Chapter 16

Time went by extremely fast. November was halfway through, and Callum couldn't believe at how quickly life was moving as he stared at his new fully furnished apartment. As soon as Callum said he wanted the apartment, Walter made sure the renovations were done as fast as possible. Shortly after, Callum signed his lease and found himself with the keys in his hands. The apartment still felt a bit empty, but it already had all the furniture he would need for the time being. He hadn't brought anything with him but clothes and a few books, so there were no trinkets or memorabilia lying around, making the place still feel a bit naked. Especially after having spent so many weeks at Kade's place, which was filled with old photos and memories. But Callum was sure that with just a little bit more time, he would feel right at home. Truth was, he already did. Going to work at Doctor Clark's clinic, having dinner with Kade, visiting Lydia, and seeing Faith... All of those things already felt like home. Starting over hadn't been such a bad thing after all.

The doorbell rang and Kade and Lydia walked in, carrying dinner.

"I told you didn't have to bring anything. We could've ordered something. And I'm also not that bad of a cook. Sure, I'm far from being as skilled as the two of you, but I can get by."

"You said you'd bake a dessert so we couldn't show up empty-handed, love." Lydia said while giving him a motherly hug.

"Where's Faith?"

"She's running a little late. But don't worry, Cal, she'll be here."

"Everything okay with her?"

"She spent the day working with an old professor of hers for an article." Kade said, while greeting his nephew.

Kade and Lydia glanced and smiled at each other as they saw Callum staring at the door, looking like an abandon puppy. And when the doorbell rang just a few minutes later, they could almost swear they had seen his ears perk up and a tail wagging.

"What happened to you?" Callum's eyes opened wide as he looked at how dishevelled Faith was and at the scrapes on her hands and knees.

"Good to see you too, Doc."

"I'm sorry, Faith. Very happy to see you, but maybe we should take a look at those first. What happened?"

Faith sighed. "I tripped. And fell. As per usual. Sadly, you weren't there to catch me," she cleared her throat. "But I managed to save Fern."

"Who's Fern?"

"This is Fern." Faith opened the bag she was carrying, showing a fern and a bottle of wine. "And a bottle of wine for dinner. It's a housewarming gift. You need plants. They're good for you. This one is very low maintenance, and it helps with cleaning the air and..."

"Thank you, princess, but you can tell me all about Fern after we clean you up, okay?"

Faith nodded and then glanced at Lydia and Kade, that had been watching the whole scene, quietly in the background. "Lydia, Mr Grant."

"Go take care of your wounds, love. I'll take that," Lydia said while grabbing the bag.

As Callum casually grabbed Faith by the waist and placed her in front of the bathroom sink, she could only think about how close they were. She could only think about the feeling of Callum's touch on her skin as he washed the scrapes on the palms of her hands, the warmth of his body against her back and the way he smelled. I'm going insane. She screamed in her head while taking a deep breath.

"Does it hurt?"

"No. Not all. These aren't serious injuries, Callum. There's no need for all of this."

"Yes, there is." No, there isn't. Callum smirked. He knew he was maybe taking advantage of the situation, but he couldn't be more amused with Faith's blushed cheeks and adorable expressions. With the way she shivered with his touch and how she took a deep breath every time he leaned in closer to her.

"Love the décor, by the way. You did great." Faith said pointing at the bath towels carefully folded. "What colour is that? A dark teal green? Really nice. You are a very tidy person, doc." Callum gently grabbed the hand she was using to point at the towels and placed a bandaid on it.

"Why do you sound so surprised about it?" He raised an eyebrow, his hand still grabbing hers, lingering for more than it was necessary.

"I'm not. It's just... The place looks good, that's all. It's just missing some plants. I'll give you some more. Low maintenance, I swear. And talking about plants, I should tell you about Fern-"

"What's going on, Faith?"

"What do you mean?"

"You are more jittery and talkative than usual."

"Am I?" Faith asked, trying to pretend that she was fine. Trying to pretend that her heart wasn't irrationally pounding in her chest just because she was in a closed space alone with Callum as he tended to her wounds.

