Chapter 27

 

When they got to the airport, Liam pulled his car into to a set down zone, before both he and Callum climbed out. Callum had sat in the back with Macy, making sure she was safe, as Liam zoomed through the mid-morning traffic, complete with sirens and flashing lights.

“You can’t park there, buddy,” a security guard said, but before he could continue, Liam pulled out his badge.

“This is police business,” Liam lied, his face completely straight. “Can you keep an eye on it for me?”

“No problem, buddy,” the security guard replied, giving Liam a nod, like an unspoken respect between the two. Callum had to try his hardest not to laugh.

“Should I be worried about how natural you are at lying?” Callum asked once they were out of earshot of the guard. “Like, do you lie like that often?”

“Come on, I would never lie to you like that,” Liam said, giving Callum a solemn look as they made their way to the departure area. “You know that. I would never lie to family.”

“Really?” Callum asked, giving him a questioning look.

“Seriously, Dude,” Liam laughed as he checked the screens for the flight number Erin had given them. “If you believe that, you’ll believe anything.”

“Asshole!” Callum groaned, slapping him on the head.

“Daddy, where’s Georgie?” Macy asked, her little eyes darting everywhere, looking for a glimpse of Georgie. She was still holding Puddles so tightly; it made Callum’s heart ache. He needed to find her for Macy as much as for himself.

“We’re going to find her, Sweetie,” Callum assured her, as he and Liam hurried towards the security check-in.

“Boarding passes, Sir,” a security officer said, stopping them before they could pass through. Callum looked at Liam, knowing that they were probably screwed. But Liam didn’t miss a beat.

“SFPD,” Liam said holding up his badge and continued to lie once more. “We are here on police business. We need to stop someone from boarding a plane. They’re a material witness in a murder case.”

“I can’t just let you just walk in there,” the guard said, and instantly Callum’s heart sank. “C’mon, Dude, there are rules.”

“Well then, you can get my captain on the phone if you want,” Liam reasoned, his face completely unreadable as he pulled out his phone. “But if that girl boards that plane, then it’s on you. I’m not taking the fallout on this one. And if it comes to it, and they are looking for someone to blame, I won’t be losing my job.”

The guy looked at Liam for a moment, and Callum could see he was considering his options. He held his breath hoping that Liam’s bluff would work.

“Detective Liam Murphy,” A woman’s voice said suddenly from behind Callum and Liam. “Well, well, well.”

“Caitlin Coleman!” Liam said with a grin, as he turned and smiled at the attractive lady security officer. “Long time no see.”

“Yes, it has been,” she said with a grin that said she wanted to more than to just see Liam. Callum rolled his eyes. They didn’t have time for this. “So, what can I do for you, Liam?”

“We have a girl boarding a plane in…”Liam looked at his watch. “Well, any minute now actually. We need to get to her before she does that.”

“Let him through,” she said turning to the other officer. And Callum realised, that whoever Caitlin was, she was clearly in charge. For once, he thanked God that Liam was the man whore he was.

Liam gave her a killer smile before he nodded at Callum.

“Whoa, wait!” the first officer said, stopping Callum from passing. “She said him.”

“He’s with me,” Liam said, turning back to Caitlin, giving her a pleading look.

“And the kid?” Caitlin asked, giving Liam a knowing grin.

“She’s a rookie,” Liam replied with a laugh. “I know, they’re getting younger and younger these days, but what can you do.”

“Liam!” She sighed, but still, she couldn’t help but smile.

“Caits, please,” Liam said, giving her a pleading look. She stared at him for a moment, before she blew out a long breath, then nodded towards the other officer, telling him to let them through.

“I owe you,” Liam said, kissing her on the cheek. “Big time.”

“I do too,” Callum added, kissing her on the other cheek, before they hurried past the security gate, and straight to the departure gate.

“It’s the gate at the far end!” Liam exclaimed as they both began to run, As Macy squealed with delight.

“How do you know her,” Callum asked as they made their way through the crowd.

“Believe me, you don’t want to know,” Liam chuckled, giving Callum a knowing grin, and Callum just shook his head and laughed too.

He figured right now, he had more important things to be worrying about. He had practiced what he was going to say to Georgie in his head, so many times, but now that he was about to see her, his mind was completely blank.

What if she didn’t want him? What if she said no? What if she still got on the plane?”

Suddenly, Liam stopped as Callum crashed into the back of him.

“What?” Callum asked, giving Liam a questioning look. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry, Cal,” Liam said, turning to look at his brother. “But we’re too late.”

“What? No!” Callum sighed, as his heart sank into the pit of his stomach. He looked past Liam, and saw the door for the gate was closed.

He walked to the floor-length window, staring out helplessly as the Green and white plane outside pushed back from the gate, then headed for the runway. He held his breath as he watched it lift off into the mid-morning sun a few minutes later, knowing that his heart was breaking, and this time he would never recover.

“Daddy, where’s Georgie?” Macy asked, still searching for her everywhere.

“She’s gone, Baby,” Callum sighed, knowing once more, he had let the love of his life walk away.

“Do you want me to come in with you?” Liam asked, as he stopped the car outside Callum’s apartment building, then turned to look at his brother.

“I think I would just like to be alone with Macy for a while,” Callum sighed without looking at his brother. “But for what it’s worth, thank you for what you did for us today.”

“Callum,” Liam sighed, as Callum finally looked at him. “You could always go after her. I mean, why not. You can’t give up now.”

