AllFreeNovel
Share Us
ChapterTwenty-Two
Sebastian
When Paislee leaves, I find myself trying to grapple with everything that has happened. I can't get her look of devastation out of my head. I am one who seldom ever regrets anything. But I regret my sneaky act toward Paislee and wish I could make it up to her. I haven't been given the chance to. She shuts me down at every turn. My calls go to voicemail, and my messages get ignored. It has been this way for days. I tried to make a halfhearted excuse for her to Callie. She has been hounding me nonstop as to why Paislee stopped coming.
“Did you do something to her?” She asks; eyes narrowed.
“I didn't do anything to her,” I tell Callie, who does not look like she believes me.
“I think you're lying,” she says as she begins to make her way to her room.
I follow her.
“Callie, we have to talk about getting another tutor to continue your lessons. At least Rose can fill in as your nanny for the time being.”
“If we keep Paislee on, no one else will have to come.” She says it as if I'm too dense to realize that.
“Honey,” I say as I grab her hands and stall her movement. “Paislee left voluntarily. I did not fire her.” I assure Callie as I gaze deeply into her eyes. “We have to let her go if she does not want to remain here.”
“But she loves it here,” Callie tells me, tears filling her eyes.
My heart goes to pieces at the sound of her voice and the way it cracks in the end. This is all my doing. I caused Paislee pain, and now she can’t stand the sight of me. I wonder if I'll ever be able to forgive myself.
“I thought she loved it here too,” I say, straightening up and giving Callie a low pat on the back.
Guilt eats me alive as we make our way up the stairs to her room. Callie doesn't say anything anymore, but I can tell that she's not happy about the fact that Paislee might never return.
“I am going to miss her.” She tells me as soon as she settles in her queen-sized bed.
I look away from Callie as I allow the memories of all the wonderful times I spent with Paislee to course through me.
“I am going to miss her too.”
“She's my best friend.” Callie continues as if I had not spoken.
“You were both very close.”
Callie nods and turns away to face the wall.
“Good night, dad.”
“Good night, honey.”
Knowing that I've been dismissed, I walk out of Callie's room and straight to the telephone. I punch in Mr. Beatle's number.
As soon as he picks up, he says, “This is a pleasant surprise. I didn't think I'd ever have to hear from you again.”
“I didn't think I'd have any reason to call you again,” Sebastian admits.
“Is everything alright?”
“I've been found out,” I tell him, going straight to the point.
“What?”
“Paislee,” I state this in a defeated tone of voice. “She knows.”
“That's terrible.”
