Pucking Fantastic

Chapter 33: I Had Been The Monster

I feel like things in the USA have only escalated expediently. People are stressed and isolated. It seems like there isn't much escape from these feelings. I know that this is just a small contribution, but during this time of uncertainty my goal is to finish posting this book by the end of the week. At least I could provide some kind of entertainment at this time.

Stay safe and don't forget to wash your hands.

DarlaH

I wasn't alone long after Callum left. Within 30 minutes or so, Allyson walked in to check my charts. She wore a heavy face as she looked at me. She knew what today held for me.

"You told him," I said to her. She was the only one that could tell him this information.

She nodded, bracing herself for a fight from me. "I couldn't just sit back and watch. Callum would have shattered if he didn't know what was going to happen today. He loves you. He always had."

I should have been mad, I was so sure that what we had couldn't be rebuilt. He burnt bridges, but I had to. However, seeing him made me realize that I was still in love with him. He still cared about me. "Thank you," I said to her.

She looked up from the cart she was reading and smiled lightly at me. She wasn't expecting that reaction from me.

"You knew all this time that he didn't publish that article?" I asked her.

She nodded as she put the chart back. She leaned against the wall as she made herself comfortable. "Yeah, I knew."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She shrugged as if the answer was easy. "Because you wouldn't have listened. You were crushed and I knew the only person that to clear his name was the culprit himself," she said as she looked at the time on her watch.

"You're too good for that family," I stated.

She smiled at me. "That's what Parker tells me every day."

Breaking us from our moment was a cough at the door. I turned to see my family standing at the doorway, staring at me. I let out a breath as they walked into my room. They all wore somber faces that set me on edge. I didn't want them to be so serious. I didn't want this to be the last memory if it came down to that.

"I'll get you when we're ready for you," Allyson said as she squeezed my hand, knowing that my family wanted some privacy. With that, Allyson left the room, leaving me to be with my family.

I nodded as I looked at the time on the wall. I had about an hour still but I wasn't sure an hour was enough for what I wanted to tell them. I looked around them and their quietness. I looked at Paulo to help, he was always one to joke but today he wore a frown.

I sighed, knowing what to do next. "I would like to talk to each one of you before I go through with this," I stated. Talking with Callum made me realize that I had somethings to get off my chest and I knew it would best to do it in a private one-on-one setting.

They looked at each other hesitantly, as if they weren't sure it was a smart idea.

I frowned at them. They could at least give me this. I wasn't asking for much. "Come on, give me just this," I said to them, too tired to argue with them. I pointed at Paulo. "I would like to start with Paulo."

Paulo looked at me. He looked nervous as if he didn't want to talk to me. "Why me?" he asked.

I shrugged with a small smile, trying to make it light. "Because I felt like it." But in reality, I wanted to speak to him before my thoughts got clouded with other conversations.