If Walls Could Talk

Prologue

January 2017, LA

"Hello?" Calum answers the phone as the same unknown number calls for the fifth time.

"Good afternoon, sir, I am trying to reach a Calum Hood." The voice is female and very professional sounding.

"This is him."

"My name is Sarah Howman, I work as a social worker with Child Services here in The greater LA area. There was an infant dropped off at a local hospital in Northern LA with a note stating the mother couldn't raise the child but knew you were the father and should have the opportunity to make your own decision and know that you have a daughter."

"Wait what?" He sits forward, eyebrows knitting together.

"To verify the mother's belief we would need you to come in and have a DNA test performed for both you and the child. The choice would then be yours, you could take her home and be her parent, or you could place her into the states custody where she would be sent to a foster home until we could find a suitable family to adopt her."

"I have a kid?" He almost scoffs.

"According to the letter left with the child. It has your name and contact info included."

"Um, okay... what— what hospital?" His hands are shaking slightly as he stands from the couch, heading towards his room to find some shoes.

"Valley Presbyterian."

"It will take me a bit to get there."

"That's alright, she is perfectly safe here. Go in the emergency entrance and ask the desk for Sarah Howmen."

"Um, okay." He nods, shakily finding his keys lost on his messy counter somewhere as the call is ended from the other end. Standing there for a long moment he contemplates if he should take someone with him, and if he is who it should be... Finally moving towards the garage as he pushes call on the right contact.

"Calum? Is Michael ignoring your again? He's playing video games probably. I'm not at his place right now." Crystal's voice fills his ear.

"No. I called you to ask you a favor."

"You sound panicked, Cal, what's going on?"

"Are you busy for the next few hours? I um, I got a call from child services that someone who had my contact info is claiming the baby they dropped at a hospital is mine. I have to go do a DNA test and decided what the fuck to do about it. I'm freaking out, and I really would like you to come with me. You are level headed and can think for me when I'm just losing it."

"Um, for all those reasons you just stated and because I'm not going to believe this until I see it. Please by all means pick me up."

"I'll be by your place in five." He sighs, putting the car in reverse and backing out of the driveway.

Calum can barely remember the drive from his home to Crystals to the hospital. The GPS guiding him the the hospital he has never been to.

By the time he is fully aware of his surroundings again he is seated in a small and sterile room, the words "we will bring her in and get the quick result tests" running through his head.

"Fuck, I kind of thought you were kidding..." Crystal whispers, grasping his hand tightly.

"I wish I had been." He mumbles, bile rising in his throat as his eyes stay trained on the door, waiting for it to reopen, for the baby in question to be brought into the room. Like a watched pot that never boils, the door seems to take forever to open again, his breath hitching as a small crib thing is pushed into the room.