"You are. Hands are done. Let's take a look at your knees. Sit."

Faith sat on the toilet and looked at her patched hands and bloody knees. "I'm always a mess, aren't, I? Apparently, I can't even walk straight anymore."

"You're not a mess. I'll keep telling you that as many times as I have to." Callum kneeled in front of Faith, grabbed her leg, pulling it slightly towards him to take a better look at the scrapes on her knee. She took a deep breath. "But if you want me around all the time to save you, you just have it to say it, princess." He smirked, looking up at her while. Faith turned red and her eyes opened wide.

"What?" she mumbled.

"If you want me around more often, just say it. I said I'd catch you, didn't I?"

"I... You... Maybe... Are you done? We should go and join Lydia and Mr Grant."

"All done."

"Thank you."

"No problem, princess."

"I guess I really should've hired you full time," she said with a nervous giggle.

"Just say the word and I'll be all yours." Callum winked, and Faith opened her mouth. She couldn't utter a sound, and he couldn't help but to chuckle. "Let's go. They're waiting for us."

After Callum's housewarming dinner, Lydia and Kade left early, saying something about having to wake up early on the next day for work, even though it was a Sunday, leaving Faith behind to help clean up. Faith managed to find Fern a lovely spot in the kitchen where she would get enough light exposure without being directly under the sunlight, and Callum was almost done with the dishes.

"Why no hearts on the pie this time, doc?" Faith asked while taking a bite of what was left of the dessert.

"Didn't you mock me about the heart?"

"I kind of liked it, actually."

"I'll make you another one with a heart, I promise." Callum smiled and Faith's heart skipped a beat, so she took another bite. "Do you want me to pack what's left for you?" He chuckled.

"No. I already ate too much. Can I help with anything else?"

"I'm almost done. Can I take you home afterwards?" Truth be told, Callum didn't really want her to leave. He was really enjoying having her around. Feeling her presence around. Even when they were in silence and without looking at each other, he still wanted her there.

"I brought my car, but thank you."

"Can I at least offer you some tea before you leave?" Callum glanced at Faith, hopping he could stretch the night indefinitely. Faith nodded, and he smiled.

Once the kitchen was finally cleaned, Callum brewed some tea for Faith and some coffee for himself. They sat on the couch, enjoying their beverages as a movie played on the background. Faith seemed to be immersed in the movie, with both hands clasping around the cup of a tea and a blanket on her legs. On the other hand, Callum seemed to be utterly incapable of paying any attention to what was happening on the screen. What am I going to do... He thought while looking at her, at how delightfully clueless she was.

Faith placed her mug on the coffee table, snuggled more on the blanket, and yawned. "Maybe I should've offered you some coffee instead." Callum said, as he looked into her sleepy eyes.

"How come you drink so much coffee, doc?" she yawned again.

"I've had trouble sleeping for a few months now."

"Because of what happened at the hospital you worked at?"

"One of the reasons, I suppose."

"Well, maybe we should start with replacing the coffee with tea and get you a cozy blanket, too."

"I only have that one."

"We can share."

"You're willing to share my own blanket with me? How nice and charitable of you." He chuckled. "Come closer than. It's not big enough if you're all the way on that end."

Faith tried to ignore the weird heart palpitations she was feeling, and scootched over towards Callum, placing half of the blanked over him. Her eyes were getting heavier as the movie continued and the truth was, she didn't even know what the movie was about. She had been blankly staring at the screen while trying to hide the fact she had a whole fleet of butterflies prancing around her stomach. Before she realized it, her head was leaning against his shoulder and her eyes were closed. And before Callum realized it, he was fast asleep, too. For the first time in months, he was sound asleep.

