The Teacher's Billionaire

Callie? You are a wonderful woman. He should be proud to call you his daughter.”
    Although she didn’t know more than what the media said about the man, she did know he was one of the richest men in America. “I doubt he has many school teachers in the family,” Callie said unable to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. She knew from her personal experiences in high school that the wealthy often looked down on those without huge bank accounts matching their own.
    “Ruth had only good things to say about him when she told me he was your father. If I were you, I would give him a chance. What is the worst that could happen?”
    Callie had other reasons for not wanting to meet him, but she didn’t want to share them with Helen. At some level she felt if she never met him face to face, she could almost convince herself that nothing had changed. Somehow ignoring the truth made it easier to keep at bay the anger she felt toward her mother for lying.
    Callie had considered her mom more than just a parent. She’d thought of her as a friend too. She never doubted that her mother felt the same way. At least not until several days ago.
    “So you really think I should meet with him?” Callie asked instead of telling Helen the whole truth.
    Again Helen sighed. “Only you can decide that, but I do think it
is
what your mom wanted.”
    For a solid hour after getting off the phone, Callie sat working or at least trying to work on correcting papers. When the effort proved pointless, Callie picked up her books and focused on Lucky who still sat at her feet.
    “How does a walk sound?” The words had the dog on its feet and whining in mere seconds. “I’ll take that as good.”
    ***
    “So you’re telling me your father is alive?” Lauren McDonald exclaimed louder than Callie would’ve liked. The two of them were in Callie’s classroom eating lunch the following day. Lauren wasn’t only Callie’s closest friend but also a fellow teacher at Reagan Elementary School.
    While she hadn’t intended to tell Lauren about her mother’s secret yet, she couldn’t keep the information bottled up any longer. She simply needed to talk more. Her conversation with Helen hadn’t been enough.
    Tucking several strands of ash blond hair behind her ear, Lauren rested her chin on her hands and leaned forward. “Why didn’t she tell you before?” She didn’t give Callie a chance to answer her first question before continuing. “You guys seemed so close. It’s hard to believe she kept this from you.”
    Tell me about it.
“I wish I knew all the answers,” Callie replied frowning. “The only thing I know is Senator Warren Sherbrooke and my mother were involved thirty-two years ago.”
    A sudden gasp escaped from Lauren. “You didn’t tell me
he
was your father!”
    “Yes, I did.” Callie thought she mentioned it, but the look on Lauren’s face said otherwise.
    Lauren shook her head adamantly causing her long pink earrings to dance wildly. “What else did you forget to tell me, chickie?”
    She hadn’t said anything about Dylan Talbot’s visit. “My father sent someone to my apartment.” For some reason she didn’t want to mention Dylan’s name. Maybe it was because she still found it hard to believe he’d really been in her apartment. “My father wants to meet me. Or at least that’s what his messenger said.”
    “So when are you going to see him?”
    Callie shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, maybe never.”
    Lauren’s light brown eyes grew wide with surprise. “Why not? It sounds as if he’s sincere. I don’t think it’d hurt to give him a chance.”
    Her friend made it sound so simple. And maybe if her emotions weren’t involved it would be. Unfortunately, she couldn’t turn her emotions off.
    “It might not, but I’m not ready. I can’t explain it. Besides I can’t take time off now,” Callie explained hoping to satisfy her friend. “Once school ends I’ll reconsider.”
    “If you say so.” Lauren frowned. “But I think you should give him a chance. Meet with him at least once. You could end up having a great relationship with your father and his family.”
    Callie and Lauren finished their lunches and threw away their trash in silence. The students were due back from recess at any minute.
    Standing, Lauren started toward the door that connected their rooms but suddenly stopped. “Callie, you’ve got a brother and a sister. Well, a half brother and sister.”
    The room around her