Chapter 19- Callie

A week later, I found myself kind of bored. Yes, I loved being out here, in the quiet, and fresh air, but I was bored. Arizona was in town with Alex, and Daniel was busy in the office. The chores had already been done, and I found myself wandering around the house. Arizona and I had gone and picked up what items I thought I'd like to keep out of my house, and I contacted a real estate agent, my house was on the market to be sold. I didn't know rather to be happy about that or sad. I was in the living room, looking at the pictures on the wall. I haven't had much time to do this, the pictures were old, I'm guessing it was Barbara who put them there. Through the pictures you could watch Arizona grow up. After she met Alex, she wasn't alone in the pictures. I laughed thinking about them as kids. On the mantel, there was a picture of Daniel, Arizona and Alex standing in front of the kennel with the sign in the shot. The sign looked new, like they had just hung it. All three were smiling. "that was taken the day Zo turned 30" I turned around and smiled. I was feeling a little guilty like I was prying into their personal lives. "sorry, I" I mutter and moved away.

"there's no need to be sorry Callie, you live here too" Daniel smiled "if you have any you'd like out, go ahead and put them" he smiled

"thanks, I just might" I said and looked around "you want to see more from when they were younger?"

"I'd love that" I smile, Daniel nodded and went into the closet, pulling out 3 books, and setting them down on the coffee table. "come, sit" I nod and sit down on the couch next to Daniel. He handed me the first book and I opened it, the first picture was of a tiny Arizona, a woman was holding her smiling. "that was my mom" he smiles, a closer look told me Daniel looked like her. "was taken right here on this couch" I looked away from the picture and at the couch, you can't tell it's that old, they've taken good care of it. I flipped to the next page and Daniel explained what the pictures were. He did that through out the book, which ended when Arizona started school. He reached for the second, and did the same, explaining when and where the picture was taken. I put that book aside and reached for the third. Opening this one, I saw him smile. "this was before Zo" it was picture of what I assumed to be him, in his teenage years, with a dog. "that's Lady, she was Jack's mom" I smiled, and flipped the page. There was the same boy, with two others, one of the boys shared a resemblance to. "no" I look closer, and heard Daniel let out a sigh. "is that?" I asked setting the book down on my lap and turned toward Daniel. I see him take a deep breath, and nod "that's your father"

"you and him were" I paused trying to find the right words "friends?"

"we were" he nods

"why, what" I shake my head "what happened?"

"I'm honestly not sure what happened" he sighed "we were close friends up until he went off to college" I nod, I've heard stories about his college years "he left, promising me we'd go fishing the next summer, but when he came back that summer, he changed"

"he met my mom that year" I muttered

"I had heard" he nods "I'm not blaming your mother; I think she's an amazing lady to put up with his shit"

"so you knew my dad" I said, trying to let my brain catch up, I hear him chuckle "why, why didn't you tell me?"

"because there's a time and place, I knew him as a kid, this man he turned into" he shakes his head "I hate to use the word hate, but"

"I get it" I nod

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you"

"it's ok, really, it doesn't change anything"

"it shouldn't" he smiles and stands "I'm going to make some lunch, would you like anything?"

"sure" I said, not taking my eyes off the picture.