Calling California
***SPOILER ALERT***
I loved this story so much, I had to get to know the main characters betters. So, I had to track them down.
J.P. Grider was kind enough to let them know I was looking for them. Griffin and Cali were a couple that had my attention. This is how our conversation went. They are so cute together.
RB: Griffin, when you first met the little girl with the “classic” game boy what did you think of her?
GRIFFIN: I thought she was the cutest thing ever. There was something about her that was sad though, and even as a kid, I felt like it was my job to make her happy.
RB: What spiked your interest in “classics” what was your very first introduction?
GRIFFIN: My father owned several classic cars…he was a classic car junkie. When I would sit in one of them, I’d close my eyes and imagine the original owner who drove it and wonder where he drove it to and who he drove around. I’d make up these stories in my head about what his life may have been like. There’s always a story behind everything, and the “classics” must hold some interesting ones.
RB: As you grew older and found interest in girls, did you ever wonder what the lil girl was doing? Did she have a boyfriend? Did she think of you?
GRIFFIN: As I was growing up, yes, I always wondered about the Gameboy girl. Year after year, I would ask my mother when she would be coming back, but after time, I guess the frequency in which I thought about her lessened. I don’t remember wondering if she thought of me. I was too busy wondering if she was happy.
RB: How old were you when you lost your virginity? Why didn’t you have relationships with your hook ups?
GRIFFIN: Wow, you’re forward. I was 15 when I lost my virginity. I didn’t have any relationships with them, because my attraction was only physical. The attraction didn’t reach my heart, and I thought, if I am loving sketching designs of cars or working on cars more than being with a girl, than I really didn’t want to be with them.
RB: When did you decide you didn’t want to go into the family business?
GRIFFIN: Being cooped up in a busy restaurant was not my thing. I don’t even like going out to eat in one.
RB: Was Nathan a good big brother?
GRIFFIN: Yes, Nate is great. Always protective, always reliable. He’s one person I can always count on. I love Nate.
RB: Did you ever wonder about your biological dad?
GRIFFIN: Yes and no. I mean, I felt bad that I never got to know him, but I really did like Bucky. He can be strong-headed, but he was a good dad. A lot like Nate – very reliable. He just has a temper that Nate doesn’t have.
RB: How was your relationship with Bucky growing up?
GRIFFIN: It was like any typical father/son relationship. He never made me feel like I wasn’t his, and he didn’t treat me differently than he did my siblings.
RB: Who was the blonde bimbo hanging on you the first day of class and what the hell happened to her?
GRIFFIN: She was my latest hook up. Brandy, I think was her name. I see her walking around campus every now and then. Sometimes she’ll show up at one of the parties at my house, but I pay her no mind really, and she pays me no mind either.
RB: What was your very first thought when you saw Cali at the bank? Were you shocked she offered you her money?
GRIFFIN: My first thought was, “Wow, she’s beautiful.” I was very shocked she offered me money, because I think that’s against bank rules.
RB: What went through your mind when you saw Cali in class? FYI, loved that you went to sit next to her.
GRIFFIN: I couldn’t believe she was there, and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen her the day before. She was too beautiful to miss. And yes, there was no way I was going to sit through a whole class and only look at her from behind. I had to sit next to her.
RB: Were you being cute when you called her California?
GRIFFIN: Kind of. I’m kind of flirty like that.
RB: What was it about her that attracted you?
GRIFFIN: Well, like I said, she’s beautiful. But then again, there was something sad in her, and like my classic cars, I wanted to know her story.
RB: Did you ever think that your family’s wealth would be an issue in a relationship?
GRIFFIN: No, never. I mean, I thought maybe some girls only liked me for my money, but I never in a million years thought that having money would work against me in a relationship.
RB: What was it about California that made you want to be a part of a WE?
GRIFFIN: The way she touched my heart. She was the only girl who ever did…besides that little Gameboy girl, which was her anyway, so….
RB: Your first time together seemed so beautiful. Had you ever made love like that before?
GRIFFIN: Oh no, never. It was always, Wham, Bam, Thank you, Ma’am. Making love to Calista is wonderful each and every time. Even when it’s quick and on top of my car.
RB: Your mom seems like the coolest mom ever. Were you surprised she was so welcoming to Cali?
GRIFFIN: No, I wasn’t surprised. My mom is the best. Very welcoming and warm. She wants everyone who walks in our house to feel like family.
RB: The speech in class. Griffin, what did you think when Cali was giving her talk. How hard was it not telling her who you were?
GRIFFIN: I couldn’t believe it. I thought I was in an episode of the Twilight Zone. I thought, what were the chances. It was hard keeping it from her, that’s why I distanced myself that weekend.
RB: The secret, you dealt with that dilemma in a very mature manner. I must say I was very impressed. Especially, when you did what you did with your car. When did you realize how much more you loved Cali than your classic beauty?
GRIFFIN: I realized I loved Cali more than my car that morning we had coffee together. My heart was screaming that I had to get to know her better… no matter what it took. I can’t say I don’t miss my car, but it was all worth it to see Cali continuing her education….and to see her out of that God-forsaken homeless shelter.
