Callie, Jesus, and Mariana had pushed the two beds and dresser against the door before Callie was satisfied they were safe. Sitting on top of the bed she watched her baby brother and new siblings sit, playing their new toys and coloring books they had gotten, finally agreeing that Callie might be right, even Brandon, who had seen his dad drunk and almost drive off the road with him in the car.
"Kids?," Callie stiffened when she heard Lena and Stef calling for them. "People are starting to go home, come say goodbye," Lena called as she heard the door nob rattle.
"We have to say something to Mama," Mariana whispered to Callie, "What if Mom hurts her? We need her in here." Callie sat thinking for a few minutes.
"Mom? I can't find my other pair of recital pants!" Brandon called, surprising them all since he was the one least cooperative.
"They're in the dryer, what's wrong with the ones you're wearing?" Stef asked, trying the door again.
"Mariana spilled nail polish on them, can you get my other pair? I don't want Grams to see me with pink nail polish covering my pants."
When Callie heard Stef walk down the stairs the kids started to push the furniture out of the way quickly, opening the door and pulling Lena inside, "Come on, Mama," Mariana said, throwing herself at Lena and pulling her farther in the room as Callie quickly started pushing furniture in front of the door with Jesus' help.
"What's going on?" Lena asked confused.
"We have to stay safe from Mommy," Mariana said quietly.
"But we are safe with Mommy," Lena said confused. "Why wouldn't we be safe with Mommy?"
"Because Stef's drinking beer!" Callie said exasperated at having to explain the seriousness of this to everyone else in the family.
"Ok," Lena said carefully, sitting on the bed across from Callie, trying to think of what to do, "Baby, Stef wouldn't hurt us, even if she's drinking."
"Yes she will!" Callie argued.
"Callie, Stef has never hurt anyone, and she never gets drunk. If anything she gets a little silly."
"Yeah, one time Mommy was giving me a horsey ride and we did a summer-sualt!" Mariana piped up.
Callie crossed her arms across her chest as Stef tried to open the bedroom door, "Just a minute Babe, can you say good bye to people?" Lena called when she saw Callie start to tense.
"Lena what the hell is going on?" Stef asked irritated.
"Stefanie, language. Right now is not the time," Lena called back, trying to keep her voice steady. Lena looked around at her four other kids who were sitting looking worried. She had to figure out a way to calm Callie down, if nothing else so her other kids weren't stuck in this bedroom. Lena went to wrap her arms around Callie, closing her eyes when Callie flinched. "Stef is outside, so let's get out of this room, alright?"
"No!" Callie yelled. "We can't!"
"Yes we can," Lena said gently, "We need to let everyone go to the bathroom and get out of this room for a little while."
"I'm responsible for you guys," Callie all but cried.
"No Baby, me and Stef are responsible for you. And even if for some reason I had to protect you guys from Stef, it would be my job, because I'm the Momma, it's not your job." Lena said softly. Callie looked up at her skeptically. "You have to let me be the Momma here, Callie, and I promise I won't let Stef hurt you. She's not going to try, she loves you too much." Grabbing her phone out of her pocket Lena sent a quick text to Stef 'stay outside Callie is scared because you've been drinking.' she texted quickly "Alright you guys, we're going to get out of here, Mommy isn't inside the house so we're all safe."
Callie half heartidly pushed the dresser and beds back to their spots in the bedroom, following close behind Lena as Lena walked down the stairs. They went outside to say goodbye to guests and Callie made sure they stayed far away from Stef. "How about we set up your art desk?" Lena asked once everyone had left. Callie agreed happily, seeming more relaxed as she helped Lena carry the box and bags of art supplies into her room. Once the desk was assembled Lena left Callie to organize it as she went to check on the other kids.
"Hey Bug, how is your art studio coming?" Callie froze at the sound of Stef. Turning slowly on the ball of her feet she came face to face with Stef. She didn't answer, instead lowering her head to the ground. "Baby?" Stef asked taking a couple steps forward. Having lost her phone earlier from the activities she was clueless to why her children were keeping to their respected rooms. "What's wrong, Callie?" Stef asked, going to lift Callie's head with a finger under Callie's chin.
The moment Callie felt Stef touch her she flinched and let out a quiet whimper, "Callie, Baby? What's wrong?" Stef asked as she went to pull Callie in a hug. Callie started to fight in the embrace, hitting her head back against Stef's chest and kicking adamantly at Stef's shins. Stef cursed at the pain of the litle girl's viciousness but out of reflex pulled her tighter to her and pulled them both to the ground.
