Fifty-One
fifty-one
THE BOY IS MINE - brANDY & MONICA
CALLIE - AUGUST 2, 2013
I pull into the restaurant parking lot to meet Mom, Taylor and my niece Ava for dinner. It’s one of Mom’s favorite places to eat and we are celebrating her birthday a couple of weeks late. It’s been forever since we had a girl’s night like this. Despite the chaos of getting Sara out the door, there’s a warm and comfortable familiarity to the restaurant.
Inside, the restaurant is just as cozy as I remember. The familiar scent of garlic and fresh bread in the air. It’s honestly surprising to me that my mother loves this restaurant as much as she scolds Taylor and I for overeating. We are greeted by the hostess who leads us to a booth near the back.
Mom takes the girls to the bathroom to wash up and Taylor and I have a seat at the table. As soon as she’s out of earshot, Taylor turns to me with a serious look that instantly puts me on edge.
“Callie… How well do you really know Owen?” she asks, her voice low, almost hesitant.
I blink, caught off guard. “What do you mean? I know him pretty well. Why?”
Taylor reaches into her bag and pulls out her phone, her expression unreadable. “I got a message today from a woman named Karissa. She says she’s Owen’s ex.”
A gnawing unease settles in the pit of my stomach, refusing to let go. What the fuck? Why is this woman messaging my sister?
“What did she say?” I ask, my chest tightening.
My sister hesitates before handing me her phone. “Read it for yourself.”
I take the phone, my fingers trembling slightly as I scroll through the message:
Hi Taylor,
I know this message is super random, but I didn’t know who else to contact. I tried contacting Callie, but her privacy settings won’t let me message her directly. I saw that you’re her sister, and I’m really worried about her. This is going to be a lot, so please bear with me. She’s dating my ex-boyfriend, Owen. We were together for a while, and I thought everything was going well, but he broke up with me out of the blue. And I just found out I’m pregnant with his child.
I’m concerned that he might do the same thing to Callie, especially since she’s pregnant with his baby, too. I know how hard it is to be left alone, and I don’t want her to go through that. Owen has a tendency to ghost people, and I’m scared he’ll hurt Callie like he hurt me. Please, just tell her to be careful.
I really don’t want to cause any drama, but I thought she should know what she might be getting into. I’m only reaching out because I care.
Thanks, Karissa
My hands tighten around the phone as I read the message again, my mind racing. I glance up at Taylor, who’s watching me closely. There’s pity written all over her face, and my stomach sinks because I don’t want this to be her impression of Owen. My gut is telling me that it’s not true, and I’m afraid my sister will think I’m being naive.
“I don’t believe it,” I say, exasperated.
“I know,” Taylor says, “It’s crazy.”
“No, Tay. I’m saying I literally do not believe it. I don’t believe her. I think she’s lying. Owen would have told me. This is just a woman scorned because her boyfriend dumped her. I’m telling you, there’s no way this is true. He knows I don’t have time for bullshit.”
“Callie…,” Taylor warns.
“Taylor, I’m telling you it’s not true. I don’t know how I know, but I just do. She doesn’t even realize I’m not pregnant with Owen’s baby,” I say, my voice charged with anger. “She probably saw the picture his cousin took somehow and thought that he’d cheated on her with me or that he was cheating on me with her. Either way, I’m not buying it. This bitch has a fucking screw loose.”
Taylor nods, expression softening. “I will admit, the timing feels pretty weird. I’m sorry for upsetting you. I just thought you should know.”
I let my sister know that I appreciate her looking out for me as Mom and the girls return to the table. I take a deep breath, trying to steady the rush of emotions swirling inside me. “Karissa is the girl Owen broke up with the day after he helped me move,” I tell Taylor. “He told me it was over between them before we started seeing each other. I don’t believe her.”
“What’s going on?” Mom inquires.
“One of Owen’s exes is off her rocker, apparently,” Taylor says.
“Oh, you got that message too?” Mom asks. “I didn’t read the whole thing. It sounded like a scam to me.”
I think my eyes are going to actually pop out of my head. She messaged MY MOTHER?! What the fuck?
Before I can respond, Mom shrugs nonchalantly. “Oh, don’t worry about it, sweetheart. I figured it was just some crazy person. I didn’t give it a second thought.”
“Still, she’s got some nerve,” Taylor adds, shaking her head.
I take a deep breath, trying to push the irritation down. “Yeah, she does. But I’m not going to let it ruin our night.”
Mom smiles, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand. “Good. Now, let’s enjoy this dinner.”
I force myself to relax as the waitress comes by to take our orders. We spend the rest of the meal chatting about lighter topics—Mom’s garden, Taylor’s latest project at work, and Ava’s obsession with dinosaurs. I try to focus on the conversation, but my mind keeps drifting back to that message. I can’t help but feel a flicker of unease, despite how sure I am that Karissa’s lying.
By the time dessert rolls around, Sara is getting fussy, and Ava is starting to nod off. I offer to take the girls outside while Taylor and Mom finish up inside. The cool evening air is a relief after the stuffy warmth of the restaurant, and I bounce Sara on my hip as we walk around the parking lot. Ava trails behind, dragging her stuffed dinosaur along the ground.
