Nineteen
1634 Words
Callum hung up the phone, his heart pounding in his ears. He almost couldn't believe it when David had told him what he'd found. Ambrosia was everything he needed, and he would finally have her now that he had a solid lead on where to look.
His phone chimed quietly, letting him know that the picture David was sending had come through. Opened the message, he carefully studied the familiar coding he and Amber created as teenagers. He took in each miniscule detail, he searched for any anomalies in the writing that would discredit the man he trusted with his life.
It’s really her, he thought as he struggled to remember how to breathe. He opened his contacts, calling his father to update the man.
“Everything okay, sonur? Our last conversation made me think I had to call in another shrink, but Rossy talked me down.” Like always, the man answered on the first ring when it came to his son.
“The job is done, Dad. There were enemy survivors, and all the kids were brought to the hospital for checks. Social Services and the local police are working on the legalities now, and I've sent Trace and Thomas back before their wives blow up their phones," Callum said.
The other man sighed, “Thanks, kid. Good to know I’ll be leaving the mob in capable, responsible hands. Knowing I did right by you makes me proud, Callum. Your mother would be, too.”
“I know,” Callum sighed. Clearing his throat, he tried to sound neutral. "I have something I need to do, so I'm keeping David with me. It won’t take long."
"So, you're not coming back with the rest?” Hans sounded a little disappointed. “What’s going on, anyway? The last time we spoke you said you thought you saw your ex.”
Callum smirked, “She was never my ex because we never did end things between us. It’s why I never took another girlfriend. It felt like I would be cheating on her, and I didn’t need that guilt on my conscious. David ran into her at the hospital this evening.”
There was a still silence on the other line for a few moments, but Callum knew his father was still on the line. Yet, in the back of his mind, he knew that his father still couldn’t stand the ground her mother and father walked on. There was also the sneaking suspicion that the man was behind the roadblocks to finding Ambrosia, too.
"So, she really is there, huh?" Hans replied dully as if he believed his son was seeing things. Then, as the rest of what Callum said sunk in, he said, “And David got shot again?”
Callum laughed, “Dad, chill out. Yes, one of the gang members got in a few lucky shots and put my right hand in the hospital for a few days. He’s out now and on his way back to the hotel.”
“So I don’t have to kill your best friend,” Hans questioned.
“No, Dad. David’s really is good at what he does, so just let him be.” Sighing, Callum ran a hand through his blond waves as he said, “She’s a doctor.”
“What’s the name of the hospital?”
“Dad, don’t go there,” Callum warned.
Hans growled under his breath, “Cal, I hate being blocked like this. You know that, and you still defy me.”
“Yes, but you also go overboard with s**t, and I can get away with blocking you 'cause I know you're not going to do anything to me.” Callum countered.
Hans growled, “Fine. Brat. Are you going to go look for her?”
“I don’t have to,” Callum replied.
“What do you mean by that?” Hans asked. “You’re not stalking her, are you?”
Callum laughed, “What? No, of course, I’m not! She’s sent me a message through David. I just have to go see Seth Hopewell first.”
******
Why?
That was the biggest question that ran through her head as she drove back to the apartment after another long day at work. Growling in frustration, she went upstairs to her second-floor apartment. Listening at the door, she smiled as the voices of her son and brother filtered through. Unlocking it, she kicked off her shoes and tip-toed down the hall to the living room to spy on them.
She could hear Phoenix complaining as he watched his uncle respawn. "How the heck did you end up dying again?"
Declan huffed, “You sniped me at the last minute!”
“I wasn’t aiming for you! I was aiming for that,” the little boy shot back with a giggle. Neither of them had realized she was listening, and it warmed her heart to know they got along so well.
“At what?” Her poor brother apparently wasn’t used to getting his ass handed to him in video games.
Snickering, Phoenix said, “That stupid look on your face.”
Declan, after graduating into his chosen field of teaching, offered to teach Nix privately so that that she didn't have to pay a tutor or babysitter, giving her the space to focus on getting her career off the ground. Her brother never did move out, either. Instead, he opted to stay by her side to help raise his nephew.
Fighting with the decision the school came to about having him on meds because of his apparent “behavioural issues”, she eventually got the paperwork to register her son for home-schooling after she pulled him from the public system. His mind picked up on the increased workload faster than she thought possible, but what really had her crying was when he began begging to study everything about Iceland after she explained it was where his grandfather was from.
As she stubbed her toe against the door frame, cursing softly, Phoenix turned to look at her. He jumped off the couch and ran to hug her, “Mom, you're home!”
“Hi, baby. How was your day?” She said with a grin. "I see you're giving your uncle a hard time on the game again."
“I did two more tests today! I got a ninety in my Science and an eighty-five in my Math,” he rambled excitedly.
Knowing he was doing subjects two and three grades higher than his age group, Ambrosia beamed at the child. It came as a shock, but when he started showing the signs, she told him about his father and grandfather. Knowing that his grandfather was from Iceland, Phoenix began learning all he could about the place. She looked at her brother, shaking her head. “Why do you keep letting him win, Declan?”
“I am not letting him win. The ruthless little bugger keeps sniping me down at the last possible second,” Declan said as he stretched out. “I made goulash for supper. Do you want any?”
Her stomach growled at the mention of food. Amber smiled warmly, “Sure, I'd love some. Have you two eaten yet?”
Declan grabbed his nephew under the arms and lifted him up to sit on his shoulders which made Nix squeal in delight. “No, because this little bugger wanted to wait until you got home.”
"Nix, can you help your uncle in the kitchen? I'm going to go change my clothes," she said. Walking down the hall, she steadied her mind. Then, out of nowhere, her phone dinged. Her jaw dropped as she read the message that had been sent to her.
Unknown: I need to see you.
Amber: Cal?
Unknown: Yes.
He was as direct as when they were teens. Suddenly overwhelmed with emotions, Ambrosia quickly changed her clothes while calling Seth. He picked up on the second ring, as she dumped her laundry into the washer and turned it on. “Dad, did you give him my address and phone number?”
“Yes, Princess. Just like I promised,” Seth replied. “He was at my office a while ago, so he knows all I could tell him about you. However, it’s on you to tell him about Phoenix.”
Ambrosia sighed, “Thank you. Does mom know you were helping me? I don’t want her to know about this.”
“You let me handle your mother, Sweetheart,” Seth said. “How’s your brother?”
“He’s good,” Ambrosia paused as she tried to word her next sentence carefully. “I know you’ll agree with me when I say that Callum deserves to know he has a child. It's been nearly nine years, and I firmly believe Nix needs to decide for himself if getting to know Callum is the right path. I don’t have the heart to keep them apart, Dad."
Sighing, Seth murmured his agreement before disconnecting the call. Leaving the bedroom as the doorbell rang, she froze. Her hands shook as sweat beaded across her skin, trickling down her spine in icy rivulets. She was trying hard not to hyperventilate, taking several deep breaths to calm her racing heart and mind.
“Mom, it’s for you,” Nix's voice sounded far away even though he was close by.
She turned the corner and leaned against the wall of the hall, her eyes never leaving the man in the doorway. She watched as his eyes darted around, checking the area for possible threats. She couldn't fault him for a habit he developed when he was younger.
“Callum,” she whispered softly as his dark gaze settled on her.
- Writer
