Today was the day. Lena was at the juvenile detention center getting ready to meet Bill but he was no where in sight. She decided to call him one last time when a sudden knock came on her window. It was Bill.

"Glad to see you Lena. How are you doing today? Are you ready for this?" He inquired.

"I'm doing great, thanks. And I think I'm ready for this, I'm so nervous but I'm ready to meet her." Bill held the door open for her and the two went into the office. A teen girl sat in a plastic chair with her head in her hands.

"Callie?" Bill began talking to the girl, "I have someone I'd like you to meet. This is Lena Adams." Callie lifted her head and looked at Lena.

"Hi." She muttered. "So you'll be my new foster mom I guess" Her face was bruised and beaten and she had a cut across her lip. Lena was glad she could finally give the girl a safe place to stay, at least for a little while.

"Yes I am. Well, one of them." Lena replied.

"One of them? Like there's more than one?" Callie scoffed.

"Yeah. There's me and my partner Stef. You'll be staying with us and our three children Brandon, Mariana, and Jesus." Callie made a face as she processed this information. At least there won't be any grown men, Callie thought. "Come on Callie, let's go home."

...

"So is there anything in particular I should know about you?" Lane asked on the drive home. "Like favorite foods, anything you're interested in, or just feel like sharing?" Callie shifted in her seat. She figured it was best to get it out in the open now.

"Um," Callie began, "Did Bill tell you why I was sent to juvie?" Lena looked at her.

"He just said you were having some issues with your foster father. Actually, all your foster fathers. He said you reached a point where you just couldn't take it anymore and you snapped." Callie looked down, "That's why he paired you with Stef and me. No over powering males so you'd be more comfortable than your previous homes." Callie sat silently for a few moments. Lena gave her time to figure out what to say next, not pressing for an answer.

"I only did what I felt I had to." She finally said. "He could hit me and push me around all he wanted, and that was okay. But when he brought Jude into it, it pushed me over the edge and I lost it. I took a baseball bat and went AWOL on his previous Trans AM." Callie stopped there for a seconds trying to push back the tears. She started out the window, watching the world go about its daily business. Lena wanted to ask more questions. Who was this man? How was he getting away with abusing these children? Why is he not in jail? She was going to talk with Stef later that night to see what they could do about it. And who was this other child?

"Who's Jude?" Lena asked as they pulled into the driveway, breaking the long silence. Callie took a deep breath.

"Jude is my little brother."