When We Found Home

by Susan Mallery

  chapter twelve

  Santiago stood in the cafeteria long past when he should have started moving, only he felt as if he needed a second to clear his head. What had just happened?

  He managed to take a step then another before getting a little momentum but by the time he got out of the cafeteria and into the long warehouse hallway, she was gone.

  Callie, he thought, committing her name to memory, along with her face and the sound of her voice. Everything about her had been perfect. Her mouth, her eyes, the way she’d moved. He couldn’t believe it—lightning had struck right there in the warehouse and no one had noticed but him.

  He had to find out more about her. She hadn’t been wearing a wedding ring, but maybe she was independent. No, he thought. She couldn’t be married. She couldn’t. She hadn’t met him yet. He didn’t have her last name but he had connections with HR. He would find out who she was and—

  “What?” Malcolm asked as he approached. “Something happened. I can see it on your face. Is there a problem? Did some equipment break down?”

  “I met a girl.” Santiago shook his head. “No. I met a woman. I barely spoke to her, but there’s something about her. She’s beautiful. Her voice...” He looked at Malcolm. “I’ve never seen her before. I’m going to have to talk to Miriam in HR when we get back and find out her last name. We don’t have a dating policy in the company, do we?”

  His friend rubbed his forehead. “Dammit, Santiago, no. Not another one of your women. Not at work. They last for a week and then you move on and they’re upset. We have a good crew here. Don’t mess with them.”

  “It’s not like that. I mean it. This is different. Totally different. She had the most beautiful blue eyes. And freckles.”

  Malcolm’s expression froze. “Is her name Callie?”

  “Yeah. How did you know?”

  “I’m psychic.” Malcolm started toward the exit.

  Santiago kept pace with him. “Come on, tell me. Who is she? She’s new, right? She has a bit of an accent, but not much. I can’t trace it. Not the South but...”

  “Oklahoma via Texas,” Malcolm muttered.

  They walked outside, then he turned to Santiago. “This is not a good idea. You have to let it go.”

  “I can’t. Something happened back there.” He looked at his friend. “I mean it, Malcolm. This is different.”

  Malcolm swore under his breath. “Callie Smith is my half sister.”

  Santiago let the information settle in his brain. He knew about Jerry being an asshole and that he’d never had anything to do with his son. He knew about Keira and a second sister, but he hadn’t realized, hadn’t known it was Callie.

  Relief swamped him. She wasn’t married. Malcolm would have mentioned a husband. In fact as far as Santiago knew, Callie was pretty much alone in the world. He could show her Seattle, help her get settled and make some friends. He could charm her and romance her and convince her he was the greatest guy ever. It was only when the plan came together that he realized Malcolm was still talking.

  “...wanted a job. I offered her something in the office, but she wasn’t interested. She wanted to work on the line. It wasn’t me.”

  “You think I’m going to judge you for giving your sister a job in the warehouse?” Santiago asked. “My mom worked here. My brother still does.”

  “Yeah, but shouldn’t I have convinced her to, you know, do something different?”

  Santiago patted his shoulder. “You have been in upper management way too long, my man. Honest work is always honorable. So what’s she like? She’s funny, right? I’ll bet she has a great sense of humor. Does she hang out with Keira? Is she into kids? Did she mention a boyfriend? Not that it matters—I’m here and he’s not but it would be good to know.”

  Malcolm groaned. “Stop it. Just stop it. I don’t know very much about her and what I do know I’m not going to tell you. My advice is to stay away from her.”

  Santiago grinned. “You’re being protective of her. That’s nice.”

  Malcolm shook his head. “I’m being protective of you. Trust me. You don’t want to go there.”

  Santiago battled instant anger. “She’s your sister. You’re supposed to take care of her. Jesus, Malcolm, don’t be a dick.”

