Rebirth- Chapter 35
Title- Rebirth
Author- Kimberly
Rating- PG-13
Summary- Owen is coming home from the hospital, Callie asks the hard questions, George puts his foot in his mouth and all the O'Malley realize one little O'Malley gives them something to be thankful for.
Disclaimer- I do not own ABC, the characters of Grey's Anatomy, the actors who portray the characters or any other real life person/object that may appear in any given chapter of this story.
Chapter 35
Callie smiled at Owen as she got him dressed in his t-shirt and overalls. They were getting ready to be discharged from the hospital, just in time for Thanksgiving lunch with the O’Malley’s. She hadn’t really talked to George about what had happened. She had been too busy enjoying her nine pound ten ounce baby boy. She knew she would have to face what had happened soon, but right now, she wanted to bask in the fact that she was a new mother.
George was coming to pick them up once he got done downstairs with his shift. According to the text he had sent her about half an hour ago, he would be up shortly. “I have no idea what to do about your Daddy,” he said to Owen as she placed his socks on his feet. “I love him, but he really hurt my feelings,” Callie explained to the baby as if he understood. “But for now, we are just going to enjoy the cute little boy you are and worry about the rest tomorrow.”
She gently scooped him up into her arms and moved him into the car seat. “Daddy should be here any minute and he is going to take us home,” she explained to him as she buckled him in. She wondered if he would start screaming on the way home. She grabbed one of the blankets laying on the bed and placed it around the baby.
She had gotten herself dressed and ready to go home a little while before she began getting the baby ready. Addison had come and performed his circumcision already. She had everything packed up and all the gifts together, so all George had to do was take them down to the car. As if on cue the door opened and George walked in. “Hi sweetheart,” he said coming over to Callie and placing a kiss on her cheek. It seemed as if him leaving was the big elephant in the room that everyone just ignored.
“Hi,” she smiled returning his light kiss and getting to her feet. “I have everything ready to go, so that way we aren’t late,” she explained to him placing a hand on her still swollen womb. It felt strange to no longer feel the baby kicking and moving inside of her.
“How’s our little man doing?” he questioned looking at Owen asleep in his car seat.
“I believe an almost ten pounder child is not little,” Callie laughed as the nurse came in with the wheel chair. She sighed, she didn’t want to go for the ride downstairs in the chair, but she knew it was hospital policy. “George, I want the baby on my lap,” she told him.
“First I have to make sure everyone matches up,” the nurse explained as she went over to the baby and looked at the bracelet that was on his ankle. She then checked the one on George’s wrist followed by checking Callie’s. “Alright, everyone matches. You can take this little guy home with you,” she teased setting the car seat in Callie’s lap.
“I don’t think anyone could steal this little guy from me, I have everything memorized about him,” Callie said with a smile as she stared down at her baby. She was amazed by him and couldn’t look at him enough. She hated the idea that when she got home she was going to have to share him with the entire O’Malley clan.
“How are you feeling?” George asked trying to make conversation as they made their way to elevator.
“A little bit tired, but otherwise alright,” she replied as she touched her finger to the babies cheek. “Did you remind your mom no pacifiers?”
He nodded his head as they stepped into the elevator. “Yes, I did,” he answered. He was just trying to play the role of good husband and father right now. He didn’t want to do anything that would rock the boat. He knew at some time he would have to face up for what he had done and explain himself, but for right now they were just enjoying their baby and worrying about everything else later. It seemed to be working this way, for now. He knew it couldn’t last forever though, no matter how much he wished it could. He had already made sure to place a spare blanket and pillow in the downstairs closet for when Callie threw him out of their bedroom.
There ride downstairs in the elevator was filled with everyone who got into the elevator commenting on how big and cute the new addition to the hospital family was. George had already pulled the car up front, so it was there waiting on the new family. George opened the trunk and loaded up the flowers and gifts that everyone had bought for them along with Callie’s bag.
He then took Owen from Callie and placed his car seat in the base, making sure it was tight and snapped into place properly. “Are you going to sit in the back with him?” George questioned as he climbed out of the backseat once he got the baby settled.
Callie nodded her head as she slowly got up from the wheel chair. Getting up from the sitting position was proving to be one of the most difficult things. George placed an arm around her as she walked the few steps to the car. He did the best he could to help her sit and then turn into the car. “Do you need anything?” he asked.
Callie shook her head as she took a deep breath and smiled. “No, I’m good. I’ve got my little man right here,” she grinned as she placed a hand on the baby. He was worth the slight amount of pain she was feeling right now.
