Chapter 3: Callie meets Rita Desjardin

(Meanwhile, later…)

In the evening. Callie drove to the restaurant: The Red Grill. She parked in a stall as employees passed by on roller skates.

"I can't believe a place like this still exists." Callie replied, with surprise.

As Callie took her seat belt off.

"Can't believe we have to spend the summer in a heap. We have lives." Trevor replied, as he was still concerned.

"You don't think I have a life?" Callie countered as she was behind, too.

"No. You're a mom. You live for us." Trevor disagreed

Callie grunted in disgust.

"All right, kids. Come on." Callie replied.

Trevor took his seat belt off and told his mother.

"I'll be right back." Trevor said.

"Oh." Callie replied.

Callie looks up in the mirror to her daughter.

"Trevor, we wait for you." Callie said.

"Okay, Mom." Trevor said.

Phoebe looks around to The Red Grill.

"Hey." Callie said, as she turned to Phoebe, in the back seat. "Maybe you will make a friend out here."

Phoebe nodded.

"Make them out of what?" Phoebe asked.

"I'm serious." Callie stressed. "A new home could be an opportunity to start fresh. Keep an open mind."

Phoebe smiled and looked down.

"Come on." Callie replied.

"Okay." Phoebe said, as she took his seat belt off.

(Later at The Red Grill…)

Callie, Trevor, and Phoebe went into The Red Grill and they looked around.

"Wow." Phoebe said.

"Man." Trevor said.

"I like that." Callie said.

"Looks like there's still plenty on offer here this afternoon." Phoebe said, as she looked at the selection available under the counter.

"Let's get our favorite slices of cake before they're all gone." Callie said, as she made their way over to the counter.

"Sounds like a good idea to me." Trevor said, as he followed behind.

Soon they were sitting together at the three tables that were lined up together along the back wall, having gotten the drinks and whatever pastries or slices of cake they wanted. Now comfortable seated, they tucked into their refreshments as they began to talk.

"So, Mom…what's the plan for school tomorrow?" Phoebe asked, as she looked towards her mother. With school taking place the next day, Callie had already made all the necessary arrangements he wanted for the day earlier in the week.

"Well Phoebe, the plan is that you two meet in front of the school at 6:30am tomorrow morning, where we'll attend the military re-enactment show within the school's large parking lot and go around to see what's there within the various stalls, marquee tents and attractions. Then in the afternoon, we'll be going bowling in the Strike Pin Lanes bowling alley on the mall followed by dinner in the evening in The Red Grill steakhouse." Callie said.

"Yeah, that sounds like an idea." Phoebe said.

"Yes, it sounds like a fairly good plan to me." Trevor said.

"Yeah, I think that you've made a good choice for the place to go for dinner, kids. I have been to The Red Grill steakhouse once before…not too long before last Christmas. It's a really great restaurant with a very friendly atmosphere, and the food that they serve there is fantastic." Callie said.

"It is. I'd highly recommend the place and the food it serves. The staff who work there are very good too, though the place is a little bit on the pricey side." Phoebe said.

"Oh, that's not gonna be too much of a problem, Phoebe. Don't worry." Callie said, knowing the vast fortune he had at his disposal.

"Maybe I will make a friend out here." Trevor said.

"That's right." Callie said.

"Hey, how can I help…" A voice came.

Callie turns at the woman, but then she leaned forward and looked directly at Callie.

"...Callie? Is that you?" The woman asked, as she stood up.

"Hang on...Rita? Rita Desjardin? Oh, it's been a while! How are you?" Callie asked.

The two reached forward and shook hands.

"I'm fine! Long-time no see!" Rita said, happily handshaking Callie's hand.

"Rita!" Callie said.

Callie and Rita hugged and laughed. Trevor and Phoebe exchanged looks.

"It was a long time ago." Callie said.

"You remember me." Rita said.

"Yeah." Callie said.

Rita looked at Trevor and Phoebe.

"Callie, are those your kids?" Rita asked.

Callie turns her head to her kids and turns to Rita.

"Yes. Trevor, Phoebe...this is an old school friend of mine...Rita Desjardin. Rita, this is Trevor and Phoebe, two of my kids." Callie said.

Rita handshakes Trevor and Phoebe.

"Nice to meet you. Your mother and I were great friends when we were in high school. This is the first time we've seen each other in more than seven years." Rita said.

"It's nice to meet you too, Ms. Desjardin." Phoebe said, with a smile.

"Oh, sure." Trevor said, as he and Phoebe shook hands with Rita.

"So, how are you two?" Rita asked.

"Fine." Trevor and Phoebe both said.

"Good." Rita said.

"So, you are here at Chamberlain?" Phoebe asked.

"Yes, I lived here in Chamberlain." Rita said.

"Too." Trevor said.

"Okay, kids, going into my car." Callie said.

"Okay, bye." Trevor and Phoebe both said.

"Bye, so long, kids." Rita said.

Trevor and Phoebe left in Callie's car. Rita turned her head to Callie.

"What wrong, Callie? Where did you stay?" Rita asked.

"Yeah. It's all my fault." Callie said.

"Are you in Chicago?" Rita asked.

"Yeah. We moved here." Callie said.

"You sure?" Rita asked.

"I know. I got mad at the guy." Callie said.

"Oh, too bad. It's not all your fault." Rita said.

"Yeah, Rita." Callie said.

"Your kids go to school." Rita said.

"Trevor has graduated school yet. Phoebe at Middle School." Callie said.

"Oh, yeah, too. Your kids at Chamberlain School." Rita said.

"Oh yes. That's my father's plan." Callie said.

"Your father lived." Rita said.

"No, Rita." Callie said.

"What's wrong?" Rita asked.

Callie is a little sad that her father died.

"Rita, my father died." Callie said, sadly.

"Oh my god." Rita said, as she gasped.

Rita looked down sadly.

"Oh, Callie, sorry to hear about your father." Rita said, as she looked up and sadly.

"Don't worry, Rita... I tell you now that Trevor is in school. Phoebe for school, too." Callie said.

Callie shook Rita's hand.

"Sure, Callie, that's all I want to know. I will tell your son at Thomas Ewen High School." Rita said.

"I will. Trevor." Callie said.

"Yes Mom." Trevor said, as he turned to her mother.

"Ms. Desjardin meets you at Thomas Ewen High School tomorrow, okay?" Callie asked.

"Yes, I can." Trevor said.

"Good. Thanks, Trevor." Callie said.

"Too." Trevor said.

"I will, and many thanks for talking, Rita." Callie said.

"Too, Callie. See you tomorrow." Rita said.

"Too. Bye. Good see to you, Rita." Callie said.

"Bye. Good see to you, too, Callie." Rita said.

Callie walked into her car.

(Later, that night at the Farmhouse…)

In her bedroom upstairs, Phoebe lied on her stomach and read Tobin's Spirit Guide. Behind her on the night stand, the P.K.E. Meter activated. It went unnoticed. A chess board and the pieces fell onto the floor.

As Phoebe sat up and looked to see what fell. She reset the chess pieces on the stand next to her bed. She lied down on her side and faced the chess board.

Trevor walked around outside and still trying to catch a signal on his phone.

"Ow." Trevor said.

Trevor bumped into the branch of the tree with bottles hanging from it. He slid the door open on the bar. There was a car that was covered up. Trevor turned on the flashlight on his phone and lifted up part of the cover, revealing the: No Ghost logo of Ecto-1. The light went out and it became pitch black inside the barn.

"Damn it." Trevor said, as he cursed his bad luck.

To Be Continued…