CHAPTER 290: WHAT DATE?

Callan came down the stairs after he had freshened up, his hair still damp from the shower. He slowed when he heard voices in the living room.

Emily’s parents.

Emily’s stepmom, Jessica, was the first to see him. Her eyes lit up, and before he could even step forward, she was already rising to her feet.

"Callan, darling!" she said warmly. Her voice carried the tone of a woman greeting her own son.

"Aunt Jessica," Callan greeted with a wide smile as she opened her arms wide, and he stepped into her warm embrace.

"How are you feeling? We’ve all been worried sick about you," Jessica said, pulling back just enough to look at him. "I’ve missed you so much. Why don’t you ever come home?"

"For Christ’s sake, Jess, can you give him a minute to answer your questions one at a time?" Delilah told her sister.

"Shut up, D. Respectfully," Jessica called back, her gaze still on Callan, "Each time I see you I’m surprised by how different you look. You seem to be taller each time. Or is it just me?"

Callan chuckled. "I’m sure it’s just you. And thanks, I’m fine. I’ve missed you too. You’re still looking as beautiful as ever."

Jessica grinned, pleased with the compliment. "Oh, you flatterer," she said, brushing his cheek playfully before sitting back down.

Callan went to Emily’s Dad, Damon, who was busy talking with Hunter. "It’s good to see you, Uncle Damon."

Damon turned to him, and reached for his hand. Damon’s grip was strong and fatherly as they shook hands.

"It’s good to see you are fine," Damon said, his tone genuine.

"Thank you, sir," Callan replied politely.

As they all sat down, Jessica leaned forward, eyes curious. "So, tell us, Cal, how have you been coping with Emmy under the same roof? She hasn’t been giving you trouble, has she?"

Callan’s lips twitched with a small smile. "We’re doing okay. We’re adults, and we know how to be cordial."

Jessica nodded, pleased with the answer. "That’s good to know. Before she left she kept going on and on about how she couldn’t live with you and how you both can’t stand each other and would kill each other."

Everyone laughed at that, and Hunter tilted his head, his eyes sharp with mischief. "By the way, we saw a clip of your speech at the Residents’ welcome dinner," he said. "Did you escort Emily to the party?"

Callan blinked, ready to answer, but Jessica spoke first with a soft chuckle. "That wasn’t likely. Didn’t you hear his speech? He made it clear they were acting like strangers."

"Right," Hunter said, nodding.

Callan leaned back a little. "I actually offered to take Emily," he admitted calmly, "but she insisted she already had a date."

The room went silent.

Everyone looked at him at once. "What date?" Damon asked quickly, his voice sharp.

"Dr Dan Coleman," Callan said, his tone even. "One of the resident doctors there. We met him at the airport on the same day she arrived. They seemed to know each other already."

The parents exchanged looks across the room.

"Emily never mentioned him when we talked," Jessica murmured.

"Do you think she is interested in him? Are they in a relationship?" Damon asked at last.

Callan shrugged, a casual lift of his shoulders. "I don’t know. But I told her to stay away from him. He looks like a jerk."

"A jerk? Why do you say so?" His father asked with a slight frown, not liking the idea of Emily being with a jerk.

"Don’t know. Just an observation. He didn’t even notice Emily was cold all night and she sat beside him. Yet I could tell from across the room," Callan said, not taking note of the implication of his statement. "But you don’t need to worry. I have someone looking into him to be sure he’s okay."

Damon’s lips curved into a faint smile. "I’m not worried. With you around, I know Emily is safe."

The words hit Callan like a small punch. He winced inside, even though his face stayed calm.

He wondered if Damon would still say that if he knew the truth about how he had deflowered his daughter and broken her heart the very next day. The guilt pressed in, but he kept it hidden.

Before anyone could speak again, footsteps sounded from the hall as Hunter’s sister, Sabrina, entered with her husband, Alex beside her.

Her eyes landed on Callan, and her face lit up as she gasped. "If it isn’t my favorite nephew, Cally baby!" she cried, hurrying forward to embrace him.