“Okay,” George said with a nod of his head. Things between them felt so awkward right now. He didn’t want things to be this way, but he had caused it. “Well, at least I didn’t have to go hunting today,” he said to himself as he squared off his shoulders and climbed into the drivers seat, starting the car and pulling away from the hospital.
Callie sat in the backseat, watching her sleeping son and occasionally glancing up to see where they were. George was humming to the soft music on the radio. She never thought that their first car ride as a family would be spent in mostly silence. “I guess he doesn’t mind the car seat so much,” she said quietly, trying to make conversation.
“That’s a good thing,” George laughed. ‘Too many times on all the TV shows the kids are screaming in the car.”
“Why’d you leave?” Callie questioned removing her gaze from the baby and meeting his eyes in the rearview mirror. It was like ripping the band aid off. She hadn’t planned on asking him today, but the words had come out of her mouth before she could stop them. She took a deep breath and braced herself for the answer. Although now that she had asked the dreaded question, she felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
George swallowed hard as he looked into her eyes from the rearview mirror. He had no good answer for her question. He knew she would eventually ask, but he never thought it would be when they were bringing the baby home from the hospital. She did deserve an answer and he wasn’t going to deny her that.
“I messed up,” he admitted. “Everything was just coming at me, or so I felt. It was like the walls were closing in around me and I couldn’t stop them. Everyone was so worried about you, I felt as if no one saw I was drowning in all this baby stuff. I needed to get away and just think. I got the cold feet I never got at our wedding. Yes it was selfish of me and I almost missed the birth of my son. It may have cost me my marriage and I’m not proud of what I did, by any means. I do not want my son growing up, thinking that sort of thing is the right thing to do. If there was one thing my father taught me, is that families stick together and I didn’t do that. Something got into me and I ran from it instead of facing it head on like a man,” George explained. He knew it would never make up for his actions. Callie would always remember the days before their sons birth as the ones where George had left her. He hadn’t left her to say, he had left a situation he felt as if he couldn’t handle, he could though and he would.
Callie listened to him and nodded her head. She had no idea what she could say to him after that/ She didn’t understand and it would never make sense to her no matter how much she tried to wrap her head around it. What she knew was what he had done had hurt her in ways she never thought George would. He almost missed the birth of their son because he was too scared to come to her with whatever he had been feeling. “Why didn’t you come to me?” she asked him with tears in her eyes. Something was wrong with their marriage if he felt as if he couldn’t come to her when he felt scared or troubled.
George sighed as he made the turn onto the road that the house was on. He wished that they were bringing their son home to their own house, not his mother’s, but it was certainly better than bringing him home to some apartment or Meredith’s. “I didn’t come to you because of the complications with the pregnancy and everything that Izzie had put you through. You didn’t need the stress. I didn’t want to be the reason anything happened to you or Owen,” he whispered, realizing how selfish and stupid it sounded now. He should have said it out loud before he left, because he would have seen the mistake he was making.
“You leaving caused me more stress than you coming to me with your doubts would have,” Callie admitted as she placed with the strap of Owen’s overalls. “I’m sorry if I ever made you feel you couldn’t come to me.”
George didn’t say anything as he pulled up in front of the house. The family was already here, ready to see the newest addition to the O’Malley family. He shut the car off and went around to help Callie out. “Before we go inside, I want you to hear me when I say this,” he said to her as he placed his fingers under her chin, making sure she was looking at him. “None this was your fault. It was mine.”
She nodded her head and wiped at the tears with the back of her hand. She didn’t want to be crying when she went inside. She hadn’t seen all these people since the wonderful baby shower Louise had thrown for her. She was glad she had gotten the thank you cards and written and out though now that the baby had come. She slowly got out of the car and waited on the sidewalk as George pulled the car seat from the base.
“Look who’s awake,” he said with a smile looking down at Owen with his eyes wide opened.
“Well he wants to see his house and his family,” Callie said with a smile as they slowly made their way towards the house. She opened the door and stepped inside, George close behind her with the baby. “Where is everyone?” she questioned not seeing them in the living room. She knew they couldn’t all be in the kitchen waiting for them. She had expected them to be all over them with the baby.
“I’m not sure,” George replied as he set the car seat down on the coffee table. “Welcome home little man. I have no idea where your family is,” he added with a laugh. He was waiting for them to pop out and yell surprise or welcome home. “This is your house,” he said as he unbuckled Owen and picked him up.
“We’re going to live here,” Callie said coming over to them and placing a kiss on her sons forehead as she smelled the wonderful aroma’s coming from the kitchen. “Lets go see Nanna.” She took him from George and heading into the kitchen. “We’re home,’ she announced to everyone in the kitchen.
