Educating Callie

by Emma Jayne Mills

  “Wilson” I supplied, taking in the loft apartment. I hadn’t been up here since I had helped Dana with the last of the decorating and a few personal additions told me he had begun to make his own mark on the place. The empty shelves we had put in the living area were now lined with books and I itched to run my fingers over the spines and find out who he read. Dana and I had left the red brick walls bare mostly, thinking it looked cool. On the wall behind the TV however we’d hung a bunch of American road signs and other memorabilia that we had found in mine and Cam’s attic, all collected by my Mum on her travels. There was a Las Vegas sign, a Coca Cola one and a route 66 one too. A stab of pain ran through me at the sight as I remembered my Mum and her obsession with all things America. I could have really done with a hug from my Mum then.

  “I thought I’d heard mention of a Callie. You’re Cameron’s sister.” He stated, nodding to himself, making no indication of whether he knew more than that. Of course he’d already met Cam, he was my brother’s new boss, so there was a good chance he did know a few things about me.

  “Take a seat.” He indicated the brown leather sofa that rested on a large Aztec patterned rug in the middle of the room. In front of it sat a coffee table that Greg had made from disused pallets and we both moved towards it. “I met Cam today, he couldn’t stop talking about his little sis.”

  “Little? Is that what he said? I’ll give him little! We’re bloody twins!” I snapped, “Twenty-two minutes and he thinks he can claim older brother status. So you’re his new boss?”

  Adam laughed at my mini rant. “Technically I am. But I prefer to think of us as a team. Pretty sure he wouldn’t want you running around alone and upset in the middle of the night in a blizzard. Not after...” his voice trailed off and his eyes met mine, uncertain. Yep, he knew.

  “It’s alright, what happened to me, it’s no secret. You would have to know about it I s’pose, being a police officer and working with my brother. Even if you didn’t you’d have heard about it sooner or later around here. But for the record, I’m not upset, I’m fucking angry!” Adam got up and grabbed a bottle of brandy from a cupboard in the kitchen and splashed some into the mug of hot chocolate. “Aren’t you having any?”

  “Only got one cup in the place right now, I haven’t had time to shop for that kind of thing yet.” He explained. He must literally have just moved in and in typical man fashion hadn’t thought of the practicalities that came with moving house.

  I picked up the cup and took a sip before passing it to him. “It’s a big cup, we can share.”

  A hint of a smile quirked at the corner of his mouth and he took the cup from me to drink. As he handed it back he said “Do you need to ring Cameron?”

  “I think I dropped my phone somewhere out there in the snow.” I shrugged and waved my hand around indicating outside. Technology and I weren’t exactly bosom buddies. I lost mobile phones frequently. Sometimes I forgot I even owned them and that was when I could be bothered to figure out how they worked. Cam was forever nagging me about it. Texts and calls were my limit anything beyond that and I was clueless.

  He reached across to the coffee table and slid across his own phone. “Use mine. His number is in there.”

  “Nah, it’s ok. He’ll want an explanation for me not being with Jase and when I give it to him he’ll only flip his switch and go looking for him. Best he doesn’t find out until tomorrow. He wasn’t expecting me home after work tonight so he won’t know any different if I stay with Greg and Dana.”

  Adam nodded, “Jase won’t try and call him to find out where you are?”

  “He wouldn’t dare. I mean, they’re friends, but Cam is ever so slightly over protective where I’m concerned. Jase wouldn’t go to him over this. He wouldn’t want to have to explain why I ran off and left him.” I told him.

  “Understandable. Cam being over protective I mean. Feel like talking about it?” He moved closer to me on the sofa when I handed him the cup of hot chocolate. I knew his eyes were searching mine for that hint of darkness he’d recognised in them earlier, but my shutters were up and they were staying up.

  “Not much to say. I caught my, now very much ex, boyfriend going at it with one of my so called friends. I got mad and ran out of there. Found myself here, thought Greg and Dana would be home, hammered on the door, fell at your feet.” I summarised quickly.

