Moving On

Twenty-one

Twenty-one / Calum

It's a good thing we just finished our last show on this tour when Sandra called.

I had to be extra careful when I answered my phone, to avoid Luke from knowing it was her. I think Sandra's okay without Luke in the picture. Maybe it's best if it stays that way.

"Hey," I greeted her as soon as I pressed answer.

"When are you coming home?" Well that escalated quickly. Something might be really wrong if Sandra's looking for me.

"Two days from now," I replied. "We just finished our last show and we won't be on the road for another three months, I guess."

I hear her mumbling on the other line, and I was just about to ask her to repeat what she just said when I realize that she was talking to someone else.

After a few seconds, she returned. "I need you and Liz as soon as possible."

I went deeper backstage to set space between me and the boys. They're starting to be really noisy and Luke can almost overhear us. "What are you talking about?" I ask her.

But I knew the answer to that.

There could only be one possible reason why Sandra wanted to see me and Liz of all people. This was about Carly. She knew we were on our toes gathering evidence that Luke wasn't really Dev's father. We never came close to finding out who really was the father.

"You know what I'm talking about," she said. "Carly."

"What about Carly?" I was whispering now.

I could hear the guys and some other people talking in the other room. I assumed they were getting ready for the after-show celebrations. We do this every after last show of a tour. They'll come looking for me soon; I need to end this conversation.

"I need your help finding Dev's real father."

"Liz and I were just about to give up because we've hit a lot of brick walls trying to solve that mystery," I say. "Why are you suddenly interested?"

She completely ignored what I just said. "Look, when you get back, I'll be on term break. Just hit me a text when you're already in Ohio and let's see each other. I've already called Liz. I also got another person to help."

Another person?

This is a really sensitive and complicated mystery, and yet she's asked someone else to help her? Well, whoever that is, I just hope they're trustworthy.

"Okay," I say. "I really need to go now. They're looking for me."

"I need you, Cal," she says out of nowhere. "Don't let me down."

"When have I?"

~*~

In a car drive on our way to our old houses in Columbus, I can't help but think of Sandra's surprise phone call two days ago.

She sounded so serious and determined, it scared me. I thought she was really over the whole game, but of course, she's not. That's Sandra for you. She'll keep on saying that something's okay when it's just the complete opposite. I still love her despite that annoying trait of hers, or maybe I just learned to accept that girls are just naturally complicated to understand so might as well go which every way they flow.

"What are you thinking 'bout, Cal," said Luke. It wasn't really a question even though his sentence started with a what. It was more of a command, like he already knows the answer to his question.

I looked at him-he was seated just right beside me-but his eyes were close and he had earphones one. There was no way he could've seen me looking so deep in thought to ask what I'm thinking.