The next morning, Ford sat in the Simpkins’ living room opposite Callie's father and Meritt. Her old man looked like he was going to burst a blood vessel trying to keep his mouth shut over something. Ford kept his arm wrapped tightly around Callie, still wary of her being anywhere near his ex. They were all waiting on Dale Miller to show up.
At ten past ten, he finally knocked on the door. "Sorry I'm late. I had to do a bit of research on what Ford sent me last night, and I was contacted by another party who is interested in purchasing the property, but let's get started."
Callie's mouth hung open until she turned to stare up at Ford. "Your dad?" she whispered hopefully.
Ford shook his head. "He wouldn't have done that without talking to us first."
Before they could debate anymore, Dale popped open his briefcase.
Callie's grandfather finally found his voice. "I am not selling my land."
"I understand that, sir. I'm just here to present the offer that I was hired to present, but I do have some information for Meritt, first." He handed over copies of the photographs Derrick had given Callie.
"What's this supposed to prove?" Meritt's voice made Ford's skin crawl.
Callie narrowed her eyes. "It proves that Ford and I were not together prior to the day of your divorce. Those photos have time stamps and they were from major events in LA. They couldn't have been altered in any way. I was living in Derrick's parents' home at the time, so it would've been next to impossible for us to have had any kind of relationship before my arrival here."
Dale cut across her, "Before you continue on with this, Meritt, I do have access to all of Ford's banking and credit card records. There are no charges that would make a judge believe that Ford spent any time in California prior to your divorce. The pictures prove that Callie was not in Oklahoma before the end of August. You are free to go on with your lawsuit for spousal support, but you're not going to win. He owes you nothing, and that's precisely what you'll get out of the Holder accounts. Even if Ford does decide to go on with the purchase of the Simpkins’ farmland, you have no claim to the money he accesses to buy the land."
Abe decided to leap into the fray. "See, I knew something like this was going to happen. That's why I'm accepting the other bid. It's from some landholding company, so it's more money than I would've gotten out of him anyway." He threw a hand Ford's direction.
"You double-crossed me?!" Meritt screeched, like she was the only one in the room capable of such a thing.
"Well, he certainly learned from the best," Ford huffed.
"I don't care who did what to whom. I'm still not selling my land, and without my signature nobody is selling anything." Harold vowed.
The front door swung open just then and a woman who looked so much like Callie that Ford was worried he was having a stroke stepped into the room.
"Mom!" Callie gasped. "What are you...when did you...oh my gosh, how did you get here?" She stood but didn't go to her mother.
"Actually, Dad, you are going to sell this land. You’re going to sell it to me. I own the landholding company. I don't want you two worrying over the money anymore. I want you to retire and enjoy the farm. But in order to do that, Abe, we'll be moving you off of our family land. You can leave. Now."
"You can't just throw me out of my house," Abe spluttered. "I'm not selling the acre my trailer's on."
"You're not selling anything," Willow came right back. "My parents are selling their land to me, and I am removing you from my land. I'm not afraid of you anymore. You have no power over me or over our daughter. And now you also have no power over my parents. So, you can move out peacefully, or I can call the sheriff. Makes no difference to me."
Callie seemed to finally locate her voice. "Mom, where did you get the money to do this? And where have you been for the last ten years? How did you even know this was going on?"
"We'll go over all of that later. I’ve been planning to purchase the farm for years now, so that you could be rid of your father when you're here. I wanted to...try to make up for, well, everything. But then, he decided to jump into bed with this piece of trash, and I had to move faster." She pointed to Meritt.
"We're not sleeping together," Meritt gasped as if that was the most offensive thing Willow had said.
"Give it time," Ford vowed. Callie shot him a horrified expression that had him contemplating an apology, but he only called it like he saw it. As far as he was concerned, they deserved each other.
Callie's grandparents had gone in the kitchen. Since Meritt hadn't been able to come up with another way to get Holder money in the palms of her hands she'd begrudgingly left. But Abe was still mean-mugging his ex-wife and Ford.
Willow kept her distance from Callie which only infuriated Ford more, but he kept his mouth shut. She didn't need her mother. He'd love her enough for both of her parents. Just because Willow had come in and saved the day, assuming Harold and Delphia agreed to all of this, did not mean she was a good mother or even a good person.
Ford knew he'd have to keep that opinion to himself though since Callie seemed pleased that her mother had returned.
When Harold and Delphia joined everyone in the living room, Ford prepared himself for another round of insanity. Her grandfather cleared his throat. "Willow, if you really do want to buy the farm from us, and you're okay with us living here until we can't anymore, then we've decided we would like to just give it to you. You don't need to buy it from us."
Willow shook her head. "Dad, you need the money. I have more than enough. I have no interest in living here, but I want you to be comfortable until, like you said, you can't be here anymore. That wasn't something you ever offered me when I needed help, but I'm not going to make that same mistake."
Chill bumps charged down Callie's arms as she watched her mother square off with her grandparents. Shock continued to twist in her belly. She couldn't believe her mom was there, that she was the one who'd saved them.
Nana's lips pursed. "Willow, you know that we do not believe in divorce. When you chose to leave Abe, you left us without any choice as to which side to take."
Willow rolled her eyes hard enough that Callie was certain she'd just gotten a glimpse of her own brain. "Mom, I never asked you to believe in divorce. I asked you to believe in me. In your kid. I needed that belief. I needed you to not have forced me into a marriage I never wanted. But mostly, I needed your help, and you turned your back on me. I'm not certain I'll ever forgive you for what you did, but I also won't make your mistakes. You deserved to have to live with him for a few decades, but you've served your time now. I’ve been working in real estate for years now. I saw the listing contingent on the property claim when it came up in the area. I tried to call and reason with Abe,” she spat out his name, “but that got me nowhere. So now, I’m here.” She turned to Callie. "I'm sorry I haven't been around much. You never really seemed like you needed me when you were a kid. You had more figured out than I did most of the time. But I know how much you love this farm, so I want you to always have access to it. I was hoping you'd let this be my apology."
Ford eased Callie closer to him which gave her strength. "What am I supposed to say to that, Mom?"
"That you forgive me," Willow all but demanded.
"I'm not sure that I do. Nana and Pops took Dad's side in your divorce, so they abandoned you, but then you turned around and did the same thing to me."
"I'm trying to say I'm sorry, Callie. Don't be so dramatic."
"Stop talking," Ford ordered. "Now."
Tears drenched with betrayal and anger stung Callie's cheeks as they streamed down her face. She was tired of being the one that had to try to raise her parents. She was tired of the shallowest of people cutting her the deepest. She turned and buried her face into the soft denim of Ford's shirt. He filled her ears and her heart with tender, steady reassurances.
"I've got you, baby," he whispered. "I will always have you. I will always be right here. I promise."
Willow joined them on the couch. "She doesn't need anyone to be there for her. I raised her to be strong and independent. She can think for herself."
Before Callie could argue, Ford beat her to it. "She is one of the strongest and most independent people I've ever encountered, and she sure as hell always thinks for herself, but no one needs to be those things constantly. Everyone needs someone to catch them when they fall because at some point everyone falls. As far as I'm concerned, every single one of you dropped the ball on her account. And I'm putting a stop to that bullshit right now. Honey, are you ready to go?"
Callie stood beside him. "He's right, you know. I spent most of my childhood trying to be the person who caught you when you fell over and over again, Mom." She turned on her father. "And trying to stay away from you." And then on her grandparents. "And trying so hard to keep you happy. That's not how childhood is supposed to work. I'll talk to you all later. I need some time to think. But thank you, Mom, for doing whatever it is you think you've done here."