger brothers. Pains in the ass as well,” he chuckled.

“Callie?” a voice boomed from a room further down the hallway.

She winced, her father's addressing tone was always something that you didn't want to be on the end of.

“That's us. Come on.” She led them further down to his study, and when they walked in, it was nothing short of a firing squad. Her mother was standing there leaning against her father's desk with her legs crossed and her father swung around in his large leather swivel chair. The steel look in his eyes, matched the tone of his voice. His brow arched however when his gaze fell behind her to Jon.

“Callie –“ He stood and Jon was taken aback by the tall elegant stature of the man. His silver hair swept neatly back from his face and his proud jaw line suggested nothing but power. He felt like he had to make the first move to not be eaten alive. It was true, lawyers really were sharks.

He leaned forward holding his hand out. “Hello Sir...my name is Jon, I” but
he didn’t get to finish.

“I know very well who you are son, and I want to know what business you have marrying my daughter?” his voice boomed accusingly through the room like it did so many times in court.

Jon retracted his hand, “Uh – we didn’t, we-“ But again he was cut off. The man ignored Jon and turned to Callie.

“And what did you think you were doing? Was this your payback for us making you go to law school? To do something that is ridiculous and careless. I suppose now you’ve come here so I can wave my magic wand and make it all to go away. Right Callie?” Her father was always tough on her, her mother always told her it was because he believed in her the most out of all the kids.

“God, no Dad. How could you even think that? I went out with the guys, and I drank too much. I never drink all that much, and well…” God how did she phrase it any better. “I woke up married next to him.” She chewed on her bottom lip. He was mad, Doc may have had that protruding throbbing vein in his neck but Callie’s father had a gaze of steel that could floor her in an instant.

Pierce Richards laughed and shook his head. “Brilliant, a drunken mistake. Even better Callie, Jesus Christ what am I going to do with you, girl?”

Jon felt bad for her, this wasn’t all her fault. He was involved here too, and she was taking a pounding from her old man.

Callie tightened her fist. “You’re going to do nothing Dad, we can sort this out.”

He folded his arms. “And just how do you propose that? Do you know how stupid you are going to look, married one second and then divorced the next? Even with an annulment Callie, people talk and they will know what disgrace you have brought on this family.”

Her arms were shaking, she expected nothing less from her Father. He was more straight laced than she would ever be, with a streak of mean to go with it. When she’d gone to law school she had been angry, but determined to show them how much her talent and dedication was wasted in law.

“And what’s worse is, it’s HIM, I mean why couldn’t you marry someone like Jack, then at least it would have been explainable. But this? Well I just don’t know what to say Callie.”

“You make it sound like I went out and married a criminal, Jon has been nothing but understanding it’s not exactly the best news for his career either. As an up and coming musician it’s not the best PR he can get at the moment. So it’s not just you Father that this affects.”

Pierce waved his hand their way and scoffed, “please. Rock stars do this all the time and then get divorced, it will launch your career son. More than I can say for my daughter’s.”

Jon felt awful, this man was a monster. Most of what he was saying was right. For Callie, early in her career this probably wasn’t the best of situations. But there was no reason to speak to her like he was. It wasn’t just her fault.

“If I may sir, this is not just Callie’s fault. I talked her into this last night, and she was clearly intoxicated, as was I. So if anyone is to blame for this stupid mistake it’s me.”

“Jon, you don’t have to do this.” Callie muttered watched him try and stand tall. He was the same height as her and like her, was dwarfed by her father’s stature.

“No, let him take responsibility for taking advantage of you. The only decent thing he could do now would be to stay married to you until this all blows over. You can divorce a couple of years down the track when you’re established enough in the field, that stupid scandals such as this would just slide right off you.”

Her heart pounded hard against her ribs and her jaw dropped, that was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. “You cannot be serious?” How would that even work?

Jon snorted, “No offense sir, but don’t you think that’s going a little too far. Wouldn’t it just be worse when people knew the marriage was a sham?” Doc would have a fit if he stayed married to her, he couldn’t help but laugh to himself as he thought it over. Hell she was beautiful, but his wife? He hardly knew her.

“Better than it looking like a juvenile stunt to get attention don’t you think?”

“We didn’t do this for the attention Dad, and stop talking to us like we’ve done this on purpose, Christ!” She needed help not a crucifixion which is exactly what she was getting here. Jon stood up for her, it was odd. In some strange way she already felt a connection to him, she couldn’t explain, and he was so not her type.

“Callie don’t talk to your father like that. He’s just trying to do what’s best for you, and …” she watched her mother eye Jon up and down. It actually gave Callie satisfaction to watch her mother’s gaze fall upon him and determine that he was clearly not what she and her husband had ever expected her daughter to bring home.

“Jon.” Callie finished for her.

“Ah, right yes. Jon. Well young lady, we’ll have to call in some help and see what grounds we can get you this annulment on – intoxication is my bet here. The quicker we are seen to deal with this, the quicker it will go away. Even if we are sweeping it under the carpet. We really have no choice here, do we Pierce?”

Pierce wrapped his arm around Shirley’s waist. “Unfortunately I don’t think so honey. We’ll sort this out Callie. God knows we sort everything else out. I wish you had some of the killer instincts your brother and sisters have.”

She gritted her teeth, she was always the one they picked on. She loved her parents, she really did but at times when they treated her like this, like an idiot, she wanted to scream. “Thank you, I’m sorry I disappointed you father but seems that’s what I normally do, so why are you surprised?” And with that she spun on her heel and left them all there.

Jon nodded to them, obviously they never really wanted to hear him out, and followed her out. He caught up quickly and reached for her shoulder.

“Hey – you ok?”

She stopped at the end of the driveway and spun around. “Just fine. Sorry they were such assholes, but I expected nothing less. At least they will sort this out and it will be over soon enough, for you.” She was going to have to live with this one for awhile she suspected.

“I wish I could have made them see this wasn’t your fault.”

“They do just want the best for me, I’m the youngest in a long line of successful lawyers… I just have a lot to live up to. That’s all.” She managed a small smile.

“Come on, come with me to the interview. See how it all works, I need someone with attitude like yours around,” he quipped lightly punching her in the arm.

She laughed, “Thanks Jon. I appreciate it… you know for what you tried to do back in there.” She looked back up at him with a grin. “Doesn’t mean I like you though ok?”

Jon snorted, “Fine. You don’t know what you’re missing baby.” He winked at her as he hailed the cab that was headed down the street. Callie Richards was an interesting young woman to say the very least. Rockin’ body, but it was her strong mind that had him intrigued. Very intrigued.