  “Sorry. That’s not how I meant it. There are things that—” He threw up his hands. “Fine. Whatever. You want to ask her out, ask her out. Just don’t do it here, in front of everyone. Keep the personal life private. But later, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  All Santiago heard was that he had his friend’s permission to ask out his sister. The sooner the better, he thought. There wasn’t much time—after all, the two of them only had the rest of their lives together.

  * * *

  Because finding out his best friend wanted to date his sister wasn’t enough to suck the joy out of his day, Malcolm had returned to his office to find an urgent message from Keira’s school counselor. The woman had insisted they meet as soon as possible and with the school literally across the street from the corporate offices, Malcolm had realized there was no avoiding the summons.

  Shortly after two, he walked into the large brick building and asked to meet with Phoebe Rayfield. He was escorted through a maze of small offices, then shown into one.

  Phoebe was an average-looking woman in her midthirties. She managed to appear both earnest and disapproving as they shook hands. Malcolm remembered he’d been just as uncomfortable when he’d met with her after enrolling Keira in the upscale private school. He’d been unable to answer the most basic of questions, such as did Keira make friends easily or enjoy school. When he’d tried to explain why he didn’t know anything about his new-to-him sister, Phoebe had been less than sympathetic.

  “She’s a child, Mr. Carlesso. It’s going to be up to you to bridge the gap.”

  He doubted she would consider his efforts since then to be the least bit adequate, he thought grimly as he took a chair by her desk.

  Phoebe settled into her seat, then gave him a tight smile. “You’ll be pleased to know that Keira shows no signs of any lingering effects from her accident,” she began. “All her teachers have kept a close eye on her and she’s doing well.”

  The statement was a not-so-subtle reminder that he probably should have called to ask about her earlier in the week. Or spoken with Phoebe himself. Or maybe the school nurse, assuming the school had one.

  “However,” Phoebe continued, her tone icy, “we are all concerned about her response to a recent assignment.”

  “Which assignment?”

  “Do you review her homework with her, Mr. Carlesso? Do you spend any time with her in the evening?”

  “Some,” he said cautiously. “I ask Keira about her homework and she always says it’s fine. She doesn’t seem to need help academically.”

  “I see.” Phoebe’s look of disapproval shifted to downright dislike. “The students were asked to write an essay about their family dynamics. All essays at her level are expected to be at least a thousand words. This was Keira’s first paper.”

  Phoebe pulled a single sheet of paper out of a folder. On it was one lonely sentence. I don’t have a family.

  Malcolm felt a sharp kick in his gut followed by a double dose of guilt.

  “Her instructor insisted she complete the assignment,” Phoebe continued, pulling out several pages and handing them to him. “I’ll give you a moment to read her paper and then we can talk about it.”

  I don’t think my mom meant to get pregnant. At least that’s what she always told me when I was little. She blamed me for a lot of things that went wrong in her life. Like if she hadn’t gotten pregnant, she would be a famous movie star or something.

  I met my dad a few times, but he wasn’t very interested in me. He only wanted to have sex with my mom. One day he stopped coming by and my mom was really mad and she
said it was all my fault.

  Bile rose in the back of Malcolm’s throat as he continued to read. Keira detailed her mother’s abandonment and explained how Carl/Angelina had taken her in until her mother had died and social services had caught up with them.

  Angelina couldn’t keep me because she’s a convicted felon. She took some jewelry when she was a personal assistant and I know that’s wrong, but she was always there for me and foster care isn’t good for kids ever.

  Keira explained about being “found” by her biological family and brought to Seattle.

  Our family dynamics are really simple. Grandfather Alberto loves me but he’s old and doesn’t get involved in the day-to-day activities. Carmen is great, but she’s not family, so it’s all Malcolm. I can’t figure out if he doesn’t like me or just doesn’t know if I’m real. Sometimes, it’s like he’s surprised I’m still living in the house.

  Keira talked about Callie joining them and how she’d come to have Lizzy.

