Lena looked taken aback but managed to control her thoughts quickly, "I know what seizures are Sweetheart, I was just not told you had them."
"So you don't know much about CP, then do you? Most people with CP also have seizures," Jessica shot back, turning to the doctor, "This is really who they're putting me with?"
"You know I don't have a say in it," he said, patting her shoulder, "This isn't like you. Don't be rude." Jessica really was a sweet natured girl. Dr. Pan had been with her since she was 9. But that last year had worn on her. All of the sudden her parents had disowned her. He couldn't understand. They dealt with surgeries, hospital stays, sleepless nights and long days. But when she started talking to a girl next door, they became cold. And one day they caught the girl, Chelsea, giving Jessica a chast kiss, and that is when they kicked her out of the house. Jessica didn't know what to do, and surprisingly enough, she called him.
"I know it will be a tough couple of days. You getting to know my family, and us getting to know you. But you're going to have a good time," Lena said. The warmth and sincerity of her voice made Jessica smile shyly.
"Why don't we get you up here and show Lena how to do your therapy, hu?" Dr. Pan asked. Jessica could move somewhat on her own. Holding onto Dr. Pan's hand she struggled onto the exam table. Dr. Pan brought her legs up and around so she was laying down. He showed Lena how to stretch the muscles in her legs as he chatted with Jessica.
"Maybe Lena will let you have Chelsea over," he said. Lena sensed something when she glared at the doctor she was so fond of.
"You can always have friends over," Lena said with a smile, "We're used to a houseful. I've learned after three the noise is so loud you don't notice any extras."
"Chelsea isn't a friend," Jessica said looking away, "she's my..." she trailed off. She was starting to like this woman already. Why did Dr. Pan have to ruin it?
"Girlfriend?" Lena asked as she watched the girl shut down. She had seen it before. Stef used to do it around her father, or anyone who openly stared. She remembered doing it as a kid. Jessica just nodded faintly, "You're a little young to be dating. But I'll talk to Stef about it. We do have rules. No girlfriends in bedrooms with doors closed bring the biggest one. School nights people need to head home by 5 and homework has to be done first."
"Who's Stef?" Jessica asked, ignoring everything but the name.
"My wife," Lena said lightly, getting a dumbfounded stare in return, "We got married three years ago. But we've been together for 13. You'll meet her tonight. She's a police officer."
It was an hour later that they were done with Dr. Pan. Jessica blanched when she saw a medical cab outside, "A-are you sending me to a different foster home?" she asked looking up at Lena. Cursing herself at how upset she sounded.
"Oh, no. Honey, " Lena said quickly, "Dan is getting someone tonight to put a lift on the back of my van, but I don't have a way to get you home. I promise, you guys will be following me the whole time." Jessica flushed in embarrassment. She got a lot of sympathy, but this was a new one.
"Ok," she said softly, lowering her head. She couldn't get attached. In a month she'll back with the Watkins. The Watkins. She liked this woman more than she ever liked her foster mother. She noticed that Lena waited until she was in the van and strapped in before she shut the door.
"It'll be only about 20 minutes," Lena smiled, "Ok. I mean. I could come with you and I could get the van later."
"No, no. You don't need to do that," Jessica said quickly. Never do something that would make more work for foster parents. She knew that by now.
"Ok. I'll see you soon," Lena smiled as she shut the van. Jessica shut her eyes and pushed the her ear buds in harshly, turning up her Ipod. 20 minutes later she felt the van turn off. Opening her eyes she found herself in front of a fairly big house with greenery covering the front yard. There were ramps already set up. She wondered if someone in the family used a wheelchair, "here we are," Lena smiled, opening the van door. She followed Jessica's line of vision, "My oldest daughter didn't have classes today, so I had her get some ramps. She also set you up in the downstairs bedroom."
"Ok," Jessica said slowly as she was lowered to the ground. Lena stayed by her side as they went up the porch to the door. Jessica raised her eyebrows at the loud noise that waved through the front door.
"The kids got home a half hour ago," Lena said to her. "We have five kids. Three live at home. Two in college. Though Callie is home a few days a week. We have to force her to go have fun," Lena smiled. "Jude's a sweetheart. Mariana will want to paint your nails and dress up. If you play video games Jesus will be your best friend," she said, hoping to give the girl a little bit of a forewarning.
"Hey you two," she smiled. Callie and Jude were sprawled on the floor of the living room working on homework.
"Hi Momma," Jude smiled, his eyes traveled to the girl beside him before his eyes shot back at her, embarrassed that he almost stared.
"Hi Momma. You must be Jessica," Callie smiled.
"Yeah," Jessica said with a shrug, looking past her.
"You know Calc?" she asked, holding up a college textbook.
"No, sorry," Jessica laughed.
"Damn. I mean, dang," Callie smiled, despite the quick glare she got from her mother, "I set the den up for Jessica, Momma. Jesus helped me bring the bed and everything down," she said.
"Thanks, Slugabug," Lena smiled, "You weren't at school for lunch, you want a snack while we wait for Dan to come by?" she asked Jessica. Jessica shrugged and followed Lena, "are you allergic to anything?" she asked, turning.
