AN- Today has been a crazy day, but I got to take out some of it on this story! So enjoy! Thank you again!
Morning came all too fast for Stef, her body hurt, and she was emotionally exhausted. She wanted to stay in bed with the covers up over her head and just sleep the day away. The problem with that was she had five kids and a wife to usher off into their days. She was technically off of her normal job today, after last night her boss wanted her to have a day off, but she still had meetings with Jane, and had to be around for the Charlie case. So sleeping the day away wasn't an option.
She made her way down the stairs to see Lena already had a lunch assembly line going, and Jude was helping.
"Good morning" She greeted them both, she poured herself a cup of coffee then pushed Lena out of the way of making sandwiches "Let me, you finish getting ready."
Lena gave her a relieved look "Getting the kids up this morning has been a chore, and Brandon is sick so I sent him back to bed. Fever chills and he's a bear" She sighed
Stef groaned "No, we can't have a sick kid! I am off most of the day, but I have to meet with Jane. We're going over things today."
Lena crinkled her nose "I know Jane's probably a very nice woman, but I am not liking her name in our house hold."
Jude looked up from putting fruit in lunch bags "Why? Who is Jane?"
"Someone, I am working with" Stef smiled "She's nice, it's just the case I am working on is intense."
Jude shot Stef a worried glance "Um is it dangerous, mom your lip is all banged up. Are you okay? Should you be on this case? If Mama is worried maybe you shouldn't do it."
Stef dropped Mariana's tuna sandwich into her lunch bag before going over to Jude and pulling him to her arms. "I love you baby, you know this yes?"
He nodded with a shy smile "I know"
"My lip got hurt last night, but it was something unrelated it happens sometimes. I take elbows to the face when I am arresting someone. I am trained buddy, and I am tough. You're job isn't to worry about me! Your job is to go to school, and be the best Jude you can be."
Jude nodded "I know, but mom you've been shot."
"I know, and I am sorry" She said softly "But, I didn't do what I was trained to do in that situation. I was thinking about Jesus, I made a mistake and I paid the price, but it was also one of those life lessons with a natural consequence. It taught me to never let my emotions rule me, but to do what I was trained to do. I'll be so much safer buddy. I promise! I never want to scare mama or you kids that bad again."
Jude nodded as he began counting out cookies for lunches "Alright"
Stef kissed his cheek one more time before she started in on Jesus' turkey sandwich.
Lena had just finished scrambling eggs and made herself and Jude a plate. "Mom's right Jude, no need for worrying."
Jude took a seat at his spot and accepted the plate that Lena had put down in front of him. Giving her a smile of appreciation "Thanks mom" She winked at him.
Stef went to the bottom of the stairs "Jesus, Mariana, Callie, get your turtle butts down here and have some breakfast please!"
Lena shook her head "Really Stef? You could have gone up there and got them! Poor Brandon."
"He's fine, he's had siblings and noise for years now, and he's used to it."
Lena groaned as Callie and Jesus came down the stairs quickly after. "Mariana is just finishing getting dressed. She'll be down in a minute." Callie told Stef as Lena handed her a plate to fill.
"Eat up kiddos, I made lots of eggs. Get your protein fix it'll help you think and test well"
"Can I have my cell phone back now?" Callie asked once she sat down with her plate.
"No, ma'am" Stef shook her head "Not until after breakfast, no phones at the table, you know this."
Callie groaned "But, I haven't had it since yesterday, I need to check something."
"And you can wait another fifteen minutes my sweet girl."
Callie groaned again and rolled her eyes.
"Callie" Stef shook her head "Enough with the eye rolling young lady"
Callie looked to Lena "Do you see this, I am already in trouble and I haven't done anything."
Lena placed her hand on Callie's shoulder "Sweetheart, you're not in trouble. Just eat your breakfast please."
Stef shook her head at her daughter "But, no more eye rolling my love, if I see it again directed at me or mama, you'll be cleaning all the bathrooms this weekend. I don't like the eye rolling, got it?"
Callie nodded and blushed "Sorry"
"Why'd you and Mariana get your phones taken away?" Jesus asked "What'd you two do that was so bad?"
"Nothing" Callie shook her head.
Stef narrowed her eyes at the boy "You, mind your own business and worry about Jesus, not Callie and Mariana. Mama and I are the moms. Are we clear on this? Yes?"
Jude and Jesus nodded "Yes, mom"
Mariana came down the stairs a second later "Mama, Brandon's throwing up."
Stef groaned and handed Lena the phones "After breakfast" She said before heading up the stairs.
"Alright, eat up everyone" Lena looked at the clock "I'd like to be on time today"
"I am done" Callie announced putting her plate in the dishwasher then snatching her phone from where it sat next to Lena before running up the stairs to get her book bag.
The minute she turned her phone on a of flood of messages came in, mostly from Daphne and of course Charlie.
Hey Callie Cat? Are you mad at me? Can't we still be friends? I've missed you! –Charlie
Callie, where are you at? Are you okay?- Charlie
Did I do something wrong? Charlie
Did you tell your sister not to respond to my texts? I was trying to be friendly! You and Jude are important to me, I was just trying to get to know her, I can tell she's important to you.
Callie came out of her room with her phone in her hand and her bag on her shoulder as Stef was coming out of Brandon's room.
"So, Charlie sent me a bunch of messages" She said stopping her mother. "You can see them, and see what we write back?"
Stef nodded as she moved over to Callie "Yes, love"
Callie quickly typed something into her phone. Hey! I am sorry! Nothing personal! I was grounded, my mom found out we met up the other day, and she grounded me. She's super over protective and annoying! I am so not used to having someone breathing down my back. No worries k? I'd love to still be your friend!- Callie
She moved her body as close to Stef's as she could holding the phone out so Stef could read it. She brought in her lip nervously as her big brown eyes got bigger. "This, won't hurt your feelings will it? I don't want to do this if it hurts your feelings! It's not what I believe!"
