Maybe Lena wasn't the only one who said something she didn't really mean that was interpreted the wrong way by a child (Christmas Past - 211 Spoilers).
(What if Callie took Stef's words to heart.)
Callie lay in her bed late on Christmas Eve, thinking about all that had happened that day. She had been mostly worried about Daphne but once that got sorted she had time to really think about what had happened. The gift that she had received from the Giving Tree was now opened and sitting on her nightstand. Really it was pretty impressive considering it was from charity but she felt a little bit better knowing that Mariana and Jesus received something as well, even though they were already adopted.
The thoughts moved to the rest of the night. It had definitely been an eventful night - one she could never have predicted. Granted, it was quite a humorous fight but Stef had a complete melt down that resulted in Lena and Sharon doing the same and Callie began to realize that everything in their lives wasn't as perfect as she imagined - they had their own problems and struggles just like her and she began to realize that she was part of the problem, alone with all her other siblings.
Her eyes travelled back to the gift on her nightstand - the one that someone else had provided for her just in case her foster family didn't, and suddenly she had a thought - she could help them in a way - one less child for them to worry about, financially at least.
"Can I talk to you." Callie said as she entered the living room the following morning where Stef was clearing up all the discarded wrapping paper after an eventful gift-opening session.
Lena and Sharon were in the kitchen putting the final touches on Christmas lunch, Jesus and Mariana had gone across to Mr. Nesbit's house to wish him a merry christmas and Jude was helping Brandon take his gifts upstairs so Callie thought that now was the perfect time to talk to Stef.
"What's up love?" Stef asked, looking up from the piles of paper and ribbons and bows she'd already collected, though she continued to sort piles according to what could be reused and what was too far gone, not realizing how serious Callie was at the moment.
"Um..." Callie said, trying to figure out how to start. It was an awkward topic and Callie felt a little uncomfortable talking to Stef like this.
Stef realized that whatever Callie needed to say wasn't easy for her so she dropped the pile of bows in her hand and led Callie over to the couch.
"Come sit love." She said kindly. "What's on your mind?"
"I just... I never realized how difficult things were for you." Callie finally said. "I didn't know you were struggling with money so much. This house never lacked anything so I guess it just didn't strike me."
Stef furrowed her brow slightly, wondering where Callie was going with this topic that was definitely not for her to worry about.
Sharon entered the living room then to help Stef and make sure that Stef was okay after their little fallout the night before but when she saw the two of them on the couch together she just went about clearing up the living room, oblivious to the seriousness of their conversation.
"Anyways, so I thought maybe I could help." Callie continued.
Stef raised her eyebrows as she looked at her daughter. Callie had asked them if she could apply for the job at the place Daphne worked at and they had given her permission and she assumed that Callie was going to offer to give them her earning. She was prepared to turn Callie's offer down and assure her that whatever she earned was for her to keep but she definitely didn't expect what came next.
"If you didn't adopt me then it would be one less kid to worry about and the state would take care of my needs." Callie said.
Sharon stopped what she was doing and Stef just stared at her daughter, her mouth open, absolutely unable to wrap her mind around her daughter's words.
"I mean, I know that state doesn't pay much but it's still a check right and it helps." Callie went on.
Stef still didn't know what to say and she looked openmouthed towards her mother for some help. Sharon shrugged and shook her head, telling Stef that she too had no idea how to handle this.
"I just thought that this way you could continue to get the mon..." Callie said, when Stef had remained silent just a little too long.
"Stop right there." Stef said firmly, turning her attention back to her daughter. "Just stop with this bullshit." She said again.
Callie was taken aback by Stef's sudden change in demeanor. She hadn't expected Stef to react this way and she certainly never expected her to use words she absolutely forbid her kids to say.
"Callie, money issues are for me and mama to worry about, not you. All you need to worry about is whether your homework and chores are done everyday, nothing else." She said firmly. "And let me make one thing absolutely clear." Stef went on. "I would never, in a million years, trade any one of you even for all the money in the world. I don't want a check from anyone if it means that I can't have you because I want you more than anything."
"Well I actually thought that maybe I could continue to live here as a foster kid." Callie explained. "That way I get to be here too and I'll be eighteen soon anyways and that way the state will keep paying till I'm old enough to have a real job."
Right then Lena entered the living room. "Lunch is in the oven. Though I think there's more flour on that actually in the pie." She said, dusting some flour off her clothes as she took a seat in a chair.
"Callie, I'm sorry I made you feel like we can't afford to look after all of you." Stef went on, ignoring Lena's entrance - this was much more important.
This statement prompted Lena to forget her clothes and look up at her wife and daughter.
"I worry." Stef said. "I worry about everything, that's just who I am. But it is definitely not as bad as I made it seem and even if it was, it doesn't change that we want to adopt you. No check is worth it if it means I can't give you my name." Stef said.
"Honey," Lena said, getting up from her chair to sit on the other side of Callie. "We're really not doing that bad." She said, finally getting the gist of the conversation. "Mom can sometimes be a bit of a..." She paused, trying to think of a way to explain.
"Worry-wart." Sharon pipped up, hoping to add some humor to the tense conversation. She made her way over to the other side of Stef and gently laid a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "She's always been that way honey." Sharon continued. "There's nothing we can do about it but we just gotta love her."
Lena and Callie both smiled slightly but Stef's face remained serious, still upset that she had put this fear into her daughter.
"Honey, I just want the very best for all of you." Stef tried to explain. "I just want to make sure that by the time you kids go out into the world and start your own lives and have families of your own that you are set. I don't want you to ever have to struggle to make ends meet or to put food on the table. I didn't mean to make it sound like we have too many of you because each and every one of you is so special to me, to us, and we can't even imagine our lives without you."
Callie's eyes glazed over as she looked back at Stef. "I was just trying to help." She said timidly. "I thought it would make things easier."
"You know how you can help?" Stef asked. "You can continue to be the amazing girl that you are and work hard at school and be the best that you can be. That is the very best way that you can help and I never want you to worry about this ever again is that clear?"
Callie nodded with a smile, feeling suddenly relieved that her family still wanted her no matter how difficult things got.
"I could still help by giving you what I earn at the diner." Callie said.
"Absolutely not." Stef said, using the phrase she had planned on using when she first thought her daughter would offer it. "That's your money and it's for you to keep and spend for yourself."
"But so what if I help out?" Callie asked. "You guys have done so much for me."
"Honey, you have done just as much for us." Stef said, holding Callie's face in her hands. "You have brought us so much joy and like I said this morning, we have been blessed with having the two of you in our lives and all of you are the best present I could ever ask for."
"Honey, as soon as the holiday season is over and the courts reopen we are going to adopt you and you are going to be ours forever." Lena added. "And we are waiting for that day just as much as you are."
"I love you guys." Callie said, crying as she reached out to hug both her moms. "I never wanted to go anywhere, I just didn't want to make things more difficult for you."
"In case you don't remember, you left us once and it did absolutely nothing to help us in any way." Stef teased with a warning look. "We came after you then and we will come after you each and every time you take off, just remember that."
Callie smiled sheepishly at her mother before they wrapped her up in one more hug.