"Don't be so dramatic Cal." Zoe scoffed but Gillian was watching him carefully, a feeling of dread in her stomach. He wasn't joking and he wasn't being dramatic. She knew Cal Lightman, for the most part, tried to avoid violence. She also know though that when the going got tough, like it had in the past for him, he could just as easily get tough back. And she didn't like that look on his face.
"We need to bring Em to see a doctor," Zoe said then and Cal nodded, the look on his face disappearing. But Gillian was watching him. She'd have to talk to him later. But right now she was going to remove herself. No matter what Cal said she was not going to tag along to Em's doctor's appointment.
"I'll see myself out so you can get ready to go." She stood up and Cal watched her find her way across the room. As she passed, Zoe looked up.
"Gillian?" She turned to face Cal's ex-wife.
"Thanks for talking to Emily last night." She looked like she was about to say more but thought better of it and gave a brief smile instead. Gillian returned it with a nod.
"It was no problem. Good luck in the doctor's. I'm sure everything will be fine." Emily smiled up at her and she turned to leave. Cal followed her through the archway and out into the hall. Both paused at the door.
"Call me later, let me know what happens?" Gillian meant it as a demand but phrased it as a question and he nodded.
"I will." He said, his hand reaching up to tuck a stray hair behind her ear. She swallowed as he did. He hid a smirk.
"And we need to talk," she added solemnly. He tilted his head to look at her.
"About?"
"About whether you want Emily to grow up without a father or not." He frowned at her response but didn't get a chance to reply. She was out the door. She knew it would play on his mind harder and longer if it was the last thing she said to him. There'd be no point in having a discussion now. He needed to let her statement sink in. He needed to think about why she'd said that and to realise that she was right. He didn't call out, she noticed, which meant he was either angry or still in shock. She was vouching for the latter.
OXOXOXO
Cal drove to the doctor's. Zoe sat, fidgeting nervously in the front seat while Emily stared out the window in the back. No one spoke much on the way. When they got there, the doctor called them in straight away and explained the kind of tests he would do. Cal had explained the situation on the phone when he'd rang the doctor so there was no need to go through the formalities again here.
"You understand that we can't run some tests until a number of weeks after the incident." Both Cal and Zoe nodded. AIDS and HIV tests couldn't be run until the condition had had enough gestation time in the system. Cal felt his insides go cold at the thought of it. The doctor asked them both to step outside while he ran some of the tests and Zoe protested at this. She had almost worn the doctor down when Emily told her to wait outside that she would be ok. Zoe nodded and told her where she'd be if she needed her.
Outside in the corridor Zoe paced wildly. Cal stood by the doorway and watched her fretting until finally he caught her as she passed by him and shook her shoulders.
"Calm down, alright? You getting worked up's not going to help Emily." Zoe nodded her head and stepped out of his grasp. He leaned back against the wall again to wait.
"Someone should call Rick." Zoe said finally and Cal looked at her with fire in his eyes.
"Yeah, someone should. Someone should call him and tell him what happened to his girlfriend because he was too selfish to bring her home. I'll do it," he added venomously and Zoe scowled at him.
"We'll wait. Maybe Emily's spoken to him." Cal raised an eyebrow. He doubted it. That was going to be the next task of the night. Try not to take everything out on Emily's selfish bastard boyfriend. He sighed loudly and allowed himself to slide into the chair by the door. Zoe started pacing again.
OXOXOXO
It was nearly two hours later when they were pulling back into the driveway at Cal's house. As they walked inside, Emily went up to her room to gather some of her things. Cal turned to Zoe.
"Does Roger know what happened?" Zoe nodded her head.
"I called him this morning. He's disgusted, naturally." Zoe's face scrunched up, mirroring the disgust she'd just voiced. Cal nodded.
"There's no problem if she wants to stay with me another night…" he was grasping here. He wanted Emily near him after what had happened. Zoe seemed to pick up on that too. She smiled.
"Come with us and have dinner." Cal winced slightly and shook his head.
"No, no. It's fine. I just thought if, you and Roger wanted time to process it or anything…" Cal Lightman had never lied so badly in his life. He was glad Zoe didn't call him on it.
"Come over later if you want to," she said and there was no hint of anything but sincerity in her face and Cal nodded, thanking her as Emily came down the stairs, bag slung over her shoulder. She stopped on the second step, making her taller than both her parents. Cal turned to her and pulled her into a bear hug. He kissed the side of her head and held her tight.
"Call me if you want me yeah? Or if you need anything? Either of you," he added for Zoe's benefit. Emily nodded as she pulled out of his embrace.
"And call your boyfriend." Cal fixed a look on her and she nodded her head. She knew she'd have to do it, she just really didn't know how to. Cal saw that on her face.
"Get him to come over, might be easier. Your mum can help you out." Zoe nodded behind him and Emily bowed her head.
"Ok." Cal smiled and kissed her again.
"Love you Em." A stray tear streaked down the teenagers face as she clung to his shirt.
"Love you too Dad." She broke out of his hold and moved to the door, opening it impatiently. Cal nodded to Zoe, a silent 'if you need anything' kind of nod. Then he leaned in and kissed her cheek before watching she and Emily walk out the door to her car. He watched from the doorway until they were safely buckled into the car and driving away. He was suddenly aware of everything and one on the streets. He was about to step inside and close the door when something else struck him. He reached inside, grabbed his jacket and his car keys before pulling the door shut behind him.
OXOXOXO
Gillian Foster knew the knock was coming before it came. She knew it was coming at some point. It wouldn't be a phone call because he wasn't as good at reading voices as she was. She gave a brief glance through the peephole before opening the door wide to let him in. He frowned. She'd been expecting him. Well of course she had, she'd dropped a bomb on him earlier today, of course she'd be expecting him to come by. He strode in past her into her living room, balancing on the balls of his heels, unable to stand still. She came into the room and stood by the doorway waiting.
"Care to elaborate on that remark you made earlier?" he finally said. She pushed herself off the doorframe she was leaning on and walked into the middle of the room, closer to him.
"I saw the look in your eye Cal. I saw it."
"It was a figure of speech."
"No Cal, it wasn't. And that's what really scares me. I can't blame you for feeling that way. I can't blame you for wanting to kill this man, I really can't. But Cal, it's not the way and you know that." Cal swallowed hard. For the second time in as many days he had the feeling that he'd just been stripped bare by Gillian Foster. She was right of course. She always was. He shook his head.
"I can't stand by Gill…" Gillian stepped into him and put her hands on his arms by his elbows.
"I know it's not easy Cal but, for this, you have to. If you go in there and do something stupid you risk not only letting this guy get away with what he did but you risk putting you and your family in real danger. Cal, this guy is a criminal; he could probably have you killed if he wanted to…"
"Yeah I'd like to see him try." Cal sounded so juvenile he almost kicked himself. Gillian did. Mentally.
"Cal, grow up. Seriously. You have to think about Emily here, not your own instant gratification. There's only one way to do this Cal and that's properly, however slow it is." Silence hung in the air for a long while before Cal finally nodded, collapsing down on Gillian's sofa, rubbing his hands over his face.
"I need a drink," he said suddenly and Gillian smiled.
"Scotch?"
"Like music to my ears," he replied.
OXOXOXO
Ok, so a longer chapter this time. Hopefully I'm keeping you all amused. Thanks to all for reviewing – you guys are awesome! Keep pushing that button…