RB: Time apart, you held on to the hope that you would end up together. Did you at any time want to feel like you were so upset that you wanted to move on and give up on the relationship?
GRIFFIN: No. Never. I would go to the end of the earth to find her if I had to.
RB: Getting back together, what was that like to finally be a couple again?
GRIFFIN: Wonderful. I felt, and still feel, complete now.
RB: What is your ultimate goal in life?
GRIFFIN: Besides marrying Cali and having a family together, I would really like to design an awesome car that people actually want to drive. I want to be the next Henry Ford… of my era.
RB: When you first went to the big house where your mom worked, where you scared?
CALI: I wasn’t so much scared as I was in awe. I didn’t know houses like that existed.
RB: What did it feel like to know that the lil boy had a “GAMEBOY” he could easily have replaced?
CALI: It made me sad that I couldn’t have things every time I wanted them. It was Christmas Eve, and I was thinking, wow, he is probably getting a whole bunch of toys, and Santa probably won’t even show up at my house again.
RB: Did you ever think of that lil boy while you were growing up?
CALI: I thought about him every time I played my Gameboy. I couldn’t believe a kid would actually give something like that away.
RB: How often did your mom and dad talk about your financial situation?
CALI: Every day! Every day I was reminded that we had no money. It was kind of disheartening.
RB: Did you ever wonder what life would be like if you had a lil bit of money?
CALI: Yes, I would dream about it a lot. I hated being poor, but in my town, I wasn’t alone.
RB: Growing up did you ever wonder how the other half lived?
CALI: I never wondered, because my parents always reminded me of how selfish they were, so I just thought they were doing selfish, evil things.
RB: What was your favorite childhood memory?
CALI: I think that time we all drove our big wheels down the steep hill. That was awesome.
RB: When your dad got sick what was your first thought?
CALI: Selfishly, I thought, now how are we going to make it? If he wasn’t bringing home his paycheck, how could we survive? I was a teenager, I wasn’t thinking that his illness would be terminal and he would die. Those thoughts came later.
RB: When did you start dating?
CALI: Well, in grade school, we would all say we were dating, but my first real date was when I was 16.
RB: What was your first impression of Griffin?
CALI: That he was totally hot. I loved his tattoos.
RB: What did you think when he walked into the bank and up to your window?
CALI: I couldn’t breathe. He was the guy from class that set my heart racing. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to speak when he came to my window.
RB: The next day in class, what was the first thing that came to mind when he sat next to you?
CALI: Again, I couldn’t breathe, but I tried hard to play it cool. I was excited that he was sitting next to me, and I couldn’t believe it either, especially because he walked in with that blonde chick.
RB: When he admitted to you that he wanted to be a part of a WE with You. What did you feel, think?
CALI: That I wanted to be a WE with him too. I liked him so much, I was actually shocked that he felt the same way.
RB: When you finally went into the city, was it what you expected?
CALI: Oh yes. It was just like the movies portrayed it.
RB: What was your favorite part of the city and that trip?
CALI: Making love to Griffin for the first time. It was beautiful.
RB: Did Griffin prove to you that not all people with money are bad, rude, disrespectful?
CALI: Oh yes. He definitely opened my mind about that. He made me realize that it was my parents who were close-minded.
RB: Meeting Griffins mom and sisters, did you want to return after your visit?
CALI: Of course, because his mom made me feel like I was part of their family, right from the beginning.
RB: Losing your dad, that was sad and I am sorry you went through that. But, you did so much for your family at such a young age. Is there any advice you could offer a girl in a situation similar to yours?
CALI: Don’t avoid your mom and dad, just ‘cause it’s hard to see them like that.
RB: The secret, you handled the news as well as could be expected. Were you disappointed in your mom?
CALI: Yes, I was disappointed. I’m not too tolerant of liars, and here my mom, the most important person in my life, was lying to me my entire life.
RB: What did you think of Nathan when you finally got to know him?
CALI: I liked Nathan from the moment I met him. He was like a big brother making me soup and giving me coffee right from the first day.
RB: Do you think that your mom was bitter about people with money, because of Bucky and the Nathan situation?
CALI: Oh, definitely. I think that was the first big thing that affected her.
RB: When Nathan told you that Griffin wondered about you growing up and said… “I think he found his heart when he found you” what did you feel? Think?
CALI: It made me realize that Griffin did love me as much as I loved him. It’s a good feeling to know you are loved.
RB: Finally, accepting that you belong together, what was that realization like?
CALI: It was like coming home. I finally had a place to call home – in Griffin’s arms (and his heart).
RB: What is your ultimate goal in life and do you see Griffin in that life?
CALI: My ultimate goal is to live a happy, contented life…WITH Griffin. I don’t see a future without him.
RB: Will we see more of you two in the future?
CALI: I sure hope so, but that’s up to JP.
RB: How was it working with J.P. Grider, did she tell your story how you would have?
CALI: Yes, she did a fabulous job with it.
A big thank you to J.P., Griffin and Cali. Everyone needs to read this cute story. They over come an obstacle that can break any couple. But this young couple finds love and a way to overcome everything they face.