"Shellfish and bananas," Jessica said quickly.
"So a grilled cheese sandwich is good," Lena said with a smile, Jessica smirked.
"Yeah."
"I'm not sure where the twins are. And Stef should be home in an hour or so, depending on if she gets caught up with paperwork."
"Does she usually?" Jessica asked politely.
"Semioften," Lena said as she turned with the sandwich. That was when she saw the problem. Jessica had rolled herself towards the table but the table top was level with her eyes, "How about we try getting up on one of the stools. But to be warned this is my first time doing this," Lena smiled, getting a shy shrug in return. Jessica clicked the button on her seatbelt and raised the arm on the side of her wheelchair. Lena took her hand and rested another hand above her waist as Dr. Pan had done.
"This is a little more difficult, because it's above my waist," Jessica said with a deep blush. She tried once or twice to get a foot up on the stool footrest before giving up.
"Do you mind if I pick you up?" Lena asked, seeing as that was their only real option. Jessica's ears went red but nodded. Lena picked her up around the waist and set her in the stool easily.
"Thank you," Jessica said with her head down.
"It's nothing, Hun," Lena smiled setting the sandwich and a glass of juice in front of her as the doorbell rang, "That must be Dan. I'll be right back."
Jessica decided to stay on the stool once she had finished and Dan had left. He had brought her stander and someone to put a wheelchair lift on the back of the van. He left quickly, less than a half hour after he arrived and Jessica did her homework at the kitchen table while Lena worked on dinner. Callie had asked her if she wanted to watch a movie with the rest of the kids but she declined, instead staying and watching Lena cook dinner.
"Hi Babies!" The loud entrance of Stef made Jessica, who had started to daydream, jump.
"Hi!"
"Hey, Mom."
"How was work?"
Jessica heard the easy conversation between everyone. She hadn't heard the easiness between a family, not since before Jessica met Chelsea.
"Hi Love." Jessica turned to see a middle aged woman with blond hair pulled into a severe bun walk over and kiss Lena quickly.
"Hi, Babe," Lena smiled when Stef pulled away. Stef turned to the wheelchair ad then to the girl sitting at the table.
"Hi Jessica, I'm Stef," she smiled, "You didn't want to watch Harry Potter with the kids?" Jessica shrugged shyly. "They've watched that movie more times than I can count," Stef smiled. She grabbed a cutting board and onion from the counter and sat across from Jessica, "So your foster parents went on a vacation?" she asked. Jessica nodded, "How do you like them?"
Jessica shrugged, "The Watkins' are ok," she mumbled. As Stef went to grab something from the fridge she noticed Jessica tense out of the corner of her eye,
"Shit," she cursed as she caught Jessica before she fell out of the chair, pulling the stool out from the table she watched as Jessica convulsed for 18 seconds before going limp in Stef's grasp, "Seizures?" she asked Lena.
"I was told she had 1 to 2 a day," she said with wide eyes. She had seen seizures before, in students. But watching Jessica almost fall off of the stool scared her to death.
"It's alright," Stef murmured softly when Jessica whimpered slightly, still out of it, she ran a hand up and down Jessica's arm as Jessica came to, "You alright, Sweetheart?" Stef asked her as Jessica turned. Stef had braced herself behind Jessica so she wouldn't fall but wasn't constricting her movements.
"Yeah," Jessica said, not looking her in the eyes.
"We need to get her a chair with a back," Stef said softly to Lena as she grabbed plates, "Incase that happens again." Lena nodded softly and looked at the girl who stilled had a dazed look about her.
That night the family ate burritos in silence. Stef watched as Jessica struggled to pick up and hold her's. Neither of them really knew what they were getting into when they agreed to foster her. Stef had seen the Jessica had school supplies that were adaptive to poor motor skills and vowed to look into household items Jessica might need. The foster system didn't do well with things that weren't absolutely necessary.
"Are you ready for bed?" Lena asked when she saw Jessica struggle to keep her eyes open as dinner was ending.
Jessica nodded, "When I have bad ones they wear me out," she said, "But I want to help clean up."
"You can help tomorrow," Stef said with a smile.
"Come on," Lea said softly once the kids had started with evening chores, she helped Jessica slide off of the stool and into her wheelchair where she showed her where she's be sleeping. Callie and Jesus had moved the couch out of the den, leaving the stand and TV. The bed was placed against one wall with a dresser next to it and they had put Jessica's standing equipment in a corner.
Jessica, being a little embarressed, let Lena help her out of her jeans and leg braces, and slip on pajama pants. Jessica got her shirt off and once had another pajama shirt on lifted the back of it enough for Lena to unhook her bra. Once she was laying in bed Lena helped her with her physical therapy, something that surprised Jessica. That she actually did it, and thoroughly.
Jessica was half asleep when Lena turned off her light, "goodnight, Jessica," she said as Stef walked by,
"Goodnight, I'm glad you're with us," Stef smiled.
"Goodnight," Jessica said softly, resisting the urge to say 'me too'.