A Summer Thing

41 - Callie

It was hard to tell if the children knew there was something wrong. It surprised Sam they didn't sleep in the car. When he stopped at McDonald's, they were excited. I told him I couldn't eat, but he bought me a chicken sandwich. I hadn't had fast food since high school.

I wasn't sure if my mother meant for us to go to the house or our apartment. I chose the apartment, because it was my home and it felt safe. Not much had changed. My room was ready, as if she had been waiting for me to visit. I felt sad, but then instantly glad she found Jim.

The grizzly had been amazing. Even Sam was too emotional. Nagging at the back of my mind was his wife's visit. Sam, I noticed kept looking at his phone.

We settled the children in front of a movie. I couldn't sit, so I went to poke around my room. Sam came in and approached me. He must have seen the hurt in my eyes, because he stopped.

"Why was she there?"

"I don't know. Occasionally, she remembers she's a mother."

"And a wife." My voice was sharp.

"No, she doesn't care about me. She was putting on airs for you. Not you specifically, but for anyone. She had no clue about us."

"What about us? You slept with her!"

Sam laughed. My heart was breaking, and he just laughed. "No, I didn't. I slept in my office. She slept on our dirty sheets." He smiled, as if the last thought was funny to him. His face turned serious. "Did you really think? I don't even like her. If it weren't for the kids, I'd never see her again. You're the only one I want to share my bed with and occasionally Clara or Ian."

I felt my heart heal from the gouge it had that morning. With the healing came the tears, I couldn't even identify all the reasons for suddenly turning into a blubbering fool, but the top two reasons were I was in love with him and I was anxious about Parker.

He held me and let me have my cry. Eventually, he wiped my eyes and kissed me tenderly. I wanted to tell him I loved him, but held back.

The afternoon wore on and eventually we received a call. It took some time for the news to sink in.

Sam spoke first. "I can't believe she sent him to harm you and possibly her own children. I warned her. My lawyer will hear about this."

We put the kids back in the car and drove to The Point. This time they both slept, and it took us longer to move through Portland at five in the afternoon.

I stayed with Sam and in the morning The New York detective reached me on Sam's phone.

"The arrest in Maine made the national news outlets. Our phones have been ringing with women who claim to be victims. His M.O. is to drug them and bring them home. However, we had a few other complaints of abuse. Even if half of the complaints stick, he's going away for a long time."

I felt sick, because I was certain he drugged me the first night, but I stayed only to be called a whore for his crime. I was foolish but glad I helped stop him from hurting anyone else.

I explained the call to Sam. "I can go back to New York, but I'm not sure I have my job or a place to live. Maybe, my friend, Delaney would put me up."

Sam looked at me like I was insulting him. "Cal, why would you want to live any place other than with us. Me?"

"You never mentioned us past the summer." I defended myself.

"I thought you were stuck here. I was trying to work it out that we could stay longer or at least come for weekends. I don't want to lose you. I can't. I love you too much."

My heart bounced off my diaphragm and when I found my voice, I gasped, "You love me?"

"Yes!"

I smiled. "Oh, thank God! I've been in love with you for weeks!"

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