Louise turned around from her spot at the stove and clapped her hands together. “Look at that precious baby boy. Oh my God Callie,” she said coming over to them and looking at him. “Sweetheart, he’s so beautiful. Welcome home Owen. How are you feeling Callie? Are you hungry?” Louise questioned.
“Actually, I am. The food they bring you in room is not the same food I can buy at the hospital,” she chuckled. “I don’t want to be a bother, so don’t rush for me,” she added as she glanced down adoring her son in her arms.
“Nonsense,” Louise said opening up the fridge and pulling out a veggie platter and one with cheeses on it. “You just had a baby, you can have whatever you like whenever you like.”
Callie laughed as she sat down on one of the stools, still holding the baby in her arms. This event seemed rather low key for an O’Malley event. “Where is everyone?” she questioned reaching for a piece of cheese and popping it into her mouth.
“Well, they are coming later. I wanted to give you a chance to get into the house with him,” Louise explained. “It’s hard coming home with a newborn, especially around the holidays. And then of course add in George’s behavior, well Callie I have no idea how you are holding all of this together. I know I wouldn’t be able too.”
Callie wasn’t sure what to say for that. She was glad no one was here, trying to pull her baby out of her arms, but it also gave her much more time to think then she would have liked at the current moment. She picked up a celery stick and dipped it into the ranch dressing as she thought about what to say. “I don’t know how I’m doing it. I just know that I have to keep going and can’t stop, because I’ve got this little guy,” she grinned as she looked down once again at Owen who had closed his eyes. “He needs me and that is enough to keep me going, in spite of everything else.”
“He sure is a beautiful little guy,” Louise smiled. “Better looking than any of my children, they all looked like little old men, much like their father,” she teased as she moved some pans around.
Callie shook her head, not believing that for a second. “Now Harold was a very handsome man. Where do you think this little man gets his looks from?” she teased
Louise laughed and looked at Callie, “You,” she giggled as a timer buzzed. She turned her attention back to the oven and pulled a tray out, putting another in. “The turkey is doing wonderful. I’m so glad you two were able to come home today. Is George unloading the car?”
“I guess,” Callie said with a shrug. “I think I am going to go put him upstairs and let him rest for awhile before his entire family gets here,” she told Louise getting to her feet. She headed upstairs with the baby, who was already sleeping. She gently placed him in the bassinet and covered him with a blanket. “My sweet baby boy,” she whispered kissing his head.
She headed back downstairs and found George talking with his mother in the kitchen. She set the baby monitor down. Ever since she had left, she felt weird staying here. Maybe it was time to tell George about the house that her father had purchased for them. Maybe that was where she would go with the baby until they got everything between them squared away.
“Um Callie I was just talking to Mom about something,” he announced rubbing the back of his neck. He had no idea how to say this to his wife.”I’m going to move back to Meredith’s for the time being. I know you’re pissed at me and I understand. The reason we were living here was because you were scared of having the baby on your own, so I feel it’s best you stay here with him.”
Callie was floored that he was offering, no basically telling her that he was moving out of his mother’s home so she would be more comfortable. One minute she didn’t know if this man loved her and the next he was trying to move heaven and earth for her proving his love. “George, I can’t ask you to move out of your own house for me.”
“It’s for you and the baby. I remember you telling me how scared you were of being a mother. I’ve only added to that by doing what I did. I want you to feel good about being a mom. If you need me, I’ll only be ten minutes away. I’ll be here for you Callie, but I know you can barely stand the sight of me, so maybe it’s for the best.”
“I don’t want a George,” Callie said quickly. She had never said that to him. She hated that he thought she wanted a divorce. They had a brand new baby upstairs. People who just had babies do not get divorced.
“Callie, look...”
“Did you screw Izzie?”
“No!”
“Then why did you leave us? Why are you abounding us now?”
“Callie I just…” George trailed off. He thought he was doing the right thing.
“I will tell you what I want! What I want is my husband back and when you can find him, let me know. My husband doesn’t move out on his family! He stays with them and works through the crap that they are facing!” she yelled at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. George wanted to leave, he was offering to just leave them, here alone without him.
“It isn’t like that Callie,” George said holding his arms opened to her and stepping closer. He was such an idiot. He seemed to keep saying and doing things that were hurting her, which was something he had never meant to do. Watching her cry was like something beating his heart with a hammer.
“George, you should go check on Owen,” Louise interjected as she watched her daughter-in-law back away from her son, tears still falling from her eyes.
