"Marc Haas, what are you doing in my office again?" I ask, entering my office. I have the worst hangover - Penny, Jacqueline, and I went out last night and got plastered. I think Jacqueline even made a new friend named Vanessa. I don't really know or remember much about her, except she looked cool. She had that whole goth thing going on. It kind of made me envious - I'm still fairly alternative but it's more subtle now. I wish I could still be as wild as I was when I was younger. It seems Jacqueline hasn't quite lost that fire yet.
"Mr. Jameson is moody again," Marc replies. "I'm laying low."
"Marc, if you're gonna work closely with Liam, you're just going to have to accept that he's a teenage boy inside of a 30-something year old man's body," I shrug, taking a seat at my desk.
"That's hard," Marc whines.
"That's business," I retort.
"Why can't I just be your assistant, Miss Cooper?"
"Because I can do my job," I say, as Liam enters the room.
"I heard that, Charlotte," Liam says, giving me a half-joking glare.
"I hoped that you would," I smile, "now, please get your misbehavin' ass kid, he's keeping me from my work."
"Language," he scolds playfully. "And I believe my misbehavin' ass kid is at Suncrest right now."
"Smartass," I say, waving both men out of my office.
"Again, language!" he calls over his shoulder. I chuckle. I'm happy to have a cordial relationship with Liam. It makes co-parenting that much easier.
I sit and take a moment to lean over, my elbows on the desk. I massage my temples. My head is pounding ruthlessly. I haven't drunk like that in ages. Maybe I'm just getting too old to party like I used to. I don't know, though. Jacqueline was fine this morning. Maybe I'm weak.
I hear a knock on my doorframe and look up. Penny is stood in the doorway with a cup of coffee. "Hey, sorry to just drop in," she says.
"It's fine," I say. "Come on in."
"This is for you," she puts the coffee cup on the coaster on my desk. "Figured you'd need it after last night."
"Really?" I raise an eyebrow. "How do you know how I like my coffee?"
"Sheldon told me," Penny says.
I'm surprised. Sheldon and I haven't spoken since our little spat, and that was a week ago. "Interesting. I guess that eidetic memory he's so proud of is useful for things other than science."
"Like remembering every insecurity you've got so he can use it against you," Penny adds with a sarcastic chuckle.
I nod. "You've got that right."
"Have you talked to him yet?" she asks with a head tilt.
I shake my head. "Why would I? I'd have to listen to his warped perception of how things were after Dad died. I mean, god, he was here! How did he know what was going on in Texas? He never bothered to call, or even send any mail. It was mostly Georgie holding things together, and me when I could." I pause. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to put all of this on you. I should probably get to work. Thanks for coming by, and thank you for the coffee." I give Penny a small smile of appreciation.
"You're not putting anything on me, this is what friends are for," Penny says, giving me a reassuring smile. It's interesting - even though Penny is ten years younger than I am, she's a lot more compassionate than I am. Maybe I have something to learn from her.
"Thanks, again," I say.
"You're welcome, Callie. Bye." She exits the office.
…
Later that day, I walk into Sheldon and Leonard's apartment. Penny has invited me to help plan Leonard's birthday party. Sheldon's in the middle of ranting about how he dislikes birthday parties.
"Oh, good, I was worried I would miss one of his annoying rants," I snap as I set my bag down on the floor and sitting on the couch beside Howard.
Sheldon looks up, as if surprised to see me. He suddenly seems tense, and then seems to brush it off. That's not surprising. If something is inconvenient to him, he just brushes it off.
Penny sighs. "I'm working on him, don't worry. Sheldon, I understand you have scars that no non-professional can heal, but nevertheless we are going to throw Leonard a birthday party."
"Have I pointed out that I am extremely uncomfortable with dancing, loud music and most other forms of alcohol-induced frivolity?" Sheldon continues.
"You heard him, Penny, the boy hates to have fun," I say, glaring at Sheldon, who gives me an eyeroll.
"I would not call that fun, I would call it-"
"I don't care," I interrupt sharply.
Penny sighs, sensing the tension that still lingers from last week. "Nevertheless we are-" .
Sheldon interrupts. "In addition I really don't think that Leonard wants a–"
"Okay, here's the deal," she interjects, "you either help me throw Leonard a birthday party or, so help me God, I will go into your bedroom and I will unbag all of your most valuable mint condition comic books. And on one of them, you won't know which, I'll draw a tiny happy face in ink."
I chuckle at that, knowing what that would mean.
"You can't do that, if you make a mark on a mint comic book then it's no longer mint."
I sigh at Sheldon's reply. He can be so dense sometimes.
"Sheldon, do you understand the concept of blackmail?" Penny asks.
"Well of course I… oh!" He seems to realise what she's getting at now. He turns to the rest of us. "Yeah, I have an idea, let's throw Leonard a kick ass birthday party.
After Sheldon retreats to his seat, I approach Penny, who's now in the kitchen.
"So, blackmailing my little brother? Got the devil in you, don't you, girl?"
"I've found that if Sheldon won't do something, the best way to get him to do it is threaten something that will affect him." Penny says with a proud smile, as if she feels this is an accomplishment. To be fair, it is.
"I'm glad you've figured him out. It took me a few years, but to be fair, I was a child," I shrug.
