Page 35 of Bound By Secrets

“Oh my, is that you, Calliope?” Callie blushes and peers around my broad frame to see the wrinkled woman who’s serving us. She nods, and the lady standing next to me squeals like a teenager.

“Norman, get your butt out here! Little Calliope is here!” From the corner of my eye, I can see Nate and Kat’s heads swivelling back and forth between the older woman and Callie. I’m so confused right now, and I’m glad they are too.

A big, burly man comes rushing out of the door that I’m assuming leads back to the kitchen. His eyes roam across the diner until they land on our booth. I see the moment that his eyes connect with Callie, his bushy grey brows rise high, the cloth he was holding drops to the floor and his hands come up to cover his mouth. As I take in his shocked reaction, Callie bumps her arm against mine.

“Do you mind scooting over so that I can get out?” I look over at her, seeing the uninhibited joy spreading across her face, and I nod, shuffling across the booth until I’m standing next to it and out of Callie’s way.

She swiftly climbs out and strides over to the older man. He steps forward and wraps his arms around her, squeezing her against his chest as if he’s worried that she’s not real and will slip away from him if he doesn’t hold on tight.

“It’s you! Oh my sweet girl, where have you been? We’ve been so worried.” Callie pulls herself out of his arms, glances nervously back at us in the booth and then pulls the lady, Ruth, into a hug as well.

She steps back, drawing in a deep breath, rolling her plump lips inward. “I have a lot to explain to both of you, but not now.” Her gaze roves over me, then Kat and Nate. “We, uh, we’re gonna order some food and have a chat. I’ll come back another day and fill you both in on what’s been going on, I’ll bring Callum and Connor too,” she says, her attention back on the old couple.

Ruth’s brows furrow, and Norman’s lips purse, but they both bob their heads up and down. He squeezes Callie again before going back to the kitchen, shooting me a steely glare just before he disappears.

Callie smiles at Ruth and then clambers back into the booth. I slide in next to her, my arm brushing against hers. Her hand skates across the faux leather seat until it’s resting beside mine. She reaches out her baby finger, looping it around mine. My eyesshoot up to meet hers. She just smiles timidly at me and then peers over at Kat.

“What are you getting?” Kat looks at her, confusion clear on her face. Ruth clears her throat from beside the booth and Kat jumps a little.

“Oh, right. I’ll have the same as Callie, please, but a strawberry milkshake instead.” Ruth scribbles down her order and then waits for me and Nate to tell her ours as well.

Once she’s got all our orders down on her notepad, she looks over at Callie, “It’s good to see you Calliope. Make sure you come back with those pesky twins.” Callie assures her that she will and then waits for her to walk away before she turns back to us. Her finger that’s still linked with mine clutches tighter and she visibly swallows. Her worried gaze jumps between us all.

She sighs deeply, “So, where do you want me to start?”

I look over to Kat, hoping that she’ll ask something first because my brain is scrambled right now. Kat slowly reaches her hand across the table, palms up until they’re resting in front of Callie. Callie tentatively pulls her hand away from mine and places both her hands on top of Kat’s.

“Are you sure you want to talk about all of this?” Kat asks softly. Callie nods, flicking a nervous glance at me and Nate. “Ok, but if there’s anything you don’t want to tell us, then you don't have to.” Kat looks at Nate with raised brows, urging him to agree.

“Oh yeah, one hundred per cent, no pressure. Only tell us what you feel comfortable with us knowing.” Her cerulean-coloured eyes settle on Nate’s hand as he places one on top of hers and Kats. Her eyes shimmer with unshed tears and she blinks rapidly to clear them. I reach over to add my hands to the pile.

“Whatever you say, Callie, we won’t judge. We’ll support you. We’ll be there for you in any way that you need us. Promise.”

She draws in another deep breath, straightens her shoulders and then pulls her hands out of the tangled mess on the table, placing them on her lap. Her gaze stays trained on the table, and she nibbles at her lip for a moment.

“I guess I should start with talking about my father…” she pauses but doesn’t look up. Just then, Ruth hurries over to the table with two baskets of fries and our four shakes, placing them down softly. She watches Callie for a beat and then reluctantly turns and walks away. “As you know, the police are looking into him. Well, I think it’s the police anyway, whoever your dad works for.”

“It’s the FBI and possibly the police,” Nate unhelpfully chimes in. Callie’s gaze jumps around the diner before she tucks her head back down and leans closer towards us.

“They’re looking into him for many things,” she whispers. “He’s got a lot of power. If he didn’t then he would’ve been caught already. I don’t know a lot, but I know he bribes and blackmails some high-up officials when he needs things done. He sells drugs, guns, and maybe some other things too. I know he beats people when they’ve wronged him… but, uh, they’re also looking into him for domestic abuse and possibly murder.”

Both Kat and Nate’s eyes widen in shock. I see Callie’s body cower slightly in shame and embarrassment. I reach over to squeeze her thigh gently. Her hand lands on mine and her eyes close. She takes a few deep breaths before opening her eyes again, still staring down at the table. I keep my hand on her thigh and lightly rub my thumb side to side, hoping to offer her some comfort.

She takes a sip from her milkshake while she searches out of the window, looking over every inch of the parking lot.

“Do you know why your dad is having to help my mum?” We all shake our heads. She blows out a breath. “I don’t know much, only what I’ve been told, but my dad was extremely abusivetowards my mother. He wasn’t always, at least that’s what she says, but I’m not too sure…” A tear slips down her cheek, and her hand tightens around mine.

“My mum left three years ago. From what I know, the night she left, my father overheard her talking with a friend. My mum was telling her about the abuse, and then they discussed a secret that my mum had. We think that her secret was that I’m not my father's daughter, but we’re not one hundred per cent sure about that.” Kat and Nate both look at each other with wide eyes and simultaneously lean forward, closer to me and Callie.

That right there is freaky twin behaviour.

“He drugged us whilst he was waiting for her to come to bed so that we didn’t hear anything.” She rubs the side of her neck as more tears fall from her eyes. I swipe them away and pull her closer to my side. She tilts her head up to the ceiling, lashes fluttering as she tries to blink away her tears.

After a few moments, she wipes at her face and clears her throat. “He beat her that night. He broke bones, fractured her skull and then shot her when she tried to come back and get us… b-before my mum left, I always thought that my father was uncaring but still a decent person. Afterwards, though, we learned exactly what he was like and honestly, it was worse than I ever could’ve imagined.”

Kat leans over the table and pulls Callie in for a hug, both of them just about managing to reach each other due to their small heights. Nate has a doleful look on his face as he watches his sister and Callie embrace.

His eyes catch mine, his lips pull into a flat line. Nate’s a sensitive soul, learning this information is bound to upset him and he’s no doubt worried about what else Callie’s going to share. He cares about her, we both do, even after such a short time.

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