Chapter 13 - Declan
By pure miracle, I was able to get a meeting with my previous contractors. The miracle was an intern’s cluelessness as to who I was. He was able to transfer me to the CEO of the company I used to work for, Mr. Miyamoto. Though he seemed dismissive at first, I was able to tell him about some new designs I had spent all of the day working on.
“Mr. Grew, I think you’ll understand why I’m unable to accept any work that came from your hands.”
Hearing those words almost had me spiraling towards a depression, but I asked the CEO to at least look at the designs. It took some persuasion but I was able to convince him to give me his email address. Once he saw what I had been working on, he put me on hold for half an hour. At that point I felt as though I was just being hung out to dry, but just as I was going to hang up and call again, the CEO chimes back in asking me if I was available to Skype chat with my lawyer present sometime this week.
“My lawyer”, I asked.
“The nature of your expulsion from our company calls for changes to the terms of your employment, should we choose to bring you back on board. We believe you should have a lawyer present to help negotiate reasonable conditions for your return. Forgive my brashness, but to put it frankly, we don’t want to get screwed again just as much as you don’t want to get screwed.”
“Sounds fair to me. How’s Sunday sound?”
“You’ll be notified by email on when our schedule is open. Thank you for contacting us again, Mr. Grew, we look forward to seeing you once more.”
With that, I’m back in. I can say goodbye to sleeping in and going days without seeing the sun. All it took was one phone call and some rushed blueprints. I should call--
I don’t have anybody to call. My list of friends was depleted to zero after I decided to shut myself out from the world, and Callie chose to betray me just like her stepsister. I don’t have anybody to celebrate with. One warning my father gave me before passing away was about the dangers of being rich and alone. Limitless funds can drive someone off the deep end if they don’t have someone to tell them when they’re being too irrational and irresponsible with their money. I need someone like that in my life. Maybe not even a significant other, just a friend.
A friend who won’t screw me over or abandon me once I’ve lost my money or status, should that happen again.
Beating myself up isn’t going to help. I should be celebrating. I’ll go down to a nearby bar and find a stranger to drink with me to commemorate my return to the limelight. It may not be the best way to make friends, but people don’t usually say no to free drinks.
I take a quick shower to rinse off the horrible stench I’ve been sitting in for the past few days, locked inside my room only leaving to get a quick bite of something or to use the restroom.
As the hot water rained down on me, I found myself unable to smile. I have what I wanted and I still can’t even bring myself to enjoy the good news. I don’t want to believe it, but it’s… Callie. The pain is too recent for me to just to forget about her, no matter how many hours I spend away from the world. Away from her. She’s been on my mind since we met.
Thinking back to the last time she was here, I’m starting to regret kicking her out. Maybe she was telling the truth. Of course, Callie was hiding the truth from me about something very important but maybe she did come back to set things straight. The fact that I forcibly pushed her out of my apartment certainly isn’t going to help me if I decide to call her up and apologize.
No, no, no. What am I thinking? I’m done with her. Her number is blocked and I promised that I wouldn’t let her or anyone in her family back into my life. That is the only way I will be able to move forward.
But I do feel a longing to talk to her. Maybe just for closure.
Perhaps if I hear her out, I’ll be able to decide whether or not there’s any relationship to salvage. If there isn’t, I’ll get on with my life and I won’t have to worry about her any longer. She might even confess to being after my money like her sister and make it all the easier to rid her from my life.
I’ll head down to the bar and get some surely sage advice from whatever drunk ends up sitting next to me.
I get dressed, looking like an extra in a Western, sporting a red flannel, a brown sherpa jacket, and some brown pants. I figure I shouldn’t get all dressed up to drink with drunks. On the way out of my apartment building, I see a woman looking as though she’s lost her keys. A bit too old for me to invite her to join me. When she sees me, she waves me over to help her get in.
I agree and let her in.
“Thank you so much, I’ve been out here for almost an hour waiting for someone to walk in or out. I don’t know if you’re too familiar with your neighbors but do you know a Declan Grew, by any chance? Could you direct me his way?”
She holds her hands together as if she was physically begging me to give her the information but I’m a bit cautious to letting female strangers into my business as of late.
“May I ask what your business is with him?”
“I just need to talk some sense into him. He’s been ignoring my daughter, thinking she’s some sort of evil mastermind after his money when--”
“You’re Callie’s mother?!”
“So you’re Declan, huh?”
Damn it. She’s good.
“Look, ma’am, I appreciate your concern but it really isn’t any of your business.”
