Forlot - Books 7-9

Chapter Forty-Two

I was shocked. And then smiled. I thought about when Cindy had mentioned Cal and recalled when she stayed behind. She must have rescued him from Ava's clutches.

I went up to Caleb and placed a hand on his shoulder. His pure eyes were wide, and he was sweating all over.

"W-who is that?" Caleb stammered, referring to Cal.

"That is Cal," Jenny replied.

"W-why does he look like me? A smaller version of me?" He raised his voice. "Why does he have the first three letters that I have?!"

Jane scrambled up to him and took his hand into hers. She gently patted the top of it.

"Calm down," she instructed him. "Just relax. There is a good reason for all of those things."

"Yep," I agreed. "Do you remember when Cindy did not come with us? When she stayed behind and said that she had a surprise for you?"

"Yes..." He lifted up a trembling hand and adjusted his glasses. "...why?"

"Well...Cal is the surprise."

"He is?!" His teeth chattered. "W-what a t-twist."

Jenny smirked. "That is not all. There is more."

"Oh, great!"

I could not help but chuckle. "You will love what we tell you next. Who Cal really is."

"Who else could he be? A lost relative of mine?"

"Eh. In a way."

"...I was being sarcastic at that last part."

Sue got up behind Cal and placed her hands on his back. He gently pushed him up so that he was closer to Caleb. "Caleb, meet Cal. Cal, meet Caleb. Father and son." She stepped away.

"Father...and son?" Caleb stared at the boy, not realizing yet that he was his son. "Wait. This young boy...is my father?"

Jenny slapped her hand against her forehead. "No, no, no!" She took slow, deep breaths, not wanting to throw out her anger and frustration at him because of his disorders. "He is your son, Caleb. You are the father. His father."

Hey, I have a disorder. Jenny-titis.

I noticed Caleb's face grow pale. Paler and paler. His legs quivered, and he blinked a few times.

"Is that not fantastic?" Billy said.

"You are going to be a great dad," Jim encouraged.

Caleb did not say anything and kept his eyes locked on Cal.

"Hello, stranger," Cal greeted to him. "Are you my daddy? If so, where is my mommy? The bad lady told me that she was in this building."

He did not answer his kid's question, and I shook him a little.

"Caleb? Are you feeling okay?"

"...no."

"What is the matter? Are you about to have a panic attack? 'Cause we can take you outside and—"

"No." He jerked away from me and strolled up to one of the walls. He stood in front of it for a few seconds - before punching his fist in the wall, creating a huge hole.

Ash gasped. So did the leaders and me and my gang. Cal just stayed where he was and looked confused.

"Why did my supposed daddy punch a hole in the wall? Is it because he has problems? Like a mental illness? 'Cause that is how my mommy told me that he died. From a mental illness."

Caleb spun around with his eyebrows narrowed. I had never seen him mad before.

"Why the crub do I have a son? I did not sleep with nobody!"

"Whoa there, Caleb," Libby said, holding up both of her hands. "That was a dirty adult joke."

"I do not care!" Tears swelled up in his eyes and leaked out. "Why the crub do I have a son? Do you even know? Tell me!"

"Cindy admitted to us," Jim informed him.

"W-what? Why...why would Cindy, my girlfriend, think that I have a son? I was never in a relationship until she came along!"

"We know," Billy responded with sadness in his voice. "It is...hard to explain. Actually, no. Not hard to explain. Hard to believe."

"How?" He pointed at Cal. "How did he come into existence?!"

Before anyone could say something, Cal blurted out a bombshell.

"Are you married to my mommy? My mommy's name is Ava. I share the last name as her. Campbell!"

I facepalmed. "Cal..."

That put Caleb over the edge.

"Your mother? Your mother is Ava? Ava Campbell?"

"Yeah. She is the best mommy ever!"

"No!" He ran up to Cal and gripped his wrist. "She is not a good mother. She is awful. A nightmare!" He glared at us. "And for the record, I did not sleep with her. She hates me, and I hate her."

"Caleb!" Libby snapped. "That is dirty!"

"Ooh!" Billy reached into his pocket and pulled out a clump of his dirt. "Who wants some?"

"Billy, that is not what I meant. Not even close."

"Oh." He put it away. "Why does no one value dirt like I do?"

Jenny crossed her arms. "You are a weirdo. That is why."

He hissed. "Am not!"

"I take that back. You are a weirdo snake."

"Guys," I said. "We have to reason with Caleb." I cleared my throat. "Caleb...Ava did something bad."

"Not surprising," Caleb commented. "She is a bad guy."

"Ava...she stole some of your DNA and combined that with hers to create..." I motioned to Cal. "...this kid. And he deserves a loving mother and father. He deserves you. Not Ava."

"You are perfect to be a parent for Cal," Ash jumped into the mix. "You are loving, kind, smart, funny, and so much more. That is what he needs."

A couple of tears streamed down each of his cheeks, and he sniffed. "No. He does not. He deserves that, but not from me."

Cal stood on his tiptoes and stared at his real dad. "I do not understand. What do you mean?"

"I...I do not want to be your father. I do not want to take care of you. You mean nothing to me."