Chapter 1
The house was quiet…a little too quiet, but Lena couldn't think about that now. Not with Stef's leg in between hers as they kissed.
"You know Love, we are alone." Stef said in between kisses.
Lena smiled; with Brandon with his dad for the night and their recent foster children being reassigned she and Stef were childless and alone for the first time in months.
"Mmmmm…yes we are." Lena murmured as Stef's hand began to travel south and into her pajama pants.
Lena moaned and forgot about why the house was quiet….
4-year-old Callie held her baby brother Jude and wiped his face with a washcloth she had found. She tried to keep him quiet as they hid in the closet while their foster parents fought, but he was sick and kept throwing up. Callie was starting to feel sick too, but that was because her foster parents hadn't fed her in days. She was also tired, but she couldn't go to sleep until Jude did or she would get in trouble just like she did when she wet the bed on accident. She didn't like her new mommy and daddy they were too mean. She wanted her old mommy back so she didn't have to take care of Jude anymore. But that wasn't possible. Her mommy had left almost 6 months ago when Jude was a really little baby. He was almost one now.
Callie heard the yelling stop when the doorbell rang. She quickly opened the door of the closet and tried to carry Jude to the bed but was too weak. Instead she grabbed a toy for him and grabbed a coloring book and crayons for herself. She struggled to keep her eyes open as her social worker Bill came through the door and picked her and Jude up and put their coats on.
"Callie, you have to walk to the car, but then you can go to sleep okay?"
Callie nodded and held Bill's hand as he grabbed the few things they had and escorted them out the door and to his car. She remembered looking back at her foster parents and saw a look of fake remorse as they stood in the doorway.
Lena dozed off as she and Stef cuddled in their post coital afterglow. It was after midnight when the phone started ringing.
"Who in the world could that be?" Stef asked, "It's the middle of the night for goodness sakes."
Lena picked up the phone thinking it was Mike calling about Brandon and answered.
"This better be good Mike."
"Lena, it's Bill. Now, I know it's the middle of the night and everything but I really need your help. I've got two little ones with me. A boy and a girl that desperately need a place to stay until I can find them another home. Can you take them for the night?"
Lena sighed, "How old?"
"Almost a year and barely 4"
Lena rolled over and looked at Stef. "A boy and girl. 4 and 1."
"Go ahead." Stef said, kissing her partner.
"Bring them over Bill. We'll be ready." Lena said as she got up and put some shorts on. Bill hung up and she turned to Stef.
"Do we still have that porta-crib? The little boy is about 1."
"Yea, I think so. Let me find it. Why don't you make something to eat and see if we have some formula so they can eat before bed."
Lena nodded and kissed her wife as they went about the house preparing it for the children to arrive.
It was a little after 1 when Bill arrived and knocked on the door.
Lena and Stef both ran to the door and opened it. In his arms was a sleeping infant boy and holding his hand was from the looks of it a very tired little girl.
"Stef, Lena. This is Jude" Bill said shifting the infant so that he woke up and smiled an almost toothless smile at them and sneezed. "He's got a little cold," He said as he set the baby on the floor. "And this," He said, "is Callie."
The little girl looked up at Lena and she instantly fell in love with her. She had a solemn look about her, with dark unreadable eyes and long dark hair that fell into her face.
"So, you're good to take them for tonight?" Bill asked them.
Stef looked at the two children and then to Lena.
"Why don't we take them for a while Bill? Give them something stable for a change."
"Absolutely! Now, here are their bags. Jude's has diapers, formula, a pair of shoes, a few extra clothes and some toys and socks. And Callie's has a few shirts, pull ups because she wets the bed, and the only pants, shoes and socks she has are on her."
Lena and Stef said their goodbyes to Bill and locked the door after he left. They looked at the two children in front of them still in their coats.
"You take Jude and make him a bottle and give him some of the cough medicine in the cabinet. I'll take care of her." Stef whispered to Lena.
She unzipped both of their coats and handed Jude to Lena, and then she turned to Callie.
"Hi sweetheart. My names Stef."
Callie regarded her for a moment, and then reluctantly waved hello.
"Can you talk?"
The little one nodded.
"Would you like a peanut butter sandwich and some milk before you get your jammies on and go to bed?"
Callie's eyes widened when Stef mentioned bed.
"Don't worry. You're safe here." Stef told her reaching for her hand and guiding her to the kitchen. She pulled out a stool from the table and helped the little one climb up.
Callie took one look at the sandwich and began to eat fast, fearing that it might be taken away. Stef set a class of white stuff in front of her. Callie looked at her quizzically. "What's dis stuff?"
Stef turned around from putting the milk back in the fridge.
"That's milk honey. Haven't you ever had it?"
Callie shook her head.
"Try it. It's really good." Stef said, sitting on the stool next to her.
Callie took the small glass in her hands and took a drink and smiled.
"Dat's good!"
Stef laughed as she watched the child eat the rest of her sandwich and milk.
"Come on, let's go get your jammies and get into bed." Stef held her hands out and took her into her arms.
"I don't have any jammies. My old new mommy wouldn't let me have dem." Callie whispered to Stef as she carried her up the stairs into her and Lena's room.
"Well we will just have to fix that tomorrow." Stef told her as she set the little one on the bed next to Lena. "For tonight you can sleep in a tee shirt and your pull up okay?"
Callie nodded, "Where is Jude?" she asked.
Lena's heart melted at the sound of the little ones soft but distinct voice.
"He is in his playpen sleeping. I made him a bottle and gave him some medicine."
"Where will I sleep?"
"Well, you can sleep in here with us if you'd like." Lena told her, "That way you won't be alone your first night here."
Callie nodded and began to unbutton her jeans. "I tan put my pull-up on in the bafroom, cause I gots to go potty." She stated to the two women. Lena and Stef watched the small girl slid off the bed and go to Jude's diaper bag and pull out a pull-up. She turned around in a circle for a moment before finding the door to the master bathroom and walking in there and shutting the door.
Stef glanced over at her wife. "She sure is independent."
"And unbelievably adorable." Lena answered as they pulled down the blankets on the bed and adjusted the pillows. They heard a crash in the bathroom and jumped. Stef half ran to the door.
"I'm otay!" Callie called out. "I droppded someting."
"Can I open the door?" Stef asked her, "Are you dressed?"
"I dressed. You tan tome in" The little one answered.
Stef opened the door and saw most of hers and Lena's make up on the floor…and a roll of toilet paper in the toilet.
"What happened in here?" Lena asked her half laughing.
"I wanted to brush my hairs and wash my hands, but I couldn't reach the sink so I standed on the potty but I slipped."
"Are you okay?" Lena bent down to pick her up. Stef started to pick up the makeup and saw a bruise on Callie's leg.
"You've got a bruise. Does anything else hurt?" Stef asked her.
"Dat's from my old new daddy cause I was bad and I falled asleep before Jude did."
Lena held the child tighter and closer to her and met Stef's eyes. Stef shook her head.
'Tomorrow. Bath time.' Lena nodded and set Callie in the middle of the bed.
"It's late, and we have a big day tomorrow. You get to meet our son Brandon, and we're going to get you new clothes and some girl toys for you. So you go ahead and go to sleep okay?"
Callie nodded, stuck her thumb in her mouth and immediately fell asleep. The two women laid on either side of the little girl and watched in awe at the innocence between them.
"We just have to see how B takes to them tomorrow. Then we'll know if they're our match." Stef whispered as she laid her hand on top on Lena's.