Brallie Metropolis AU | In This Together

Chapter 43 | Phone Calls

Ever since Mike came to New York to see Brandon and Callie, Mike and Brandon have had weekly phone call. It was a Friday, several weeks after Mariana left for Stanford, at about 9:00 pm. The lights of the city was glowing and mesmerizing. The conversation that Brandon and his father had that day was different than most.

Callie and Brandon were in their bathroom brushing their teeth, washing their face, etc., getting ready to go to sleep.

"So I guess my dad's fostering," Brandon blurted as he spit foamy toothpaste into the sink. "Well technically not fostering anymore. He turned 18 a little bit ago, so now he's just living with him."

"Who's he?"

"His name's AJ."

"Your dad...fostering someone," Callie was processing. "How the hell did that happen?"

"I guess he arrested AJ for tagging some wall in park, I think that's what he said. Apparently, his brother aged out of the system a few years ago and AJ ran away from the foster home he was in to go live with him, but be died in a car accident ."

"Wow. He has no other family?"

"He had a grandma, but she died too. She was old. AJ needed somewhere to go and my dad said he's a good kid with no record-"

"Other than vandalism," She interrupted. "I can't believe your dad's fostering a crook."

"We fostered a crook." Brandon's joke caused Callie to give him a playful scowl. "And I wouldn't call him a crook, it was his first offense and he wasn't drawing gang signs or something. He was trying to leave a message for his brother before he knew he was dead."

"Wait, how long has this guy been staying with Mike?"

"A few days after my dad showed up in the hotel."

"How do you feel about that?" Callie questioned as they walked to their own sides of the bed and started to turn down the blankets. She was worried that maybe Brandon would feel threatened.

"What do you mean?"

"How do you feel about your dad taking someone in and not telling you about it until it was set in stone?" They both jumped into bed and rested their head on their hands so they could continue their conversation.

"I don't really have an opinion about it. I think it's probably better that he didn't tell me until now. If I would've said no, AJ would probably be homeless or something. I think I would feel differently if I was living in San Diego still and I would see AJ, you know?"

"Huh."

"I'll probably never even meet the guy anyway, so..."

"Unless we or you go to visit your dad and AJ's still living with him or if Mike ever comes come back, he could bring AJ with him."

"That will probably never happen."

"How long is AJ going be staying with him?"

"I don't know." Brandon said with a yawn. "Alright, I'm tired. I'm gonna go to sleep."

"Yeah, me too." Callie placed a peck on Brandon's lips.

"Good night, love you." They said simultaneously before Brandon rolled over and turned off the lamp that was on his bedside table.

Saturday morning, Brandon got another call from his father. He was surprised when he saw his dad's face pop up on his cell phone's caller id. Brandon quickly answered the phone in the middle of eating lunch with Callie; sandwiches were the main dish.

Callie could only hear bits and pieces of the conversation. She wasn't eavesdropping, she just happened to understand snippets of the muffled words that were coming from all over as Brandon walked nervously around the apartment.

"Well, you were right." Brandon declared as he put his cell phone down and returned to his seat at the table.

"Cool," Callie laughed. "What am I right about?"

"My dad and AJ. They're coming here."

"Both of them?"

"Mhm mhm," he hummed to confirm.

"Why?"

"For a visit, their coming in two weeks. I think my dad wants me to meet him, but he wouldn't say it. I think he might want to adopt him. Even though he's 18 and doesn't really need to be."

"But you need parents your whole life, Brandon. Wait, he said that he wanted to adopt AJ?"

"Not in those words-"

"Not in those words?" Callie interrupted. "Okay, then stop reading into it. Don't freak out just yet."

"I'm not freaking out." He was defensive.

"Okay. Are you nervous?"

"About what?"

"Meeting AJ."

"No."

"Okay," Callie was not convinced. She doesn't think nervous is the word for Brandon's emotions.

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A/N- Okay, I know this one is super short, but bare with me please! In the next chapter, AJ and Mike will come! Are you happy to see this character incorporated in the alternate universe? In the next coming chapters, Callie and Brandon will receive some iffy news! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for reading! XOXO