AN- Hey everyone! My daughter asked me to write this story when we were visiting today, I thought the idea was cute and lets face it, I have a soft spot when it comes to my Lizzie. A bit brighter than my other stories (ok, quite a bit brighter). Callie is 24 and is a Guardian ad litem working with foster kids. She had moved to LA to go to school and fell in love. 6 years later she comes home with news. This story will take span a year or two. I'll be working on the next chapter of Mom and Momma next.
"It's good of you to visit, Sweets, We don't see enough of you," Stef smiled as she put a cup of tea in front of Callie, kissing her temple before sitting opisite her on the kitchen table. It had been eight months since she had made it back to her old house, Home, 'Home' she told herself with a small smile, letting a wave of happy memories flood over her.
"I'm sorry I don't get home much. I didn't realize how much work came with being a case worker. I had two new cases this last week. five kids," Callie said as she took a sip of her tea, "Where's Mama? I thought she was going to be here so we could all talk," Callie said. She had always hated small talk, and the news that bubbled in her stomach was dying to come out.
Stef chuckled, "She went to the store, decided that she would get all your favorites for dinner. Thank you for loving pasta, she's had me eating rabbit food for over a month," Stef laughed. Callie took a minute to look at her mom. Her blond hair had streaks of a whitish gray, a little longer than she used to wear it. It was now half way down her back and curled naturally. Her face still held a soft look, abiet a few more laugh lines.
"Yummy, yummy, but I bet Mama will still find a way to make it healthy," Callie smirked as she pulled her jean jacket farther around her.
"You cold, Love?" Stef asked as she wrinkled her eye brows, "Don't tell me the girl who comes home and literally dives onto our living room couch has suddenly become shy," Stef winked, "Or that we're going to replay meeting your mom and mama. I'd rather not."
"I'm a little cold," Callie shrugged.
"Well you should have told me, Cal, or turned the heat up yourself," Stef shook her head, "I know you know how to do that. When me and Mama came home from our trip the house was a sauna and our bill was almost doubled," she chuckled.
"I'm going to go up to my room and just grab a blanket," Callie said as she got up.
"And then you're going to tell me what's going on, yes?" Stef called up the stairs behind her. Lord, her children, 24 and her daughter was still hiding something from her. Well, Stef thought to herself. Finding this out should be fun. None of her kids were good at keeping stuff from her.
In her old room Callie looked in the closet and pulled out her old quilt. A present from Jude when he started learning how to sew. Pulling off her jean jacket she wrapped it around her, smiling at herself. Jude was so proud of it, and now he was in fashion school. She was even happier that Jude had called a truce of trying to style her. This family amazed her, and she still found it crazy that when she came home her room was basically the same, save for a couple exercise machines that Mom used. Her bed sat in the corner and pictures hung everywhere, tears filled her eyes and she quickly wiped them away, stupid hormones.
Callie was pulled out of her thoughts when the front door opened and she heard Lena walking through the front door. Keeping the quilt around her she walked down the stairs to see her mama in the kitchen pulling out groceries.
"Hey, Mama," Callie smiled giving her a one armed hug and kissing her cheek, "Keeping those teenagers in line at school?" she asked as she grabbed a few groceries and started putting them away.
"It's much easier, I think my hardest kids to deal with were my own," Lena laughed as she watched Callie, "I thought we broke you of walking around the house in a blanket years ago."
"I'm cold."
"Well then sit down and let me do this," Lena said as she pointed to a stool, "But I deserve a real hug I believe," she said as she walked over to Callie and pulled her arms around her before Callie could stop her. Callie gave in and rested her head against her Mama's ribs. Lena had decided against reconstructive surgery after her bout with Breast cancer and it was something totally different, and comforting hugging her. Callie stilled when she felt Lena's face scrunch in confusion and let her hands move to Callie's stomach where Callie then felt a smile. Lena took Callie's face in her hands and forced her to look in her eyes, and gave her a questioning glance, where Callie nodded with a small smile.
"Stefanie Marie Adams Foster, get in here right now!" Lena yelled towards the bathroom as she grinned.
