Chapter Twenty-One

She slammed the door behind her and dropped her keys into the bowl that sat on the chest beside the door. Christ, what a day. Flopping herself along with her briefcase down, she sank into the couch wishing it that it might just this once swallow her whole. It had been one of those days at the firm. One of those days when she knew she hated being a lawyer.

It had been just under a week since he’d left on tour. Blissful nights of peace and quiet in the apartment, so she thought. Oddly, it had been quiet and she missed having someone to snarl at when she arrived home. Even that stupid smirk he did when he knew he’d pressed every one of her buttons, she kind of missed.

She shook it off, in reality she knew if he was here. She’d want him to leave again. Somewhere in her mind, she’d filed away the night that they’d spent together. Even after washing her sheets and remaking her bed that next night, she swore to god they still held his smell. It had to be her mind playing tricks on her. There was no other explanation.

She kicked off her heels letting them thud to the ground and was half rolling onto her side when the loud tapping at the door came. She groaned and hoisted herself up and padded towards the door.

Whoever this was needed to go away.

Swinging the door open she swallowed her words. Standing there in a neatly grey pressed suit was her father.

Dammit.

“Dad, hi.” She’d really not spoken to him since she’d seen him that day with Jon, she stood up and immediately straightened her ponytail.

“Can I come in?” he looked over her shoulder behind her. “I’m not interrupting anything am I?”

“No, not at all. Jon is away on tour.”

His eyebrow rose as she stood back to show him in. He unpinned his suit at the waist and strode in, her father never walked. He strode, at all times.

“I see, and enjoyed married life, are we?” the wry smile on his face was enough to make her cringe. If she told her father she was living in a new version of hell he’d gloat like crazy.

“As a matter of fact, we’re making it work. We’ve got our own space and things.” It was kind of true. They’d slept together, that was one step closer to being married right? Even if didn’t mean anything to him.

Pierce sat down in her arm chair and folded his arms. “I heard he showed up to the law firm.” Callie cringed, of course her father would find out about that. How could she ever think otherwise?

“Drooling all over the receptionist.”

Ok, what he had spies now?

“That’s just Jon. Do you want a drink?” she asked.

Pierce waved her away. “No, I’m fine darling. I just wanted to call in, your mothers worried about you, you know.”

Callie rolled eyes, “well she hasn’t called.”

“But seriously Callie, just be careful especially around the firm – I don’t want you damaging the good reputation we have and also the influence I had for you to get that job.”

She felt the blood drain from her face as she met her father’s steely eyes. “What?” She sucked in a breath to steady her heart, which was ready to leap right out of her chest.

He chuckled. “Come on, you’re not that naive are you? You don’t think Rookie lawyers land jobs like you did all by yourself do you?”

She applied for the job, she went for the interview. Yes she knew her father knew Mr Callaghan, but not like this.

“I applied for that job and I was chosen.”

Pierce just nodded and steepled his fingers together.

Her nails dug into the knobbly fabric of the armrest. “You mean to say –“she closed her eyes and put her hand on her chest. Her whole career so far had been a lie?

“Callie – you are the right person for that job. You’ve more than earned your place in that firm now. So what I’m saying is don’t stuff it up over this long haired boy wonder, who’ll be around for all of five minutes before the next phase he wants.”

“My whole career is a lie?” she asked, wincing when her voice broke.

“You just needed a push – I gave it. It’s no big deal. I did the same for your brothers and sisters.”

She laughed and shook her head. He didn’t get that she wasn’t like her brothers and sisters. Money and power wasn’t everything. She wanted integrity and pride in what she was doing and how she got there. “You really don’t know me, do you?” she asked sadly.

Pierce leaned forward. “Callie, honey of course I do. You’re just younger and a little lost. You’ll find your way. I made sure you did.”

She nodded, god she was speechless. She couldn’t believe this. All this time – and no one in her family even bothered to tell her? She was blind not to have seen this.

“If you didn’t think I could make it as a lawyer, why didn’t you let me do what I wanted?” she blinked away the tears that threatened. She was heartbroken. She’d given up following her dream to live a lie bigger than she ever thought was possible.

She smoothed down her skirt and met his gaze. He didn’t show one inch of remorse in those damn grey eyes.

“Callie – law has been in the family for so long... it was just a natural progression. You’re smart, there is no reason you can’t do this.”

“What about the one, I never wanted to? Sure law is great. But I wanted to be a doctor and I failed to see why this was bad, it’s a respectable career and some might argue more so than a lawyer.”

Pierce laughed, “Ok – don’t be going there with the lawyer vs. doctor respectability thing. It’s so not worth it.” He checked his watch and stood up. “I’ve got to meet clients for dinner, but Callie. You can do this... You’re good at it. Just don’t let him ruin how far you’ve come.”