"Your only nephew," Callan said, chuckling as he went to her and she squeezed him tightly.

Sabrina pulled back and smiled as she looked into his face, "For a moment, I thought you wanted to stay in Husla forever. I know how comfortable it can get there, but it’s too isolated and far from family. I’m speaking from experience, you know? So take my advice and come back home."

Delilah and Hunter shared a smile, and then Delilah spoke. "We agree. We told him earlier that it’s time he comes back home. When Emily’s program ends, they can come back together."

"Smooth plan," Sabrina said, winking at Delilah, who grinned back at her, while Callan greeted Alex.

They all moved toward the dining room where dinner was waiting. As they ate, they made small talk, laughing and catching up on each other’s lives.

Halfway through, Sabrina set her fork down and turned to Callan. "So, I heard about your biological father," she said, her tone kind. "I’m sure your parents have advised you to the best of their ability, and honestly I don’t have the energy to even talk about it. But I just want you to keep one thing in mind, I love you, and you are always going to be my one and only favorite nephew. Don’t ever forget that, Cally baby."

Callan’s heart softened despite his cringe at the embarrassing nickname. He realized for the first time that he was surrounded by so much love he had taken for granted all these years. Because he’d always believed the scandal was the reason for his adoption, he’d never trusted any of the love they had all offered.

He’d assumed it was all for show and they were merely tolerating him as his foster mother had done before abandoning him at the orphanage. But seeing how despite having found his biological father, they still assured him of their love and his place in their lives, Callan felt ashamed of himself and sorry.

He smiled. "Thanks for the reminder, aunt Bree. I would never forget that. And I love you too."

Delilah smiled as she exchanged a look with her husband. They could see that Callan was truly beginning to open up his heart now to receive all their love, and it made them happy.

After dinner, they all went back to the living room. The couples settled in for games; charades, pictionary, card games, monopoly. Callan sat back as the referee, keeping scores and watching their joy.

There was lots of laughter as they teased each other, and each couple, one after the other, asked Callan to take their pictures. He snapped each shot, watching them pose and laugh together, and then took selfies of them all together.

As he watched Damon whisper something into Jessica’s ear, as Hunter teased Delilah when she missed a guess, as Sabrina and Alex clapped for each other, Callan’s heart tugged.

He imagined playing the games with them with Emily by his side as his partner, laughing with him.

Someday he wanted to have this too. He wanted the love, joy, and mutual respect that all three couples shared.

Hours later, when everyone had called it a night, Callan went up to his bedroom. He sank onto the bed with a sigh, glancing at the clock. Morning felt far away. But the thought of Emily arriving in Ludus soon sort of lifted his chest even though the thought of seeing Ryan made him feel anxious.

What was she doing right now? he wondered. Was she bored? Lonely? Chatting with Mari and Jamal? Treating Ryan?

He reached for his phone, then he began to type a text.

Callan : Your parents just left. We had dinner together and even had a couple game night.

He sent the group pictures they’d taken and personal pictures of her parents.

On the jet, Emily’s phone vibrated under Ryan’s pillow.

Ryan picked it up and looked at the screen before glancing at Emily, who had kept her eyes on him since he took her phone like she was scared he was going to look through it.

"You have a message," he said slowly. "From Cal the jerk."

Emily’s heart skipped but she didn’t respond.

He read it aloud since he had deactivated her phone’s security and had easy access to her phone now. "He says your parents just left. They had dinner and a couple game night. He also sent photos." Ryan’s gaze lifted. "What should I respond?"

Before Emily could make up her mind whether or not to respond, another message buzzed in from Callan.

Ryan froze when he read it.

Callan : Have you had any sort of interaction with him? What do you think about him, apart from what we know already about his relationship with Dawn. I felt very disappointed and even more ashamed to be his son after seeing the video he released. My parents want me to be more understanding and give him a chance... but I want to know what you think. Do you think he’s capable of change? Or would that be wishful thinking?