11. Calista
ELEVEN
CALISTA
“ I cannot believe we are watching Lincoln Pierce’s kid,” Harper whispered, her green eyes glued to the preschooler perched on my bed.
I had given Sadie my tablet for the night.
It took a few minutes to decipher what she wanted to watch.
A few head nods—and shakes—and I finally was able to get a show on for her.
Now she was sitting on my bed, earphones in and her teddy bear by her side.
The three of us huddled together on the other side of the room, heads close together.
“We don’t know for sure if she’s his kid,” I reminded her from my spot on the floor.
“Have you seen the man?” Ella countered from her bed. “She’s his kid.”
I turned my head to regard her. “How can you be so sure?”
“First of all, he’s delicious. I’m sure he gets his fair share of baby-making action,” Ella said, eyes still glued to her romance novel. “Second, look at her. The resemblance is uncanny. ”
“I don’t think they look alike at all,” Harper implored from Ella’s desk. “Her features are so light compared to his.”
“You’re not looking into it enough,” Ella insisted. “Their eyes are the same shape. Even their noses are the same. Although Lincoln’s is a bit crooked.”
I peered at Sadie with a calculated stare.
Their features were vastly different. Sadie had blue eyes and blonde hair.
Her porcelain skin held a rosy glow on her round cheeks.
She was the traditional image of what an angel might look like.
On the other hand, Lincoln had the richest brown eyes I’d ever seen.
They matched his hair, and in my mind, I could picture his olive complexion and sharp jawline.
I hated to admit it, but Lincoln Pierce was devilishly handsome.
Both he and Sadie were abnormally beautiful.
I would have suggested asking Sadie about her relation to him, but I knew I would be met with silence. The little girl hadn’t uttered a word to me since the day I met her. Lincoln didn’t seem too surprised by her lack of speech, making me wonder if she spoke at all.
“Can’t we just ask her?” Harper asked, reading my mind.
“She doesn’t—” I started before changing direction. “I haven’t heard her speak yet.”
The faintest hint of a smile graced Sadie’s features as she continued to watch whatever cartoon was on the screen. The tug of her lips had my heart leaping out of my chest.
“Regardless of whether she’s related to Lincoln or not, she’s freaking adorable,” Ella concluded.
Harper’s nose scrunched. Since I’d known her, she hadn’t been a fan of small children. “I suppose.”
“Okay.” I threw my hands into the textbook on my lap. “We need to get back to studying. Stop scrutinizing the poor girl and let’s get back to work. ”
“ You have to study,” Ella said. “I’m going to enjoy my Friday night.”
“Affirmative.” Harper unpaused the game on her laptop.
“Are you sure you two even take classes here?” I asked.
Ella slipped off her comforter, sliding her novel onto her nightstand. “I’m heading out for the night. Apparently, there’s a graffiti party going on in the quad. I’d ask if you wanna come, but… you know,” she said as she motioned to Sadie.
“I won’t take it personally. Promise,” I said, before twisting to the right and flicking Harper’s leg. “Did you want to go with El? I don’t want you to feel forced to stay and babysit with me.”
Harper removed an earbud and glanced down at me. “Do you know me at all?”
“Guess that answers that,” I laughed.
Harper placed the earbud back in, returning to her game.
A few hours into the night, my eyes burned from how heavy they were. I was battling to stay awake, my face threatening to teeter into my open textbook.
I was thankful that Harper had chosen to stay behind. While she watched Sadie, I managed to sneak out and make myself another cup of coffee from the communal kitchen. It was the only thing keeping me awake right now.
Ella had returned to the dorm over an hour ago.
To her surprise, Sadie was still here and asleep in my bed.
It was well past eleven o’clock, and concern was growing in the pit of my stomach.
What was taking Lincoln so long? Had he forgotten that Sadie was still here?
Had he gone to an afterparty and lost track of time? Did something happen to him ?
I had sent him a number of texts—short messages asking if he was on his way.
No response.
I was in the process of finishing up my weekly reading when my phone lit up. Lincoln’s name flashed across the screen.
Twenty minutes later, I stood outside Ella’s car, staring at the wall of townhomes.
