Shifter's Baby(219)

“I beg to differ. In fact if you asked the whole town – who all know about your little indiscretion – they would probably all beg to differ.” Her mom was the expert at playing the poor defenseless woman, but Callie wasn’t falling for it. Sure, maybe she had left a mess behind her, but she didn’t understand why her mother was taking it out on her. It wasn’t as if she had broken any laws…well, not by having sex with Wyatt anyway.

“Is that all you called for? To tell me what an awful daughter I am and how I’ve ruined your life because I dared to fall in love with a man who gave me the best of everything?” Callie paused. “Besides, it’s not even like we’re going to be step-siblings soon enough, not when you’re finished anyway.”

Callie’s mother sighed loudly. “Callie, I called to tell you that he and I are getting back together.” She said.

Callie shook her head. It was as though her mother had chosen to give her marriage a second chance only to spite her. “Really? That’s what you called to tell me?” She asked. “Not to tell me that because you’re giving things another chance, Wyatt and I should break up? Because your happiness is obviously far more important than mine.”

Wyatt came out of the bathroom and sat on the edge of the bed. Callie rolled over and wrapped her arm around his waist.

“Callie,” her mother went quiet.

“What?” Callie said, laying her head on Wyatt’s pillow.

“I don’t want to fight anymore.”

Callie took a deep breath. “I don’t either mom, but the fact is that I’m not going to break up with Wyatt and if you can’t handle that…then I don’t think we’re ever going to stop fighting.” She heard her mom sucking air through her teeth as though she were trying to weigh her options. Keep a daughter or not keep a daughter.

“But honey, can’t you see how difficult this is going to be for me and Ken? Especially now that we’re staying together and giving things another try…” She genuinely didn’t get it.

Callie sighed. “Goodbye, mom.” Just as she went to hang up, she heard her mom’s voice again.

“Wait…” She said. Callie brought the phone back to her ear. Without saying a word, she waited. “Callie…I don’t want to lose my daughter. You’re the best memory of your dad I’ll ever have.” Callie bit her bottom lip, she hated when her mom brought up her dad. “I don’t want this to spoil that.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, mom…” Callie said. She was exhausted with it all. Tired of playing her mom’s therapist and best friend, she just wanted her to be a mom. A mom who was happy for her happiness.

“Maybe I could try to be okay with things…” Her mom finally said.

“Well, I guess it’s a step in the right direction.” Callie said.

“But maybe from now on we come up there to see you?”

Callie couldn’t help but smirk. “If you think that would help, mom.”

“I think it might.” She went silent. “You know, Peggy Anderson just about had a heart attack when she told us what had happened.” Callie held her breath, waiting for the chastising to begin again. “But do you know, when she told us what Wyatt said to her, Ken just about choked from laughing so hard.”

The corner of Callie’s mouth twitched as a smile came on to her face. “You should have seen the look on her face.” Callie said. Her mom started to laugh.

“I can only imagine. Eh, she’s such a busy body anyway, it’s about time someone brought her down a peg or two.”

“Mom…” Callie said, dropping the smile. “I really am sorry that things turned out the way they did. That we left you to pick up the pieces. We were so afraid of what would happen when everyone found out.”

Callie’s mother heard the fear in her daughter’s voice as she spoke and for once in her life since her husband had died, she stepped up to be a real mother. “That must have been very scary for you both.” She said.

A single tear streaked down Callie’s cheek and as she opened her mouth to speak again, a choked sob came out instead. Wyatt turned around and lifted her in to his arms. When it became obvious that she couldn’t speak, he took the phone from her.

“Hello?” He said.

“Is she okay?” Callie’s mom asked, her own voice cracking.

“She’ll be fine.” He said matter of factly.

“I believe you.” She said. “Wyatt?”

“Yeah?”

“Take care of my daughter.”