Chapter Thirty-Eight

The next few days for Callie were filled with endless hospital visits, and family talks. It seemed the family was interested in Daddy’s newest mentor, Callie. She was set to take over his law firm for him, while he adjusted to life post-coronary.

She sat on her window seat and stared out to the world, Christmas Eve snow flanked the pavement as more flakes fell from the sky. She’d missed two calls from Jon over the last couple of days, and she wished he would have left a message as to where he was. She watched the snow fall helplessly and wondered if she was falling helplessly into something that she didn’t want. It felt right for her father, and family loyalty had to always come first. But like snow, eventually it would melt and all that would be left was cold grey hard concrete. Just like how her heart felt.

She sighed, her own law firm was holding a Christmas Eve party, her bosses were sad at her resignation but they understood and saw it, like everyone else as a chance of a lifetime for her career. She should have gone, to say thanks for everything that they’d done for her. But she was too content being alone, watching the snow and listening to Frank Sinatra croon White Christmas and having a glass of wine.

Things were racing out of control, long forgotten was her dream to do what she wanted to, what she came home to do. Long forgotten was feeling of how she felt around Jon, it seemed like weeks they’d been apart, not days.

How was she even going to tell him this? That she’d sacrificed her dream yet again, because of her father’s wishes. Hot tears splashed against her hand as she fought back the bubbling in her throat, to lose it into nothing but pure misery.

The shrill of the phone snapped her head up, she wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand and snagged the receiver off the hook.

“Hello?”

The first thing she heard was a clutter of noise and then a distinct laugh that made her knees buckle. She leaned back against the wall and her sweater bunched up as she slid to the ground.

“Hey,” god, it was good to hear his voice.

“God, finally Callie! Merry Christmas baby!” His voice was full of life and full of the hope she had been so desperate not to lose over the last few days.

“Merry Christmas to you too Jon,” her heart tripped as his whiskey soaked voice filled her with heat.

“It’s crazy here, and the snow is incredible Callie. What’s Jersey like?”

She laughed and looked over out the window. “Oh, it’s coming down here too.”

“I wish I was home, Callie. God I do.”

And I wish you were here too. She curled into herself, her apartment was so quiet and so still, no sounds of bells, jingling from Christmas Carols that should be played on the record player. No noisy chatter, along with the hustle and bustle in a kitchen that should be present on Christmas Eve. Nope, none of that. Just the pain.

“I do too,” she rolled her lip under her teeth, biting back the blur threatening her eyes.

“It’s quiet there Cal, why aren’t you out? No office parties, family get togethers?”

She should be at the hospital, by her father’s side. She’d been there most of the week, but today she knew she just couldn’t stand one more plan for the new firm, or how well he’d mapped out her career for the next five years. And here she was again, listening to him so full of life and dreams.

“No, just me tonight. What about you? What’s going on there?” The boisterous voices of Richie and David could be heard, and for the first time she wished she was there. There partying it up, having no cares in the world. Instead of sitting here, shouldered with the responsibility of a lifetime.

“Oh you know, the guys are fucking drunk...of course I’m not.” The smile was in his voice, the one that melted thousands of girls, and her own heart.

“Of course you’re not...” she twisted the phone cord around her finger and sighed. Well there was no time like the present. “Jon,” it came out barely more than a whisper.

There was a crackle and shouting on the line, before a new voice spoke.

“Hey little lady, Merry Christmas!” Her lips curled as Richie’s slurred voice came over the line.

“Hey Rich, having quite the party there huh?” She tried to stamp out the disconcertion that niggled her belly, was there any girls there, all over Jon?

“Of course, but it’s not party without the tequila queen!”

Her cheeks flushed, and she laughed. God, how could she miss something so much that wasn’t her? Ever since she came home she’d missed the craziness, the hustle and the bustle of the tour she got just a slice of. She missed it, hell she missed him. More than she wanted to say. “That was just the one time, I don’t usually...” she cut off by the line being scuffled again.

“Give it back asshole.”

“No, piss off, I wanna talk to Callie. I wanna tell her...”

“No Rich, don’t you dare. It’s gotta come from me.”

Callie’s hear raced in her ears, tell her what? There was a grunt and a slam of the door and the line fell silent.

“Cal?”

“Hey, what’s going on there, do I need to come back and sort you both out?”

Jon snorted, “Yeah come and sort Captain Annoying out. Please, fuck.”

She curled into herself as he started to talk about the shows, his voice had fallen low and quiet as he spoke to her. She closed her eyes, god she could fall asleep listening to him. It was as soothing as listening to rain drum down on a tin roof, when you tucked safely in bed at night.

