All You Want
Part Nine
"That's good. They've missed you." Carly went quiet for a minute before she spoke again. "You know, Michael and Sabrina have been engaged for about five years, now. We always ask why they haven't set a date and he always says that he wants all his siblings to be there. And you've missed his son, Alexander. He's a year younger than Avery. They've both grown so much."
"I've seen a few pictures on Joss' page. I'm sorry I missed all of that." He told her hoarsely. "I have someone I'd like to introduce all of you to, too." Morgan smiled as Catherine beamed against his neck. "I've been dating this woman, Catherine for two years now. Joss and Spencer have already met her."
"I hope I do get to meet her soon. I want to know what you've been up to. What your life is like. I don't think you'd have ever contacted me if not for running into your sister. To think that I wasn't sure about her going to school so far away at first."
Morgan smiled at that. It really had been a chance of luck that his sister had chosen a university near where he called home. "Listen, I should let you go. I want to call Michael and dad and surprise them."
"Of course!" Carly exclaimed. "Try and call me tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay." He answered. "I love you, mom." He hung up after that and bit his lip. Steeling himself, he dialed Michael's number and listened to it ring.
"Hello?" A child's voice asked, one that was obviously Alexander.
"Hey buddy, is your dad home?" Morgan asked.
"Uh-huh." And then suddenly, there was a loud yell of, "DAD!"
Morgan flinched at that and pulled the phone away from his ear a bit.
Suddenly, moments later, a voice asked. "This is Michael, who is this?"
Morgan swallowed hard. "Michael?" He asked meekly.
The line was silent for a few moments before Michael finally spoke, disbelief yet hope in his voice, "Morgan?" He asked.
"Yeah. Um. Yeah, it's me." Morgan laughed. "It's uh, it's been a long time. I just...I figured I would call you. I ran into Josslyn. She's going to university where I live with my girlfriend."
"She didn't tell me that she ran into you when she called me. We talk every night." Michael said, confused.
Morgan bit his lip and leaned back, fingers tapping against his leg in a rhythm he couldn't define. "That's because I told her not to." He answered. "I wanted to call and tell everyone myself."
"Why did you run off? Couldn't we have talked things out?" Michael asked, confused.
"Because, would you have listened? I mean, God. I could've killed you, Michael!" Morgan cried out, clenching his hand into his hair.
Michael bit his lip. "I know." He admitted. "And I was really angry at you. I didn't get why you did it. But we could've worked through it. We could've gotten you help. Together as a family."
Morgan felt Catherine's comforting weight pressed up against him and he answered, "I never thought about that. But...I was wondering if you would come to visit. I want to work things out. I was a coward to run, even if running is what led me to the woman I love. I want my family back in my life.
Josslyn curled up on her bed, laptop rested on her legs as she scrolled through tumblr. In the back of her mind, she couldn't help but wonder if her brother was going to stick to his promise and eventually call their family. She feared that he'd continue to put it off. After all, he hadn't spoken to them in eight years, until she accidentally ended up in the same town as him. Still though. He wasn't ignoring her now, so hopefully, he'd show their brother and mother the same courtesy. She yawned, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth before deciding to close the laptop and set it onto her bedside table. She climbed into her bed and shut off her light, intent on getting a good night's rest.
She woke up the next morning and walked out of her room and into the kitchen, scratching her head. She'd just poured herself a bowl of cereal when her cellphone rang. Her brows furrowed as she swallowed her spoonful of her cereal, took a sip of her juice, and answered the call. "Mom?" She asked curiously. "What are you doing calling me so early?"
Her mother's laugh was joyful. "I just have to thank you for getting Morgan to call me. I don't know how you were able to keep it secret that you had run into him."
Josslyn breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god he called you! I was so scared that he wouldn't. And it was difficult not saying anything, but I figured you should hear it from him yourself. I was so shocked, mom! I didn't expect to run into him. Spence and I were just grocery shopping when I saw him staring at me. I guess he noticed me first and didn't know what to say."
"I can imagine. Who'd have thought that you going to college would bring your brother back to us?" Her mom's voice was wistful. "We've missed so much. He has a whole life there. He even has a girlfriend. Have you met her?"
The younger woman nodded, though her mother couldn't see it. "Mhm. Spencer and I both did. I invited them to have dinner with us. She's so nice. And she obviously makes him happy, mom. You'd like her."
The older woman laughed at that. "Well, I figure I'll find out for myself this weekend, Joss. I told him that I'd come and visit him. I've missed my little boy. I don't want to be away from him any longer."
Catherine raised an eyebrow at Morgan. "You need to relax, honey. I know you're nervous about calling your father, but you've already called your brother and your mom. You've reunited with your sister and cousin. Why does calling your dad make you the most uncomfortable."
Morgan groaned. "You don't understand. My dad is the one to cut you out of his life completely or get revenge if you betrayed him. I ran of on him and the rest of my family and I could've killed my brother and caused dad to lose his daughter. My half sister."
She frowned at that. "But surely it would be different with you. I mean, you're her son. You need to give him a chance and explain why you did these things, Morgan."
He looked down at her hand on his arm, took a shaky breath and nodded his head as his hand reached for his phone