George nodded and slowly turned away, dejected, heading up the stairs to check on his sleeping son. All he seemed to do lately was mess things up even more. There was nothing he could do right.
Louise wiped her hands off on a dish towel and walked towards Callie, wrapping her arms round her, rocking her gently. “Sweetie, everything is going to be just fine,” she promised softly.
“When you love someone, it’s supposed to be so perfect, so romantic,” Callie sobbed.
“Oh honey, that is what they forget to tell you. Everyone always talks about the good times and the fond memories, but no one will ever tell you about the bad decisions, the stupid ideas, the hurtful actions that always seem to happen. No one is happy one hundred percent of the time. Sweetheart, I loved Harold to death, but there were some nights I just wanted to smack him in the head with a frying pan while he was sleeping.” Louise gently stroked Callie’s hair as she continued to rock her. After having a baby was a hard time for any women and in her day, she was alone. She would remember many of mid afternoons, especially with her eldest son laying on her bed and just sobbing because she felt trapped.
“Why don’t they tell you that?” she whispered holding onto Louise. She felt as if her life was falling apart, no matter how hard she tried to keep everything together.
“No one would get married if they knew of all the bad times to come. That’s why in the vows it says for better or worse. It’s easy to be miserable, it takes no effort at all, but it’s incredibly hard to be happy. Being happy takes work from both parties. You wouldn’t have married George if you knew all of these bad things would happen.”
“But regardless of the bad things I still love him.”
“And that is what true loves are made of. Being able to overcome the bad things that occur and making the most of them. You’ve gotta come out the other side. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. If there isn’t, there is a problem and you’re doing something for the wrong reasons,” Louise told her as she wiped Callie’s face with a new dish cloth she had grabbed off the counter. “I’m here for you, if you ever need to talk.”
“Thank you Louise,” she said softly. She had one of the best mother-in-laws in the entire world. Of that she was sure. Louise never shied away from trying to help Callie fix a problem or understand something in her life. Not many women could say that about another person in their lives, but Callie could. She was blessed to have Louise. “I am very thankful to have you in my life.”
“And Harold and I are thankful to finally have the daughter we always dreamed off. Callie, he loved you so much, I hope you know that,” Louise said with a smile.
“I wish he was still here to see Owen and everything,” she whispered. “I was very fond of him as well. If it wasn’t for him liking me so much who knows where George and I would be right now or if we would even have an Owen. I know when I found out I was pregnant, I always thought it was a sign from Harold that George and I were meant to be together.”
Louise teared up just hearing Callie say that she believed her own child was a gift from her late husband. “Oh Callie,” she whispered hugging the younger woman once again. “You have no idea what that means to me.”
Callie just held Louise tight for the moment. She had no idea what those words meant to Louise, but it was apparent that they were special and that they meant something to Louise. Harold had only been gone for nine months now and it seemed like just yesterday she had been seeing his smiling face in the hospital.
Later that evening, after Thanksgiving dinner had been had at the O’Malley household and Owen dubbed the new butter ball by Jerry and Ronnie. Louise slipped away upstairs, into Callie and George’s room where her sleeping grandson was. She gently picked him up blanket and all. She sat down in the rocking chair and gently traced his face. He looked a lot more like Harold then she had realized.
“Your Granddaddy, he gave you to us, to hold this family together little one,” she whispered as the tears formed in her eyes. “Because if it wasn’t for you I have no idea where this family would be right now. Your mom always has some project to keep me busy, whether it be you, or moving in or a baby shower,” Louise laughed as the tears fell from her eyes. “I miss your granddaddy so much some days Owen, I just don’t know how to carry on with myself, but he made sure I had a reason to get up every day and that’s you.”
“Your uncles and your Dad are grown. They don’t need a mom around them all the time. But your Mommy, it’s almost as if she’s the best friend I never truly found in anyone else. Your granddaddy made sure she was apart of our family and he gave me another little baby to help raise and turn into an O’Malley gentlemen,” she grinned as her tears continued to fall. “Oh Harold, I miss you much,” she added as a sob wracked her body.
Downstairs, George heard his mother talking to the baby over the monitor. He couldn’t exactly make all the words out due to the background noise. He made his way upstairs and saw his mother, rocking Owen in her arms. “Are you alright?”
“I just didn’t realize….”
“Realize what Mom?”
“That I’d ever have something to be thankful for again after your father died.”
George nodded his head and moved closer to him mom, wrapping an arm around her and looking down at the innocent baby in her arms, who had no idea what was going on. “Me neither Mom.”
