The Long Ride Pt. 03

"That will show you," Callum chuckled melodically.

"Well now, I know how you paid for that. I hope Itzel liked the ring."

"She's the one that picked it out."

"Of course, she did."

"You're not going to try to one up her now, are ya?" Callum retorted noticing his smirk in the window of the store.

"No Cal, I'm an adult. I'm not that little girl anymore."

"Then why do I hear that tone in your voice?"

"Can't help it Cal, but that doesn't mean I don't want your future marriage to succeed, because I do. Like I said before, you are still my friend, even if you don't think I am," Vanessa said, leaving out the fact she hated that her ex-boyfriend was going to marry someone far prettier than she was. "How can he be marrying a damn model?! How is that fucking possible?!" she raged inside her head.

"Right... well, I need to get home and field phone calls," Callum said, feeling his phone vibrating violently in his hand.

"Cal... you know the two of you can come over anytime you want, you know that right?"

"We'll see, got to go," Callum said, before ending the call as he started his bike.

Chapter Elven.

Two weeks later...

"Daddy! Look it's the plane!" Shari stated excitedly as she bounced on her feet and pointed at the jet as it taxied.

"So it is, you ready?" Callum asked, looking down at his daughter.

"Mmmhmm," Shari hummed nodding her head very vehemently.

"You sure?!"

"Yeah, I got you with me Daddy," Shari said lovingly, as she slipped her hand into his. "And I also got my new Mommy," she uttered as Itzel didn't hesitate to take the hand Shari offered her. "So there's no need to be scared Daddy," Shari spoke with that innocent smile.

"Maybe you can share some of that strength with me," Callum said, as he squatted down in front of his daughter.

"You scared?!" Shari asked, tilting her head.

"Meeting the in-laws is always scary honey," Callum replied brushing a strand of her hair

"Really?!"

"Don't you worry Shari, that's something you don't have to worry about for many years," Itzel said, lightly patting Shari's hand. "It seems the plane has taxied into boarding position. Cal, I know this will be hard, but please, don't take what they say too hard. It won't change a thing between us," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Babe I don't really care if your parents like me or not. They aren't the one I'm marrying. You are," Callum said, as they walked out onto the tarmac.

"Good, I hope you think that after we've been there a week," Itzel said, with a warm smile as they walked towards her mother's corporate jet.

"It's good to see you again Ms. Danbury," the pilot greeted with a tip of his hat.

"It's good to see you too, Matt, how's the family?" Itzel asked, greeting her mother's long time pilot.

"Doing well, Jenny is in high school now. May left us a year ago..."

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know," Itzel said, sympathetically.

"Well... marriages fail every day, we had a good run," Matt said, shrugging his shoulders not caring what his now ex-wife was doing or who for that matter. "So these must be the extra passengers your mother spoke to me about," he said, his eyes ran over Callum and Shari.

"Are you really a pilot?" Shari asked, looking up at the man.

"Yes, yes, I am. And just who might you be?" Matt asked, smiling warmly down at the little girl.

"I'm Shari," she stated holding out her hand like her father always told her to do when you were introducing yourself.

"Nice to meet you Shari, I'm Matthew or you can call me Matt," he said politely, as he shook her hand. "So you must be her father?"

"That I am," Callum nodded.

"Well, Ms. Danbury we have a two hour and thirty minute flight time. Shall we?"

"Yes, we mustn't keep my mother waiting," Itzel nodded, "you ready Shari, it's going to be fun?!"

"Really?! Can I sit by the window?" Shari asked, with wide eyes.

"You can sit anywhere, except the cockpit, in the plane," Itzel said, as she and Shari walked up the stairs while Callum carried his and Shari's bags.

"Can I ask you something?" Callum whispered low; he's been dying to ask another father that had a daughter this question.

"O-okay, is this about the flight?" Matt asked, confused.

"No, it's personal in nature."

"Oh, depending on what it is I might answer," Matt stated with a friendly smile.

"How did you handle your daughter starting to date?"

"Badly, very, very, very badly," Matt said, truthfully.

"Oh... yeah, I kind of get that," Callum nodded in understanding. "No one's going to be good enough for our little girls, right?"

"Ain't that the truth," Matt chuckled. "Just don't tell her not to be with a guy you know to be the wrong sort of person if you know my meaning. That will only push her into his arms, and I can assume you know what that means."

"Yeah, hopefully, she won't make the same mistakes I did."

