Beyond the Cameras

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

After half a day at school I couldn't take it anymore. I texted Cal to get a different ride home and got out just before lunch.

I barely pulled into the driveway before I was whipping out my phone and calling my parents.

"Hi Rory. Look I'm in the middle of a meeting so I can't talk right now, but I'll call you back later," my dad rushed to get out.

"Are Callan and I twins," I spat out, pacing the living room floor.

The other line of the phone went silent since I'm sure I took my dad by surprise.

"Dad, are Callan and I twins," I repeated, growing more irritated by the second.

"Sweetheart, I really can't talk right now, but I'll call you back when I'm done-"

"Oh no, we're talking now or so help me I will tell every papparazzi van that sits outside Aunt Caroline's house," I growled.

"Rory, I don't appreciate this tone you're using with me. I understand you're upset that we didn't tell you, but that gives you no reason to have an attitude with me. You can either simmer down or we'll talk when

"You're right," I sighed, "I'm just really upset. You don't tell me after almost eighteen years and the only reason I find out is because Cal accidently spilled the beans. Dad...I thought you and Mom were better than that."

He sighed and I heard crackling on his end that only meant he was probably stepping out of the room of his meeting.

"We wanted to tell you. For years, actually, but every time we felt like you were ready, your mom and I would make up some excuse as to why we weren't. I'm sorry. I truly am."

"I just want to know why. Why did you give him away?"

"I know you probably have more questions than that, but I would really like to wait until I'm with your mother to answer them. I'll call you back this evening once I'm finished with work and your mom is by my side," he responded.

"Okay Dad. I can deal with that."

"I love you, Rory. Don't forget that."

"I love you too Dad," I smile, even though I know he can't see me.

We both hang up the phone and I know what my next job is.

Win back Noland Milton.

****

With a firm plan on how to get Nol back and a scheduled phone call from my parents, I started to feel better about the control I had over my life and my future. Now, I hadn't conquered every obstacle in one day, but it was a start and I felt pretty proud of myself.

I told Cal and Aunt Carol about the phone call and invited them to sit in on it. Aunt Carol gave me a sad smile and nodded while Cal looked just as anxious and nervous about it as me.

Dad called nearly right on schedule, but instead of a voice call, it was a video chat. I shakily slide my phone over the screen to answer the call and held the camera up so we could all be in it. Mom and Dad were both there, sitting on a sofa in some place I didn't recognize.

"Rory, Callan. It's so great to see you two beside each other. You two looked so alike as children, but it seems you've outgrown that," my mom smiled, acting as if nothing in the world was wrong.

"Mom, please," I sighed, "Enough with the small talk."

"Well...where do you want us to start," Dad asked, scratching his balding head.

"From the beginning," Cal answered.

"The beginning, well...I guess that would be when you too were born. We were completely shocked when we found out that another baby was to come out after Rory. For some reason, the machines hadn't picked up on two heart beats or even shown two fetuses. We were completely blind sided. At first, we were surprised and freaked out for a while. I mean we were new parents taking on two babies at once and we were scared."

"That didn't last for long," my mom interrupted, taking over the story. "We were thrilled to be getting two babies, especially me since it was two for the price of one. But because the doctor hadn't prepared for two babies, he was in a bit of a rush to prep for Callan. Without getting into too many specifics, there were complications and they expected Callan to have a moderate amount of brain damage, if not an intellectual disability. We were already so stressed and tired from the day that this completely threw us overboard. Between my career in the spotlight and your father's career in the hotel business, we weren't sure if we could take care of a child who needed so much care."

By this point, Mom had tears streaming down her face, Cal had his head in his hands, and I was awestruck.

"Carol, can you please take over from here," my dad asked, putting a hand on my mom's back.

She nodded and continued with the story.

"My husband Trip and I had been trying for years to have a child. After many doctors appointments and treatments, the conclusion was it just wasn't possible. So when I was at the hospital when you two were being born, I talked with Julie and Stephan," she pointed at the screen to my parents, "and after much deliberation, we agreed it would be best if Trip and I took Callan as our own child."

"So you gave me up just like that," Cal spoke up, lifting his head from his handed.

"No. Absolutely not. There were a few reasons, but one of the main ones was for your safety. If you really were going to have a mental disability, we didn't want to bring you into the life that we were living. They would have torn you apart in a heart beat and we didn't want that for you. And we just weren't sure if we could give you the proper love and care that a child in those conditions would need."

"But I'm fine. I'm physically or mentally inept."

"I know," my mother smiled, "and for that we are so happy. The doctor told us there was a smile chance that you would grow up to be a normal child, but the percentage was small. We didn't want to chance it, but we loved you the whole time."

"Excuse me," Cal muttered, standing up from the sofa to hide away in his room.

"Should I go talk to him," I asked Aunt Carol.

"Give him a little time to think this over. He'll talk when he's ready."

I nodded, adjusting on the couch to get more comfortable.

"So is that it," I asked, not sure where to go from here.

"We love you and your brother very much. You know that right."

"Yes," I sadly smiled, "I love you too."

"We'll see you in a few weeks."

I told them goodbye and then talked with Aunt Carol for a bit. I wasn't quite grasping the enormity of the situation, but for now, it was nice to just talk.

I thought about telling the girls, just to have other people's point of view, but I wasn't I was ready. I would tell them at some point the time just wasn't now. And there was no way I could tell Nol. He hated me for a reason that wasn't even true.

I could handle this. At least for Cal's sake.

****

This chapter is a little shorter, but I have nearly finished the four after this so they'll be coming.

xx