  He flashed a quick grin at my rambling, “You don’t have to make light of it. You must be hurting right now.”

  “I’m not about to go dumping all of my crap on you. I don’t know you. You might be Greg’s cousin and I trust him and Dana with my life, they’re like family. So yeah, that pretty much makes you family too, that’s kind of how we work around here, but we don’t know each other yet and you’re probably just sitting here wondering how the hell you ended up with a crazy woman sitting on your sofa in the middle of the night. And now I’m rambling, I do that. Just tell me to shut up.” I looked up to find him smiling down at me. He reached out, as if by instinct, and brushed my snow drenched hair behind my ear and away from my eyes.

  “I’m sorry you had to see that tonight Callie.” Adam said quietly, showing me a flash of his own darkness again. He had known pain. Pain that he carried with him, papering over the cracks it formed in the same way I had done.

  “Thanks. But it’s okay. It’s kind of been a long time coming. If it hadn’t been for the whole kidnapping by a serial killer thing we likely would have broken up a year ago.” I told him in the laid back, nonchalant manner that I had perfected since the darkness came.

  “So it’s over?” His fingers trailed to the end of the strand of hair he had lifted.

  “Hmm?” I murmured, distracted by his touch. How was I this comfortable with a stranger after such a short time? I didn’t feel an urge to flinch away from his touch in the way I still did with my friends sometimes, even from Nick who always had his arms around me. The men in my life had perfected the art of subtle, slow movements around me so as not to spook me. Somehow, there was a sense of familiarity about Adam, about us. Perhaps it was the knowledge that we were both enclosed in darkness, that we both had malfunctioning cracks that should have let the light in but didn’t. Could you recognise something like that in a person and bond with them so quickly?

  “Jase? Or will he turn up on your doorstep with chocolates and flowers begging forgiveness?” He asked, passing the cup back. His eyes never leaving mine, both of us searching, knowing the darkness was beginning to tie us together somehow.

  “If he does he will prove once and for all how little he actually knows about me.” I shook my head, breaking the intense eye contact. “No, we’re done.”

  “Not a hearts and flowers type of girl then?” He asked, smiling and trying to make light of the situation, distracting me. Over the last year I’d become an expert at recognising such techniques and perfected a few of my own.

  “Not really. I just think it’s a no brainer, every girl likes chocolate and flowers right? It requires zero thought on the man’s part. I mean, if you’re going to do it at least take the time to find out her favourites.” I held out the cup.

  “You finish it.” He grinned cheekily flashing his perfect teeth at me, “So what does it take to win the heart of the lovely Callindra Wilson?”

  “Know me.” I stated. Silently wondering again how I could possibly be sitting here with a man I had just met, talking as though we had known each other for years.

  “Explain?” He asked, curiosity in his tone.

  “Well...notice things about me. Simple things. Like what makes me laugh. How I drink my tea. My favourite books. How I always, always forget my gloves. Know the things I love doing but never make time for and help me to make sure I do them.” I explained.

  “Like what?” He probed; he bent his leg and turned slightly towards me, resting his elbow on the back of the sofa and propping his chin in his hand, giving me his undivided attention.

  “Watching the sunset. Looking at the stars. Days out
at the seaside. Listening to loud music and dancing like an idiot.” I listed, “Finding the perfect gifts for my friends and family. My Mum and Dad had this rule when it came to Christmas and birthdays. We’d have to give each other something we’d either made or found or spent no more than a fiver on. It really taught us to think about the person we were giving presents to.”

  “Little things make a big difference?” He mused.

  “To me they do.” I shrugged. “I don’t need expensive jewellery and meals in posh restaurants. I want a look, a hug, a kiss, magic words, a squeeze of my hand every day. Diamonds, flowers, chocolates on special occasions, they mean nothing compared to that.”

  “So, no champagne and roses then?” He concluded with a nod, as if he were filing it away for future reference.

  “I’d rather a man turn up on my doorstep with beer, pizza and an action movie!” I laughed, looking up at him.