"I take it you had her very young?" Matt asked, as they walked up the stairs.

"Yeah, sixteen isn't the age you should be raising a child on your own even with the help of your parents. But I loved every minute of raising her."

"Spoken like a true parent, why don't you go and get settled while I go over the check list," Matt said, as he closed the door and locking it in place.

"Okay folks, the tower has finally given us the clearance to take off, please fasten your seatbelts until we get to cruising altitude" Matt's voice came over the speakers after waiting twenty minutes for the clearance.

"Daddy?!" Shari's hands gripped the armrest as the powerful jet engines roared to life.

"Look at me Shari," Callum said calmly, as he and Itzel sat across from her. "It's just the engines winding up. You remember how you were scared the first few times when you first started riding in the side car and how the roar of the engine frightened you so much you wouldn't let go of my leg all during the ride?" he asked, seeing her nod. Hoping his calm tone would ease his daughter's fear.

"Yeah," Shari said, weakly.

"Well, honey, this is just like that, there's no need to be scared okay," Callum said, even though he was as nervous as his daughter was. After all this was their first time ever flying anywhere.

"Have I told you how good you are at being a dad?" Itzel asked, dreamily.

"No... but do go on," Callum smirked, trying to hide his own fear from his daughter.

"It's okay Cal, no reason to be nervous," Itzel whispered in his ear. "Hold my hand if you need to," she cooed feeling her smile lifting the corners of her lips as Callum didn't waste a second to fill her hand with his. "You lean on me Cal, you can't be strong all the time," Itzel whispered softly. Lightly rubbing his arm as his hand began to squeeze hers as the plane started to rocket down the runway. Making silly faces at Shari to keep her mind off of the takeoff. When Shari started to laugh she felt that Callum too was beginning to ease from his jitters as well. Watching how Shari's eyes got wide as the plane started to lift off.

"Well folks, we are currently cruising at twenty thousand feet, you are free to move around the cabin."

Shari didn't wait a second before she undid her seatbelt, darting to every window to gaze out and down onto the earth below them. "Daddy, it's so small?!"

"That's because we're so high Shari."

"So cool," Shari said in awe, as her eyes tried to take in everything.

"Well, seems Shari's over her fright," Itzel chuckled at how quick Shari's turn around was.

"Never doubt the power of something new to explore," Callum said lovingly, as he looked over at Itzel.

"I'll keep that in mind," Itzel uttered as she snuggled up to Callum as they soared towards LA, and the meeting of destiny.

******

"I think I'll be needing this back, Captain," Matt said warmly, as he took his cap from Shari's head.

"Aye, aye," Shari replied with a cheery smile.

"I hope you two enjoy your stay in LA, Ms. Danbury always a pleasure in seeing you again," Matt spoke with a wave of his hand as Itzel and company walked towards the private terminal.

"Oh, I plan on showing them all the sights!" Itzel called back. "See you in a week?!"

Mr. and Mrs. Danbury stood waiting, all dolled up in the best LA's fashion stores could deliver. Their helpers pestering them with schedule changes, meeting times, and everything else they have vying for their limited time. After nearly thirty years together, a lot of heart ache, a lot of fights, and still their love for one another hasn't waned. Although LA life was hectic and it left little time for their personal lives, that didn't stop them from sneaking away for an hour or two just to remind themselves of what they meant to each other.

"That's them," Elena whispered to her husband as her daughter walked hand in hand with whom she could only assume was Callum. Then her eyes glanced down as the little girl's head looked all around. She wondered if Shari had ever been in an airport.

"The one you say has swept our daughter off her feet?" Asher inquired.

"He is indeed the one," Elena nodded.

"So then why did he bring along a child?" Asher mused as he stroked his chin as his assistant whispered in his ear.

"That's his daughter Asher," Elena stated, "she's awful cute," she said, feeling a light smile spreading along her lips as Shari smiled up at her father.

"Daughter?! That can't be, he's too young," Asher gasped.

"It's true honey, now hush," Elena said, lightly smacking her husband's right arm.

"Mom?! Dad?!" Itzel cried joyously as she held out her arms to her parents as she rushed up to them. All were silent as the three of them embraced each other after months apart.

"Itzel!" Elena gasped in shock as she took hold of her daughter's hand gazing down at the diamond ring on her finger. "Explain?!"

"Well... Cal asked me to marry him two weeks ago and I said yes," Itzel said, peering back at her fiancé. "I hope the two of you can be happy for us," she said, eyeing her parents.