When Taylor and Mom finally join us, we say our goodbyes in the parking lot. I buckle Sara into her car seat, and Mom gives me a quick hug before getting into Taylor’s car with Ava. I wave as they drive off, then slide into the driver’s seat, exhaustion starting to creep in.
By the time I get home, Sara is fast asleep, her little chest rising and falling steadily. I carry her inside, careful not to wake her, and gently place her in her crib. After making sure she’s settled, I head to my room, the weight of the day finally catching up with me.
I flop onto my bed, pulling out my phone. The urge to message Owen is overwhelming—I need to tell him about what happened tonight, to hear his voice and let him reassure me that this is all just a ridiculous misunderstanding. I scroll through my contacts until I find his name, then type out a quick message:
Me:
Hey, I need to talk to you about something that happened tonight. Can you call me when you get a chance?
I hit send, my heart thudding in my chest. I know Owen wouldn’t lie to me, but there’s something about Karissa’s message that’s stuck with me, no matter how hard I try to shake it off.
As I lie back against the pillows, waiting for his reply, I tell myself that everything will be fine. Owen and I have something real, something solid. There’s no way a message from his ex is going to change that. But as I close my eyes, I can’t help but wonder what else Karissa might try next.
A few moments later, my phone buzzes, jolting me from my thoughts. It’s a message from Owen.
Owen:
Hey, Dollface. I’m just getting Barrett down for bed. I’ll call you as soon as he’s asleep. Is everything okay?
I exhale, the tension in my shoulders easing just a bit at his quick response.
Me:
Yeah, everything is fine. Just need to talk to you about something. Take your time.
I send the message and toss my phone onto the bed, trying to distract myself by tidying up Sara’s room. I pick up her little clothes, the soft fabric feeling like a lifeline in my hands. I fold them with more care than necessary, anything to keep my mind from spiraling. But it’s no use. My thoughts keep drifting back to Karissa’s message, to the unsettling feeling that someone is trying to wedge themselves into the safe space Owen and I have been building.
I’ve been in relationships where trust was fragile, where every little thing felt like it could shatter what we had. But this—what I have with Owen—is different. It’s solid, real. So why does this feel so unsettling?
The soft hum of my phone pulls me from my thoughts. I grab it, seeing Owen’s name on the screen, and I quickly swipe to answer.
“Hey,” I say, my voice a little shakier than I’d like.
“Hey,” Owen’s voice is warm, familiar, instantly soothing in a way that makes my chest ache with relief. “Barrett’s finally asleep. What’s going on?”
I sit down on the edge of my bed, running a hand through my hair, trying to gather my thoughts. “So, something happened tonight. Taylor told me she got a message from your ex, Karissa.”
There’s a brief pause, just long enough for my heart to skip a beat. “What? Why would Karissa message Taylor?”
“She said she’s pregnant with your baby and that she’s worried you’ll ghost me like you did to her.” The words tumble out in a rush, like I’m trying to get rid of them as quickly as possible, as if speaking them faster will make them less real. I close my eyes, bracing myself for his response, for anything that might confirm or dispel this nagging doubt.
Owen sighs heavily on the other end, “Callie, I’m so sorry you even had to hear that. But she’s lying. We never even slept together. I have no idea why she’s saying this, but there’s no way her baby is mine.”
His words hit me like a wave, washing over the lingering anxiety, leaving in its place a growing sense of relief. “I figured as much,” I say, my voice softer now, the irritation slowly falling away. “But I needed to hear it from you.”
“I get it,” Owen says, and there’s a tenderness in his voice that makes my chest tighten. “Thank you for not assuming the worst or thinking I’d keep something like that from you. I’m really glad you told me. I’ll talk to her, make sure she doesn’t bother you or your family again. I’m really sorry you had to deal with this, Callie.”
“It’s not your fault,” I reply, my fingers absentmindedly tracing the patterns on the bedspread. “I just… I hate that she’s dragging you into this mess, and now my family too. It’s just a lot.”
“I know,” Owen says, his tone gentle, filled with a quiet determination. “But we’ll get through this. I’m here for you, okay? We’ll figure it out together.”
His words wrap around me like a protective shield, and I can’t help the small smile that tugs at my lips. “Thanks, Owen. I appreciate that.”
“Anytime, gorgeous,” he replies, and I can almost hear the smile in his voice, that playful warmth that always manages to make me feel a little lighter. “Try not to worry about it too much. We’re good, okay? And I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. The kids are going to have a blast.”
“Me too,” I say, the anticipation for tomorrow bubbling up, pushing the remnants of worry aside. “I can’t wait to meet Barrett. I think Sara’s going to adore him.”
“Same here. Barrett’s going to love her,” Owen replies, and there’s a soft, tender note in his voice that makes my heart swell. “Get some rest, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay,” I whisper, the knot in my stomach finally starting to loosen. “Goodnight, Owen.”
“Goodnight, Callie.”
As I hang up, I let out a long breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Owen’s words echo in my mind as I curl up in bed, pulling the covers around me. We’re good. And tomorrow is going to be a fresh start—just the four of us, enjoying a day together. I focus on that thought, letting it anchor me, letting it be the thing that carries me into sleep.