AN: Thank you again for the reading and reviewing. Disclaimer, I don't own Fosters. Next chapter is going to be a season jump.
Lena was glad that it was the last week before school ended. Stef has gotten more night shifts due to the case that she is on. Sitting on the couch in her office Lena propped her feet up. 'Another long day.' She hated these days, it was filled with parents coming in at the last day to register their kids. She threw her hand back on the couch and her arm over her eyes.
She was awoken from her nap by someone moving her feet. "No!" Lena whined.
"Lena we need to talk." Pulling the arm off her eyes Lena saw the women that was draped in her legs.
"Good evening to you Laura. Oh what do I owe this pleasure to?" Lena sat up a little more.
"First of all I want you to be the first one to know that next year I'm moving. I got offered a job last year and it is on the east coast. It means that the VP job is pretty much yours. I mean you technically do the boring parts of my job. I have but in a great word with the board and of course with Karina. Don't worry she likes you so there is no way that you won't get it." Lena was up and had her feet under her body.
"Ok. Well, um, I'm going to miss you." Lena hugged her. They sat on the couch just holding each other.
"Even with this sad shit." Laura pulled back wiping some tears away. "I'm going to miss tell you about my shitty dates. I hate saying this but I'm going to hate going on shitty dates here. At least there will be crappy men in Ohio."
"Even when you leave I need you to call me so we can talk about our dates. So how did this last one good?" Laura grabbed Lena's arm.
"Oh my gosh. It was terrible. They should make a movie about our dating lives. It would make single people feel happy about themselves." Lena rolled her eyes. "He wasn't any sort of gentlemen. First he told me to wear something hot. Which I didn't know what to wear. So I wore these really tight pants matched with my sexy v-line top. You know the purple one that dips down just below my cleavage. I was waiting for him to pick me up. He called me 5 minutes before telling me that he can't pick me up that I have to drive myself to the place. I asked where I was to meet him, he said the Boomers! San Diego. I'm 30 why do I want to go to the arcade. I got in and there was kids running around. I'm in my fuck-me heels and pretty much letting my boobs hang out to kids."
"No! What idiot would take someone to an arcade! What else happened?" Lena has perked up, she has always loved having the debate of who had the crappier date. Lena started to think that she hadn't had a date since she met Stef.
"We spent an hour there. He played 1 game. Trying to best his high score. I ate over-priced crap food and drank water with a lemon. I'm pretty sure the lemon was deep fried. Anyways we were about to leave when a kid beat his score. He spent the next 30 minutes trying to beat the 10 year old kid score. It was embarrassing. After he beat it by one point we went back to his mom's place and had sex."
Lena's mouth stayed open. "Why would you have sex with him?"
"Because Lena I don't wear my heels and not have sex." Laura rolled her eyes.
"So how was it?" Lena asked. She has never had sex with a men, the closest was letting him touch her breast. But it amuses her to hear her friend talk about it.
"It was not mind blowing but at least I got off." Laura shrugged. "His mom came down afterwards and gave us a plate full of food. Of course I didn't take any. I just went to McD's afterwards to eat my guilt in nuggets."
"So what dates do you have lined up before you leave?"
"Oh no dates. I have lined up men that were great in bed for a one night stand before I leave. I will call you about it when I land." Laura got up patting Lena's leg. "So what about your dates? How come you haven't told me about them?"
Lena shrugged and walked to her desk to pack her bag. "I haven't told you because there haven't been any dates. I have been too busy with school and with Stef. I mean I'm not with her because she is married but I am hanging out her more often. She helped me find my birth mom and get a meeting with her."
"Sure. So you won't date until what you find someone like her or close enough to her? Lena you can't wait for something that you may never get. You need to date. Should I connect Jenna and Kelly? Have you talked to them?"
"I don't want to talk to them. They keep trying to get me back with Jana. It doesn't help that Kelly works with her on the marketing team, but now she is telling Kelly instead of me that she wants to get back together. I can't put myself back into that situation." Lena put her bag on her desk.
"That gives you even more the reason to go on a date. To forget about that girl." Laura got up from the couch. She pulled Lena into a hug. "I wish I was gay so that I could date you. Too bad I dicks too much."
Lena couldn't help but laugh. This is the reason why she and Laura made such a great team. "I have to Stef and I meeting my birth mom tomorrow and I still haven't called my parents about it." Lena sighed packing the rest of her work into her bag.
"Alright well good night. I will tell you about movie theater guy." Lena and Laura walked out of her officer with their arms linked to their cars.
Lena pulled out the folder that has been sitting in her desk drawer. Opening it the photo of her mom. It stared at her. "Fine you win."
She grabbed her phone. Hearing the first and second ring, Lena stopped pacing. 'Maybe they weren't home. That would be good.' Lena thought.
"Good evening Lena. Not that I don't love your calls but it's late and I want to make sure that you are getting enough sleep dear." On the other line Stuart is in the kitchen with Dana cleaning up from their dinner. "So what is it that you wanted to talk about?"
