by T. Jones
She had meant for it to hurt, she was angry, but she wasn't ready for the pain she saw evident in her mother's eyes. Bess covered her face, tears flowing freely, as Callie moved over and wrapped her arms around her. She glanced up, as Madeline Rice took a seat to the right of her mother and grasped her outstretched hand. Callie sat back in her own chair, looking back and forth between the two women, as Bess wiped her eyes and faced her daughter.
"I told you Callie, I have some secrets of my own."
"Yeah, secrets like this have a way of coming out Mom. Why wouldn't you tell me."
"I couldn't, the older you got, the harder it was, I just couldn't."
"So, does Dad know?" Bess looked over at Madeline for a moment, confusion written all over her face, then she looked back at Callie.
"Well, of course he knows, he was there." Madeline burst into laughter at Callie's shocked expression. Both the Fisher women turned to look at her, equally confused.
"Bess, think about it, Callie gets that Jon is her father, but she thinks it was you that had the affair with him."
"Oh my God, Callie! I would never cheat on your father, we've been together since we were juniors in high school." She reached out to take her daughter's hand. "What I'm trying to tell you, and the reason Maddy is here, is because, she is your biological mother! Your Dad and I adopted you the day you were born. Maddy, do you want to tell her how it happened?"
Callie quietly shifted her gaze to the small woman. It was Madeline's turn to tear up.
"Callie, I wasn't ready, to be a Mom. I was trying to figure out my abilities, and we were starting the Sisters. I went to Florida at Christmas that year, and I had a fling with a boy that worked on a cruise ship. He was gifted too, and he had those beautiful blue eyes of yours. It was just that, a fling. But back then, people in this town frowned on unwed mothers, and like I said, I wasn't ready. Your parents suggested they take you. I couldn't have given you up for adoption to just anyone, but I knew Bob and Bess would give you a wonderful life, so we didn't tell anyone. Bess and I stayed in the Cities until you were born. They got married and adopted you on the same day, then they brought you back here. No one here ever knew you weren't theirs, only the adoption agency. God, please don't hate me, I knew you would have a wonderful life, they're two of the best people I know, and we knew there was a chance you would be gifted. Who better to raise you than Bess?" Callie sat, looking back and forth between the two women. Bess spoke softly.
"Callie, please, we're sorry that we didn't tell you all this a long time ago." Callie finally spoke.
"So, this boy on the ship, he knows somehow? That's what it feels like, like he knows I exist, and he's dreaming of having a little girl."
"Possibly, we're not sure. I had no idea how to reach him, he was only with the cruise line for a very short while. But I was drawn to him because he was like us, he had amazing abilities. He must sense that you're out there, he can tell you exist somehow."
"Are you okay, Callie?" Her mother asked. "This is a lot." Callie smiled, then laughed a little, then laughed loudly. The women sat smiling at her, then her mother spoke up. "Callie, why is this so funny?"
"I've been so pissed at you, for three months, because I thought you had screwed around on Dad. This is a big relief, honestly. I knew when I saw his eyes, that he was my biological father, I just never saw the rest of the picture. No wonder you can get in my head so easily, Madeline. I always just thought you were so gifted, you could do that to anyone."
"Bess is the strongest of us Callie. But you may surpass her since you get it from both sides." Callie kept looking back and forth, smiling and chuckling.
"I'm glad you're taking this so well Callie, but now what is so funny?"
"I was such a bitch when I was young, I was so confused about being gifted, and gay. It must have been a pain in the ass raising me, didn't you ever just want to give me back?" They all laughed together.
"So, are we okay Callie? Really?" Bess asked.
"Look, you're my Mom. You and Dad raised me, no matter whose blood is running through my veins. Natalie, thanks for having me. You're a great person, and I don't want to make you feel bad by saying this, but she's my Mom, that's all there is to it. I think you're great, and we were always going to end up being close, just because we see eye to eye about the Sisters, but we don't need to have a Hallmark moment, do we?"
"They will always be your parents, Callie, but if you ever need a kidney, I'm here, okay?"
"So, Jon huh? Think that was his real name?"
"Pretty sure. He said he was Swedish, but he was raised in Brazil. He spoke Portuguese, and some English. He was just so damn handsome, well, that's why you're here."
"I can see him, in my dreams. He is tall, and very blond. I get the impression that he's very fit, and strong, but maybe that's just what the little girl is seeing."
"He was pretty tall, and he had long hair." Madeline said. "He looked like a beach bum, but in a good way. He was crazy smart, and he had all kinds of ideas on how to use our abilities. I was crushed when I had to come back home, but we both decided it would just have to be a good memory. By the time I realized I was pregnant, I don't know, the connection just disappeared. Maybe it was the distance, who knows."
"So, we know for a fact that there are others out there like us? Mom?" Bess shrugged.
"Little white lie, saying there might be others. Actually, I've known for a long time there are others, many others."
"So, what the hell, let's get out there and find them."
"I told you Callie, there are big changes coming." Madeline Rice smiled at her biological daughter. "And I think you're going to be right in the middle of it all." Callie grinned.
"Well, I'm ready, bring it on!"
***
End
Coming soon: Callie's Secret: Evolution