Chapter 4

“Today started out as the best day ever, now it has turned into the worst! Rae, I’m so embarrassed.” 

“There is nothing to be embarrassed about Caly. Your brother and his friend are just stupid teenagers like you said earlier.”

“I know, but still, I can’t believe Ryker started to read the note out loud! It’s my personal property, and none of his business!” she responded both angered and ready to cry again.

Just then a knock came from the door, “Caly, honey, can I come in?”

“Yeah, sure,” responded Caly through tears. Her mother came through the door and Caly ran towards her hugging her tightly. She enfolded Caly in her arms and squeezed. “Mama! I’m so embarrassed!” --she wailed,-- “Why would Garrett and Ryker do that? It was so mean! Now, Eli knows, and he is gonna hate me, and never speak to me and Travis again. I couldn’t stand him never talking to me again, he is one of my best friends. Oh, Mama, what am I gonna do?” she rushed through becoming hysterical.

“Caly, sweetheart! Calm down, take a few deep breaths. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Breathe. Come on, with me, Caly. In” --she breathed deeply through her nose-- “out”--exhaling from the mouth-- “again. In and out.” They repeated this for several minutes until Caly finally calmed down. 

“Ok, I think I am better now.”

“Come here and sit on the bed with me, sweet pea,” --she said as she took Caly’s hand and walked over to the bed to have a seat-- “Now, as far as Eli hating you and never talking to you again, that would never happen.”

“Why?”

“Because he loves you and wants you to be happy, no matter what.”

“What about Travis? Do you think Eli will ever talk to him again?”

“I do. Travis is his best friend, and he might be a little upset at first, and maybe even think it is a little awkward and weird, but he’ll get over it. Then again, it may not even bother him at all.”

“How do you know?”

“Because your brother loves you both very much, he wants what is best for both of you.”

“You really think it might not bother him at all?

“You never know, unless you and Travis both talk to him, right?”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right, mama. Ok, we’ll talk to him, but first I need to talk to Travis. I think he said I was pretty earlier, but it was so fast and mumbled- jumbled I wasn’t quite sure. Then he ran off! Can you believe that?”

“What?! No way!”

“Yes, way! Then I ran after him, but he had already run out the back door.”

“Wow, really? Unbelievable!”

“I know, right?”

“Well, let me, let you in on a little secret about boys,” --she looked at her mother expectantly-- “they get just as nervous and scared as us girls do, when they like someone.”

“Really?” Caly asked, astounded.

“Yes ma’am, they surely do. Your daddy still gets nervous and tongue-tied around me at times, as well,” she whispered secretly.

“What?! Daddy gets nervous and tongue-tied around you?”

“He surely does, but only on occasion,” she winked and laughed. Calypso joined in and giggled with her mom. “I love you so much honey,” she said as she wrapped her arms around her daughter. Returning her mother’s hug she said, “I love you too mom, don’t ever go away.” 

“I don’t have any plans of going anywhere, anytime soon, baby. By the way, guess what?”

“What?”

“I have a surprise for you.”

“I know, Eli told me you did this morning,” Caly responded sheepishly.

“And did Eli tell you what it is?” her mother asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No, no, no. Just that you had a surprise for me.”

“Ok, let me go run downstairs to your father’s study and get it, be back in a jiff,” she said as she left the room. 

As Cecily headed back downstairs to get Calypso’s gift from her husband’s study, she decided to go to the kitchen first to make sure the boys were still down there waiting. As she entered the kitchen, she heard the tail end of Garrett saying, “.... tell him he’s not allowed to like Caly,” as he and Ryker headed to the back door. 

“You are not going anywhere, mister!” Cecily sternly said from the kitchen entrance.

“But mom, --”

“No, but’s about it. It is not your place to say or do anything to that boy, out of respect for Caly and her feelings. It is none of your business.”

“I’m only trying to protect her from getting hurt, mom. You agree with me, don’t you Ryker?”

“I...um...uh.,” he stammered, looking between his best friend and Mrs. Everwood's glare of daggers, not sure what to say.

“You don’t have to answer that, Ryker. As for you sir,” --she said addressing Garrett-- “you are going to march your behind up those stairs to your sister’s room, and apologize. That goes for you too, Ryker Blackthorn.”

“Yes ma’am. Come on Garrett let’s go. We still need to give Caly her gift, anyways.”

“Ok.” Garrett said angrily and defeated, then walked out of the kitchen towards the stairs.

“One more thing, Garrett Johnson Everwood, you will be on cleanup duty after the party tonight, since I am pretty sure you started this whole thing.”

“But mom, ---”

“Nope, I don’t want to hear it!”

“Come on man, let’s go before you get yourself in more trouble,” -- Ryker said as he pulled Garret up the stairs-- “I’ll help you tonight, it’ll go quicker that way.”

“This blows!” exclaimed Garrett.

“What was that?

“Nothing mom, I was just saying yes ma’am.”

As they reached the top of the stairs, Garrett’s brother Jaxson came rushing through the front door with Derrik, Gavin’s beta, and went into the study.

 “I wonder what that is all about, come on Ryker, let’s check it out.”

 “Your mom just told us to go apologize to Caly.”

 “We will in a minute, she’s not going anywhere.”

 “Fine,” he followed Garrett back down the stairs, as they reached the bottom, everyone came out of Gavin’s study.

 “What's going on?” Garrett asked his dad.

 “There has been a disturbance at the South gate. Has anyone seen Braxton?”

 “No, I haven’t seen him since this morning at breakfast. He said he was going to get some training done today before the party.”

 “Well, I don’t have time to look for him. You are going to have to go with Jax and Derrik to the South gate and investigate what is happening then report back to me. Jax and Derrik will need to double check the Northern perimeter at some point today before the party.”

 “Alright, will do.”

 “I know it is a hike there and back from the South gate, but please try to get back before dark. I don’t like you guys out late. Besides, you still need to apologize to your sister,” Garrett’s mother said pointedly coming out of the kitchen due to all the commotion.

 “How about Ryker goes up now and apologizes to her from both of us, and gives her our gift? Then as soon as I get back, I’ll make sure to apologize in person.”

 “Oh, alright. But be careful. All of you,” she addressed both of her sons and Derrik. Ryker turned around and headed up the stairs towards Caly’s room.