  I worry Malcolm will tell me I can’t have Lizzy anymore, even though I totally take care of her. I wish things were different. I don’t want to run away. Kids who run away are stupid—nothing good happens when you have to live on the street. But I don’t know how long they’re going to keep me. I try to make plans in case they do throw me out, but it’s hard.

  Nothing he’d ever read had made him want to throw up before. He’d moved way past shame into deep remorse and an awareness that he had completely neglected his sister in ways he hadn’t known existed.

  “I see this is a surprise,” Phoebe said, her voice stern. “To be honest, I find that heartening. At least you didn’t know what was happening. Mr. Carlesso—”

  “Malcolm.”

  “Whatever. Keira is a smart, caring young woman who is crying out for help. When you first enrolled her here, I told you that she wasn’t going to be able to make the transition from her previous situation to living with you easily. I told you she would need love, support and professional help. Did you get her into counseling?”

  He wanted to say they’d all been so busy and that the time had gone by so quickly and that the suggestion had slipped his mind, but what was the point? He thought about Keira’s phone and how he was listed as the asshole brother. He deserved to be called a lot worse.

  “I haven’t gotten her into counseling,” he said flatly. “I will find someone today and get her started.”

  Phoebe handed him yet more paper. The top sheet was a list of psychologists.

  “These have all been vetted by the school to be credentialed. We don’t recommend one over the other. The remaining pages have further resources, including books that might help, along with websites with information that will be useful. Please don’t wait, Mr. Carlesso, not on any of it. Keira is desperate. She’s starving for love and support and she’s going to be turning thirteen shortly. The teenage years are significant in her development. You have the resources. Now make the time. She’s your sister and I’m hoping somewhere deep inside that matters to you.”

  The verbal slap hit hard, but Malcolm didn’t bother defending himself. What was there to say? Keira was a kid and he’d completely let her down.

  She had no one but him and their grandfather and Carmen. She didn’t have control over her life or any way to make herself feel safe. She was his sister and somehow he’d allowed himself to pretend she didn’t matter.

  “Thank you for showing me this,” he said. He wanted to add that things would be different but knew there was no point. At the end of the day, what Phoebe thought of him was irrelevant. This was about Keira, and he was going to do his damnedest to remember that.

  * * *

  Callie walked the half mile from the bus stop to the house. The rain was light, the temperature in the low fifties. Practically a heat wave, she thought with a smile as she shifted her backpack.

  She’d promised herself she would be careful with her money, that she wouldn’t let herself get cocky, which meant until she got her license, she was going to take the bus everywhere. Unless the weather was totally hideous—then she might call for a ride on Uber or Lyft. She would be taking her written test for her driver’s license the first part of next week. Then the actual lessons would begin. If all went well, in a matter of a few months, she would be able to drive. Until then, the bus was fine.

  Malcolm had offered to drive her to work, but she had to be there long before Keira had to be at school and she knew her sister needed the ride, not to mention time with Malcolm, way more than she did.

  She drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The bus ride and the walk had allowed her to release the tension from earlier. As far as she could tell, Santiago hadn’t said anything about her past to anyone. Callie knew she was going to have to suck it up and talk to Malcolm about the situation. She was enjoying her work and her new friends. She didn’t want to lose that.

  She used her key to open the front door. She knew Keira was staying at school later than usual to help with the digital yearbook. According to Keira she had a good eye for layout and her help was desperately needed. Callie was just happy to know she was making friends.

  She was halfway across the massive foyer before she noticed Malcolm sitting in one of the chairs by the wall. She checked the time on the large grandfather clock, then realized not only was her brother home early, he’d already changed into jeans and a sweatshirt. Even more disconcerting was the expression on his face. Not sadness, she thought, confused and alarmed. Not despair, but something close.

  “Is it Grandfather Alberto?” she asked.

  “No. Everything is fine with him. When you have a moment, I need to speak to you, please. I...” He rose and shoved his hands in his front pockets. “I need some advice.”