Author- Kimberly
Rating- PG-13
Summary- Owen is coming home from the hospital, Callie asks the hard questions, George puts his foot in his mouth and all the O'Malley realize one little O'Malley gives them something to be thankful for.
Disclaimer- I do not own ABC, the characters of Grey's Anatomy, the actors who portray the characters or any other real life person/object that may appear in any given chapter of this story.
Chapter 35
Callie smiled at Owen as she got him dressed in his t-shirt and overalls. They were getting ready to be discharged from the hospital, just in time for Thanksgiving lunch with the O’Malley’s. She hadn’t really talked to George about what had happened. She had been too busy enjoying her nine pound ten ounce baby boy. She knew she would have to face what had happened soon, but right now, she wanted to bask in the fact that she was a new mother.
George was coming to pick them up once he got done downstairs with his shift. According to the text he had sent her about half an hour ago, he would be up shortly. “I have no idea what to do about your Daddy,” he said to Owen as she placed his socks on his feet. “I love him, but he really hurt my feelings,” Callie explained to the baby as if he understood. “But for now, we are just going to enjoy the cute little boy you are and worry about the rest tomorrow.”
She gently scooped him up into her arms and moved him into the car seat. “Daddy should be here any minute and he is going to take us home,” she explained to him as she buckled him in. She wondered if he would start screaming on the way home. She grabbed one of the blankets laying on the bed and placed it around the baby.
She had gotten herself dressed and ready to go home a little while before she began getting the baby ready. Addison had come and performed his circumcision already. She had everything packed up and all the gifts together, so all George had to do was take them down to the car. As if on cue the door opened and George walked in. “Hi sweetheart,” he said coming over to Callie and placing a kiss on her cheek. It seemed as if him leaving was the big elephant in the room that everyone just ignored.
“Hi,” she smiled returning his light kiss and getting to her feet. “I have everything ready to go, so that way we aren’t late,” she explained to him placing a hand on her still swollen womb. It felt strange to no longer feel the baby kicking and moving inside of her.
“How’s our little man doing?” he questioned looking at Owen asleep in his car seat.
“I believe an almost ten pounder child is not little,” Callie laughed as the nurse came in with the wheel chair. She sighed, she didn’t want to go for the ride downstairs in the chair, but she knew it was hospital policy. “George, I want the baby on my lap,” she told him.
“First I have to make sure everyone matches up,” the nurse explained as she went over to the baby and looked at the bracelet that was on his ankle. She then checked the one on George’s wrist followed by checking Callie’s. “Alright, everyone matches. You can take this little guy home with you,” she teased setting the car seat in Callie’s lap.
“I don’t think anyone could steal this little guy from me, I have everything memorized about him,” Callie said with a smile as she stared down at her baby. She was amazed by him and couldn’t look at him enough. She hated the idea that when she got home she was going to have to share him with the entire O’Malley clan.
“How are you feeling?” George asked trying to make conversation as they made their way to elevator.
“A little bit tired, but otherwise alright,” she replied as she touched her finger to the babies cheek. “Did you remind your mom no pacifiers?”
He nodded his head as they stepped into the elevator. “Yes, I did,” he answered. He was just trying to play the role of good husband and father right now. He didn’t want to do anything that would rock the boat. He knew at some time he would have to face up for what he had done and explain himself, but for right now they were just enjoying their baby and worrying about everything else later. It seemed to be working this way, for now. He knew it couldn’t last forever though, no matter how much he wished it could. He had already made sure to place a spare blanket and pillow in the downstairs closet for when Callie threw him out of their bedroom.
There ride downstairs in the elevator was filled with everyone who got into the elevator commenting on how big and cute the new addition to the hospital family was. George had already pulled the car up front, so it was there waiting on the new family. George opened the trunk and loaded up the flowers and gifts that everyone had bought for them along with Callie’s bag.
He then took Owen from Callie and placed his car seat in the base, making sure it was tight and snapped into place properly. “Are you going to sit in the back with him?” George questioned as he climbed out of the backseat once he got the baby settled.
Callie nodded her head as she slowly got up from the wheel chair. Getting up from the sitting position was proving to be one of the most difficult things. George placed an arm around her as she walked the few steps to the car. He did the best he could to help her sit and then turn into the car. “Do you need anything?” he asked.
Callie shook her head as she took a deep breath and smiled. “No, I’m good. I’ve got my little man right here,” she grinned as she placed a hand on the baby. He was worth the slight amount of pain she was feeling right now.