“She left, Liam,” Callum said, the words almost choking him. “She didn’t love me enough to stay. I guess I hurt her more than I realised.”

“And what if she is waiting for you to come find her?” Liam asked, dropping his eyes down to a sleeping Macy next to Callum. “Are you going to miss that chance again?”

“I don’t know if she wants me to find her,” Callum replied honestly. “I don’t know if I have blown it with her. I hurt her, maybe she can’t get past that.”

“But maybe you should still go and find out,” Liam said with a smile. “At least you would know, instead of always wondering.”

“Maybe,” Callum sighed, once more before he turned to Macy and undid her seatbelt. “I’ll call you later.”

“Okay,” Liam replied, giving Callum another smile. “You know where to find me if you need me.”

“Thanks, Liam,” Callum said, giving his brother a grateful smile.

“Anytime,” Liam replied.

“Come on, Sweetie,” Callum said turning to Macy once more, scooping her up into his arms. “We’re home.”

“I want Georgie,” She moaned, still half asleep, before she rested her head back down on Callum’s shoulder.

“I know, Baby,” Callum said, as he pushed open the car door and climbed out.

Making his way into the apartment building, he held Macy close to him, and she hugged his neck tightly. He had no clue what he should do now. He wondered if Liam was right. Maybe he should follow her to Ireland. Do the one thing he should have done with Carolynn. This was his do-over; his chance to get it right this time. He just needed to be brave enough.

“Callum,” a voice said suddenly from behind him, stopping him in his tracks.

Callum turned slowly, instantly recognising the voice.

“Camilla,” Callum hissed, as he turned to face the last person in the world he wanted to see. “What the hell are you doing here? Haven’t you caused enough trouble?”

“I came to say I was sorry,” she said, giving him a look that said she meant it. But it was too little, too late.

“Yeah, well,” Callum replied as he took a couple of steps back towards her. “I’m not interested, so you can turn around and go.”

“Callum, I don’t want you to hate me,” she whispered, as tears danced in her eyes. “I was hurt. But I shouldn’t have done what I did.”

“Don’t you get it? I don’t hate you,” Callum replied with a laugh. “I pity you. I pity you because your life is empty and meaningless. You’re too cold and cruel ever to find real happiness. But I was happy. I was happy with Georgie. She was everything that you could never be. And I’m happy with my daughter because she loves me for who I am, not what my bank balance is. And I swear to God, I’ll make sure she grows up to be a kind, loving, happy person. She will be everything that you’re not. Now get the hell out, and never come back here again. We are done.”

“Cal,” she cried, but her tears meant nothing to Callum.

Suddenly, Macy lifted her head from Callum’s shoulder, looking at Camilla, as a frown filled her little face.

“You’re a mean old lady,” she said, telling Camilla exactly what she thought of her.

Callum smiled, knowing there was nothing left to say. He turned and stepped into the elevator.

“Are you okay, Sweetie,” Callum asked Macy as the doors closed.

“Yeah, Daddy,” she smiled, then kissed him on the cheek. “I’m grand.”

Callum smiled at her words, as his mind instantly thought about Georgie. He hadn’t realised just how big a part of their lives she had become until she was gone. She had been the glue that held him and Macy together. She had given Macy back her joy and helped him find his for the first time in his life. She was everything to him.

He knew then that Liam was right. He needed to go find her, no matter where she was in the world. He needed to show her that he loved her.

He thought of Carolynn, and the letter she left for him.

She said she wanted him to teach Macy about love, and how to be happy. Well, he was sure that she would approve of him and Georgie. She would want someone like Georgie in Macy’s life because she made her happy. She made them both happy.

“I love you, Macy,” Callum said, smiling down at his daughter.

“Love you, Daddy,” Macy replied, smiling up into his face.

“What do you think?” He asked, giving the little girl a bright smile. “Should we go on a plane too? Go and bring Georgie home?”

“YES!” She squealed excitedly. “I want to go get Georgie.”

The elevator came to a stop, and Callum knew what he needed to do. He would make a couple of calls, then he and Macy would get on a plane, and bring Georgie back to where she belonged.

Finally, the doors of the elevator slid open. Callum stepped off but stopped dead in his tracks, and held his breath. Standing in front of him, was his future. Instantly he smiled.

“GEORGIE!” Macy squealed, almost jumping down from Callum’s arms, rushing to Georgie. Without even thinking, Georgie scooped her up in her arms and hugged her tightly.

Finally, her eyes meet Callum’s once more.

“Callum,” Georgie said, giving him a nervous smile, as tears danced in her eyes.

“I thought you had…” Callum said, still stunned to see her standing there in front of him. “Erin said you were going home.”

“I was. I mean, I thought I could leave,” Georgie replied as the tears spilled down her face. “I thought that if I went home, I would be okay. That this pain in my hea…heart would stop. But as I sat there, waiting for them to call us to board, I knew I couldn’t go home, because I was already home.”

“What are you saying?” Callum asked, needing to hear the words.

“I’m saying that this is my home,” Georgie replied. “This is my family. This is where I belong.”

“Well, it’s about time,” Callum said with a huge smile, quickly closing the distance between them before he claimed her mouth with his.

“Ewww,” Macy giggled, as Callum laughed, then kissed her on the cheek, before he looked at Georgie once more.

“I love you, Georgie Taylor,” Callum said, holding the two most important people in his arms. “I promise I will love you for the rest of my life.”

“Forever?” Georgie asked, giving him a beautiful smile.

“And always,” Callum replied before he kissed her once more.

 

 

 

 

 

The End