How could he stand there like nothing had just happened, how he hadn’t just told her the only reason she was where she was. Was because of him? How in the blue hell could he do this to her? All she could do was nod.

She was a coward.

As he left she closed the door behind him and slumped back against it. Sliding down to the floor, her chest gave way as the sobs wracked her body. She wasn’t poor, she had a good family for the most part and she was well. But on the inside she was aching.

She didn’t almost hear the shrill of the telephone over her misery, she stumbled up and made her way into the kitchen. If this was her mother, she was going to hang up.

She wiped the tears away with the back of her hand and picked up the receiver. “Hello?”

There was a sharp crackle and then the background noise came in. “Callie?”
She raised her eyebrows, “Jon? Is that you?” it sounded like he was in the middle of a football field or god knows where.

“Yea! Can you hear me OK? Sound checks behind me.”

She pressed the handset to her ear, “yes but only just.” What the hell was he calling her for? If it was to rub her the wrong way she was so not in the mood for this.

“Hang on,” the sound muffled and then stopped. “Is that better?”

“Much better, what did you do tell them to stop?”

“No, I stretched the cord around into the storage cupboard.”

“You’re in a storage cupboard talking to me?” the image in her head made her laugh.

“Hey now – you can hear me now. How are ya?” his voice so bright and bubbly she could of cried inside. He was having a blast.

“I’m fine – what about you? How is the tour?” She reached for a tissue across the counter and wiped her eyes.

He chuckled, “Callie – it’s amazing. The crowds are just eating us all up. I’m killing it on stage… and they’re sucking it all up.”

“That’s so great.” She forced the smile across her face, he was having the time of his life and she was living her own personal hell. “Where are you?”

“We’re in Tulsa, performing tonight – and then we’re off to Missouri tomorrow, Springfield I think. Ask me this in a week’s time and I’ll have no idea where we are.”

She twisted the cord around her finger and leaned back against the counter. Clearing her throat she continued, “Wow – that’s great. You sound so well. Not partying every night?” she asked curiously.

“Ah, now it’s a call to my wife, of course I’m partying. Managing ok at the moment. Doc’s got us doing promo’s left right and center so there really hasn’t been a lot of time to much else in all honesty.”

She wanted to ask about the girls, but after today she couldn’t bear if he had stories about that. Or worse, if he attempted to lie about it.
She’d know, she was a lawyer after all.

“What about you? You sound quiet? Everything OK?” just the words were enough to have her biting her lip desperate to fight back the tears.

“I’m fine Jon – just tired. It’s been a long day.” She forced it out without any emotion.

“Are you sure? You don’t sound yourself.”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m fine, Dad was just around that’s all.” That should be enough to at least explain an off mood without going into detail.

“Oh really? What did he want?”

“Just to say hi, I haven’t seen him since you went off at him.” She couldn’t bear to tell Jon. Not because she didn’t want his sympathy. She was ashamed and he’d been right all along. It was enough just hearing how happy he was out there doing his thing.

He snorted, “I guess so – what did he say about us? Anything?

She shrugged, “just how was it going. I said fine and that you were on tour. He heard about you coming into my work. He was digging for more but I didn’t say anymore than that.”

“Ah, see that’s my girl. Much better. Don’t let him get to you that is what he wants.

No shit.

Her knuckles were turning white around the cord, “So yeah that’s all. So nothing new. Pretty quiet back here.”

“Great, glad to hear it – oh Callie that’s the beep I’m running out of coin. I’ll call again OK – I just wanted to say hi.”

She smiled, in a way that in itself was a sweet and unexpected thing. Maybe he was doing for show purposes on his end to Doc, but his voice was a strange comfort to her. “Thank you Jon was nice to hear from you. Keep safe OK?”

He laughed, “Babe I’m superman. I don’t need to be safe – you keep doing whatever you’re doing – whatever case you’re working on.”

She nodded, god she didn’t even want to think about work. “Thanks, I’ll talk to you soon?”

“Yea, I’ll call again, you’re voice is a nice change to these fuckers.”

She laughed, so charming was her husband. “Say hi from me – even to Doc.” Knowing how much that would piss the man off.

“Oh I will – OK gotta---“ click.

And he was gone.

She replaced then receiver in its cradle and sighed. Well that was unexpected. A good unexpected? Maybe. She headed into her room and stripped out of her clothes before hitting the shower. Lying in bed later that night she was restless, still remembering the laugh in his voice. He was so happy. Damn if she didn’t want that for herself.

She tugged the covers up around her neck and hunkered down into her bed, wishing that when she woke up. This had all been a nightmare.