Don't own it, just Callen and her sibs
Chapter 7: A Day Full of Surprises
Apparently the next move was me standing outside of a supermax prison. Again.
The only difference was this time I wanted to be here. I was excited to be here. And this time I didn't totally hate Peter. For once he had decided to listen to me.
He actually listened. To me.
Well, Elizabeth did help a little bit. Okay, maybe a lot. But still, either way I won.
In case you haven't figured it out yet, he's getting out. He, referring to my favorite person in the whole wide world.
Dad.
"Whoa, slow down there kid. You look like your gonna have a heart attack," Peter says laughing.
I take a deep breath and shoot Peter an evil glare.
He raises his eyebrows in return.
"Am I not allowed to be happy?" I ask him.
"You can be happy; I just don't want you to die on me." He responds back sarcastically.
"Why not? Your life might be less stressful than" I kid back.
"Maybe, maybe not" he says avoiding my eyes.
"Aw, Peter admit you like me" I say smiling.
"You're nuts" he responds.
"You like me, you like me" I sing.
"Ok, maybe you're starting to grow on me" he admits annoyed.
"HA, see I win" I shout.
"How old are we?" he asks looking at me.
I'm about to say something extremely sarcastic when I hear the sound of doors creaking. I switch my focus from one annoying agent to one charming criminal. Hmm, that has a nice ring to it don't you think.
Anyways, I look in the direction of the doors just in time to see the man in question walk out. Dark dress pants, white T-shirt, dark curly brown hair, and ice blue eyes that look just like mine. I smile to myself and take a step forward. I watch as he walks out and look around until his eyes fall on me.
"Daddy" I yell, okay I realize I'm a little old to say that, but right now I don't really care.
I take off full sprint and bolt to him.
I know that I just saw him like three weeks ago, but that was different. Then he was in prison, now he's out. He's here. Not locked up for another four years. And I'm excited.
Last time, there were secrets and uncertainty but not anymore.
In less than five seconds I'm in his arms, burying my face into his shoulder.
"Oh, so now you're excited to see me" he jokes giving me a hug.
I lean back slightly to punch him in the arm. "Why wouldn't I be?"
He looks at me and smiles a goofy grin. "Well last time I saw you, you looked so serious I thought you were planning on murdering me."
I just roll my eyes before giving him another hug. "I missed you" I whisper into his jacket.
"I know megabyte, I know" he says leaning down to give the top of my head a kiss.
I smile up at him and he reciprocates with an identical one. If I could stay like this forever, I definitely would.
Unfortunately a very, very irritating FBI Agent seems to have different plans.
"Let me see it." Me and dad break our gaze and turn to look at Peter who has just interrupted our reunion.
Dad takes a look at me, winks, and then takes a few steps in Peter's direction with him pushing me ahead.
Once in front of Peter, dad casually balances on his left foot using the other to lift up the pant leg on the aforementioned foot revealing a tracking anklet.
"You understand how this works right?" Peter says raising his eyebrows.
"I've been released into the custody of the FBI under your supervision," Dad says looking at his captor, "I let this thing -" he gesture to his anklet - "chafe my leg. Anything I'm missing?"
"Yeah," Peter replies glancing at me quickly as if to make sure I'm listening "If you run, and I catch you - which you know I will, because I'm 2 and 0 -"
Vanity is not an attractive look on you Peter.
"- you're not back here for four years, you're back here for good."
I look between Peter and dad, who have decided to begin a staring contest with one another. My excitement drops a little bit hearing those restrictions. I knew there would be some stipulations, but two miles, in New York City; well that's just not fair. I guess it does however beat a prison cell. Anyways that's not the biggest disappointment. It's that last clause that gets me, scares me almost.
Guess what? I once again hate Peter.
"Call"
I snap out of my daydream and turn my attention to dad.
"Yes dad" I say, glad for once I can say that to his face.
"You looked like you were on another planet" he responds laughing. "You ready to go."
"Of course, unless you want to stay here longer?" This time Peter laughs too and dad gives me a kiss on the forehead before climbing in the car.
…...
"This place is gross" I whisper to dad.
