AN- Thank you again for your amazing feedback. The chapters I struggle with the most and worry about are the ones you guys seem to love the most. You have no idea how much that helps build up my confidence! You guys are just simply the best! Inspiring me all the time! I can't do this with out you! Trauma and grief are really interesting things and each person handles it differently. One moment you think everything is getting better the next it's getting worse it's a battle. What I love most about this though is this family works together even though it's painstakingly hard! THANK YOU AGAIN
The Fosters
"Oh mama snuggles! My favorite can I join in?" Stef asked as she appeared in the doorway after being sent by the boys to hurry Lena and Callie along.
"mmmhmm" Lena said softly. Neither Callie nor Lena had said anything in over ten minutes they were just sitting together quietly Callie in Lena's arms holding onto her tightly.
Stef smiled as she came all the way into the room and climbed over Lena and Callie making the perfect mama sandwich as she wrapped her arms around Callie resting her chin on Callie's shoulder. "Have I mentioned this is my favorite?"
Lena smiled "Once or twice over the years."
"You two doing alright?" Stef asked as she moved some hair from Callie's face.
"We were just enjoying the quiet" Lena explained letting Stef know they hadn't talked.
"I see" She smiled "I hate to break up this moment but I have two boys down stairs antsy for some Fro yo."
Callie gave Stef a quizzical look as she pulled herself out of Lena's arms.
"We didn't get that far" Lena admitted as she too sat up "I am going to go grab my sweater. I'll meet you downstairs."
"Sure love" Stef watched as Lena patted Callie's leg before swinging her feet over the side of the bed to stand up.
"Lena wait" Callie said reaching for her hand
Lena paused as Callie's fingertips brushed her hands she turned and looked down at the girl. Again she saw big brown eyes wild untamed hair that fallen from the braid Stef had put in the night before. She didn't see a teenager in that moment she saw a terrified little girl. She watched as Callie's mouth opened but no words came out. She tried again and again before pulling her hand away from Lena and clearing her throat shaking her head. "Sorry about the ear comments. I won't listen to my music that loud anymore."
Lena and Stef both knew that's not what the child was going to say. They knew Callie was struggling with herself but they knew they couldn't push her. Patients and love was going to be what got to Callie. "Thank you for your apology" She smiled "Its okay babe" She assured her. "See you down stairs." She cleared her throat to Stef and motioned to the desk where Callie's lunch sat. Stef glanced then gave Lena a wink letting her know she got the message.
"So Fro yo?" Callie asked as she too climbed off her bed.
"We're going for dinner love" Stef smiled as she got up and headed to Callie and Mariana's closet. She grabbed a sweatshirt and tossed it to the teen "You know those shops are freezing" Callie nodded as she slipped on a pair of flip flops and held the sweater in her hand.
"You're letting us have ice cream for dinner?" She questioned "Better yet, Lena's letting us have ice cream for dinner?"
"It's frozen yogurt sport" Stef said pushing her towards the door "Much healthier! Get down stairs to your siblings hustled" She play swatted Callie's behind as Callie squeaked in surprise before letting out a giggle. "Okay" She held up her hands before dashing out of the room quickly.
Stef turned around and grabbed Callie's lunch dishes to bring to the kitchen "Oh Callie girl" She sighed really noting how little her daughter ate "What are we going to do with you kid? Please stop trying to control everything" She muttered to herself "Let us take care of you."
The Fosters The Fosters The Fosters
"Hey B" Stef greeted as the troop entered the frozen yogurt store "Thank you guys for joining us" She smiled to Mike as he and Brandon reserved two tables.
"Miss a rare opportunity where moms are letting us have fro yo for dinner?" Brandon asked as he stood to greet his family "Never"
"We thought it was a great idea" Mike agreed.
"Sorry we're late" Lena apologized "Apparently for this group walking three blocks is challenging."
Mariana rolled her eyes "I am sorry, I made us turn back. I couldn't enter this place without my favorite lip gloss"
"And I am sorry but that little Garden snake was cool"
"It was" Callie agreed pulling out her phone to show Brandon the close up pictures she'd managed to get before Lena quickly pulled her away rushing them to the other side of the street.