An arctic wind funneled down the street, causing my hair to whip across my face.
Tugging the top of my coat closed, I tucked Sadie’s hand into mine.
The road was dark and desolate. The only light came from a flickering streetlamp.
It was hard to make out the number on the house—especially considering each home was a carbon copy of the others.
Harper hadn’t been thrilled when I had hung up with Lincoln. Her expression remained stoic, asking questions with her eyes.
“And why can’t he come and get her?” Harper probed.
My phone screen lit up when Lincoln’s text message came through. “He didn’t say.”
“How convenient,” she muttered.
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that she wasn’t Lincoln’s biggest fan. I didn’t know the exact reason why. Sometimes there wasn’t much of a reason. Harper wasn’t fond of many people, but she definitely didn’t like Lincoln Pierce.
“Which one is yours?” I asked, hoping the little girl could guide me.
The quicker I could get her home, the faster I could get out of this neighborhood.
Even standing on the sidewalk creeped me out.
It was in an older area, one I was not familiar with.
Usually, that didn’t mean much. But if the trash, unkempt lawns, and occasional boarded-up windows were anything to go by, I was positive that I had crossed the line into the rough side of town.
Sadie pointed to the only house with the light still on by the front door.
Checking both ways, I led her across the road and up the flight of porch steps.
The house itself looked like it had seen better days.
The concrete steps were cracked and chipped, and the black wrought iron railings were peeling and beginning to rust. Once upon a time, this building would have been beautiful.
The red brick and the black embellishments were a nice contrast.
Not wanting to ring the doorbell, I rapped on the door.
A few long moments passed before I considered knocking again.
It was nearing twelve o’clock, and most sane people would have been settled in bed by now—or at least I would have been.
I raised my hand again when the lock on the door clicked open.
It cracked a sliver, just enough for the person inside to see Sadie and me standing on the dark stoop. It shut again, and then I heard a chain rattle.
A middle-aged woman, who I assumed to be Lincoln’s mother, appeared once the door flung open. She had a fuzzy blue robe wrapped around her body and her blonde hair piled high in a messy bun. Her eyes were red and glossy with sleep.
I had definitely woken her up.
“Hi,” I said, waving awkwardly with my free hand. I hoped that Lincoln had told her I was coming. “I’m Calista, a friend of Lincoln’s. I’m here to drop off Sadie.”
The woman stood, towering in the doorway as she regarded me with her cool gaze. While I had assumed she was Lincoln’s mom, she was the spitting image of Sadie. Golden tresses, large aquamarine eyes, delicate porcelain skin. But where Sadie still clung to the warmth of childhood, this woman did not.
“And where is Lincoln?” She had a sharp edge to her tone that cut through my already frayed nerves.
The question caught me off guard. “Uh—” I sputtered. “I don’t really know. I think his match might have been postponed or something. He didn’t say.”
The woman continued to pin me with her gaze. The hard stare insinuated she was not pleased—not happy with her college-aged son being out all hours of the night, or a complete stranger showing up at her door, I was unsure.
Sadie unraveled her hand from mine and stepped into the house. She wrapped her willowy arms around the woman’s leg while peering up at her.
That sweet look from Sadie was all that was needed to melt the icy woman standing in front of me. Her expression softened, her shoulders sagging with exhaustion. I supposed she must have been more upset with Lincoln than she was about me.
“Thank you for bringing her home,” she said after a long moment. When she looked at me again, it was as if all the fight had left her body. “Can I offer you tea or coffee?”
“No, it’s okay, really.” I slipped her a kind smile. What I really needed was to get out of there.
“Please, come in and allow me to get you something warm. It’s the least I can do to thank you for coming all the way out here.”
When she stepped aside to allow me space to enter, I hesitated. All I cared to do was get back to my dorm room and into a pair of pajamas, but I didn’t want to be rude.
Without a word, I stepped inside. The foyer was a short hallway that led to a flight of stairs.
It was cramped and definitely didn’t have enough space for the two and a half people standing there at that moment.
I shuffled around on the welcome mat, trying to avoid stepping on stray shoes, as Lincoln’s mom closed the door.
