Stef walked into the kitchen with the folded dish towels. Leaning against the door jam, she paused watching as Lena sliced apples. "Midnight snack?" She asked walking over to the sink, putting the clean towels into the drawer.
"Prep work," Lena answered with a sideways glance. "I haven't made school lunches for what, years? I figure getting some of the stuff done before the week starts may allow us the ability to breathe," she shrugged.
Moving behind her partner, Stef slid her arms around Lena's waist, "I knew I caught the smart one." Leaning into Lena's back, Stef inhaled her scent. Even at 11:27 at night Lena still smelt like she just stepped from the shower. "We have a meeting at nine in the morning," Stef paused, "mandatory. I'm picking Mike up from the mechanic. We're dropping his truck off. Hopefully, it's just a quick update. I don't want to chauffer Mike all week." Stef gently kneaded Lena's shoulders as she felt her tense. For some reason Mike was a touchy subject with Lena lately.
"Yeah," Lena answered, pushing the apple slices into a Ziploc bag. She turned, offering a forced smile on her way to the refrigerator. Clearing her throat, Lena picked up a sheet of paper from the desk, "so, Brandon has lessons Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 6-8 and Saturday morning from 9-11. Jude's tutor is coming Monday and Wednesday from 4-5:30. Callie's therapist wants to do an evaluation Tuesday at 5:30. Maybe Brandon can drop her off. She said it would last until 7:00. One of us should pick her up," she glanced at Stef who nodded in agreement. "Let's see, Jesus has no appointments. Marianna's only commitment is drama after school on Thursday. Typical week," Lena shrugged offering Stef a more genuine smile. Tacking the schedule up, she leaned on the table, "are we all safely tucked in?"
Nodding, Stef leaned against the counter crossing her arms, "for now," she sighed. The partners shared a knowing look. "We might want to head up," she offered her hand.
Lena switched the light off, taking the hand, "yeah, we can get three or four solid hours," she followed Sted up the stairs.
The partners quietly opened the doors to the kid's rooms, ensuring each was lost in the midst of sleep. Stef chuckled to Lena who disapprovingly tisked as they could hear Jesus' music before even cracking the door. She quietly wondered how much hearing aids were. Finally, the pair found their own bed and quickly fell asleep; Lena's head resting on Stef's chest.
What seemed like only minutes later, Lena felt herself being pulled from a really strange dream, "mom? Mom." The voice became a bit closer, louder, and more insistent, "mom. Maami." Lena put her hand up in surrender. She felt Stef turning, "she's doing it again." Lena put her raised hand on Stef's shoulder, letting her know she was in the process of taking care of it. Letting her long legs rest, she reached for the hair band on the night stand. "I can't take it," Marianna's voice was rough.
Lena's shoulders slumped before she silently stood. Guiding her daughter by the shoulders towards her room, Lena pulled the blankets back so Marianna could climb in. She tucked the blankets around her, their eyes meeting before Lena kissed her forehead, "I love you," her eye's connected with Marianna's. Lena's focus quickly shifted to the other bed, "honey," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Lena sat beside a thrashing Callie. "Callie," she gently shook the young girl's leg. "Honey, wake up. It's a bad-," she was cut off as Callie's dark eyes flew open. "Hey," Lena smoothed Callie's hair. Callie had a death grip on Lena's forearm. "Hey, come on," she quietly urged.
Callie watched Marianna as Lena ushered her out of the room. Her sleep, or lack thereof, caused almost daily confrontations between the foster sisters. "No," she mumbled, "I just want to go-."
"Shh," Lena led the girl through her bedroom into the bathroom she shared with Stef. She picked up the green wash cloth they used for times like this. Turning the warm water on, Lena soaked the wash cloth before wiping it over Callie's sweaty face. "It's OK," she soothed. "We're safe here. We've got you," Lena assured the girl. Hanging up the wash cloth, Lena took Callie's hand, leading her to the bed, "climb in."
Stef laid in bed as Lena went through the routine she'd done two nights before. Callie's nightmares both broke her heart and scared her. As the mattress shifted with the weight of her daughter then her wife, Stef opened her arms pulling Callie to her. After some resistance, Callie's head rested where Lena's had only a couple of hours ago. Lena switched the light off then climbed under the blankets. "Love you," Stef made eye contact with Lena. "Love you," she whispered into Callie's hair, kissing the top of her head, squeezing Callie's shoulder, satisfied when the girl leaned into her.
