room // malum au [in progress]

march 22nd, 2021

"officer jones it's a pleasure to see you!" joy chirped as she opened the front door. "what can i help you with?"

"i would like to talk to calum if that's okay." she said softly.

"of course you can. let me go see if he's awake. he went up to his room about an hour ago to put tucker down for a nap and he usually naps with him." joy replied. "you can wait in the living room."

officer jones followed joy into the living room before sitting down on the couch and waiting for her to come down with calum.

she ignored the muffled voices coming from upstairs while she sent a quick text to her fiancé about her whereabouts and their dinner plans for that night.

"who ya texting?" laila looked up from her phone to see a sleepy calum giving her a small smirk. she locked her phone and tucked it in her pocket.

"my fiancé."

"i didn't know you were engaged. you don't have a ring." calum stated sitting down on the lounge chair and pulling his feet up to his chest.

"that's because i proposed to her. not the other way around."

"what's her name? if you don't mind me asking." the twenty four year old asked.

"ryleigh. i think you two would get along nicely."

"maybe we can all go out for dinner one day." laila nodded.

"that sounds fun." she replied. "how are you feeling?"

"how am i feeling?"

"yeah with the trial coming up soon and everything."

calum shrugged, "i guess i'm okay. the lawyer bills are just piling up though. i think i need to start looking for a job."

"i actually was going to mention the bills." laila sighed. "have you ever thought of doing an interview?"

"an interview?"

"yeah just one primetime interview with maybe 60 minutes or another show like that would easily offer you enough money to cover all those bills and more. they'll pay good money to get one interview with you." laila explained. "of course if you aren't comfortable with that then that's fine but mention it to your lawyer next time he comes round."

"that may be a good idea." calum agreed. "i think i could do that."

"the interview will probably ask some invasive questions. are you sure you could handle that?"

calum hesitated for a split second before nodding. "yeah."

"how's the little one?"

"he's been really good. adjusted better and faster than i thought he would." calum yawned. "he's taking a nap right now. he gets tired really quick."

"and how have you adjusted?"

"how have i adjusted?" calum asked taken back a little bit by the question.

"well yeah. you were in that room for longer than tucker. by yourself for some of it. coming back into the world had to take a toll on you. being around all these people now."

"i guess yeah. i've been so used to it being just me and tucker that it's a bit overwhelming."

"are you talking about how you feel?" calum kept silent and just shook his head no. "can i suggest something to you?"

"i guess." calum mumbled.

"ryleigh is psychologist and if you ever want to sit down and talk about how you've been feeling i think she'd be more than willing to have a couple sessions with you."

"would she put me on medication?"

"only if she feels it to be absolutely necessary."

"she won't judge me?" calum asked quietly.

"not in the slightest. she is the least judgmental person i have ever met in my life."

"i'll think about it."

"if you aren't comfortable with it that's fine. then you just have to talk to someone else. perhaps someone close to you. maybe mali." laila suggested. "you just can't burying it all up. it's not good for you."

"mhm. yeah okay. i'll think about that too."

"you have my number so if you ever want to set up just a single hour session with ryleigh just send me a quick text and we'll make it happen." calum nodded and she sent him a small smile. "now to happier things. how's michael?"

"we kinda got into a fight."

"there goes my plan to move on to a happier conversation." laila huffed with a small chuckle "what happened?"

"i got into a fight with our friend luke about tucker a couple weeks back and the other day michael brought him to apologize but he didn't really want to and he started being a little bitch again and michael didn't stop him." calum muttered. "he didn't make a single move to defend me in any way. ashton was the one that stopped luke."

"and your upset that michael didn't do anything?"

"obviously!" calum retorted. "he's my boyfriend he's supposed to defend me when it comes to situations like that."

"well maybe you should talk to him about that." laila suggested. "tell him how you felt about him not defending you."

calum shrugged. "let me guess. you're just going to tell me to at least think about that as well?"

"you got me there." laila replied. "unfortunately i can't stay any longer. i could only make a quick stop. just shoot me a text about ryleigh whenever you determine what you want to do okay?"

"yeah yeah." calum teased before standing up to embrace the officer.

"i'll come back to visit you soon." she said pulling him into a hug. "tell tucker i said hi."

"i will." calum mumbled into her shoulder. "i don't think i'll ever be able to thank you enough for keeping him safe and getting me out."

"you can thank me by getting better." she whispered before pulling herself from calum's embrace and looking him in the eye. "just be happy and healthy. that's all i ask for."

"okay."

"you promise you'll do that for me?" she asked. calum nodded. "good. see you soon."

calum tried to fall back asleep after laila left. he really did.

calum had been quick to go back to his bed and cuddle with tucker who was still fast asleep. but instead he was kept up by the thoughts of the promise he just made. a promise he intended on keeping.