  “Woman, is it too soon to fall in love with you?” He laughed and I leaned into him as he shifted to put an arm around my shoulders. The action felt natural, like old friends snuggling up together for a night in front of the TV.

  “Yes. Entirely. It would never last this early on in our relationship.” I told him with a laugh, feeling comfortable and at ease.

  “Ok, I’ll wait until tomorrow.” He rested his chin on the top of my head.

  “Tomorrow could work.” I yawned.

  I woke to find my head resting on a firm, toned chest and realised for that first time in months I had slept all night without a nightmare sending me screaming from slumber in the early hours. Even with Jase in my bed that rarely happened. Sturdy arms were clamped around my waist, and our legs tangled together underneath a blanket, which I assume Adam had thrown over us at some point.

  I peeled my eyes open and looked around, groggily piecing together the events of the night before. We had talked way into the night. I’d told Adam things I would never have dreamt of telling any other person I’d just met. I never gave details to anyone outside my little bubble and yet Adam now knew things about me that no stranger should.

  He already knew mine and Cameron’s parents had been killed in a car accident when we were eighteen- apparently he and Cam had had quite the bonding session too- and I had actually spoken freely about it to him. Told him how I couldn’t bring myself to walk into their bedroom since they died. I had stood at the door, my hand on the handle, many times but never gone in. That was when the first of my cracks had appeared.

  He had tentatively asked me about the abduction, telling me what he already knew from Cam and the police reports and I filled in some of the blanks for him. Something I had only really spoken to Cam and my closest friends about and even then not in detail. The only reason Cam knew as much as he did was because he’d insisted on being present at all the police interviews that had followed.

  I had told Adam all the American items in his apartment had been found in my Mum’s collection and that I’d helped Dana decorate the place. And he told me about his decision to move here and start over after the death of his brother in a bodged armed robbery. He obviously blamed himself for it, after not being able to get to the scene quickly enough. Since his brother’s death he had struggled to find his place in the world, no longer feeling at home in the city he had grown up in, distancing himself from friends he had known all his life and being unable to find the joy in his job he’d once had.

  We shared parts of the darkness that raged within us both. He acknowledged my cracks and I his and they somehow became a thread linking us together. His were different than mine, but no less painful. He told me he had buried his darkness deep within him somewhere so people he cared about couldn’t see it and I told him I pretended mine didn’t exist for the people I loved.

  And then apparently I had sprawled out all over him and used him as a body pillow. Serious “oh shit” moment pending. I cringed with embarrassment as I lifted my head and looked up at him.

  “Morning snow angel.” He was awake, looking down at me through long, dark lashes. Seriously, no man should have eyelashes that long. His hair was a cute mess of waves across his forehead. Not that I was looking at him that way, obviously, but he did look a little bit gorgeous. Typical man, waking up looking fantastic when I probably looked a hot mess.

  “Morning.” I murmured before attempting to sit.

  He loosened his arms, allowing me to move freely and I sat up, stretching and running my fingers through my matted hair.

  “How are you feeling this morning?” He asked, stretching out his long body as best he could on the cramped two seater sofa.

  “I’m fine.” I nodded and stood quickly, “Sorry for using you as a pillow.”

  “It was my pleasure.” He grinned as he stood and moved to look out of the window. “Looks good out there. The snow has stopped. We never really saw much snow in the city.”

  “I should get going.” I mumbled, looking at the floor, awkwardness enveloping me.

  “Stay and have breakfast, tea at least. Then I can walk you to the station, Cam is on duty this morning if I remember the schedules right.” He said, running his hand through his hair and moving towards the kitchen.

  “Do we have to share a crockery and cutlery as well as cups?” I attempted to joke as I continued to rake my own fingers through my ratted hair.

  “Afraid so Angel,” He nodded, muttering to himself as he flicked the switch on the kettle and disappeared into the bathroom. “I really need to get this place sorted out.”