Groaning, Lena rolled onto her back as her iPhone's alarm vibrated her awake. 5:53, she shook her head. Monday morning. A few minutes later Lena slipped from the bed. Shifting for twenty minutes after Callie joined them around 3:00, Lena finally placed a pillow between her back and the girl's legs. She'd shower, wake Marianna, make coffee, start on Jesus, let Stef and Callie rest until 6:45. Brandon and Jude got themselves up. Lena offered thanks for small favors. Letting the hot water crash over her, Lena let her mind hope the therapist's evaluation could shed some light onto these horrible nightmares. Wrapping a towel, Lena quickly moved to the girl's room. She turned on the overhead lights and was met with a disapproving groan. "I know," she smiled, "three minutes or Jesus gets dibs." Lena knew beauty overruled sleep in Marianna's world and was unsurprised to hear the shower running seconds later.
Stef smelt the coffee drifting through the house. Her eyes struggled to open. The clock said 6:32. Lena was letting her sleep in. She shifted, her gaze falling on the sleeping girl pressed into her side. Her eyes too were swollen. Stef tucked a piece of dark stray hair behind Callie's ear. In these moments before reality crept back in, Stef never ceased to be taken aback by the vulnerability that seeped from every pore in her body. How quickly that would disappear. She and Lena spent countless hours wondering how to earn Callie's trust. They'd made massive progress but every inch gained felt like nothing. Accusing her of selling Jesus' pills wasn't the best way to start. Stef sighed, resting her eyes a minute more.
No sooner did Stef's eyes close than the door swung open, "morning," a smiling Marianna bounced to the bed. "It's cold in here," she complained joining her mom and sister under the blanket.
"Morning, Sunshine," Stef answered. She protectively squeezed Callie as she jerked awake. Turning on her side, Stef smiled at her daughter, "sleep well?"
Marianna rolled her eyes and glared at Callie, "like a rock." She met Callie's eyes. Despite Marianna's flippant nature, she had quite the heart. Offering Callie a small smile, she turned her attention back to Stef, "do you like my new nose ring?"
Callie groaned, rolling away from Stef. Despite the exhaustion and physical illness she had, Marianna's question made her laugh. Even though Callie couldn't yet find the words to tell the Foster's the nature of her nightmares, she'd almost surrendered to the safety of this house. Thankfully, almost wasn't total. Trusting totally would mean Callie lost everything. The warmth of the bed was soon replaced by the chill that always existed in her heart.
The iPhone on Stef's nightstand started beeping. She reached behind herself shutting it off. "OK," she announced. "Monday morning!"
Marianna's eyes were shining. "Mami," she grinned. "I think Callie is in desperate need of a Foster sandwich," she rolled toward Callie as Stef did the same. The three laughed. This was the ritual. Since the third nightmare, after a stern conversation with her moms, Marianna always joined Callie and whichever mom.
"Mom," Jesus called, knocking as he entered the bedroom. Marianna rolled from Callie who propped herself up, "mom. Mama said time to get up. Here," Jesus went to set a coffee cup on Stef's nightstand. Before setting it down, he smirked at the ladies, taking a drink of the coffee. Stef and Callie laughed at the face he made. Halfway sputtering and wiping at his mouth, Jesus propped himself on the end of the bed. "Breakfast-," he began wiping his tongue. "Yuck, how can you stand that freakin stuff? Will be ready in 15 minutes," Jesus pushed himself off the bed.
Stef laughed at her son, "coming Love."
Twenty minutes later the Fosters were crowded around the kitchen table. Hair was combed, faces clean, medicine taken, life ready. "All right, Loves," Lena said, "let's all be kind and good today." She kissed Stef, "have a good meeting. See you this evening. Please pick up some white for tonight." Lena winked at Stef's nod, "let's go." Jesus and Marianna rushed toward the car in order to claim the front seat. Lena turned back to Stef and raised an eyebrow, grinning.
Callie let Lena guide her out the door. Her brain was starting to come alive. The twin's argument was a nice distraction. She sighed before breaking away from Lena and wrapping her arm around Jude's shoulders.