"Honey... marriage isn't something to rush into..."

"Dad, I'm not, we aren't married yet, just engaged. Yet the way I feel about Cal, just no one else has ever made me feel this way before," Itzel said, cutting her father off. Something he hated given his high powered position.

"Honey, we'll talk in detail about this when we get home. Now why don't you introduce us to your... fiancé," Elena said, she knew her daughter wanted to marry the man. Yet she didn't think she would be engaged when she called her yesterday to confirm that they were still coming. Obviously, her daughter was withholding that piece of information from her to shock her, which Itzel certainly did.

"Gladly," Itzel said, with an excited smile. Quickly moving to stand behind and in the middle of Callum and Shari. "Mom, Dad, let me you introduce you to Callum Edwardo MacRoe, and his lovely little angel of a daughter Shari Eva MacRoe," she said proudly, as she rested each hand on one of their shoulders. Telling her parents silently they were her family too, either they could approve of their relationship or sit on the sidelines.

"Odd name Callum," Asher said, extending his hand to Callum.

"Yeah, my father is definitely odd that's for sure," Callum said, with a friendly smile. "I can see where Itzel got her eyes from," noticing Asher had the same color of eyes as she did, "and where your daughter got her looks," he said, laying on the charm as he greeted Elena.

"Oh?! My, I do hope you don't charm other married ladies," Elena teased.

"Not a chance, Itzel is all I need," Callum said, with a coy smirk, seeing the approving look in Elena's eyes.

"Hello Shari," Asher said, arching an eyebrow as Shari stuck out her hand.

"Hello Itzel's Daddy," Shari greeted warmly, smiling up to Asher.

"Call me Asher, and this is my wife Elena... or grandpa would be better in this case," Asher said, lightly shaking Shari's hand. Glancing at Callum as his daughter had a firm yet feminine grip at the same time, while her father's was strong but not bone crushing.

"Like Papa?!" Shari asked, confused.

"My father," Callum supplied when he saw the perplexed look on Asher's face.

"Oh, yes, Papa is acceptable," Asher nodded, knowing it was better than being called grandpa, he wasn't ready for that yet. Taken by surprise as Shari abruptly hugged him.

"Hello Papa! Nana!" Shari cried out as she latched to Elena's waist.

"Shari... I think that's enough..." Only to glance at Itzel as Elena matched Shari's enthusiasm as Elena wrapped her in a warm hug.

"Look at you, my aren't you just a pretty little thing," Elena said, smiling warmly as her thumb brushed along Shari's right cheek.

"I know?!" Shari giggled as she swayed back and forth.

"You're going to make all the boys..." Her eyes glanced up as Callum cleared his throat. Smirking at Callum when it appeared to her that he wasn't ready to even think about that. Watching how Shari quickly returned to her father's side, and how she took hold of her own daughter's hand. Arching an eyebrow at Itzel, wondering just how much time the two of them had spent together. Also noting how her daughter gazed down at Shari, she didn't need to ask, Elena already knew her daughter was taken by Shari. "Come, our car is waiting, I'm sure the three of you could use a bite to eat," Elena said, casting the three of them a warm smile.

******

"Itzel you live here?!" Shari gasped as she stared wide eyed at the enormous mansion once they had arrived at Itzel's childhood home in Brentwood. "You live in a castle?!" she asked, with excited eyes.

"I guess you can call it that..."

"It is really big," Callum whispered in Itzel's ear. He had seen such houses on TV before just never in the flesh. He never thought he ever would given how tight his finances have always been. The thought of even moving to somewhere slightly larger was out of the question. Not that he didn't like living in his small two bedroom, one bath house, yet another bathroom would be nice. "And you gave this up?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Mmmhmm," Itzel nodded. "It was worth it," she cooed as she snuggled up to him.

Elena and Asher had been watching slyly, studying how their daughter interacted with Callum and his daughter. Even they had to admit this wasn't like any of her other relationships. Asher even liked the fact that Callum hadn't once asked him to see about getting him into movies like a few of Itzel's boyfriends had done the moment they were alone. He also liked the fact that Callum had been respectful from the moment Itzel introduced them, and while his daughter was eager to see all the new sights around them she was attentive to her father's words. Elena didn't miss that fact either, he knew his wife well enough to know that she was secretly eyeing the two as Elena and Itzel spoke on the ride from the airport.

"Are you a Princess?!" Shari asked, as she danced in place.