  “You know, we have a load of extra stuff at the pub, we’re in the middle of replacing it all. Nothing fancy but it’s all in good condition, I know Mick wouldn’t mind if you took it off our hands.” I called towards the closed bathroom door as I washed out the single mug.

  “That’s ok, I’ll get around to shopping at some point.” He said as he came out of the bathroom.

  “Seriously, I know how many hours you lot spend at work, and unless you’re prepared to let Dana do it for you, you’ll never shop.” He grimaced at the thought of Dana shopping for him. It would be all dainty hearts and flowers. “Besides, we’re only going to donate it all anyway. It’s all boxed up ready to go, we can just drop it off here instead. I mean, you’ll probably spend most of your time eating at the pub anyway or live off takeaway, like Cam tries to get away with, but at least you won’t have to share cups with crazy women who batter your door down in the middle of the night. Unless you don’t want second hand stuff of course, shit, sorry I didn’t think of that.”

  He was smiling at me again and I realised what I’d done. “I rambled didn’t I?”

  He laughed, full on threw his head back and laughed and I loved the sound of it. “A little bit. I have no problem with second hand. I’ll take the pub’s cast offs, thank you. How do you take your tea?”

  “Strong, no sugar, a tiny splash of milk.” I supplied.

  “Hmmm, maybe I’ll only ever need one cup when you’re here, we seem to have that in common too.” He pondered. And I silently high fived myself at the idea that he thought I might be here again. Ugh! Get a grip Callie.

  “Ha! How about coffee?” I quizzed, conversational wizard that I was.

  “Black. No sugar.” He told me.

  “Same!” I grinned, pulling my now dry clothes out of his tumble dryer. “I’m gonna go change.”

  “Keep the sweatshirt, you’re going to need it out there this morning.” He called after me.

  “Thanks!” I closed the bathroom door behind me and listened to him clattering around in the kitchen.

  We shared a cup of tea and he thanked me for helping Dana to decorate the place, he was concerned that if Dana had been left to her own devices he would now be living in a pink, sparkly palace. Yes, he knew Dana.

  “Here, you take these.” He took a pair of black gloves from his coat pocket as we were getting ready to leave and handed them to me when we reached the bottom of the stairs.

  “Oh no, I have pockets, it’s ok.” I argued as he pulled
a blue woollen beanie hat down on my head and wrapped a grey scarf around my neck. Also his, I was guessing.

  “Nope. You take the gloves. I’ve got enough explaining to your brother to do as it is without adding a case of frostbite to the list.” He joked. As he took the gloves out of my hand and put them on me he paused to examine the stacked row of bracelets and leather cuffs I wore on my wrists.

  “They hide the scars. From the chains, when he kept me in the cellar. The others, from the knife have faded mostly, but those ones are going nowhere. I always wore these two.” I indicated a silver torque bangle that had been my Mum’s and a brown leather cuff with a metal shamrock attached to it that Mick had given me. “But afterwards I added to them, well, Cam, Jase and Dana did. Each one means something personal to me, so it’s not just a case of them being there to cover the scars.”

  Again, I marvelled at myself, I was never this open with new people. What was different about this man that he could pull this information from me with barely a word? Adam raised my right hand and gently moved the bracelets aside exposing the scars. I gasped as he bent and placed a soft kiss on the marks that formed a ring around my wrist. Then Adam covered my wrist with the glove and took my hand as we began to walk through the snow.

  “Don’t need you slipping over and breaking an ankle or anything either.” He answered my questioning glance.

  *****

  “Can we talk about this later, at home?” I pleaded and pulled off the hat, throwing it on Cam’s desk in exasperation. My brother had immediately gone into hyper protective mode when he saw me walk into the police station with Adam. He shot up from his desk, his anxious blue eyes scanning me from head to toe for injuries. I cut off his questioning and gave him a brief explanation of the events of the night before. Leaving out most of the finer details, being unwilling to go into it right then. I would give him all of it later, except for maybe the Adam phenomenon, because I wasn’t entirely sure what that was about myself. Female hormones I was guessing.