For a second, she lost herself in his voice and his laugh, forgetting the weight heavily resting on her shoulders.

“You ok?” she opened her eyes again, the chill of the wintery air settling against the windows, goosing up her skin.

“No, I’m not ok Jon.” She bit her lip as she heard down the line the door squeak open.

“Gotta go Jonny, the bus is leaving.” The unmistakable sound of Doc came across.

“Yeah, give me a second.” He sighed into the phone. “Callie, I have to go, can I try and ring you later when I get back to the hotel? I really need to talk to you.”

She nodded, and forced the disappointment away. “Sure, I’ve got to go to the store, but I’ll be here.”

“Sorry babe, Doc’s in one of his fuckin moods. I’ll call tonight. I promise.”

*click*

And he was gone. Just like that. He’ll call back, he said he would. She pulled herself up and hung up the phone. She wrapped her woollen coat around her and grabbed her purse, she needed a couple of things so she might as well head down to the store now. God knows why when she knew how ridiculous shops were on Christmas Eve, she must be insane.

Thirty minutes later she breezed into the store, grabbing some last minute food items she’d need over the holidays. They were having Christmas within the hospital and then a family dinner at night that her mother and older sister, Chelsea were preparing.

She was picking up some milk when a voice behind her stopped her dead in her tracks.

“Not with Jonny on the holidays?”

She turned around to see a petite blond girl standing popping some gum in a tight yellow spandex top, black leggings and matching bumblebee yellow heels. She had curves and boobs for miles.

“Ah, no sorry he’s on tour.” Had to be a fan, just a fan.

The girl turned and flipped through a glossy magazine. “Aw, such a shame. Wouldn’t want him to be alone again.”

Callie went to walk away, she should of but she stopped. “I’m sorry and you are?”

She grinned, “I’m Krissy. I was with Jonny last week.”

Callie felt her belly clench. “Oh, you went to the concerts? They’re great right?”

“Uh huh, got the full backstage tour, which included the bedroom.”

Callie closed her eyes, and pretended it didn’t matter. “Oh lucky you.”

Oh god, now what? She was his wife, was she expected to scream and carry on. This had to be before she came to Florida. Things had changed, Callie was sure of it, she felt it. She’d felt things she’d never felt before, they just hadn’t had a chance to talk about it.

“What, you’re not going to ask more? You’re his wife aren’t you?” Her knowing grin said way too much, and her fingers curled around the milk bottle tighter.

“Of course I am.”

“Relax darling,” she filed the magazine back on the shelf and leaned into Callie. “He told me all about how it’s just a lie. You’re not really married, married.”

He told someone, a girl he slept with—it had to be Doc, surely. Jon wouldn’t be so stupid.

Would he?

Callie swallowed the thick lump in her throat. “Right,” her voice changed to her courtroom tone without her even realizing it. “And tell me Krissy, when did you see my husband?”

She had to know. She prayed like hell she was wrong, that the few days she spent with him, meant something to him. Like he meant something to her.

“Couple of days ago, downstate.”

The words shattered her heart like ice. A couple of days ago? The isles, of neatly stacked cans blurred, as she fought for her dignity.

“Well, glad he’s still in top form.” She dropped her basket right in the isle and walked ahead, not looking back. She knew if she caught sight of the smug look on the bitches face, it would all be over.

How could he do this? No, he didn’t do anything. He always told her this was how it would be. She fumbled with her keys in the ignition, suddenly unable to simply find it.

“Dammit!” The tears tracked down her cheeks as she finally slid the key in. She had to get out of her, had to get the fuck out of sight.

The drive home was a blur, and all the while her head was screaming.

He told her the marriage was a fake? He told a random girl... just so he could probably get her into bed... the bed, they shared--

Oh god. She pulled off the road and slammed on the breaks. The sobs shook her chest as she gripped her steering wheel. She couldn’t stop it, couldn’t control the urge to cry or scream.

How could she have been so STUPID.

How could she have thought he loved her? Seriously.

She didn’t know how, but she got home. Dumping the keys on the counter she tugged the blinds shut, blocking out the Christmas postcard that was settling outside. She pulled the blanket from off the couch and wrapped herself around it. She stopped in the middle of the room as the phone shrilled through the room. Her eyes brimmed with tears as her machine clicked on, and that voice. That one voice that had the power she never knew it had, filled the room.

“Hey it’s me, where are you babe? I’m back at the hotel... I’ll try again in a bit.”

*click*

She closed the door to her bedroom and sank down low into the mattress, how was it that her life within the space of a week, was heading straight to hell?