We're currently standing in the lobby of a really disgusting run-down motel. Peter brought us here straight from the prison, saying that this was where dad would be staying. And as expected dad started arguing the minute we walked in the door. Not that I blame him, not only is the building gross but so are the people. I feel like I'm in a horror movie.
"See even Callen thinks it's disgusting" dad whines for the thousandth time in the last five minutes.
"Neal, this is the same price that it would cost to host you in the prison, if you can find other accommodations for the same price you can take it."
"Peter."
"No" he states addressing that it's the end of the conversation, and then turning to me he says "you staying or coming?"
I look at dad and then back at Peter and grab onto his arm. "I totally want to spend the rest of the day with you Peter. We could go shopping and then get manicures or go see a movie, there's this great new romantic comedy that just came out."
"Okay, I get it. You want to spend time with your dad" he says ripping his arm from grasp.
"No duh Sherlock" I say sarcastically rolling my eyes. I hear dad stifle a laugh, which only makes me smile.
"Fine, be back at my place for dinner" he says pulling out his wallet to hand me money for a cab.
"Of course, wouldn't want to miss you wife's delicious cooking."
He rolls his eyes. "Here's a ten for a cab."
I reach into his still open wallet and grab two twenties. "I might need more" I respond to his fuming look.
And with that he turns and walks out the door with a huff.
Dad laughs and I smile handing him the ten Peter hand originally in his hand.
"How did you get that too?" he asks smiling.
I shrug. "It's not that hard. And besides now you get some too."
"I get ten and you get forty, somehow I don't think that's fair."
"Hey, I did the work. Therefore I get more."
He rolls his eyes. "You're becoming a miniature criminal."
"And whose fault is that" I ask shooting him a look.
He laughs.
"So what should we do now kiddo" he asks placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Well, how about we check out that thrift store Peter was talking about. You need some new clothes" I say grabbing at his jacket and shuddering causing him to laugh again.
I will never get tired of that.
We head out on to the busy New York City Streets to the thrift store a few blocks down. There are people everywhere completely involved in their own little world and oblivious to the joy mine has just received.
"So kiddo, what's up?" dad asks pulling me away from my observations.
"Not much. You?" I know what he meant but walking around dad's questions is a favorite game of mine.
He rolls his eyes. "I mean what have I missed."
"I know what you mean dude." I respond smiling at him. Honestly I don't know where to start; a person can miss a lot in four years.
He laughs in response and says "Start small. Tell me about your brothers and sister first, that way I know what they're like since I never met the twins and Braden could barely talk." He says the last part a little mournful, which makes me cringe.
"If it makes you feel better, you're lucky. Sometimes they don't stop talking. It can get pretty irritating." This makes him smile again, so I continue.
"First of all, Brady's eight and a total trouble maker. He's really devious, likes typical boy stuff, you know; skateboarding, video games, sports, picking pockets, building stuff."
He stops walking and looks at me. "Picking pockets?"
"Yeah, he's good too, not quite as good as me of course, but still amazing. You should see his sleight of hand tricks."
"Is it wrong that I'm slightly proud of that?"
"Not really, I mean you are you." I flash him a million watt smile before continuing.
"Next is Gabby. She's four, and loves to draw. Pretty good too."
"That's my girl."
"Yeah she got your artistic gene, unlike me who wouldn't be able to draw if my life depended on it" I say rolling my eyes at my inability to do anything art related.
Dad laughs. "Oh come on, you're not that bad."
I stop and stare at him, "Unless you count stick people, I suck."
"I remember you having made some good looking art work when you were little" he says continuing to walk.
"Okay now you're just being nice" I say running to catch up to him. "I remember very clearly that you never hung up any of my work on the fridge."
"It was too abstract for taste" he says smiling and shrugging his shoulders.
I slug him in the shoulder.
"Ow" he says rubbing the spot, "What's with you and punching lately?"
I just shrug. "Anyway back to Gabby" I say slapping him on the back for fun, "she also loves animals, fairies and princesses, and other little kid stuff."
"Sounds like a cute kid" he says after a second of recovery.