“Okay,” George said with a nod of his head. Things between them felt so awkward right now. He didn’t want things to be this way, but he had caused it. “Well, at least I didn’t have to go hunting today,” he said to himself as he squared off his shoulders and climbed into the drivers seat, starting the car and pulling away from the hospital.
Callie sat in the backseat, watching her sleeping son and occasionally glancing up to see where they were. George was humming to the soft music on the radio. She never thought that their first car ride as a family would be spent in mostly silence. “I guess he doesn’t mind the car seat so much,” she said quietly, trying to make conversation.
“That’s a good thing,” George laughed. ‘Too many times on all the TV shows the kids are screaming in the car.”
“Why’d you leave?” Callie questioned removing her gaze from the baby and meeting his eyes in the rearview mirror. It was like ripping the band aid off. She hadn’t planned on asking him today, but the words had come out of her mouth before she could stop them. She took a deep breath and braced herself for the answer. Although now that she had asked the dreaded question, she felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
George swallowed hard as he looked into her eyes from the rearview mirror. He had no good answer for her question. He knew she would eventually ask, but he never thought it would be when they were bringing the baby home from the hospital. She did deserve an answer and he wasn’t going to deny her that.
“I messed up,” he admitted. “Everything was just coming at me, or so I felt. It was like the walls were closing in around me and I couldn’t stop them. Everyone was so worried about you, I felt as if no one saw I was drowning in all this baby stuff. I needed to get away and just think. I got the cold feet I never got at our wedding. Yes it was selfish of me and I almost missed the birth of my son. It may have cost me my marriage and I’m not proud of what I did, by any means. I do not want my son growing up, thinking that sort of thing is the right thing to do. If there was one thing my father taught me, is that families stick together and I didn’t do that. Something got into me and I ran from it instead of facing it head on like a man,” George explained. He knew it would never make up for his actions. Callie would always remember the days before their sons birth as the ones where George had left her. He hadn’t left her to say, he had left a situation he felt as if he couldn’t handle, he could though and he would.
Callie listened to him and nodded her head. She had no idea what she could say to him after that/ She didn’t understand and it would never make sense to her no matter how much she tried to wrap her head around it. What she knew was what he had done had hurt her in ways she never thought George would. He almost missed the birth of their son because he was too scared to come to her with whatever he had been feeling. “Why didn’t you come to me?” she asked him with tears in her eyes. Something was wrong with their marriage if he felt as if he couldn’t come to her when he felt scared or troubled.
George sighed as he made the turn onto the road that the house was on. He wished that they were bringing their son home to their own house, not his mother’s, but it was certainly better than bringing him home to some apartment or Meredith’s. “I didn’t come to you because of the complications with the pregnancy and everything that Izzie had put you through. You didn’t need the stress. I didn’t want to be the reason anything happened to you or Owen,” he whispered, realizing how selfish and stupid it sounded now. He should have said it out loud before he left, because he would have seen the mistake he was making.
“You leaving caused me more stress than you coming to me with your doubts would have,” Callie admitted as she placed with the strap of Owen’s overalls. “I’m sorry if I ever made you feel you couldn’t come to me.”
George didn’t say anything as he pulled up in front of the house. The family was already here, ready to see the newest addition to the O’Malley family. He shut the car off and went around to help Callie out. “Before we go inside, I want you to hear me when I say this,” he said to her as he placed his fingers under her chin, making sure she was looking at him. “None this was your fault. It was mine.”
She nodded her head and wiped at the tears with the back of her hand. She didn’t want to be crying when she went inside. She hadn’t seen all these people since the wonderful baby shower Louise had thrown for her. She was glad she had gotten the thank you cards and written and out though now that the baby had come. She slowly got out of the car and waited on the sidewalk as George pulled the car seat from the base.
“Look who’s awake,” he said with a smile looking down at Owen with his eyes wide opened.
“Well he wants to see his house and his family,” Callie said with a smile as they slowly made their way towards the house. She opened the door and stepped inside, George close behind her with the baby. “Where is everyone?” she questioned not seeing them in the living room. She knew they couldn’t all be in the kitchen waiting for them. She had expected them to be all over them with the baby.
“I’m not sure,” George replied as he set the car seat down on the coffee table. “Welcome home little man. I have no idea where your family is,” he added with a laugh. He was waiting for them to pop out and yell surprise or welcome home. “This is your house,” he said as he unbuckled Owen and picked him up.
“We’re going to live here,” Callie said coming over to them and placing a kiss on her sons forehead as she smelled the wonderful aroma’s coming from the kitchen. “Lets go see Nanna.” She took him from George and heading into the kitchen. “We’re home,’ she announced to everyone in the kitchen.
