Indiscretion: Callie Douglas - Book Four

Chapter Nine

"How ever did I live with that man for three years?" I said in way of a greeting as Ethan answered the phone.

"Callie, hon? What are you talking about?"

"Sorry, is this a good time?"

"It is, actually. I'm just finishing up my reporting for the week. Now, what are you talking about?"

"Guess who showed up on my doorstep yesterday?"

"Michael?"

"Yes."

"But I thought he was in Cameroon."

"He was, but he got dengue fever. Twice. And since he didn't recover easily the second time around, they shipped him home early so that he didn't take the chance of getting it a third time. He looks like crap. He's lost a lot of weight, he has dark circles under his eyes, and his face is pinched looking. He's eating, which is a good thing, but he doesn't seem to have a lot of energy."

"Good. I hope he suffers."

"I don't want him to suffer. I just want him to go away."

"What did you do with him?"

"I let him stay the night. On the couch. Only, he didn't seem to hear the 'on the couch' part. He climbed into my bed twice last night. The first time I literally kicked him out of the bed. The second time I was so angry I just got up and came to work."

"What will you do?"

"Gabe said I could come and live with him. So I'm doing that, at least until Michael leaves again. I've talked to Blake, and he can't take Michael for another two weeks at least, or so he says."

"You don't believe Blake?"

"No. I don't. I think he and Michael have hatched up a plan to try to get Michael back into my bed again."

"Why would he do that?"

"That's a long story, and is one I don't know all the details to. Suffice it to say that Blake is very jealous and resentful of Gabe and would do anything to make sure Gabe ends up unhappy. Including making me unhappy in the process."

"Some friend."

"I know." I let out a bark of laughter. "With friends like him, who needs enemies?"

"How are you feeling with all this?"

"I'm furious. Do you know he texted me twelve times during my day today, mainly to ask me when I was coming home and to request different items from the grocery store? When I ignored my texts, he started calling the office. Addison took ten different calls from him."

"Did you ignore all your texts?"

"All except one. The first time he asked me when I would be home, I said I would get there after work was finished for the day."

"What will you say to him when you get there?"

"Gabe's going with me, so he might be able to keep me calm enough to talk rationally. I'm planning on telling him to stop calling and texting me and interrupting my sessions. I'll tell him that I'm moving out until he moves to Blake's, and I'll pack up enough clothes to last me a couple of weeks. Then I'll grab my computer, which he has already tried to get into today, my clothes, and my jewellery, and head off to Gabe's."

"That sounds like a good plan."

"I'll leave Michael a key to the place and tell him to clean up before he leaves and to let me know when he has moved to Blake's house. And I'll ask him to leave my key with Mrs. Bettle when he leaves the apartment."