When We Found Home(69)
“I’m sorry,” she said, hurrying over to her sister and sitting next to her on the carpet. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” She pulled Keira close. “I was wrong. I was so wrong. Oh, Keira, please, please forgive me. I won’t leave you. I swear I won’t. Not ever. Even when you want to move out and be on your own, I won’t let you or I’ll go with you. You’ll be sick of me. I’m sorry. I love you. I love you so much.”
Callie rocked her as they both cried. Pain was everywhere, but so was the dawning realization that she’d brought all of this on herself. She’d been the one to insist no one know who she really was. She was the one who had concealed her past. If she hadn’t done that, Paulo couldn’t have used it against her and Santiago wouldn’t have been mad and broken her heart.
She knew that it was better she know where she stood with him now—the more time they spent together, the harder it would be for her to get over him, but still, it hurt so much.
“You okay?”
Callie looked up and saw Malcolm walking into her bedroom. He glanced from them to the suitcases.
“Tough morning?” he asked, joining them on the floor.
“You have no idea.”
He put his arms around them both. “Tell me what happened.”
Keira sniffed. “Callie was going to leave and I said I had to go with her, but then she said she wasn’t leaving, which is really good because you would have had to come, too, and what about Grandfather Alberto? He needs us and we need him. You adults make things really complicated.”
Callie flopped back onto the carpet and stared at the ceiling. “I’m an idiot.”
“You’re not.” Keira patted her arm. “You’re really smart about a lot of stuff. You just have to stop running as a way to deal with your problems. It’s better to face them and find solutions. Problems don’t go away. They’re like that stain in the rug that keeps popping up. You have to find out what’s underneath.”
Callie turned to Malcolm. “You’re the one who put her into therapy. I blame you for the insights.”
Keira grinned. “It’s great, isn’t it?”
Despite everything, Callie smiled. “Yes, it is.”
* * *
Malcolm stayed with Keira until he knew she was all right. Around four o’clock she was picked up by a friend and her mom for an early movie followed by a sleepover. She’d assured him, to quote her, “57 million times” that she was okay and promised to text him on the hour.
One problem down, a dozen others to deal with.
He returned to Callie’s room and found her putting away her clothes. She motioned to the mess on the bed.
“I might have overreacted,” she admitted, then told him what had happened at work.
“It’s my fault,” she concluded. “I’m the one who lied about everything. I should have come clean from the start.”
He motioned for her to join him in her sitting room. “I’m going to fire him.”
She flinched. “You can’t. What happened between us is between us. It’s not about work.”
“Has he called you?”
She dropped her chin to her chest. “No.”
Anger burned inside of him. He’d trusted his friend with his sister, and Santiago had hurt her. “I’m going to fire him,” he repeated.
“Do you think that will make me feel better?”
“It might brighten my mood.” He sighed. “I’m sorry, Callie.”
“Me, too. He’s being a dick. I’m not willing to say he is a dick. I haven’t decided yet.” She tried to smile. “I’ll be okay. I just need some time.”
“What do you want to do?”
She thought for a second. “I’m going to quit my job. It’s too hard being there. I should hear on my fall application at UW in the next week or so. In the meantime, I checked with the closest community college and I can register for a couple of summer classes. There were a couple of culinary classes that looked interesting.”
“Is that what you want?”
She hesitated just long enough for him to know she was thinking about Santiago. “I want to move on with my life. No more hiding, no more lies. I am who I am. Some people will be fine with it and some won’t. I’ll have to deal with that, but I’ll be doing it honestly.”
“That’s totally your call.”
She looked at him. “I’m interested in food development. I’m thinking I’ll major in management, go heavy on the science and marketing classes, and take it from there.” This time the smile was genuine. “I want to be a part of things for real—not just working at the company because I’m family.”
He wasn’t the least bit surprised. He’d known Callie long enough to have a good sense of her character. She would want to earn her place, not be given anything. He thought maybe they had that in common.
He’d been doing a lot of thinking since the arrest last night. About what had happened to her, and how she had changed him. Not just Callie... Delaney, too. Watching Santiago screw up things with Callie had made him wonder what mistakes he was making. Was he holding back because of what had happened with Rachel or was he moving forward? Delaney was amazing—she deserved his best and he wanted to give it to her.
“Do you like living here?” he asked.
She blinked. “There’s a subject change. Do you mean in the house or in Seattle?”
“Both.”
“Moving out so you can start a new life with Delaney?”
He hadn’t been able to articulate what he was feeling but as soon as Callie said it, he realized she was right. That was exactly what he wanted.
“What would you think about that?”
She grinned. “You’re thirty-four. That’s kind of old to be living with your grandfather.”
“Not answering the question.”
“I know. Okay, so truth. I like Seattle and I love this house and if you’re asking how I feel about staying here with Keira, I’m happy to be with her for as long as she needs me. Maybe just a little longer than that so I can be annoying.”
“I’d still be close and I’d honor my commitments.”
“I know. You’ve grown, little grasshopper.”
“You’d have to deal with Grandfather Alberto more than I would.”
“He’s sweet, plus Carmen is here. Do you think they’re sleeping together?”
He winced. “Stop asking me that.”
She grinned. “Keira brings them up every now and then. Should one of us mention that we know and they can stop hiding?”
“Go ahead. I’ll lead from behind.”
She grinned. “You’re a coward.”
“About some things, yes. Happily so.”
“Then we have a plan. You’re going to move out on your own while I take over this gorgeous house and decorate it in crimson and cream.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Oklahoma crimson and Oklahoma cream. For the University of Oklahoma? How can you not know that?”
“It is astonishing. You’ll have to take that up with Carmen. I’m not sure she wants Sooners memorabilia in the dining room.”
“You can’t possibly know that.”
“I can guess. Plus you’re going to be a Husky. University of Washington—Go Dawgs.” He leaned toward her. “You okay?”
Her smile disappeared as if it had never been. “No. My whole body hurts. I miss him, but I have to figure out how to deal with that. They say time heals. I hope they’re not lying.”
He thought about how much he would like to gut punch his friend, then how he’d felt after he’d found Rachel with his father.
“I know you don’t think it now, but you will start to feel better. The process is slow and takes a long time, but you’ll get there.”
“Thanks. I’ll get through it. I’m tough.”
She was. Tougher than she knew.
* * *
Hanna brushed away tears. “I’m fine,” she said, sniffing as she spoke. “Or I will be.”
Santiago knew she was lying but wasn’t sure calling her on it would help either of them. He was still having trouble wrapping his mind around what had happened. He couldn’t imagine what Hanna was going through. She’d just found out her husband had committed a felony—that he’d been stealing from his employer for months, maybe longer—and she’d never had a clue.
“Have you been to see him?” he asked.
“No. What am I supposed to say? He did this himself. He ruined everything.”
They sat at her kitchen table. The kids were at summer camp and Hanna hadn’t started her new nursing job yet. Santiago knew that she’d been planning on taking the kids to visit her folks for a week before she and Paulo were to take a few days just for themselves.
“Are you ready for me to bail him out?” he asked.
“No. I’m not.” She looked at him. “Does that make me a horrible person?”
“You couldn’t be a horrible person.”
“But I am.” Her mouth trembled. “I want him punished. I’m so angry at him. All these years I stood by him. What else has he done? Where’s the money from all the stuff he stole? There has to be thousands of dollars. Where is it?”