Louise turned around from her spot at the stove and clapped her hands together. “Look at that precious baby boy. Oh my God Callie,” she said coming over to them and looking at him. “Sweetheart, he’s so beautiful. Welcome home Owen. How are you feeling Callie? Are you hungry?” Louise questioned.
“Actually, I am. The food they bring you in room is not the same food I can buy at the hospital,” she chuckled. “I don’t want to be a bother, so don’t rush for me,” she added as she glanced down adoring her son in her arms.
“Nonsense,” Louise said opening up the fridge and pulling out a veggie platter and one with cheeses on it. “You just had a baby, you can have whatever you like whenever you like.”
Callie laughed as she sat down on one of the stools, still holding the baby in her arms. This event seemed rather low key for an O’Malley event. “Where is everyone?” she questioned reaching for a piece of cheese and popping it into her mouth.
“Well, they are coming later. I wanted to give you a chance to get into the house with him,” Louise explained. “It’s hard coming home with a newborn, especially around the holidays. And then of course add in George’s behavior, well Callie I have no idea how you are holding all of this together. I know I wouldn’t be able too.”
Callie wasn’t sure what to say for that. She was glad no one was here, trying to pull her baby out of her arms, but it also gave her much more time to think then she would have liked at the current moment. She picked up a celery stick and dipped it into the ranch dressing as she thought about what to say. “I don’t know how I’m doing it. I just know that I have to keep going and can’t stop, because I’ve got this little guy,” she grinned as she looked down once again at Owen who had closed his eyes. “He needs me and that is enough to keep me going, in spite of everything else.”
“He sure is a beautiful little guy,” Louise smiled. “Better looking than any of my children, they all looked like little old men, much like their father,” she teased as she moved some pans around.
Callie shook her head, not believing that for a second. “Now Harold was a very handsome man. Where do you think this little man gets his looks from?” she teased
Louise laughed and looked at Callie, “You,” she giggled as a timer buzzed. She turned her attention back to the oven and pulled a tray out, putting another in. “The turkey is doing wonderful. I’m so glad you two were able to come home today. Is George unloading the car?”
“I guess,” Callie said with a shrug. “I think I am going to go put him upstairs and let him rest for awhile before his entire family gets here,” she told Louise getting to her feet. She headed upstairs with the baby, who was already sleeping. She gently placed him in the bassinet and covered him with a blanket. “My sweet baby boy,” she whispered kissing his head.
She headed back downstairs and found George talking with his mother in the kitchen. She set the baby monitor down. Ever since she had left, she felt weird staying here. Maybe it was time to tell George about the house that her father had purchased for them. Maybe that was where she would go with the baby until they got everything between them squared away.
“Um Callie I was just talking to Mom about something,” he announced rubbing the back of his neck. He had no idea how to say this to his wife.”I’m going to move back to Meredith’s for the time being. I know you’re pissed at me and I understand. The reason we were living here was because you were scared of having the baby on your own, so I feel it’s best you stay here with him.”
Callie was floored that he was offering, no basically telling her that he was moving out of his mother’s home so she would be more comfortable. One minute she didn’t know if this man loved her and the next he was trying to move heaven and earth for her proving his love. “George, I can’t ask you to move out of your own house for me.”
“It’s for you and the baby. I remember you telling me how scared you were of being a mother. I’ve only added to that by doing what I did. I want you to feel good about being a mom. If you need me, I’ll only be ten minutes away. I’ll be here for you Callie, but I know you can barely stand the sight of me, so maybe it’s for the best.”
“I don’t want a George,” Callie said quickly. She had never said that to him. She hated that he thought she wanted a divorce. They had a brand new baby upstairs. People who just had babies do not get divorced.
“Callie, look...”
“Did you screw Izzie?”
“No!”
“Then why did you leave us? Why are you abounding us now?”
“Callie I just…” George trailed off. He thought he was doing the right thing.
“I will tell you what I want! What I want is my husband back and when you can find him, let me know. My husband doesn’t move out on his family! He stays with them and works through the crap that they are facing!” she yelled at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. George wanted to leave, he was offering to just leave them, here alone without him.
“It isn’t like that Callie,” George said holding his arms opened to her and stepping closer. He was such an idiot. He seemed to keep saying and doing things that were hurting her, which was something he had never meant to do. Watching her cry was like something beating his heart with a hammer.
“George, you should go check on Owen,” Louise interjected as she watched her daughter-in-law back away from her son, tears still falling from her eyes.
