Chapter 7: Sunday at the beach (Callie's POV)
I feel nervous on Sunday morning. Part of me wants to go to the beach to see Jude, but I'm also a little scared. Will they confront me about sneaking out? Did they call Bill and report me? The buses aren't as frequent on the weekend so I'm half an hour late getting there.
Jude runs up and says, "Callie, you made it! I was worried you weren't going to come. Come see me surf on my boogie board!"
I avoid the moms and run into the waves with Jude. I laugh as the spray hits me. We laugh and play for a good hour. His foster siblings are actually a lot of fun, even Mariana. They race with us into the waves and come up with fun games. It feels like a perfect day. I guess this is what family life feels like sometimes.
We finally come back to the towels, and Stef and Lena are laying out sandwiches and fruit for lunch. Lena offers me a sandwich, but I say no thank you, even though I'm hungry.
Stef gives me a look and forcefully says, "Well there's lots, so take one."
For some reason, I do what she says. I don't want to start a fight.
After lunch, Jude and his foster siblings want to go back to the surf. Once Jude is out of earshot, Stef turns to me and says, "Can I have a word with you, Callie?"
Uh oh.
Stef pins me with her eyes and confronts me, "Have you been in trouble with the law?"
God, she's looked up my record. I'm sure of it.
I gulp and start blushing and then decide to come clean. I look down and quietly reply,
"Yes, a couple times. When I was 11, I stole food from a store for Jude and me because our foster family never had enough to eat. They didn't press charges, but I think that's when they decided to split us up. And then I got sent to juvie when I was 12 for damaging my foster dad's car with a baseball bat. I was guilty, but I did it to distract him so he would stop hitting my foster sister. And because I wanted to be moved somewhere else ... anywhere else."
Stef looks shocked and concerned, "Did he hit you too?"
I continue, "Only when he was drunk, which was pretty much every night. I was covered in bruises when he called the cops on me for trashing his car, but they didn't believe me when I said he hit us. I ended up in juvie, but at least they started an investigation and took his foster care license away awhile after that."
I'm shocked that I'm telling her all this, but it somehow feels cathartic to let it all out.
Stef puts her hand on my knee and murmurs, "I'm sorry that happened to you. That shouldn't have happened."
I look up and see the pity in her eyes, and all of a sudden, I'm filled with rage. I angrily spit out, "I don't need your pity. I'm fine!"
Luckily, Jude runs up and grabs me to swim with him before Stef can say another word. I throw myself into the water to cover up the tears in my eyes.
After a while, Stef and Lena come to play in the water too. I tense up, but Stef whispers, "It's okay Callie. Let's just enjoy the day."
Jude's right; his foster moms can be fun when they aren't being scary. Stef, Brandon, and Jesus throw Jude in the water and he happily screams and giggles. Lena and Mariana teach Jude to do a cartwheel in the sand. I can't help but smile. We build a giant sand castle and decorate it with shells.
In the late afternoon, I feel pleasantly tired and sun kissed. I know I should catch a bus back soon.
Jude wants to know when I can come back to see him. "I'm working every night this week, Jude, but maybe next weekend?"
Mariana asks all about my job at the pizza parlor and whines, "Mom, why can't I get a job?"
Stef replies, "You can, when you're older. But I'd like you to concentrate on your school work just now."
Stef looks at me and asks with concern, "How many hours a week do you work?"
I work pretty long hours. Usually 5-10 PM every day and all day on Saturday. But I don't want to tell her that. "Um, I work after school sometimes for a few hours and on Saturdays," I murmur.
Then to change the subject, I ask what time it is and start checking the bus schedule.
Stef jumps in with, "No sneaking off this time Callie. We'll give you a ride home. I'd like to see where you're staying and meet your foster mom."
I quickly say, "Actually, I have plans to go to a friend's house tonight. My foster mom is working again."
Stef gives me a concerned look, weighing my words again.
Lena leans over and softly asks, "Callie, could we have a home number for you so Jude could get in touch with you?"
"Um sure," I reply defensively, "but unfortunately our phone is disconnected right now. It's just some mix up. I'm sure it will be fixed soon."
Stef gives me another look. She knows I'm lying, but I can't seem to stop.
She gently but firmly asks, "Do you have a safe place to stay, Callie?"
I look up in alarm, "Yes, I do….please don't worry about me." I try to reassure her.
She takes out a business card and writes their home phone and cell phone numbers down on it and holds it out, "Okay, I'll stop the questions, but we'd like you to call Jude on Wednesday after school, just to check in. And you can call us anytime, if you need anything. We want to make sure you're safe. And we'd like you to come spend Sunday with us again next week."
I take the card and nod. Stef doesn't really leave me a choice. I can't think of a thing to say. Luckily, I see my bus coming down the street, so I say quick goodbyes and run for the bus.
I'm not even sure what I've told them anymore. I somehow ended up telling more of the truth than I wanted to. I know Stef is suspicious. She's a cop! If I was smart, I wouldn't go back next week.