***

The sunlight pierced the curtains and touched Faith's skin. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking a couple of times. She was laying on something soft and comfortable and warm that smelled like Callum... Smells like Callum? Faith's eyes opened wide, and she suddenly felt wide awake. The bed was huge, and she had been asleep right in the middle of it, taking up all the space. When did I get here? Not my room for sure... As she stretched, a switch in her brain suddenly clicked. If I'm here, and the last thing I remember was the couch and the blanket... then he carried me here... Faith squealed into the pillow. Her cheeks turned red, and her heart started racing. Then the panic started to settle in, as the realization that she had spent a night at Callum's took over her. I can't just leave, can I? Unable to stay put, Faith got up and decided to make breakfast. Pancakes it is.

In the middle of the night, Callum had woken up and realised he had fallen asleep with ease. He didn't remember the last time that happened. At that moment, he looked to the side and saw Faith falling asleep right next to me. She looked so peaceful and beautiful. He carried her to his bedroom without her even flinching. She sleeps like a rock. I wish. There was only one real bed in the apartment that was now occupied by Faith, so Callum sighed as he looked at the couch in the living room and at the sofa bed in his office. Sofa bed it is. He grabbed the blanket and a cushion and before he knew it, he was fast asleep again.

Callum slowly blinked and stretched as he heard the noises coming from the kitchen. I guess sleeping beauty is up.

"What you up to?"

How the hell does he look this good straight out of bed... She thought, as she looked up and saw Callum smiling at her, with messy hair and sleepy eyes. "I'm making Lydia proud. I'm finally using one of her recipes." Faith proudly took a picture of her perfectly fully pancakes and sent it to Lydia. "I hope you don't mind, but I stole a clean toothbrush and some toothpaste."

"Not at all. Please do make yourself at home, princess." In his lips danced a mischievous smile and Faith's heart jumped a beat.

"Last one is almost done, you can sit and-," distracted by Callum's presence, Faith somehow touched the frying pan, "ouch."

Callum quickly grabbed her hand and put it under running water. "Does it hurt?"

"No. Just grazed it. Didn't actually burn."

A strand of hair got loose from her ponytail. Without thinking Callum tucked it behind her ear. He noticed that her hair had gotten longer. It had grown a bit since their first encounter. Maybe she'll stop complaining about me calling her Rapunzel when her hair gets longer. Callum gently touched her face and Faith held her breath. They were close, their noses almost grazing each other, one hand on her waist. Faith felt as if the warmth of his hand was burning her through the fabric of her sweater and she couldn't believe at how much she wanted him to kiss her and she wondered why he hadn't done yet.

Callum wanted her like he'd never wanted anyone else before and yet, something was still stopping him. She isn't Alice. He told himself. But the problem wasn't Alice or Ben or Faith. The problem was him. He wasn't the same person from a few months earlier. But he wasn't sure who he was either, but he knew who he wanted to be. He wanted to be a man that deserved Faith. That deserved to be by her side. But he wasn't sure he had gotten there yet. He was still rebuilding his life, after all. Her lips were parted, and her green eyes were staring at his...

Something started to buzz, and Callum was brought back to reality. Stepping away from Faith he glanced at his phone.

Zack: Hey

Zack: Don't know if I should tell you this or not.

Zack: Alice and Ben apparently are getting married or something.

Zack: Give me a call whenever.

"Is everything okay?" Faith asked as she saw the expression on Callum's face. He lost his usual charming smile and instead had a clenched jaw and furrowed brows.

"It's nothing. Just Zack. I'll call him later." Callum's face softened as he looked at Faith's concerned gaze on him. "Let's eat." He smiled.

As Callum glanced at Faith, sitting across the table, he realized that Alice and Ben's engagement didn't bother him as much as it should. In fact, he didn't know if he was even bothered at all. Mostly, he was surprised, perplexed even. But he realized that he didn't care enough about the two of them anymore to have a strong reaction to such news. It almost felt like the Callum that had been friends with Alice and Ben, the one that had been in love with her for so many years, was another Callum living in a parallel universe. The man that he was right now, in this moment, wasn't the same Callum anymore. The past was starting to feel like a distant memory, like a dream. And the future was starting to seem quite promising, and did only he needed to completely move forward, was a little bit of faith...