"MOMMA! MOMMA! YOU SAID YOU'D KEEP ME SAFE! MOMMA SAVE ME!" Callie screamed through tears, letting out sobs and gasping for air. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please, Stef! I'm sorry," she sobbed. Going from Fighting against Stef to curling into a protective ball against blows, pulling her knees to her chest, putting her head down and covering it with her arms, all while Stef's arms were wrapped around them.
"Stefanie, let her go," Lena said with wide eyes when she saw the pair, Stef in shock at the scene and Callie in hysterics. "Come here, Baby, ssshhh, Momma's got you. See I told you. Momma's here to keep you safe. And Stef wasn't hurting you," Lena murmured to the girl she had picked up bridal style sitting on the bed and rocking her, "Deep breathes for me, Baby," Lena said, pressing her palm against Callie's chest, "In and out." she said as Callie started to calm, though curl into Lena when Stef took a step closer. "Why wouldn't you wait for me?" Lena asked to Stef in anger as Callie wrapped her arms around Lena's neck, burring her fingers in Lena's curls and pressing her face into Lena's neck.
"What are you talking about? How was I supposed to know she'd freak out if I walked in?" Stef asked throwing up her arms.
"I texted you," Lena shot back, "I told you she was scared of your drinking today."
Lena felt bad for her tone the moment Stef's eyes filled with sadness at the realization that she had put this fear into her foster daughter. "I didn't get it," Stef said in a whisper, "Callie, Baby?" Stef asked quietly as she walked over slowly and sat down gently on the bed, "Baby, will you look at me?" she asked, a lump in her throat when Callie flinched when Stef touched her hair. Callie turned slowly, still snuggled into Lena's body, "I'm sorry I scared you, Baby."
"People are mean when they drink," Callie whispered.
"Baby, I would never, ever hurt you. Or be mean to you," Stef said, wiping a tear from under Callie's eyes with her thumb.
"I don't want you to drink," Callie said.
"Ok," Stef said quickly.
"Ok?" Lena asked, surprised at Stef's agreement.
"Yep, come on, Baby," Stef said, holding her arms out for Callie. Callie moved into Stef's arms but kept a hand clinging to Lena's shirt, forcing her to go with them. "Hey, Babies, come here for a minute," Stef called from the hallway. Stef felt judged by her children as all walked out one by one looking at her wearily. "Come on, Loves," she said as she started down the stairs. In the kitchen she pulled out the 8 beers that were still in the fridge from the two 6-packs she had bought earlier that day. Setting Callie on the counter she started taking them off of the plastic rings and opening them one by one. "Mommy's not going to drink beer anymore," she said, handing one to each of her children. "I want you guys to pour them all down the sink."
The kids took great interest and fun pouring them one by one down the sink, sloshing the beer. Stef pulled two aside, and once the kids ran back upstairs handed one to Lena, "We can't drink, not if it's going to scare our kids," she said softly, "And I know the last couple of months I've been drinking more."
Lena watched Stef carefully. Stef rarely got drunk, but the last month or two she drank one or two beers a night, and it irritated Lena, she felt like it was Stef killing her problems with alcohol instead of conversations.
"So this is our promise to our kids and ourselves that we'll stop drinking so much, Callie never freaked out when we drank a glass of wine."
"Her father probably never drank wine," Lena commented, getting a nod in return. Lena poured the can down the sink, tangling her fingers with Stef's as Stef poured her's down. Throwing all the cans in the garbage bag to take back to the store, Stef went to put the boys and Mariana to bed as Lena went to see Callie.
An hour later Lena made her way to her bedroom once she had gotten Callie to bed. She was surprised to see Stef sitting cross legged on the bed with her head in her hands, her shoulders shaking slightly, the subtle indication that Stef was crying, "Babe," Lena said softly when she wrapped her arms around Stef, kissing her temple like Stef had done to her and the kids more times then she could count.
"I scare my daughter," Stef said softly.
"Stef," Lena whispered.
"She was scared of me, she locked you and her brothers and sisters in her room because she thought I was going to hurt you guys."
"She did what she did when she was at home."
"I'll never drink again if I can prevent scaring my daughter like that again," Stef vowed.
"Babe, Bill's working on therapy, it won't always be like this," Lena said, kissing Stef again, "Neither of us realized she would react like that."
"We should have, she's our daughter," Stef shot back.
"She is," Lena agreed, "But we won't know everything from the get go. Did you know everything the first day Brandon was born?"
"No, But-"
"But nothing, Babe, we'll know more as we have them more."
Stef closed her eyes, not believing Lena. "Come here, Babe," Lena said softly as she pulled the covers back and turning on her side. Stef laid down parallel to Lena, letting Lena pull her to be able to spoon her. "Good night, I love you," Lena whispered, "Get some sleep."
"I love you too," Stef said softly.