"Not as cute as your mini-me." He gives me a quizzical look.
"First off he looks identical to you as you already know. Second he probably has an IQ of like 180, even though he's only four. And lastly, he has your personality. Loves classical things, artwork, history. He can convince you to do anything he wants with his smile and twinkling blue eyes. He's literally your clone and I've only known him for three weeks so that's saying something." I say thinking about my adorable little brother.
"Sounds like an amazing kid" he says obviously proud. I punch him in the arm.
"Okay, stop that would you" he says rubbing his arm. I just smirk.
"Okay what about you?"
"What do you mean? You already know what I'm like, remember" I state watching a guy who must have left something in a cab run screaming after it.
"I mean" he drags out, "I'm sure you've changed at least a little while I was gone."
"Oh, sure I guess…" I trail off because I don't know what to tell him, or just don't want to. I'm not sure. "Hey look we're here." I dart into the thrift store and can just picture him running his hands through his hair before walking in after me.
I immediately head over to a stack of shoes on display in the back corner because I saw a really cute pair of silver heels. What, just because I'm a tomboy doesn't mean I can't enjoy a good pair of heels.
Dad heads over to the guys section and I can tell by the look on his face, he is not enjoying their selection.
I kind of laugh at the face he's making because it's totally something he would do. My dad may be a criminal, but he has exquisite taste in clothing. He is definitely not a T-shirt and jeans kind of guy. Nope he needs his clothes to a certain way, which is how thrift stores became a favorite father-daughter activity for us. Yes, I like thrift stores too. I prefer new stuff like most teenagers, but vintage stuff is really cool too.
Anyway, I'm busy going through the rows and rows of shoes when I hear my dad laughing. I back towards the spot he was at thirty seconds ago, but he's gone. I start to look around frantically like a mom who just lost her kid in a department store. It's not my fault he can't stay put.
Funny how the roles seem to be reversed.
Finally I relax as my eyes land on him standing at the front counter with a fedora on his head, talking to an elderly lady. I notice his eyes lighting up as the women hands him a suit jacket and he says something smiling like a kid in a candy store. He looks so happy.
I sigh in relief.
I abandon my shoe rack and skip over to where he's standing and stop right in front of him, flashing my best innocent little kid expression.
"Hi" I say sweetly looking at the grown-ups in front of me.
"Hey megabyte" he says looking at me.
"June, this is my daughter Callen" he says to the woman.
I shake her hand, still smiling. "Hello June, it's very nice to meet you. You seem very wonderful."
I add my Cafferey grin that's identical to the one the one my father's currently wearing.
"Oh, thank you sweetheart" she says smiling at me, "Neal you didn't mention how charming she was, although I can see where she gets it from."
I look over at my dad at the same time he turns to look at me. We both have the same smile plastered on our faces. We turn our attention back to June.
"Call, June was just telling me about her beautiful home" dad says now smiling at me, "And it's very close."
"Oh" I say giving dad a knowing look.
"Yes I was just telling your father about my late husband Byron. Your fathers a lot like him you know?" June says smiling sweetly.
"Really?" I ask innocently.
"Yes, in fact our guest house used to be a speakeasy" she adds.
"That's so cool. I bet it looks amazing" I say excitedly and it's not even fake.
"It certainly does. The space looks more like a house now, but there are still secret passages and other fun accessories" she says her smile growing wider.
"That's incredible" my dad adds still smiling.
"Yes, in fact you two should come over right now and see it for yourselves" June says excitedly.
"Oh no, we don't want to intrude on your day" dad says kindly.
"I insist. And if you like it, perhaps we could work out a deal. You did mention you were looking for a place right?" she says half asking half telling.
"Are you sure?" dad asks skeptically.
June just turns to me in response. "Callen would you like to see the space."
"Yes please if that's alright with you" I say sweetly.
She gives me a hug and laughs. "A father-daughter con-team. You two really are something special."
Me and dad pass each other an excited look.
"Well are you two sweethearts just going to stand there?" she asks turning to walk out of the store.
Dad slaps me on the back of the head and I shove him slightly as he flips his newly bought fedora on his head and we run after our new friend.