"As soon as I have one kid here I can't have two minutes of privacy?" Stef asked as she walked out, drying her hands on a towel.
"Tell her," Lena said as she bounced with excitment.
"I'm pregnant," Callie said with a shy smile as she watched her mom gape and then tears fill her eyes, "Ok say something," She laughed nerviously, startling when Stef rushed and hugged her tightly,
"I'm going to be a grandma," She smiled as she kissed Callie's head, "Though I'm not going to be called grandma, I'm not old," Callie chuckled,
"Of course not Mom, what would you like to be called, Mom the Sequel?"
"I kind of like that," Stef smiled.
"No," Callie giggled, "I was joking. We'll figure something out."
"How far along are you?" Stef asked as she pulled her towards the living room with Lena close behind.
"18 weeks," Callie smiled as she found herself between her two mothers.
"And you didn't tell us until now?!"
"Well, there is something else I wanted to tell you."
"Which is?" Lena asked.
"I found a job at the DHS downtown and found a small house for rent about a mile away."
"You're moving home?" Stef asked with an excited laugh.
"No, a mile away from home. But yes, close enough you can see your grandchild whenever you want."
"Do we know if it's a boy or girl?" Lena asked.
"No, the little peanut has 2 more weeks before we'll know," She sighed.
"Hey, Little one, I need to know if I'm buying dresses or shorts, you got to work with your mama during the ultrasound," Stef said to Callie's stomach.
"Mama, make her stop," Callie groaned with a laugh as Stef stared at Callie's stomach in almost a trance. Her first grandchild. Callie couldn't say she actually minded. She was happy her mom was so excited.
"Babe, I think she might kill you if you keep it up," Lena laughed as Stef ran her hand over the slight bump of Callie's stomach. "Where's Jason?" Lena asked. Jason had been dating Callie for 3 years now.
"We split up," Callie coughed, "We said we wouldn't try to get pregnant, but we weren't NOT trying either. He said he wanted a family, but within 2 weeks of finding out a was pregnant he left. He gives me $800 a month to help support me and the baby, he just doesn't want to be a part of little peanut's life."
Lena's heart broke for her daughter. Jason had reminded her of Gretchen, but when she mentioned it it caused a fight that had Callie not talking to her for 3 weeks. Jason showered Callie with a good time and life, and Callie had needed that. Where she and Stef were able to give her love and security, Callie needed to reclaim her youth. And that is what she did with Jason. She gave most of the parenting reins of Jude over to Stef and Lena (though it was tough. Callie would never true\ly give up watching over her baby brother), and kept them up some nights worrying. But she was happy, and seemed to be carefree. "I'm sorry, Baby," Lena said finally.
"It's not your fault," Callie said off handidly, "You warned me," She said as she cursed her hormones again, her voice coming out thick.
"It still sucks," Lena said as she pulled one arm around Callie and ran her hand over Callie's stomach, not being able to fight the urge any more "Luckily Peanut here, and I do hope that is not what you are naming my grandbaby, has a mom, 2 grandmothers, a great grandma Sharon, a great grandpa Stuart, three uncles, and an aunt who will spoil Peanut rotten."
"That's not what I'm naming my baby," Callie laughed "I just don't think we should call Peanut an it just because we don't know if Peanut is a boy or a girl yet."
"That's a good idea," Stef smiled, "So when do we get to see the house you and my grandchild are going to be living in?"
"I get the keys in 4 days, for the moment I'm staying at the motel 8 in town."
"No," Stef said firmly.
"No?" Callie asked.
"No, my daughter and grandchild are not staying at that motel. Do you know how many times we were called there because of drugs or violence?"
"Mom, I'm trying to save money, I'm not going to spend more money on a better hotel."
"You're staying here then. It'll be fun," Stef smiled.
Callie inwardly sighed, her mother has had way to much time on her hands since she retired, "Ok. Just don't try to do what you did to Mama when she got out of the hospital." Callie groaned.
"What, make sure she didn't lift anything heavy or over exert herself? Oh believe me, I know what it's like to be pregnant, and now it's time for payback when I wasn't allowed to do anything after I was shot. Your gift? It's only 4 days."