Chapter 3:

Less. Home. (Giving. Thanks.)

"Callie!" Sharon screamed and Callie smiled at her gratefully as she enveloped Callie in an almost laughable hug. Leave it to Sharon, Stef's mother, to break any and all tension with an over-the-top scream. All eyes were on Callie immediately, her presence announced and at the same time, all awkwardness would be avoided. Well, at least Callie hoped.

Callie's eyes scanned the room. Lena was heading towards her, her hair in its usual curly mane regally tumbling around her head. Her brown eyes were the picture of warmth as she smiled brightly and hugged Callie close to her saying in a near-whisper "So good to see you." Callie almost burst into tears immediately, but managed to hold them in. She also still had the sense of Brandon being close behind her. As though watching, waiting for her to regain her footing before he would leave her side.

As always.

Jude was next. His smile was genuine, but there was also an annoyance in his eyes. He quickly expressed the source, saying with his usual flair for bite "You could have told me you were coming!" As he wrapped her into his arms. Callie smiled and laughed a little. Still, he was her Jude. No matter what happened. Same home, same dad, different dads, different homes, this was unchanging. Jude was hers. Always and forever and Callie loved him for it.

Callie also noted from Jude's statement that Brandon hadn't told anyone she was coming and she immediately knew why. It was in case Callie needed an out. Damn him! He still knows me, so well. Callie thought. Too well.

Jude grabbed Callie's hand and pulled her toward the table. Callie felt a surge of familiar sadness as she noted that Mariana, although dressed brightly in bright orange floral skirt and yellow top, an orange flower in her hair, held a somber, dismal look and remained seated. Not only seated but staring down at her plate. Not even bothering to pretend that she was pleased to see Callie.

Jesus was another story, as he awkwardly almost stumbled out of his chair and lunged for Callie to the extent that she almost lost her balance. Thankfully, he caught her up, swinging her off of her feet into a bear hug that felt rib crushing. "Good to see you, sis!" Jesus said burying his baby face into Callie's hair. Callie tried to speak but as he was crushing out the air in her lungs she couldn't. Instead, she squeaked "Thanks…you…too."

"Jesus?! Put her down!" Grandma Dana-also loveably called "Grams"-said in her usual dramatic tones "You're shaking her like a rag doll!" Callie had never been so thankful to hear Lena's mother's voice. Jesus listened obediently and dropped her almost immediately. Callie nearly stumbled to the ground, but caught herself in enough time that Brandon, who was still standing behind her, didn't have to. Thank God, Callie thought. She didn't want to begin to imagine the look in Stef's eyes at that scene.

Stef. Maybe, she'd been unconsciously blocking her out, but Callie realized she hadn't seen her eyes, yet. And hers were the ones she was most aware of. Most in need of seeing. Callie glanced around for her, craving her acceptance and dreading her disapproval all at once. But…she wasn't here, Callie realized. The sigh of relief caught her off guard.

A Little Later

Callie wasn't sure how she'd gotten here, but she was sitting beside Jude. Grandma Sharon was to her left. Lena at the head, as usual. Brandon on the other side of the table, near Jesus and Mariana, who continued examining her stuffing as though it was the most interesting thing happening.

Jude was going on and on. Callie tried to pay attention, but she couldn't help wondering where Stef was. "…so the project is nowhere near finished, it's due next weekend and he expects me to finish it, but I don't wanna be his whipping boy anymore. I mean, what do you think?" Jude finished and looked at Callie expectantly. He seemed to be waiting for her take on something, but Callie had no idea what.

"Um…"Callie began but, she needed a lifeline. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to notice that she was so out of step with her brother that she could hardly listen to a 2-minute story without her mind wandering to what her former-adoptive mother was going to think of seeing her sitting here.

When did my life get so complicated?

"Sounds to me like you should ask for a new partner." Callie heard the reassuring voice tossing out the answer easily and she looked at Brandon, who was sitting directly across from Jude. Brandon's quick glance to Callie let her know that he had seen her floundering and dived in to save her.

As always.

"I mean if the guy is making you do all the work, at least he shouldn't get to have all the credit." Brandon finished, answering the question and at the same time filling Callie in on what she'd missed. Callie was grateful, but Jude only nodded, smiling tightly. Callie didn't miss Jude's icy demeanor towards Brandon. The few times she had been around the two of them together since the reversal, it was easy to see that Jude was not a fan of Brandon's. Not anymore, at least. Just another relationship down the drain thanks to me, Callie thought sadly.

"Not exactly." Jude began dismissively, not even holding Brandon's gaze for more than a few seconds before he glanced back to Callie "Like I said, Max is the superintendent's son after all. He's sort of used to floating."

Callie shook her head now, being caught up enough to add something to the conversation "Well, that might be true…But just because someone's used to something, doesn't mean that it's the way that things should be." Callie finished and caught Brandon's short smile at her.

"And to be honest, you're kinda the one who taught me that." Callie said giving Jude's hand a short squeeze. At only 13, Jude had stood up to his first boyfriend Connor's homophobic and bigoted father, demanding to be allowed to see his friend when he was wounded in the hospital. Jude would ultimately come out and declare Connor his first boyfriend and first love.

This hadn't been a journey that Callie had been able to guide or help Jude on, but one of the first ones he'd taken all by himself. Callie had been a bit sad about that part, but also extremely proud of him. She would never forget the bravery he had shown in standing up for what he believed. For his truth.

