Chapter Sixty-One

Callie followed Carol into the kitchen, she smoothed her hands down her jeans. God, she didn't know why she was nervous, Carol had been nothing but welcoming since they arrived.

"You don't mind helping fix the salad? I was just about done." Carol gestured and the glint of her heavy gold bracelet caught in the light.

"Sure, not a problem at all." Callie took the knife and began slicing the carrots methodically.

"Everything ok with you? Medical school keeping you busy?" Carol asked as she bent over and slid the bread into the oven.

"Yes, it's unbelievable but I'm managing the pace." She wondered what and how much Jon had told his parents about them, she assumed most of it since they displaced the usual signs of being a close family, something she dreadfully missed.

"My son isn't distracting you too much being there is he? I wouldn't want him to get in the way of your studies." She smiled warmly, and Callie chuckled.

"No, he's fine. He needs to rest, but apart from that he's not in my way at all."

Carol slipped her oven mits off and reached into the cupboard for the plates. "I'm glad you see that, Jon doesn't really listen to us when it comes to that." She turned to face her,"but he listens to you."

Callie arched her brow, "well I just want him to look after himself. You know he'll keep going until he drops unless someone makes the man rest." Carol dried her hands on the handtowel and laughed.

"Why yes, I do know that about Jon," she paused. "I have to be honest, when you broke up I thought it was the best thing for both of you, considering how the marriage started. But then I saw him when you were apart."

"Oh?" Callie asked as she chopped the cucumber. The guys had already told her that Jon had been a grump, and hard to live with while they'd been apart but hearing it from his own mother, was a little overwhelming. Good overwhelming.

"It was like a little part of him was missing, I thought it was ridiculous at first. You're both so young and have your whole careers in front of you. But when you showed up to help him with Doc's mess, the change in him was remarkable. I, like Jon don't trust people easily Callie. But I watched you care for my son, use your own money and never asked him for a dime while you took him under your roof." Her jewellery jingled as she shook the lettuce dry. "So I have no doubt you care for him."

Callie felt her shoulders ease, "I do care for him, a lot. We just went through some rough stuff. I'm sure I don't have to tell you what it's like in Jon's world on the road. It was crazy and we were in such a muddy place, we sorted it out. I trust him now."

"And you deserve nothing less Callie, I think he realized what he did. He's a boy and he's young and stupid. But one thing with Jon is he doesn't tend to make the same mistakes twice."

"Has he told you w'rve sorted things out between us?"

Carol laughed, "not really but I figured when he said he was staying with you on his break and then I saw you two tonight. If you want my advice, and of course it's just my advice."

"Sure."

"Take it easy, don't rush into marriage again, until you're ready. You've got some hard years ahead of you, and so has Jon and you'll need each other without all the complications."

Callie felt a twinge of sadness, while she was happy that Carol was being so sound and accomodating she couldn't help think about the fact her parents, hadn't even cared enough to talk at this level with her, like she was now. She swept the sliced vegetables into the salad bowl with the blunt edge of the knife. "Yeah, we haven't really talked about that." The marriage was being dissolved thanks to some strings her father had pulled when they were apart. She could probably reverse it, and they could remain married but she wasn't sure that's what Jon wanted, or even if thats what she wanted.

Carol plucked the wine glasses out of the cabinet, "I need some wine." She took the wine out of the fridge, bumped it with her hip shut, and poured two glasses handing Callie one.

"Thanks." She took a long sip of the wine, longer than she intended.

"Everything ok dear?"

Carol had been honest with her, so maybe she could be honest with her. "I'm still just trying to make sense of everything in my head, my career change, my family...Jon."

Carol reached out and squeezed her hand. "You're doing just fine. I know you're parents haven't been as supportive as they should have been. And I'm sorry, that's really not fair to you. As for my son," Carol's eyes sparkled. "He loves you Callie, he won't hurt you again. As I said, he already did that once. He won't do it again, because you matter."

Her heart pounded against her ribs. "I know he does, and I feel the same way about him. He opened my eyes in so many ways, I'll never thank him enough." And that was the truth. She already knew that, but it made her a little buzzy to say it over and over again in her head like and she doubted it would ever get old.

Carol lifted her glass, "to a long healthy relationship...and maybe some grandchildren later?"

Callie burst out laughing but clinked the glass with hers, "we'll have to see what we can do about that in the future."

~

Jon sank into the armchair that he'd spent many a Sunday afternoon watching football with his father. He stretched his legs out and rested them on the edge of the coffee table.

"You know your mother hates that," John returned armed with two beers and a bag of Lays.

He grinned and took the beer his dad popped open for him. "She's in the other room. I'm sure she's grilling Callie for the details I haven't told her."

John Snr chuckled and sat down on the couch. "She's a lawyer, she'll be even worse than you were telling her information."

"Ah, Touche."

"You don't look good son, are you ok?"

Jon closed his eyes and rested the butt of the beer, low on his belly. "Yea, I'm ok Dad. Just tired, but we'll get there."

"And Doc?"

Jon groaned, "he's ok--Callie's got the court side of things under control. She's confident he'll get commununity service."

"Thank god. I would have personally smashed the man for stuffing up my son's career otherwise."

"You and me both. I was so close to losing her as well."

"Something else I could have slapped you for, but you had to learn that one on your own Jon."

Jon nodded, "I know. I just didn't realize how I felt until she was gone. I'm an idiot."

John tipped the beer to his mouth, "no objections there. You were enjoying the fruits of your fame. The important thing now is to keep her, we all need someone Jon and she' a great girl." He paused, "rockstar and a doctor huh? Couldn't think of two more harder lives to sync together."

Jon laughed, "I know. But I think that's what will make us work. We get it, we get we need the space but when we're together---it'll count and be, just wow." He smiled and took a pull of the beer.

"Like father, like son."

The two men continued chatting and caught up on football movements and his brothers activities. "Are you sure you're not over doing it Jon? Your voice is really awful."

Jon rubbed his throat and grimaced, "Yeah it's pretty raw. The break should do it good."

"I'll get your mom to give Callie her lemon and honey recipe, works wonders."

"Thanks Dad. I'm ok," his head screamed through the silence of the room. Jon was learning to deal with it, get on with it. He was starting to get everything he'd always wanted, he knew there'd be a sacrifice, just like Callie would have to go through with the mountains of study she would have. He could do this, they could do this.

John reached for a handful of chips. "You always were a good liar."

Jon smiled and sipped his beer. "So, you're just dying to do something with my hair aren't you?"

"You know me well son, what the hell have you done with it? You need a good conditioning pack for starters, and then a cut."

"Yes Dad." He felt like he was home, between his parents fussing over him and his girl hanging out with his mother which he'd hoped hadn't torn Callie to shreds, it was a good day. They all could take the minute they needed and then he could get on with it.