George nodded and slowly turned away, dejected, heading up the stairs to check on his sleeping son. All he seemed to do lately was mess things up even more. There was nothing he could do right.
Louise wiped her hands off on a dish towel and walked towards Callie, wrapping her arms round her, rocking her gently. “Sweetie, everything is going to be just fine,” she promised softly.
“When you love someone, it’s supposed to be so perfect, so romantic,” Callie sobbed.
“Oh honey, that is what they forget to tell you. Everyone always talks about the good times and the fond memories, but no one will ever tell you about the bad decisions, the stupid ideas, the hurtful actions that always seem to happen. No one is happy one hundred percent of the time. Sweetheart, I loved Harold to death, but there were some nights I just wanted to smack him in the head with a frying pan while he was sleeping.” Louise gently stroked Callie’s hair as she continued to rock her. After having a baby was a hard time for any women and in her day, she was alone. She would remember many of mid afternoons, especially with her eldest son laying on her bed and just sobbing because she felt trapped.
“Why don’t they tell you that?” she whispered holding onto Louise. She felt as if her life was falling apart, no matter how hard she tried to keep everything together.
“No one would get married if they knew of all the bad times to come. That’s why in the vows it says for better or worse. It’s easy to be miserable, it takes no effort at all, but it’s incredibly hard to be happy. Being happy takes work from both parties. You wouldn’t have married George if you knew all of these bad things would happen.”
“But regardless of the bad things I still love him.”
“And that is what true loves are made of. Being able to overcome the bad things that occur and making the most of them. You’ve gotta come out the other side. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. If there isn’t, there is a problem and you’re doing something for the wrong reasons,” Louise told her as she wiped Callie’s face with a new dish cloth she had grabbed off the counter. “I’m here for you, if you ever need to talk.”
“Thank you Louise,” she said softly. She had one of the best mother-in-laws in the entire world. Of that she was sure. Louise never shied away from trying to help Callie fix a problem or understand something in her life. Not many women could say that about another person in their lives, but Callie could. She was blessed to have Louise. “I am very thankful to have you in my life.”
“And Harold and I are thankful to finally have the daughter we always dreamed off. Callie, he loved you so much, I hope you know that,” Louise said with a smile.
“I wish he was still here to see Owen and everything,” she whispered. “I was very fond of him as well. If it wasn’t for him liking me so much who knows where George and I would be right now or if we would even have an Owen. I know when I found out I was pregnant, I always thought it was a sign from Harold that George and I were meant to be together.”
Louise teared up just hearing Callie say that she believed her own child was a gift from her late husband. “Oh Callie,” she whispered hugging the younger woman once again. “You have no idea what that means to me.”
Callie just held Louise tight for the moment. She had no idea what those words meant to Louise, but it was apparent that they were special and that they meant something to Louise. Harold had only been gone for nine months now and it seemed like just yesterday she had been seeing his smiling face in the hospital.
Later that evening, after Thanksgiving dinner had been had at the O’Malley household and Owen dubbed the new butter ball by Jerry and Ronnie. Louise slipped away upstairs, into Callie and George’s room where her sleeping grandson was. She gently picked him up blanket and all. She sat down in the rocking chair and gently traced his face. He looked a lot more like Harold then she had realized.
“Your Granddaddy, he gave you to us, to hold this family together little one,” she whispered as the tears formed in her eyes. “Because if it wasn’t for you I have no idea where this family would be right now. Your mom always has some project to keep me busy, whether it be you, or moving in or a baby shower,” Louise laughed as the tears fell from her eyes. “I miss your granddaddy so much some days Owen, I just don’t know how to carry on with myself, but he made sure I had a reason to get up every day and that’s you.”
“Your uncles and your Dad are grown. They don’t need a mom around them all the time. But your Mommy, it’s almost as if she’s the best friend I never truly found in anyone else. Your granddaddy made sure she was apart of our family and he gave me another little baby to help raise and turn into an O’Malley gentlemen,” she grinned as her tears continued to fall. “Oh Harold, I miss you much,” she added as a sob wracked her body.
Downstairs, George heard his mother talking to the baby over the monitor. He couldn’t exactly make all the words out due to the background noise. He made his way upstairs and saw his mother, rocking Owen in her arms. “Are you alright?”
“I just didn’t realize….”
“Realize what Mom?”
“That I’d ever have something to be thankful for again after your father died.”
George nodded his head and moved closer to him mom, wrapping an arm around her and looking down at the innocent baby in her arms, who had no idea what was going on. “Me neither Mom.”