Callie smiled at Jude as he gave Callie a wondrous look, nodding his head at her last words, as if she hadn't just repeated Brandon's idea and said "That's so true. Ok. I'll talk to the teacher after the break." Jude seemed satisfied that his dilemma was resolved and relief washed over Callie as she blew out her breath.

The small crisis over, Callie glanced around the room with a sudden wave of remembrance; the wall hangings, the paintings, the colorful Thanksgiving décor-no doubt engineered by Lena. Callie had memorized it all. Everything had changed and yet everything was still the same. Callie had so missed this place. These people.

Sharon was going on about something that her long-term boyfriend Will had repaired. Dana was busy making sure that no one's plate stayed empty for too long. Jesus was laughing at some private joke with Mariana-Callie noted the first smile on her face since she'd arrived-while Jude was concentrating on his plate. Lena was giving her advice to her father about cutting back for his diet. But still, Stef was nowhere to be seen and no one except Callie seemed at all unnerved by this.

Callie tried to stay quiet as long as possible. She wanted no attention, but her curiosity was killing her. Her eyes met Brandon's and he seemed as pre-occupied as she was. When their eyes met, he paused and clearly noticed her anxious expression. He asked her the question silently, knitting his brows with the question. What's wrong?

Callie answered him with a glance at Stef's chair, raising her eyebrows in a question. Where is Stef?

Brandon nodded shortly and motioned his head toward the kitchen. The kitchen? Callie thought. It was odd, because Lena was the undisputed cook of the house. Stef could cook, of course, but she usually didn't. And it had been nearly 20 minutes. What could she be doing in the kitchen all this time?

As if on cue, Stef finally stepped into the room nearly screeching "Happy Birthday to you!" carrying a large turkey shaped cake. Also on cue, literally everyone, excepting Brandon and Callie, leapt to their feet and sang out "Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday Dear, Brandon! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!"

Callie watched in awe as the brown and orange turkey cake, blazing with fire lit up Stef's eyes. Her black calf-length dress flowed out around her like a billowy blanket and her blonde hair, which had grown a little past her ears at this point, framed her head like a solid golden crown.

She was so beautiful in this moment that all Callie could think of was how happy and whole Stef seemed. It was obviously a surprise for Brandon's 19th, although his birthday wasn't for another few days. Callie leapt to her feet as soon as her thoughts would allow, joining into the song that was dragging on and on as Brandon shook his head in a mix of embarrassment, amusement and laughter.

"You're officially a man now." Stef said, as the song ended engulfing Brandon in a proud hug. "My very first little baby. All grown up." She said stepping back and holding his hands as tears welled in her eyes.

"Mom…please."

"Please, nothing. Give me this, okay?" Stef said playfully and Brandon dutifully obliged as Stef turned towards the table. "I know it's not officially his birthday yet, but, I wanted to do something while we were all together." As she spoke the final word her eyes finally fell to Callie. There was a flicker of something that Callie couldn't or wouldn't allow herself to place before Stef caught herself and completed her statements "A-and this is just my way of saying, no matter what happens, how big you all get," she glanced around at all of the children and her voice caught a bit so that she added playfully "Especially you, Jesus," and everyone laughed.

"No matter how big you all get or how far away you go," a glance at Callie, "Or where life takes us," turning back to Brandon with tears now streaming down her cheeks "We started here." She said pointing to the floor beneath her. "Our family started here. And we should never, ever forget that." Stef gripped Brandon in a tight hug and everyone cheered and joined in. Callie hesitated, but Jude yanked her along with him so that she was wrapped into the circle that surrounded Stef and Brandon.

The laughter and merriment died down a little as Brandon blew out the candles-19 large brown leaf shaped candles sticking awkwardly out of the back of the bird like tail feathers. Stef diplomatically made her way around the table to Callie saying gingerly, "Hi, Callie." as she hugged her into her arms. The hug was firm and Callie relished it, but just as quickly it ended. Stef stepped back and said as if needing to explain "I'm sorry if I seemed a little surprised to see you. It's just that I knew that Brandon might be bringing someone, but I guess I just assumed he'd bring a date." Callie felt the stab in her heart at Stef's words and for some reason she just had to glance at Mariana.

Mariana was eying Callie sharply and after a short smirk she looked away. Callie knew her well enough to know what her thought had probably been.

Maybe, he did bring a date, Mom.

The dinner was loud and full, as dinners usually were in the Adams Foster household. But Callie felt adrift. Somehow, she fit. As she always did. No one made her feel unwanted or unwelcome-except maybe for Mariana, but even she really did this only by not speaking to her-no one made her feel out of place.

Jude nudged her and teased her. Jesus addressed her repeatedly as "Sis" and seemed extremely interested in what she was doing for her gap year. He also told her all about his treatments and how he was on track to finish school on time next year (though through a more lenient school curriculum due to his TBI) with Mariana's help. Both of the Grandmas told Callie that she'd always be their granddaughter and practically fought over which of them she would still be able to address as Grandma. And Brandon was…Brandon. He wasn't as in tune with Callie as he had once been, but he was still watchful, protective. Ready and willing to catch her if she needed it. Callie felt this in every quiet glance, every reassuring look. And she appreciated this. Was thankful for him and for everyone; she really was. But she also felt something else here that wasn't here before.

Callie fit, as she always did. This was her home still.

But Callie also didn't fit. And this was less home than it had ever been since she first stepped foot inside.

...And it broke Callie's heart.