"Well you know how I reconnected with Stef, the girl from the system, well she is a police officer and I kinda asked her if she could help me find my birth mom." Before Lena could continue her mother was on the phone.
"Why do you want to visit her? She was a terrible person and for that we got the greatest gift in life, you. There is a reason why she got arrested." Dana looked at Stuart for help on this subject.
"Sweetie, you said after you found out what she was that you didn't want to talk to her or find her. What's with the sudden interest?" Dana gave him a look. What Lena didn't know was that her parents have already talk to her birth mom. With Dana being a lawyer it wasn't hard to track her down. They had a private meeting with her after they adopted Lena. The Adams couple didn't want Ruth to be left out of her daughter's life. They even agreed that when Lena turned 18 years old that she would be able, on her own choice of course, to see Ruth. It was a week before Lena's 18th when the phone rang. Ruth called to let the Adams that she no longer wished to speak or see Lena. That was her final decision. The Adams respected her and never told Lena about that meeting, not wanting to make angry or sad that her mother wouldn't want to see her.
"I want to know what she is like. She can maybe help me fill in the blanks and I just really want to see my birth mom. Stef was able to find a photo of her and I look so much like her. We have the same high cheek bones and smile. It's like looking into a mirror. Stef has told me that we are going this weekend when she and I were both off. We are just waiting for Ruth to give us the time. Than we are all sent to go. What should I wear? I mean I'm going to jail so I shouldn't dress up too much but this is the first time that I will meet and remember her." Lena rambled on while her mother and father were looking at each other worried.
"Lena, sweetie I think that you should wear for a dress top and some nice jeans." Stuart said while Dana walked out of the room. "Listen Lena we have to say goodnight. Please just don't put all your eggs into the basket."
Bidding goodnight to her parents, she grabs her phone and heads for bed.
Have you heard from Ruth or the prison? – Lena
Yes she wants to meet you tomorrow at 10am. I can meet you at your place around 8-9am. I just have to double check that Michelle will be home. – Stef
Alright can't wait! Good night Stef. – Lena
With that she held her head on the pillow and dreamed of what her mother would say to her. She also went through a mental of what to say to her mom.
Lena stood outside in the lobby of her apartment complex waiting for Stef. A black SUV pulled up. Seeing Stef walked out Lena smiled. Lena laughed lightly as Stef opened the door for her. "Thank you."
"Your welcome I get a lot of practice open other the door as a police officer." Stef winked as she closed the door once Lena was in.
"Well I'm glad to know what the police really do." Stef put her seatbelt on, thinking of something catchy to say when a small voice from the back spoke.
"My mommy is hero!" Lena's eye bugged at the realization of someone else. She turned in her seat to find the cutest little boy sitting in a car seat. His brown hair was combed and parted down the middle. He wore a dinosaur t-shirt and green shorts. This little boy had a dinosaur toy beside him and a gift bag at his feet.
"Hello" Lena waved.
"I'm sorry Lena this Brandon. Brandon this is Lena Adams she will be one office staff at your new school." Stef waited for Brandon to wave back her. Turning the SUV on Stef looked over at Lena. "Sorry Michelle was supposed to take him to this party but she is out of town for this case. His friend lives pretty close to here so I was just going to drop him off. Than we can go and see your mom." Stef smiled waiting for a response.
"It's ok Stef. So is it a dinosaur theme party?" Stef laughed and rolled her eyes.
"Yes. It seems that JT is in love with dinosaurs so he needs a party about." Lena laughed thinking of Stef trying to set up a birthday party about dinosaurs.
"Mom. Are we there yet?" Brandon kicked his leg being restless in his car seat. Lena couldn't help but soak this in. It was adorable and she tried to hide her smile but it was useless.
"Yeah bud, just have to turn into the driveway." Stef turned the wheel halfway. "Oh no B the wheel is stuck. I can't turn it anymore." Stef looked at the mirrors to double check that no one was coming.
"Come on use your arms." Brandon mimicked the movement of turning the wheel. "Like this mom!"
Stef laughed as she turned the wheel into Rick and Jeremy's driveway. "I'm just going to quickly run in say some hellos and then we are going to head out. It's just Rick and his husband, as the party doesn't start until noon." Lena nodded to show that she understood.
Unbuckling Brandon from his car seat, she took Brandon's hand and Lena saw them walk up to the door. She looked back to see that the dinosaur that Brandon had was laid beside his car seat. Reaching back and taking off her seatbelt she walks to the house with the toy in her hand and her phone in the other. She was stuck on choosing between knocking on the door or texting Stef.
"Well I'm already here." Lena knocked on the door. A man with a buzz cut, plain black t-shirt and basketball shorts opened the door.
"Hello can I help you?" He leaned on the door jam. Yawning lightly into his hand.
"I'm, um, looking for um Stef Foster. She is dropping off her son Brandon and he just left his dinosaur in the vehicle and I just thought that he would like it." Lena hoped her voice didn't sound as weak as she thought. Seeing the long curly blonde hair behind the men, she smiled.
