Page 19 of Philly
“Sorry, had to finish a sentence,” Daphne said by way of greeting.
“We can talk later?”
“No, it’s always good to stop when I don’t want to. Makes me want to get back to it.”
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder?”
“Or it makes me forget how hard it is to string words together.”
Callie chuckled, then quieted.
“You’re never quiet. What’s going on?” her sister asked.
Callie hadn’t breathed a word of her plan to Daphne. She hadn’t wanted to risk it. The past four days were so out of character for her, and she’d worried that she might latch onto any excuse to backtrack—like her sister’s disapproval.
“I quit.”
Silence.
“Did you hear me?”
More silence.
“Daphne?”
“I’m sorry, did you say youquit?”
Callie’s stomach twisted, bracing herself for the disapproval, the questioning, that would come next.
“I did. Four days ago.”
Another beat of silence passed, then Daphne laughed.
Callie frowned. “I quit my job that’s been my life for the past decade and you’relaughing?”
“Sorry,” her sister said, catching her breath. “I mean, I know it meant a lot to you. And that you were good at it. You’re good at everything.”
“Not writing. I suck at that.”
“You’ve never set your mind to it, Cal.”
“But?” There was a “but” coming and she was 100 percent certain her sister was about to drop a truth bomb Callie didn’t want to hear.
“But despite how good you were at it—because, again, you’re good at everything—that job was never more than a way station. A place you could hone your craft and build your skills while still having the reassurance, the safety net, of a structure. And thatstructuregave you confidence, but it was neveryou.”
Her heart stuttered, and she gripped the steering wheel. “What do you mean? You think I shouldn’t have gone into the FBI?”
“I think you love puzzles and justice and righting wrongs. And I think you made the best choice you could, given the circumstances. People like you and me don’t grow up without scars, and we do what we need to survive, physically and emotionally.” She paused, her voice tinged with regret when she added, “And Mom and Dad did their best to grind you down. More than me.”
“Because you didn’t give them a chance,” Callie said.
“And that didn’t make it easier for you. When I left, I left you to the wolves.” Her voice trailed off as she spoke. “I’ve always regretted that. Back then, I hoped they’d realize that they’d already driven away one daughter and maybe, if they didn’t want to drive you away too, they’d change.”
“They were never going to change.”
Daphne sighed. “No, they weren’t.”
A mile ticked by before Callie spoke again. “I always wanted to be as brave as you, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”
