Pivotal Moments.

Chapter 10

Duke had just got off his motorbike as he saw Callen run out of the house with his bag and bedroll, he had thrown it in the car and peeled away from the front of the house down the long driveway.

He had no idea what had happened, but his gut told him to follow the boy. Duke knew he would talk with Hetty later, but after today, he felt he needed to know where Callen was going.

He watched as the boy stopped at a bank of phone booths and made a call, then sank down looking totally dejected. It only took Duke a few moments to realize that Callen's shoulders were shaking and he was crying. Whatever had happened when the boy had returned home was apparently devastating to him.

He waited to see if Callen would get back in the car and drive on.

After about twenty minutes, a beat up pick up truck pulled up, a man and the young woman from earlier got out.

Callen stood up, his posture still screaming defeat as the young woman pulled him into her arms. The man placed a comforting hand on Callen's shoulders and said something. Callen nodded and handed him his bag.

Duke watched as Callen climbed into the pickup truck and drove off. He hopped on his motorcycle to make sure that he knew where Callen was going and made a mental note where the boy had left Hetty's car.

"Callen?" Kaylee asked as they pulled up outside her home.

Callen had fallen asleep, the exhaustion of the day wearing him out.

"I'm sorry Kaylee." He said, rubbing his eyes as he sat up.

She smiled, "It's ok, we're here."

"Where's here?" Callen asked.

"East Baseline street, San Bernardino. Got a house near the auto shop."

Callen looked; it was an ok house as houses went. Nothing fancy, but it was largish. There was a large looking man covered in tattoos standing at the gateway to the property, his arms were crossed and he glowered at the newcomer.

"Who's this?" He snapped.

"Calm down Draga, he's Dallas' boy." Andy Edwards said as he opened the door to let Callen out. "He's good, I did time with him."

"You're Callen?" Draga's face lit up. "I'm Draga, although outside of here I'm known as Dragon; scares people it does."

Callen smiled and took his bag from Andy as Kaylee took his hand, "Come on you gotta meet Mama."

"Who?" Callen's heart clenched at the word, a frown crossing his face.

"Dallas' mother, her name is Ginny; you'll love her." Kaylee walked into the house calling out, "Mama... he's here!"

A large woman with white hair and a smiling face came rushing out of the kitchen, "Callen? Is that you?" She cried happily. "My dear boy, let me look at you. I've been waiting for so long for you to come."

Callen looked gobsmacked and stepped back as she walked towards him.

Ginny stopped and looked at the young man before her, "I'm sorry son; I'm just so excited about you being here."

"That's ok Ma'am, I didn't mean to be rude, I'm sorry... I'll go if you want." He had already messed up, and he'd only been there a few minutes.

Ginny shook her head, "Don't be silly," She gathered him into her arms. "You need to know the love of a real family son; Dallas told me all about you and I'm so pleased you've decided to come. Now come on inside, let me show you your home."

Home. Callen liked the sound of that, he had always been invited to see the house of people he stayed with, usually with the words 'this is where you sleep, this is our house and you will obey these rules.' Even Hetty had said 'welcome to my home.' Never had anyone told him it was his home. He blinked rapidly as a lump formed in his throat. He hoped nothing went wrong; he had never felt so welcome anywhere in his life.

Ginny took him into a homely looking house, it had a large couch and a big rug with a large old dog asleep in front of an empty fire grate.

"Your room is down here, I've had it ready since Dallas wrote to me just in case." She smiled.

She opened the door, and instead of a sterile generic room, he was greeted with a light blue airy room, with a patchwork comforter on the bed with his initial in the middle.

Ginny grinned, "I hope you like it; I made it when Dallas told me about you."

"You..." Callen put his bag down and ran his hand over the comforter. "You made this? For me?"

"All my children have one," She admitted. "I like to make things."

Callen gave her a sad smile, "Thank you Ma'am, no one has ever done anything like this for me."

Ginny shook her head, "Well, they should have done, and quit calling me Ma'am; I am not royalty you know. You can call me Ginny or Mom."

More than anything, he wanted to be a part of this family; they had welcomed him in ways no-one ever had before, so he wanted to say 'Mom' but he stepped back, and with a fake nervous smile just replied, "Thanks Ginny, it's great."

Ginny smiled and told him, "You unpack and settle in, I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."

Callen sat on the bed, and looked around at the room. He was still in awe that these people, who were not looking after him for money, and had opened their home to him.

He jumped with a start as the door knocked. "Come in?" he called and smiled as Andy entered, "Hey, how you settling in?"

"Good... I think." Callen was still feeling overwhelmed. "Just not sure what to do now. I mean, Hetty... she..." Callen shook his head, still unwilling to tell his friend how Hetty had hurt him, how he had let himself believe she was different to all the others in his life.

"I got a proposition for ya." Andy told him. "I got a friend at the auto shop a block down, who wants to take on someone, Dallas said you're good with machines, are you interested?"

Callen nodded, "Sure."

"When you're ready, I'll take you down to meet Dutch."

"Dutch?" Callen asked.

"Runs the auto shop, Draga runs the bar next door." Andy informed him. "We are all employed by family around here."

"What do you do?" Callen asked as he sat up, slightly bouncing on the bed.

"I work with Draga. Keep things running till Dallas gets back. He'll be pleased to hear you've joined us." Andy said, and Callen felt a warm feeling inside.

He had been with them a month before he saw Hetty.

He stood up from under the hood of an old ford truck that he had just changed the transmission on, as the bell rang to let him know a customer had pulled up out front.

Wiping the oil from his face as he walked out of the auto shop, he did not immediately realize it was her.

"Can I help...?" He stopped as the oily rag moved from his face and he saw her. "Hetty." He said his voice flat.

"Mr. Callen, I was hoping to have a word with you." She said, standing next to her car, he noted it was the one he had run away in, and was pleased she had got it back.

"Is there a problem with the car?" He asked.

"No." She admitted.

"Then we have nothing to talk about. I didn't take anything that wasn't mine when I left." He reached into his back pocket and took out his pay for that week. "This should cover what I used," He handed her a fifty. "If it's more let me know; I will mail you the rest." He turned to walk back into the garage.

"Mr. Callen please?" Hetty asked.

Callen balled his hands into fists. "No. You lied to me, you refused to tell me you knew my mother, you won't tell me what my name is and you've been playing me since I was a child. I'm not a toy. You have the answers I've been looking for and you won't tell me. Well, let me tell you lady, I will find out who I am even without your help. I have a family that cares about me now, I have a job and a life. I will not be played by anyone ever again!"

He walked off, leaving Hetty looking after him sadly.

"Oh Bugger." she sighed; she had lost him.