Callie woke up alone. She had no idea where Oscar went the night before and burned with curiosity until dawn when he came to bed surrounded by the scent of au-de-freshly-showered-male.  Staying silent almost killed her. What was he doing that required a shower after midnight?  

It was like living with a stranger.

The additional stress of commissionzilla didn't lift her mood. Even if she adjusted her design so it could be split into sections, she wasn't convinced it would fit through her door. and trying to do the Math was giving her a headache.

When her phone rang, she checked the name on the screen and sighed. 

"Hi, mom."

"Hi, sweetie. You didn't call at the weekend."

"Sorry, it's been hectic."

"How's Oscar?"

Less than five seconds into the conversation. She wondered how her mom held out for so long. "Good. He's at work. And I'm fine, thanks for asking."

"I like to think you'd call me if you weren't. I just want to check when you'll be home for the Independence Day weekend. Are you both coming the night before like you usually do?"

Crap. That was next weekend, wasn't it? There was no way she could go home with him and pretend everything was fine.

"I'm not sure what Oscar has planned," she replied airily. "But I'm busy with work, so I can't promise I'll be –"

"What have you done?"

"What makes you think I've done something?"

"If you're not making plans for the holiday together, something's wrong."

Callie tossed the pencil she'd been doodling with aside and flopped back in her chair. An interrogation was the last thing she needed. 

"That automatically means I've done something, does it?"

"Oscar would cover up a murder for you."

"Whereas he's positively angelic. Never been in trouble a day in his life."

"That's what you think?" Her mother's voice sounded amused. "After all this time, I'd have thought you knew him better."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I just think it's wonderful he still has a few surprises up his sleeve. Lord knows, it took you long enough to see him as more than a friend. I've always thought you two -"

"Stop it." Callie pressed her lips together and sought patience. She knew her mom meant well, but she really didn't need another reminder of what she was losing. "I don't want to discuss Oscar with you."

Her mother sighed. "Sweetheart, you know I love you. And we've always been honest with each other about everything..."

"Mom," Callie implored.

"I want you to be happy. I think Oscar makes you happy. You can't keep pushing people away because your father was too stupid to see how special you are."

She swallowed to loosen the thickness in her throat. "I'm not. I don't give a damn about him. He had his chance and he blew it."

It was his loss. She'd decided that a long time ago.

"Yes, he did. But he hurt you and as proud as I am to see you living each day to the full, I don't think you ever forgot how that felt." She paused for a second. "You deserve to be happy. Never forget that."

Great. And now she was welling up.

Suddenly she yearned for one of the duvet days they used to have when she was feeling low. Days when they'd binge on ice cream, watch old Hollywood musicals with a guaranteed happily-ever-after, and sang along at the top of their lungs until their throats hurt, which required more of the frozen confection to soothe them. 

It was probably the reason gallon tubs of the stuff were still her go-to comfort food.

She wondered if there was any Rocky Road left in the freezer...

"You love Oscar, don't you?"

Callie didn't reply.

"If you do, don't push him away. Give it a chance."

That was it, though. She had. It wasn't her fault it wasn't working out any more than it was Oscar's. They were just different people as a couple and what was missing from their relationship couldn't be ignored anymore. If she was pushing him away, it was simply her survival instinct kicking in. One of them needed to be honest about what was going on. And knowing Oscar's tendency for self-sacrifice, it was always going to be her. 

Truth be told, she was dreading it. It was a constant weight on her shoulders, pushing her closer to the edge of a deep, dark, Oscar-less abyss.

Time for a change of subject.

"Is everything ready for the big party?"

Her mother took the hint and enthusiastically ran through everything the neighborhood had planned. But when the call ended, it left Callie feeling homesick and sad. It would be a long time before she could go back for a visit. There were too many memories there. 

For a second she resented the fact she'd been made to feel she had to stay away. She had as much a right to be there as Oscar did. It was so unfair that she was so completely head-over-heels in love with him when he didn't feel the same way about her.

If she thought for a second he needed her as much as she needed him, there was no way she would let him go. But he'd succeeded without her help, made it through some tough times without her knowing, and adjusted to his new life so effortlessly, she didn't see how she could do anything for him that he couldn't do for himself. 

Hell, even if they made it work as a couple, there would still be hills to climb. No-one's life was a journey walked on a completely smooth path. Loving each other would have made it easier. But without the kind of deep, abiding love that lasted a lifetime...

Her phone rang again, the name on the screen making her frown.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"Snappy much?" Talia's voice casually inquired. "I've been having lots of pre-divorce sex. Wasn't that the plan?"

Callie blinked. "You signed the papers?"

"And returned the man repellent. Feels like I dropped ten pounds off my hand."

"Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Talia laughed. "I'm free as a bird. Single men in Manhattan should celebrate. I'll be back on the hunt this weekend."

Going back 'out there' didn't hold any appeal for Callie. The thought of another man touching her, kissing her and getting naked with her?

Ugh. It made her want to go scrub herself down with bleach.

"How's Oscar?"

Callie gritted her teeth. "Y'know, it would be really nice if everyone didn't ask me that when they call. Used to be a time folks called to see how I am."

"Do I detect trouble in paradise?"

"If you're thinking of handing out advice, you can keep it to yourself this time."

There was a brief pause, then, "Don't screw it up, kid. If you love the guy, hang on to him."

"Like you held onto Aaron?" Callie countered.

"What makes you think I loved him?"

"You married him."

"After a bottle of tequila and a few sessions with that talented tongue of his, you would have married him. Difference is, you're the marrying kind."

Yes, she was. But it took two, as the saying went.

"How did Aaron take it?"

"Let's just say I don't think I'll be on his Christmas card list this year."

"Hmmm, can't really blame him..."

The thought of Christmas without Oscar was thoroughly depressing. There would be none of the silly little traditions they had since they were kids, no present from Santa he always claimed to know absolutely nothing about, no-one to compete with her for the worst Christmas sweater award. She would have choked up again if she didn't have Talia to rub her the wrong way. 

When she replied with a dry 'c'est la vie' Callie almost lost it with her. "You do know you're gonna end up old and alone if you keep doing this?"

"I prefer to think of it as mature and independent."

"Of course, you do." Either way, it sounded awful to her. "I just hope I'm around on the day karma catches up with you."

"If I believed in karma I might be worried. So, are you coming hunting with me this weekend?"

"No."

"Well, since Avery seems to be spending most of her spare time naked these days, I guess I'll have to call Beth."

"Don't corrupt her."

"She could do with a little corrupting."

The call left Callie more annoyed than upset. Talia could be as blasé about the break-up with Aaron as she liked but the fact it took so long for her to sign the damn papers had to mean something. It must be confusing as hell for poor Aaron.

Did no-one talk to each other anymore?

Callie vowed she wouldn't do to Oscar what Talia had done to Aaron. Enough was enough. They needed to talk. Sooner rather than later. 

And the second she made that decision, was when his first text of the day came in.

'You busy?'

She stared at the words for a few seconds, waiting for her heart rate to slow before she replied. 'Trying to do the Math for commissionzilla. It's giving me a headache. Why?'

As it sent, she set the phone down and chewed on her thumbnail.

When they talked it needed to be on neutral ground, preferably somewhere public so they were less likely to have a fight and say things they could never take back. And the walls of her apartment had been closing in on them both for too long already. 

'Would have helped you with that if you asked. Got something I want you to see. Can you spare an hour or two?'

Callie looked at the sketches spread out in front of her. Having plenty to occupy her mind when she was single again was probably a good idea. Work could wait.

'Where will I meet you?'