Stef wrapped her arms around Callie and kissed the side of her head "No, it's perfect baby girl! Make me the bad guy. I've got tough skin. I can handle it. This is good. Go ahead and send it."
Callie looked nervous but Stef rubbed her shoulders "You've got this love bug."
Callie's finger shook as she hit send. "Okay"
"Alright, my baby. Go meet up with mama for school. We'll be in touch all day. You're safe. I promise."
Callie nodded "Bye, have a good day."
"Love you" Stef winked at her "Go learn something."
Nobody can tame the feralCallie cat- Stay strong. Remind your mother you've been on your own for years. You don't need that! You're a smart girl—Charlie
Ha! Tell that to my mom.. She thinks I need a mommy- Callie
She just loves you Cal, you're easy to love! Just stand up for yourself. She'll respect you for it. -Charlie
"Jude!"
Jude looked around Lena had just dropped them all off and headed for her office. The girls and Jesus had headed inside to do last minute stuff before school started while Jude was running down to the beach to collect a little sand for science class that afternoon.
He then spotted a guy approaching him on the beach. "Jude, hey buddy! It's me Charlie!"
Jude's eyes got big recognizing him "Charlie! Wow! How are you? How'd you know I was here, what are you doing? You've changed so much! What are you doing?!
"Easy buddy" he laughed "I am on my way to work, but I was stopping by to drop something off for you. I saw your sister the other day" He smiled "And she told me you guys had a forever family! Dream come true huh?"
Jude nodded "Yes! They're great! Did you ever get one?"
Charlie shook his head "No, but that's okay I am doing alright" He winked at Jude before handing a video game "I make video games for a living and am doing alright! You're the brains behind this game. I remember you telling me about a game you'd like to see. I made it happen. So I want you to have a copy before it hits the shelves."
Jude's eyes lit up as he took the game and turned it over looking at the back "Whoa! Thank you Charlie! This is so awesome!"
"You're getting so big Jude, I can't believe it! I have to go, but maybe we'll catch up soon. Have a good day okay?"
Jude nodded "Thank you!" He grabbed his sand and tucked his video game under his arm proudly "Have a great day!"
Charlie ruffled Jude's hair before disappearing.
Jude headed back to campus running into Callie in the hallways "Callie!" He said eagerly handing her the video game. "Look what I got!"
Callie smiled at him "Whatever it is, it's making you smile." She said taking the game. "Whoa, cool. Where'd you get this?"
"Charlie!" He exclaimed "I haven't seen him in years, but he said you met up? Why didn't you tell me?"
Callie froze color draining from her face "What?"
"Yeah, he designs video games!" Jude rambled on "And this was the game, he and I made up a few years ago! He listened to me"
Callie still had the game in her hands threw open the box quickly grabbing the disk snapping it instsntly, causing Jude to gasp as he jaw dropped! "Callie!" He yelled as he shoved her a little bit. "Why did you do that?" His eyes filled with tears as he tried to reach for the game. "That was the meanest thing you've ever done!"
"You can't have this game Jude!" Callie yelled back keeping the pieces away from her brother as he tried to get them.
"You're being mean!" He yelled as he jumped. "And you're being stupid!"
"You have to stay away from him Jude" Callie yelled
"I am telling on you" He yelled "You're being mean! What did I ever do to you? Or Charlie? He was our friend!"
"Hey! Hey!" Lena's voice was heard coming around the corner. When she got a report from a student that had rushed by that kids were fighting in the hallway she wasn't expecting to see her own kids fighting, especially Jude and Callie."
Jude ran his shoulder into Callie making her stumble backwards "Give it back! It's mine! You ruined it! You ruin everything you touch! You're so mean."
Callie snapped the game again "Stay away from him Jude! I mean it! This is not a joke!"
"Hey, young lady" Lena grabbed Callie's wrists and took the pieces of the game out and held them in her own hand She then grabbed Jude and pushed him back slightly stopping him from ramming his shoulder into his sister again. "And you sir, just as we don't throw things at our siblings, we don't ram our shoulders into them either!"
"But she broke my game!" He yelled as he glared at Callie before looking at Lena to fix it. "She's being mean!"
Lena turned to Callie, it wasn't like Callie to pick on Jude she normally protected him not tormented him. "Why on earth did you break his game?" She then turned to Jude 'And why do you have a game at school?"
"Charlie gave it to him" Callie hissed at Lena giving her a glare "So fix it."
"Hey" Lena warned "Callie, go to my office, and call mom"
"But"
"Now!" Lena demanded in her no nonsense tone pointing her finger down the hall.
Callie exhaled and rolled her eyes before she left to do what she was told.
"She is being crazy mean!" Jude looked up at Lena, tears in his eyes "She's never mean to me."
"Baby, it's complicated" Lena said getting to his level putting the broken game pieces on the ground for the time being. "I need you to trust me, you trust me don't you?"
Jude wiped at his eyes and nodded "Yeah"
"I need you to stay away from Charlie, if he comes near you again, come to me. People change baby, and he's not who you think he is. Please buddy. We can talk more at home."
Jude sighed "She didn't have to break the game!" He mumbled
"You're right" Lena ran her thumb over his cheek. "Let me be the mom, though. You don't shove your sister."
Jude hung his head "Sorry mom"
Lena scanned the halls and saw no kids so she leaned in and kissed him "Now go to class buddy, no more worrying. It's okay"
Jude looked at the broken game on the ground before letting out a sigh before he walked to class with his head hanging down.
Lena's heart broke, her child was clearly hurt but the morning, and her other child was in her office seething. This was becoming a nightmare.