"Alright so I have an extra pair of clothes in the bag just case he spills, although he usually isn't that bad with solid food. Let's see what else, oh if I'm not back before 2 and he is feeling tired you can just put him on the couch and he will go out." Stef backed right into Jeremy. "Oh sorry J didn't see you there." Turning around she comes face to face with Lena. "Oh Lena."
"Sorry I just saw Brandon's dinosaur toy in the back and thought that he would like it. I mean if not than sorry." She held the toy out not knowing what to do with it.
"Thank you so much, he would have had a melt down without this." Stef took the toy from Lena. Stef turned to walk back into the house.
"MOM!" Stef heard the boy's high pitch scream. Stef didn't answer just went towards her son.
"Um well I'm just going to go back." Lena threw her thumb over her shoulder pointing to the SUV. "Well nice meeting." She said as she back away from the door.
Seeing Stef hug Jeremy she opened the driver door and started the vehicle. "Jeremy is a really great guy it just take time to get to know him." Stef said as she rolled up to a stop sign.
"I understand. I have friend exactly like that. She gives you a cold shoulder until you connect with her, but when you do it's hard to get her to stop talking." Lena lightly laughed. She just likes how light it can be.
They sat in silence with the radio playing softly in the background. She sees the gates of the prison and starts to get nervous. Thinking if this was the right choice or if this was going to end in heartbreak.
Stef could sense that Lena was off, she looked over to see Lena fiddling with her hands and bouncing her leg. "It's going to be fine. If she didn't want to talk to you why would she agree to meet with you?"
Lena's movements stopped when Stef talked. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, "Your right." Watching the gates close behind the vehicle Lena knew that there was no way to change her mind now.
The inside of the jail was a lot more depressing than the outside, which Lena thought was hard to match. "Purse and wallet up here please." The man behind the counter said. Lena followed Stef into the visitor's room.
"I can wait outside until you're done, if you want me to. I don't want to be intruding on the visit with your mom." Stef stood as Lena sat on the chair.
"No I want you to be here. What if something happens?" Lena grabbed another chair pulling it beside her. "Please sit."
"Alright." The blonde cop took the seat beside Lena. They didn't talk just waited and watch all the other guest visit their loved ones. "Lena." Stef nodded her head towards the door that separates the jail from the outside world.
There Lena saw her birth mom. She was in the blue jumpsuit and had her hair tied on top of her head like Lena's. Lena stood up as she saw most of the visitors meeting someone beyond the wall. "Hi." She said once the women stood in front of her.
"Lena?" The women had tears already in her eyes. The two women stared at each other not knowing what to do. Ruth looked a little on the thin side, with her arms raised being able to feel the warmth of Lena's cheek. Lena pulled the women into her arms.
"Hi mom." The words sounded so foreign to other women. They stood there until the guard came over.
"Alright that's enough. Take a seat." The two separated, and took their seats.
Lena couldn't stop the tears that slid down her face or the smile on her face. It wasn't how she pictured meeting her mom but this was better than never meeting her. Lena and her mom just sat there waiting for someone to make the first move.
"Lena my love." The women wiped her tear stained eyes on her jumpsuit. "I want you that this is the last time that you can see. I only agreed to this because I needed to know that you were ok. When I met your parents they said that you were amazing and a beautiful little girl. Now that I know I can be at peace with myself." The women took her daughters hand in hers and squeezed them. "The last time that your parents were here they have adopted you. I can't believe that you are so old and beautiful." She laid her hands on the table. "I want to know what you have been since the adoption."
Stef looked over at the women beside her. She could see the disappointment written on her face, even if she tried to cover it with a smile. She knew from when they were at the second house. Lena got disappointed when she wouldn't get the grade that she wanted. She would always hide it with a smile but Stef could tell that she was sad.
"Well, um, I work as an assistant vice principle at a chartered school. But I'm up for the vice principle position. After I was adopted I went to university and got my bachelor's and master's in child psychology. I got a teaching job at the chartered school and a couple years later I was the assistant VP." Lena looked to her mom for the approving look.
"Lena I am so proud of you! What about a family do you and your partner have a child together?" The older women had a smile on her face.
Lena laughed, "No. This isn't my partner." Stef looked out of stores here.
"Well why does she have a wedding band on?" Ruth looked confused and worried.
"I am Stef. I'm not married to Lena but to someone else. Lena and I spent years in the foster care together and we just recently reconnected. I helped her find you and set up this meeting." Stef said nervously.
"Thank for getting me to meet with her." Ruth softly said. "I don't think that I would be able to see her without you. So thank you." Knowing that her time is up she stands waiting for the guard to escort her back. Lena pulled Ruth into a goodbye hug. "Lena. It was great to see you all grown up, now go and live your life." Ruth whispered the last part, "She is beautiful." Nodding her head towards where Stef was sitting. The blonde had left as she didn't want to intrude on such a private moment.
"I will." Lena felt the hot tears run down her face as she said farewell to her mom.