  A shocking revelation that made her more than a little uncomfortable. “All right. I just need to put my things away in my room. Your study in five minutes?”

  He nodded.

  She ran up the stairs to her room. After hanging up her jacket, she emptied her backpack before smoothing the front of her long-sleeved T-shirt. There wasn’t a whole lot else to do so she told herself whatever happened, she would be fine, then walked down the hall to Malcolm’s room.

  He was seated at the sofa across from the desk. As she stepped into the room he said, “Would you please close the door?”

  She wasn’t afraid, exactly, more apprehensive. He’d said Grandfather Alberto was all right and if something had happened to Keira, she would have been notified. A couple of days ago, Keira had asked Callie to be her In Case of Emergency contact on her phone. When Keira had shown her the entry, she’d also admitted that she’d changed Malcolm from Asshole Brother to Jerky Brother. Callie supposed it was a step in the right direction.

  She sat on a chair opposite the sofa. “What’s going on?”

  Malcolm grimaced. “A lot, but first, how are you settling in at the warehouse? Are you enjoying the work?”

  Small talk because it was polite or small talk to give himself the courage to get to the point? Had it been anyone but Malcolm, she would have assumed the latter.

  “I am. It’s interesting.” She smiled. “Frankie says it will get boring with time, but by then, I’ll be moving to a new station. The people are really nice. The company has a lot of good policies like rotating employees and assigning new people a mentor.”

  She thought of what had happened to her in the cafeteria, with Santiago. “Does anyone at work know about my past?”

  “What?” He frowned. “No. It’s not something I would discuss. It’s not even in your HR file. The only people who know are our grandfather and myself.” He shifted to the edge of the sofa and rested his elbows on his thighs. “Callie, I won’t betray your confidence.”

  Which was good to know but didn’t explain Santiago’s intense stare. If he hadn’t been thinking about how she used to be in prison, then what? And why?

&n
bsp; “Thank you,” she said, knowing she couldn’t ask Malcolm about him. “What did you want to talk about?”

  His expression tightened into something she could only call anguish. Before she could ask what was wrong, he pulled several folded sheets of paper from his back pocket and handed them to her.

  “An assignment Keira completed for one of her classes. It makes interesting reading.”

  She didn’t understand why he would want her to read a school assignment. It wasn’t as if—

  The words sank in. She felt Keira’s pain as if it were her own, then found herself in the uncomfortable position of being sympathetic toward Malcolm. He didn’t come out as the hero in his sister’s paper.

  I can’t figure out if he doesn’t like me or just doesn’t know if I’m real.

  She finished the paper, then read it again. Tears burned, but she held them in. Crying was a sign of weakness and she never allowed herself the indulgence.

  She looked up at him. “I’m sorry. You know there’s a lot going on with her, right? She’s young and scared and still adjusting.”

  “Don’t try to make it better than it is,” he told her. “I’m very clear on the fact that this is my fault. I’m the one who should have taken the time to help her adjust and I didn’t. I provided her with plenty of things, but not my attention, not even after the accident. I never asked about her. I don’t talk to her very much.” He looked away, then back at Callie. “I don’t think of her as invisible, but I have no idea what I’m supposed to say. I don’t want her to feel like this and I have no idea what to do to make it better.”

  Callie thought about the nightmares. Keira had them every second or third night. When they happened, Callie went and got her, and Keira and Lizzy moved to her bed. Maybe this wasn’t the time to mention all that. Malcolm seemed to be dealing with enough.

  “She’s twelve,” she said instead. “Maybe it would help to remember that. I know she seems mature, but she’s still a kid who has lost everyone she’s ever known.”

  Malcolm startled her by swearing and standing. He circled the sofa, finally stopping behind it before saying, “My mother brought me here when I was twelve. I never put that together before her accident. I remember being scared. The house was so big and so different from where I’d grown up. Grandfather Alberto was friendly enough and excited to have me here, but I didn’t know him. Carmen was Carmen and my, ah, our father...” He paused.