“I’m just going to put her to bed,” she said with Sadie on her hip. “Make yourself at home.” She gestured to the kitchen before moving up the stairs.
Teddy still tucked under her arm, Sadie offered me a little wave. I waved back with a smile, despite being left alone in the cold hallway.
The main floor of the house was silent as I abandoned my shoes and wandered into the neighboring room.
It was quaint. The cabinets were organized against the wall on the left in an ‘L’ formation.
A small, circular dining table with four chairs was positioned against the only window.
A pan was left to soak in the sink, but everything else seemed well-maintained.
I stepped into the kitchen, a tile creaking under my weight as I made my way over to the table and sat down in one of the wooden chairs. I wasn’t alone for long before Lincoln’s mother returned downstairs.
“What would you like?” she asked as she turned the corner.
“Coffee, please.”
Lincoln’s mom pulled out a container from the upper row of cabinets. “I only have instant coffee. Is that okay?”
“It’s practically what I live off of.”
A hum of quiet washed over the kitchen as she prepared our drinks. It stretched on for an extended moment before she spoke again.
“Sorry for the hostility earlier,” she said as she ran the water and filled a kettle. “I’ve told Lincoln before how uncomfortable I am with Sadie being out all hours of the night.” An exasperated sigh left her lips. Then she muttered something along the lines of, “That boy just doesn’t get it.”
I couldn’t blame her for being suspicious of a stranger showing up at her front door in the middle of the night with her daughter in tow.
I was assuming Sadie was her daughter.
I crossed one leg over the other. “No harm done.”
“I’m Amelia,” she said once she clicked on the kettle. “What was your name again?”
“Calista, but everyone calls me Cali.”
Amelia nodded, reaching for a couple of mugs. She placed them down on the counter before turning to peer at me. “How do you know Lincoln?”
“I’m his tutor, actually.”
She leaned back against the kitchen sink, her arms crossed as she pulled her robe tighter to her body. “I didn’t realize my son was so invested in his grades.”
I fiddled, picking at the dry skin around my thumb. “Well… it wasn’t really his choice.”
Amelia gazed down at her slippers. “I see. And how long have you been tutoring him?”
“Not long. It will be two weeks soon.”
She replied with another question. “Do you watch Sadie for him often?”
“No. This would be the first time,” I murmured.
“What program are you in?”
This had turned into a game of twenty questions, something I wasn’t so sure I was interested in playing. I cleared my throat. Amelia must have realized my discomfort.
Sending me a small smile, she said, “I’m sorry, I’m probably being overbearing.” She lifted herself away from the counter when the kettle clicked. Then she turned her back to me. “It gives me some peace of mind knowing where my daughter is when I can’t be with her, you know?”
Of course, Amelia would want to get to know who I am, even if it was through a round of rapid-fire questions.
I doubt I would be comfortable with my toddler being cared for by someone I wasn’t familiar with.
I straightened in my seat, slapping a polite smile back onto my face.
Hopefully, this interaction would put her mind at ease.
“I’m currently in my senior year of nursing. And I’m aiming to get into Fenton’s Master of Nursing program for the next academic year.”
Amelia swiveled with two steaming mugs in her hands. She placed one in front of me before moving to the other side of the table. “Impressive. You must be quite bright.”
I smiled wider at her this time. It was genuine. “I do fairly well. It is a difficult program to navigate, but I’m managing.”
Raising my cup to my lips, I blew into the steam, the warm scent of coffee soothing what was left of my nerves.
Amelia joined me, thoughtfully bringing her mug to her chin. The string of her tea bag spun with the motion. She regarded me over her drink for a moment. And then she said, “You look like you have a lot going for you, Cali. Don’t let Lincoln get in the way of that.”
What was I meant to say to that? Thankfully, I didn’t have to think too much more about it.
“Mommy?” Sadie’s watery voice carried from upstairs .
“Shoot,” Amelia said, rising from her seat. “I’m sorry, sometimes she has a hard time sleeping.”
I waved my hands in front of me. “No worries at all. It’s late. You go deal with her, I’ll see myself out.”
Amelia gave me a muted smile, leaving me in silence. It was so quiet that I heard the careful opening of the front door followed by a dull thud.