Callie and Jude were sitting very quietly at the dinner table. They watched the family with careful attention, listening to every word. Jesus was rambling on about something that happened in his kindergarten class. Callie had a straight face and her brother was giving a small smile. While Jude was still listening when Callie started to think to about her mom. She thought about her mom's long, pretty hair. How her mom brushed Callie's hair every night to make it pretty like hers. Callie envied that her mom's hair was so pretty , and she could easily brush her own hair.
"Sissy!" Jude said tapping his sister's shoulder.
"What?" Callie asked, pulling herseld out of her thoughts.
"Lena asked you question," Stef said. "She asked if you good day in class. No trouble?"
Callie looked to Brandon who was in the same class as her, pursed her lips and said," Nope. No trouble." Callie looked to Brandon again then nervously rubbed the bridge of her nose. It was dead giveaway that Callie was lying.
"Callie..." Lena said, warning her. "You're not lying are you?" Callie looked at Brandon and she closed her eyes.
"I didn't mean to," Callie said. "He made me mad so I yelled at him. But I apologized after. He forgave me and the teacher said that it was okay as long as I was truly sorry and didn't do it again."
"Who's 'he'? " Lena asked, hoping that it wasn't the teacher.
Callie looked at Brandon again and hung her head as she said," Brandon."
Lena looked at Brandon who had his arms crossed with his eyes looking in the direction of Callie. "Callie! Why would you yell at him?"
"Mama!" Brandon said. "I made Callie mad. It was my fault, she apologized after, too. It wasn't Callie's fault!"
Callie looked up at Brandon, surprised that he was taking all the blame. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," Callie said, sniffling.
"Mama, really it's okay. Callie it's okay. I'm the one that told you not to tell Mama," Brandon said, as he got up and walked over to the girl. "I don't care that you yelled at me. I'm the one that was asking how your mom died." Brandon tried to hug Callie, but she pulled away.
"Stop talking about my mom!" Callie yelled and her breathing became quick. Callie sat down on the floor and pulled her knees to her chin. Callie had tears pouring from her eyes and she was starting to not be able to breathe.
"Callie!" Lena said as she sat down next to the girl. "I think she's having a panic attack. Callie take a deep breath. Stef go grab a wash cloth and put cool water on it." Callie was starting to get light headed, and Jude began to cry.
"Brandon, take Mariana, Jesus, and Jude upstairs. We'll talk later," Lena said, as Stef came back into the room with a cool rag.
"But-" Brandon started, but saw the look in Lena's eyes and he nodded. "Come on guys," Brandon said, holding out a hand towards Jude. Lena took the cool rag and laid it on Callie's neck.
"Callie, I'm going to take you to the couch," Stef said, looking at the little girl. "Just calm down and try to rest." The girl nodded and Stef picked her up and bought her to the couch.
Stef and Lena soothed the girl until she fell asleep from exhaustion.
"I don't want her to go to school tomorrow," Lena said moving hair from the sleeping girl's face.
"Yeah I can stay home with her," Stef said, standing up. "I'm going to go talk to the others. I'll be back."
As Stef walked up the stairs she ran into Jesus. "Hey Mom is there something wrong with Callie?"
"No," Stef said, patting Jesus' hair. "She's jist had a rough day. Come on get upstairs, I need to talk to you guys."
When Stef got up to Jude and Jesus's room, she saw that Jude was still crying. "I want Callie, " Jude said with his lip sticking out. "I want to make her happy."
"It's okay Jude," Stef said, picking up the little boy. "Callie's already asleep. Lena made her feel better."
Stef heard Lena call from the bottom of the stairs. "Stef, can you bring Callie to her bed?"
Stef looked at Brandon who was standing in the doorway of the room and said,"Brandon, get Jude ready for bed and Lena's going to come talk to you and the twins." Brandon nodded and walked into the room as Stef walked out. she got to the bottom of the stairs and told Lena,"The kids are waiting for you upstairs. I'll get Callie."
Stef walked quietly to the sleeping girl and picked her up gently, with a blanket still wrapped around her. "Mama," the girl whispered quietly, as Stef reached the stairs. "Mama," Callie said weakly, as she snuggled into Stef.
"Shhh, Callie," Stef whispered, kissing the girl's temple. "It's okay. Just sleep, I won't leave you alone." With those soft words, Callie went back into a peaceful sleep in Stef's arms.
A/N: I'm back up and running. Hope to update again today.