"Well no, Itzel isn't a princess per se, yet she is my princess," Asher said warmly, as he stepped up to his daughter's side and placed a fatherly kiss on her temple. "Just like I'm sure your father thinks the same about you." Watching how Shari's cheeks got a nice red hue to them as Callum nodded in agreement.

"Dad," Itzel groaned but couldn't keep her smile from her face as her father squeezed her lightly against him.

"Well, you three, how about we have a late lunch, hmm?" Elena asked, eyeing all of them.

"As long as it doesn't contain peanuts, peanut products, or shellfish," Callum said, in a protective fatherly voice.

"Are you..."

"Shari is," Callum replied.

"Well then, I'll just have to make sure our chef knows this. I would hate to have this little one to get sick while you're staying with us," Elena said, her eyes twinkled as she gazed down at Shari's smile that had yet to disappear from her face. While she and Asher would have liked to have more children, yet they could never find the time in their busy schedules. However, once Itzel reached the age of ten they simply agreed that one child was enough for them. Still though, she did miss the days of carrying Itzel around. Although she didn't miss the days of changing dirty diapers.

"Come, let me show you two around the place," Asher said, as he led the way.

"Now regale me on how you, a man so young, can have such a pretty little girl as old as Shari is," Elena inquired, shooting her daughter a smirk as Itzel rolled her eyes as she looped her left arm around Callum's right. Watching how Shari slipped her hand into Itzel's right. Seeing the look in her daughter's eyes, it hadn't faded all through their trip from the airport. So she knew there would be no talking her daughter out of this. Her daughter was like her after all, going after what she wanted most, and it appeared to her that her baby girl wanted a family. Elena couldn't fault her daughter for that, she just hoped Itzel knew what she was doing. "Really, all on your own?! That must have been terribly hard on you," Elena cooed as they entered her home.

"Well... sometimes it was, I mean I was eighteen dealing with Shari's terrible twos," Callum said, smiling at Shari as she huffed and turned her nose up at her father.

"I can understand that, Itzel had this terrible habit of running around, after she ripped off her pull ups, through the house nude as a jay bird..."

"Mom?!" Itzel gasped in horror to which Elena simply chuckled. "Oh my God, I don't believe this is happening," she groaned as her face fell into her hand.

"Oh?! Did she now, interesting." The murderous look Itzel was giving him warned him not to utter the words that were forming in his head. "I can't say Shari had that habit, but she would run around in this unicorn outfit my mother got her and would never take it off. So I had to be sneaky and undress her when she was sleeping," Callum said, seeing Shari's eyes widen then glisten she had always thought it was magical because it was always cleaned.

"Bad Daddy!" Shari screamed before running off.

"Shari!" Callum called out only to be stopped by Itzel's raised hand.

"I think you've done enough," Itzel said, releasing a 'Hmpf' as she spun on her heel.

******

"Shari?!" Itzel called out as she walked down the expansive hallway of the west wing of her parents' mansion. Tilting her head to the side as Shari peeked out from what used to be her old bedroom. Arching an eyebrow as her little hand waved for her to come in.

"I've found something," Shari whispered, yet the wonder lust was evident in her eyes.

"Oh?! And just what did you find?" Itzel asked, with a warm smile.

"Unicorns!" Shari whispered low. Thinking she just found a treasure trove.

"Oh?! That is something, we better not tell your dad or he might take this away from us," Itzel said sternly, in a joking voice to which Shari vehemently nodded.

"Come on," Shari said in a hushed whisper as she took hold of Itzel's hand. "See... unicorns!" she said, excitedly.

"I know, this used to be my room," Itzel stated smiling down at the surprised and shocked Shari.

"You... this..." Itzel contained her chuckle as Shari went speechless. Itzel's body rocked as Shari's body slammed into hers as Shari hugged her tightly. "I so love you; can I sleep here with all the unicorns?" Shari asked, peering up at Itzel.

"I don't know Shari, depends on if you apologize to your father for running off like that. I bet he was hurt when you said those words. You know he was only speaking out of love. Cal told me you were so adorable in that outfit, that he only washed it when you were sleeping so you could continue to wear it," Itzel said in a motherly fashion, as her hand gently rubbed Shari's back.

"But I thought it was magic," Shari said, sadly.

"I know honey, but your dad wanted you to think that so you would be happy," Itzel said lovingly, as her hand brushed along the back of Shari's head. "So how about we go save your dad from my parents okay?"