“Listen to me, Declan. You seem like a nice guy, you’ve been hurt before, I totally get it but if you won’t listen to my daughter, at least listen to me. Callie is not trying to hurt you. She’s a good girl. Now, I don’t know the details of what went on between you two but I know you think she’s working my bitch of a stepdaughter to rob you but that’s not the case. Callie hates Miranda. Hell, I hate Miranda. She’s the worst. But please, give Callie a chance to explain herself.”
I run my fingers down my face, unsure of how disrespectful I should be to Callie’s mom.
“Callie had weeks to explain herself, Mrs. Dennings, and she didn’t. If what you say is true and she isn’t working with Miranda to screw me over, great. But the fact of the matter is that she kept her relation to Miranda a secret from me. That’s a huge deal breaker”, I put it bluntly.
Starting off with a groan, Mrs. Dennings steps in front of me. “Well, could you really blame her for lying? If Miranda was my sister, I definitely wouldn’t want anyone to think I’m related to her. She may be hot but that’s all she’s got going for her.”
“I understand what you’re saying, but I’ve made my choice. If Callie wants to talk about it, she can come see me.”
“Last time she tried that, you kicked her out. She’s been trying to get a hold of you”, Mrs. Dennings explains.
I finally snap. “Well, forgive me for trying to protect myself, ma’am! I thought I could get over her by blocking her and trying to focus on other things, but it’s really hard! I liked her. I liked her so much that I pictured having a life with her, but she… She’s a liar. She’s a liar with a demon for a sister. I’ll admit, I shouldn’t have pushed her out of my apartment, but I had to find out from a goddamn news site that she was related to Miranda. Where was I supposed to draw the line?”
Mrs. Dennings raises her index finger up to my face. “Don’t scream at me. I’m trying to help you. You and Callie. She’s all but given up on you. Just talk to her. Be human beings, for Christ’s sake. You’re both adults so act like it. Stop this soap opera nonsense. Just don’t go around accusing my darling daughter of being a criminal, that is something I will not stand for.”
She turns away without letting me respond to her, but turns back around just to give me one piece of advice.
“And if you are going to go see her, I suggest a change of clothes. You look like a Brokeback Mountain reject who lost his hat.”
What a ball-buster. I like her.
And she did basically tell me exactly what I was hoping to hear from a stranger at a nearby bar. I do as she suggested and change into an all black outfit. Black Chelsea boots, black jeans, black v-neck, and a black leather jacket. I drive over to her place taking slow, concentrated breaths the entire way to ensure I’m emotionally ready to apologize to Callie and hear her out without interrupting her.
I pull up to her apartment building and walk right in. I knock on her door but she doesn’t respond. I doubt she’d be as childish as to ignore me if she were in there. The only other place I could think of her being is her bakery.
The bakery has its lights off, but just as I was getting ready to give up on finding her and driving to a dive bar, Callie and her assistant baker, Sheila walk out. Callie is carrying a small box and wearing a denim jacket with a bunch of patches. Odd, doesn’t seem to fit what I’ve seen of her style. A dessert, I’m guessing. They were just in their bakery after all. The two of them get in Sheila’s car and drive off.
My goal was to find Callie and talk to her.
I found her. Now I’ve just got to talk to her. But this is an opportunity to find out what kind of person she is when she’s single. She may just be spending the night with her assistant and friend. Or they could be going to some party. A swinger’s party. No, no, now I’m letting my imagination get the best of me.
But there is only one way to find out.
Sheila stays on the road for forty five minutes slowing down once she reaches the last available road before sending her car into the ocean. I manage to keep a good distance behind her car but am having an increasingly difficult time with her slowing down. They must be close to reaching their destination.
They finally stop at a beach house that is mostly hidden by tropical plants. I park my car across the street, scoring a good vantage point. From here, I can see Callie and Sheila clearly along with the beach house’s front door. I slink down onto my chair to make sure I’m not seen easily and turn off my car’s engine. The last thing I thought I’d be doing today is stalking my most recent ex and her friend yet that’s where I find myself.
Sheila steps out of the car first and goes around to help Callie up from her seat. Callie is doubled over as if she’s about to throw up, and Sheila rubs her back further cementing that she may be sick. Upset stomach from anxiety? Who are they going to see in this odd beach house?
Callie hugs Sheila before grabbing the small box from the car and waves as Sheila drives away. What the fuck? Callie never mentioned anything about knowing somebody who has a house in the coast.
To my surprise, once I discover the identity of the homeowner, I’m only more baffled.
Jake fucking Dennings.
My surprise and confusion turns into a deep disgust when I watch Jake take Callie in his arms and squeeze her ass with both hands. What sort of fucked up incest family did I get myself involved in?
I’m out of here. I am done with this.