Learning to Let Them In | Fourtris

Chapter 35

Tris' POV

Chapter 35

I feel tears streaming down my cheeks.

"Beatrice?!"

"Oh my God, is that you, Caleb?!"

"It's me! It's me! Oh my God, it's you!"

I can hear him crying on the other end of the receiver, something that is - was - no - is really rare for him.

"I-I don't understand..." I manage to get out.

"I know - I know you don't. I'll explain everything in a bit. But for now I just want to hear your voice. I never thought I'd hear it again," he replies, choked up.

"You thought you'd never hear my voice again?! What about me?! What do you think I thought?!" I nearly yell, feeling a bit of anger rush in.

"I know, and I'm sorry-"

"Wait-how do I know this is really you and not some computer generated crap? Or someone that just sounds like you?" I say, already doubting this.

"Ask me a question that only the real Caleb would know. I promise I can prove it to you. I have papers, if that's what you want. I have all the documents and identity papers."

I pause for a moment. Now that the initial shock is partially over, more doubt is creeping into my veins. "How did you get my attention that day when I told you what Eric did to me?"

"I cursed," he says immediately.

I think of another. "What were the three clues you gave me in order to call you?"

"Astern. Three dashes. Dial."

I pause again, trying to think of another one.

"Beatrice, I swear it's me! Please believe me! I'll explain everything!"

"It can't be you," I whisper.

"It is me! I promise you!" He sounds like he's nearly in tears again. "I lost you for two years; please don't leave again!"

"It can't be you! I saw you! You were dead!" My voice cracks. "Your heart wasn't beating!"

"I can explain that, Beatrice! But first you have to believe me!"

"I spent the last two years believing - knowing that you were dead! I had dreams that my reality was a dream! Dreams where you, and Mom, and Dad were all alive! Then I would always wake up to find the same thing: it wasn't real! You were dead! You were never coming back! I finally started to move on, and then in a blink of an eye, somehow, I'm speaking to my brother again! Who is supposed to be dead!"

"I know! I'm sorry! Please believe me! I don't have a long time to explain, so please at least give me a chance to do it!" He's crying now.

I feel tears of my own streaming down my face as I think. Then eventually, I come to a conclusion.

"Okay. Go."

He sighs in relief. "I'll start from the beginning. That letter I wrote you - you read it, right?"

"Yes, of course I did," I reply while wiping my cheeks.

"Then you know I was writing that before we left for the aquarium on your 15th birthday. And you know I was going to leave under the protection of the Witness Protection Program."

"Yes," I sniffle out.

"I put the envelope with its contents under my desk in a secret drawer. I had no idea the wreck would happen. And it's true, you were right. I was dead. My heart did stop beating. But only for a little bit. Little do you know I saw you right before they sedated you. We both went to the same hospital, but I went to an extremely private ward. I healed up as much as I could in four days, then the WPP told me that the wreck was not an accident."