Chapter 3 - The Family Meeting
Callum’s mother invited us to dinner three nights later.
I almost declined.
Then she sent another message.
PLEASE COME WITHOUT RENLEY.
That changed my mind.
I arranged for Renley to spend the evening with Bridget.
Before we left, she hugged Baxter and looked at Callum.
“Are you going to Grandma’s?”
“Yes.”
“Will Aunt Deline be there?”
Callum hesitated.
I watched him.
“Yes,” he finally said.
Renley looked down.
“Don’t let her yell at Mom.”
Callum’s face drained.
“I won’t.”
She studied him with the seriousness only children can carry without embarrassment.
“You said that about me before.”
He had no answer.
Neither did I.
The entire family was waiting when we arrived.
Deline stood beside the fireplace.
Her husband, Peter, sat with his elbows on his knees.
Callum’s mother, Margaret, occupied the center armchair like a judge.
Two uncles were there.
So was Callum’s father, Graham.
No one offered us food.
Deline spoke first.
“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
“Yes.”
“You froze my operating line.”
“I disputed my guarantee.”
“Same thing.”
“No.”
I removed my coat.
“One is your interpretation.”
“The other is what actually happened.”
Margaret lifted a hand.
“We should remain calm.”
I looked at her.
“Where was that concern on Thanksgiving?”
Her lips pressed together.
“This is not about Thanksgiving.”
“That is exactly what this is about.”
Deline laughed once.
“You’re destroying a family business because I disciplined your spoiled daughter.”
Callum shifted beside me.
I waited.
So did everyone else.
He stared at his sister.
“Don’t call Renley spoiled.”
It was not much.
But it was the first public sentence he had spoken for his daughter.
Deline blinked.
Then she smiled.
“Look at you.”
Her voice softened cruelly.
“Your wife finally taught you how to bark.”
Callum’s shoulders rounded.
I saw the old reflex return.
The boy inside the grown man preparing to disappear.
Deline stepped closer.
“I kept this family together while you hid behind Mom.”
“Enough,” I said.
She turned toward me.
“No.”
Her eyes were bright.
“You don’t get to walk into this family and ruin what we built.”
“I’ve been married to Callum for nine years.”
“You’re still an outsider.”
Peter murmured her name.
She ignored him.
“You knew that line was important.”
“I knew my signature was important.”
Deline’s face hardened.
“There are fifteen employees depending on that account.”
“Then you should have built a company that did not depend on documents I was misled into signing.”
Graham suddenly spoke.
“Misled?”
Callum looked at his father.
Margaret went rigid.
Deline answered too quickly.
“She knew what she signed.”
“I did not.”
“You signed it.”
“After my husband told me it was for a delivery truck.”
Every eye moved to Callum.
His throat worked.
Margaret whispered, “Callum?”
He looked at his mother.
Then at Deline.
Finally, at me.
“She’s telling the truth.”
The room changed.
Peter stood up.
“What do you mean she’s telling the truth?”
Callum swallowed.
“The original request was for the truck.”
Deline stepped toward him.
“Be careful.”
He looked at her.
Something in his face finally shifted.
“No.”
Deline froze.
Callum continued.
“She thought she was helping with the truck.”
Peter stared at his wife.
“You told me she guaranteed the whole line.”
Deline’s confidence flickered.
Only for a second.
Then Margaret rose.
“This conversation ends now.”
I looked at her.
“Why?”
She did not answer.
Graham did.
His voice was barely above a whisper.
“Because Deline wasn’t the one who changed the paperwork.”
Everyone turned.
Margaret closed her eyes.
May you like
And Graham looked directly at his son.
“Callum was.”
