“I think you have another stray. This one is really cute, though.” Izzy smiled, kneeling down, so she was at Calliope's height. She poked her on the shoulder, trying to get her to turn. Surprisingly, Calliope did, meeting face to face with her. “Hi, I’m Izzy, that guy's daughter.” She pointed to me, making a face like it sucked to be my daughter.Whatever, she loves me.“What’s your name?”
“Calliope.” Her voice was shy as she answered her.
“That’s a beautiful name, say it more proudly. Tell me again, but say it with confidence.”
I love the way my daughter gets anyone around her to feel confident and strong.
“Calliope,” she said louder.
“Good, we’ll work on it more.” Izzy winked at her, patting her on the head and standing tall. “Where’d you find her?” she asked me, taking a muffin off the table.
“The park last night.” I answered. “But we’re not talking about that. We’re all going to have breakfast and talk about you and Jared.”
“Uh, no we are not.”
“Uh, yes we are.”
“I’ll leave.”
“You’d do no such thing.”
“I would, wanna see?” She walked away, calling my bluff.
“Stop, Izzy. I’ll save it for another time. Just come have breakfast.” I rolled my eyes, caving too easily as usual.
“That’s right.”
“Wow,” Calliope whispered, having seen the whole thing. She seemed impressed for some reason, but I wasn’t sure why.
“Let’s eat,” Lisa told her, guiding her towards the food.
Breakfast was great, and I’d even heard Calliope laugh a few times at Izzy and my interactions. I guess to others we were very entertaining, even though all it was just Izzy trying to annoy me and succeeding. I enjoyed hearing Calliope laugh, so inviting Izzy was definitely a smart idea on my part. Besides, I love spending time with my daughter, so making Calliope laugh was just a bonus.
Now to find Calliope’s parents and ensure she never has to go back.
“You’re sure this is the place?” I asked Derek as I stared at the rundown apartment building.
“Yup, one Mateo Barns, apartment 3D, father to Calliope Barns and husband to Monica Barns. It says here that they found Monica overdosed in an alleyway three weeks ago. So it’s just the dad. Are you sure you want to do this?” He asked me, now looking up from his file.
“Very.”
“Alright then, lead the way.”
I marched my way up the stairs, since this building had no elevator. There was a lot happening in these halls that scared me to know Calliope had been living here. It was obvious there were drug deals going down, and what looked like a lot of gang activities by the tags on the stairwell and corridors. We finally arrived at 3D, and I wasted no time pounding on the door. It didn’t take long for an average height, skinny man with dark hair to open the door. His dark eyes with even darker circles met me in confusion.
“Are you Mateo Barns?” I asked him. The moment he nodded his head, I decked him right in the jaw, causing him to fall back.
I stepped inside his trashy apartment, stepping over the dirty clothes he had lying on the ground. The place was a complete mess. Trash, cigarette butt, needles, and clothes littered the floor. The smell was repulsive, and the place was so small, I doubt it had a second bedroom. So this must have been where Calliope slept. My heart broke, picturing her sleeping on the broken couch to the left of me.
“What the fuck, man?! What’s your problem?” Mateo asked, rubbing his jaw.
“Tell me where your daughter is.” I wanted to hear what he’d say to that.
“What’s that matter to you? Why are you looking for my daughter? Are you some kind of perv?” He wiped at his bleeding lip.
“Where is she?”
“With her grandmother, man. What did that little creep do now?”
