When the final bell rang Jude rushed to the car. He didn't want to be late. When he got there Callie was already waiting for him but luckily Lena wasn't there yet.
"Hey baby." Callie hugged him, trying to relieve some of his tension. She had tried to come up with a way to take the blame but short of saying that she had forced him into it there was no way of making it look like he wasn't guilty.
"Are you mad at me?" Jude asked his sister.
Callie looked down at the young boy. She wasn't really angry with him. She was disappointed and she was afraid but she wasn't angry. She could never be angry with him. He was always so good. Even now she understood why he did this. Math had always been a task for him and no matter how much she tried to help him he still struggled. He was just trying to keep from getting in trouble. Unfortunately his method had gotten him into it even more.
"No baby." Callie said with a smile. "I'm not mad."
The other kids were now collecting around the car as well and so the Jacob siblings remained quiet. They didn't want to discuss this in front of them. They waited by the car until they saw Lena walking towards them and Callie immediately moved so she was standing protectively in front of her brother.
Lena noticed Callie's position and sighed to herself. What was she to do with them? She could see the fear in both their eyes even though they avoided looking at her. Lena didn't want to bring anything up in front of the others or without Stef so she just unlocked the car and ushered everyone in.
Brandon and the twins chatted easily on the drive home but the two kids sitting at the very back remained absolutely quiet and could see Callie gently stroking Jude's hair in the rear view mirror and she just knew that Callie was trying hard to formulate a plan to get Jude out of trouble. Lena was willing to bet that Callie herself would take the blame.
Lena had already called Stef to let her know what had happened so that they could talk to Jude as soon as they got home. Stef had been just as disappointed as Lena had been but they both agreed to give Jude a chance to explain before saying anything.
Lena pulled into the driveway and the three chatty kids quickly headed upstairs. Callie and Jude walked in slowly behind, hoping that they'd be allowed to go up as well but just as they thought, Lena called Jude into the dining room.
"Jude, come here please." Lena said, motioning towards the chair that Stef had pulled out.
The moment Jude stopped walking Callie did too and Stef and Lena shared a glance. When Jude began to walk towards the dining room Callie was just a step behind him but Lena stopped her at the entrance.
"You can wait upstairs Callie." Lena said gently. "We just want to talk to Jude." Both women had been trying hard to get Callie to hand over some of the responsibility she carried to them but it was hard for her as well as for them. Callie had been looking out for Jude for more than half his life and she didn't trust anyone to care for him the way she did.
Jude immediately turned to face Callie, giving her a terrified look and Callie squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. She hadn't come up with a good enough plan to protect them both so instead she did the only other thing she could - she took the blame.
"I did it." Callie said quickly, before they could call Jude again.
"You stole the test?" Stef asked with a raised eyebrow, knowing that Callie was lying.
"I made him do it." Callie corrected. "I've made him do it before, this time he just got caught."
Stef and Lena looked at each other, wondering if this could possibly be true, though they doubted it. Callie had easily admitted that Jude was having trouble with math when he had to take the placement test so why would she cover up now? Besides, both women already assumed that Callie would take the blame.
"Callie..." Stef began but Callie interrupted her.
"I did." Callie said, "I make him steal the tests and then I teach him all the answers so that he passes." She explained.
Jude continued to stand there, looking lost. He had no idea what to say or do so he just waiting, with his sister's hand still on his shoulder, promising him safety.
"Please wait for us out back." Lena said after a moment. "She wanted to talk to Stef for a moment before they continued.
The moment the kids were gone Stef turned to her wife. "Do we believe that?" She asked.
"No." Lena sighed. "We already knew she'd try to take the blame." Lena reasoned.
"But how do we get the truth?" Stef asked.
"We need to talk to Jude separately." Lena said. "He won't lie."
"Like Callie will allow that." Stef said with a disbelieving laugh.
"Stef, they can't keep doing this." Lena said. "Callie can't keep taking the fall for Jude every time. I get that she wanted to protect him when he was being harmed but now he needs to learn to be responsible for his actions and Callie just needs a break."
"I'm not arguing with you Lena." Stef said. "I agree with what you're saying but Callie isn't going to allow it. Jude will stick to her story and she will take the blame."
"You shouldn't have done that." Jude whispered miserably, though he knew that there was nothing else she could have done. He had practically begged her to save him.
"It's okay Jude." Callie shushed him. "It's going to be okay."
"But I would have just gotten into trouble, you might get sent away." Jude argued.
"We don't know whats going to happen Jude." Callie said. "But whatever it is I promise you that I won't let anything happen to you."
Jude was about to say something when the back door opened and both Stef and Lena walked out.