"And she's not as smart as me," Sheldon adds.
"Literally only 30 points off from you, buddy boy," I say, frustrated by the mere sound of his voice.
"That's still a significant amount," Sheldon responds. Of course he would have the nerve to discredit my intelligence.
"And I'd suggest you quit before there's a significant amount of my shoe wedged up your-"
"Alright, alright, that's enough," Penny interrupts before I finish my sentence.
"You're right. Sorry, Penny." I apologise, making sure to only name her.
"And what about an apology for me?" Sheldon asks expectantly.
"I'm still waiting on mine," I retort. If he doesn't apologise, I won't, either.
"I suppose we'll both have to go without," he concludes.
"Suppose we will," I respond tersely.
"Wait, your IQ is only 30 points off from Sheldon's?" Howard asks, an eyebrow raised in surprise.
"Yep. 157" I confirm with a small grin.
"Then why aren't you a scientist?" Howard asks.
"An…adequate IQ does not constitute a scientific inclination," Sheldon responds.
"While alright at science, I find myself more drawn into creative endeavours," I add with a glare to Sheldon, who looks confused at the look. "Like music"
"I still think it's a waste of your time," Sheldon mutters.
"And I still think you owe me an apology for what you said last week," I retort in the same tone.
"Why would I apologise if what I said was true?" Sheldon asks matter-of-factly.
"Careful Sheldon, you're writing missing bodies that the police won't be able to find," I warn.
"Great joke. Violent, and makes no sense," Sheldon says, a rare bit of sarcasm in his voice. He seems to reserve that for me.
"It'll make sense in time, trust me," I say ominously.
"Can we just plan this party?" Penny cuts in, clearly tired of hearing our back-and-forth.
I begrudgingly agree to bury the hatchet temporarily so that we can plan this party.
…
After a bit of time spent planning the party, I return home. Georgia is at Liam's per my request, because I have a very special night planned for me and Jacqueline. I plan to take her out to dinner and propose using the ring I bought when we moved to California. It's going to be amazing. I can't believe I'm finally able to do this.
I walk into the home. Jacqueline isn't in the living room, so I go looking for her. I notice her art studio door is wide open, so I approach it. I can hardly believe my eyes once I see what's waiting for me in the doorway. My long-time partner, kissing a woman that is not me. A woman that is Vanessa, the woman that she met while we were out last night.
Jacqueline seems to push her off, but that's probably only because she sensed a presence. She looks at me. "Callie!"
I don't give her time to say much else before I make my way back out, knocking down all the pictures of us set on the console table in the lobby.
Jacqueline manages to get out the door before I get into the car. "Callie, wait. Callie, Callie, listen to me," she pleads, her voice panicked.
"Why would I need to listen?" I ask coldly. "I've seen all I need to know."
…
I arrive at Liam's house and knock on the door, tears streaming down my face.
Georgia answers the door. "Mom..are you alright?" she looks concerned, and a little scared.
I don't answer her, I just enter the house and plop face down on the couch. "Dad, can you come here for a second? I gotta…do anything else," I hear Georgia call.
Liam comes in, "What's the ma- oh, Callie. You're here, and upset" he says, sounding confused and surprised. "Georgia, go do something in your room for a minute while I figure out what's going on here."
I hear Georgia's footsteps retreat to her room.
"What's going on, Callie?" Liam asks, sounding as concerned and/or scared as Georgia did.
"Jacqueline kissed another woman," I say, muffled by the couch cushions.
"What?" he asks. "I didn't quite catch that."
I lift my head so that there's no obstruction of sound. "Jacqueline kissed another woman."
His jaw drops. "And by your demeanour, I figure this woman wasn't you?"
"You really were gonna get into Duke, weren't you?" I ask bitingly.
"Hey, Callie," Liam says firmly but soothingly, "I understand that you are upset, but you can't take it out on me."
I sit up, wiping my tears. "I know, I just…I don't understand. She's always been so devoted and attentive and just all around a wonderful partner up until now."
"Yeah, this…it surprises me too, Cal," Liam says, looking as if he's trying to put puzzle pieces together and none of them fit.
"I don't get it. What's wrong with me that she would want to kiss another woman?" I ask, the tears threatening to return tenfold.
"Nothing's wrong with you, Callie. This is her issue." Liam reassures me.
"I wish I could believe you. I'd been wondering if I was enough for her anymore - fun enough, wild enough, pretty enough. It turns out I wasn't."
"You're enough, Callie. Like I said, this is Jacqueline's issue." Liam reiterates, coming to sit beside me. He puts his arm around me and pulls me into him.
"I'm so confused. She'd felt threatened by Penny and told me how afraid she was to lose me and then…I come home to her kissing another woman," I say, grateful for his warmth.
"Jacqueline has always been a very confusing person. I'm sure it has nothing to do with you," Liam says.
"That doesn't really make me feel any better," I scoff.
"Well, what will?"
"Having a partner that actually loves and appreciates me and our time together." I respond.
Liam looks at me for a second. Then, quietly, he says, "Callie, I-"
He's interrupted by a sudden, aggressive knock on his door.
I can't see who's there when Liam opens it. Upon sight of the person, Liam's expression sours.
"You."