"Whoa" Brandon thumbed through the photos on her phone "Those are some awesome shots Callie"
She nodded "Would have gotten more but someone's mom freaked out."
"Hush" Lena warned narrowing her eyes at the teen who giggled "Lena, it was harmless"
"I don't care. It's still a snake out in the open where my children were walking"
"Alright gang, I am hungry" Stef said stepping between Callie and Lena's playful bickering "Get your cups and fill up. Enjoy this night"
"AWESOME" Jesus exclaimed grabbing Jude by the arm and dragging him with him telling him how to load up on the toppings.
"They are going to be on a sugar high Stefanie" Lena shook her head
"Eh, they'll run it off on the way home" She smiled "If not I'll hose them off outside with the cold water."
Lena rolled her eyes "Nice dear" She shook her head as she found Mariana coming up to them "Come on mama" She whispered "Get some fro yo with me please" Her eyes looking a little bigger then normal.
Lena nodded "Sure baby" She said leading her away.
Stef checked on the boys watching them all and Mike load their cups to the brim. Maybe Lena was right. Maybe they would be on a sugar high. Her eyes then traveled to Callie who had less in her cup then Stef would give to a toddler.
She approached the girl and reached out her finger snaking around the girls belt loop as she pulled her back to her. Keeping her in close to her body as she whispered into her ear to not cause a scene "Sweet girl, this probably going to be one of the only times you ever hear me say this. You need to put more in your cup then just that. If you can't fill a decent amount on your own. I'll do it for you" She said seriously "Do you understand?"
"I am not really hungry Stef" Callie mumbled pulling out of Stef's grip.
"Alright, I am going to do it for you" Stef said taking Callie's bowl from her hands and then leading her to where new bowls were she grabbed one for herself as well "Come with me baby. Help me figure out what's best for us."
"I can do it myself Stef" Callie said reaching for her bowl
"You're going to stay by my side and we're going to do this together." She said seriously "Callie you have one bite of yogurt in your bowl. I am not saying you have to load up as much as the crazy boys" Her eyes traveling to where the boys were dumping more toppings on. If you had at least half a cup with some fruit on top I'd feel better. Heck Callie I'd even stop at the burger place next door and get you a burger as long as you eat."
"I am just not hungry" Callie almost whined which was not normal for her.
"I know baby, but sometimes we have to do things when we don't feel it. Eating is one" Stef looked to Callie "Baby doll you're going to get sick if you don't eat. I don't want my Callie girl sick"
Callie sighed and nodded "K" She mumbled
"Let's do this together then" Stef said finally handing the girl her bowl back.
"The cake batter is good" Callie mumbled as the hand that wasn't holding her bowl came up and rubbed the bridge of her nose.
"Noted" Stef said with a grin.
They were just walking up to the cash register to pay when a little girl behind them with a balloon tied to wrist brought it in for a hug squeezing it a little too tight causing it to pop with a bang sound echoing the establishment.
The sudden loud noise made Lena jump causing her to drop her bowl while Mariana let out a scream dropping her bowl as well before plugging her ears and tucking her chin into her chest as she began to rock back and forth a little while Callie shot out of the frozen yogurt store as fast as she could while Stef stood in shock for a moment.
The little girl behind them was wailing over her lost balloon and the reactions of those around her.
"It was just a balloon popping!" The mother exclaimed "Not the end of the world. No need for dramatics" She muttered out loud as she dropped to her knees to try and comfort her daughter.
"They were in the Anchor Beach School shooting yesterday!" Jude defended. "Up close and personal, we were just trying to have a family night put it past us. It just startled them!"
The color drained from the woman's face as she lifted her crying child into her arms hugging her tight after hearing about the lives lost in that shooting. "I am sorry" She said softly as she tried to hush her daughter.
"There is no right way of healing" Jude mumbled as Brandon cane up behind him wrapping his arms around him "It's okay buddy."
Stef looked around and saw that Jesus and Mike had ran out after Callie. She approached Mariana who had started to cry now "Baby it's okay" She whispered into her ear while her eyes stayed on Lena who stood in shock as she pulled Mariana all the way into her arms. Wishing she could pick her up again like she did when she was little.
"I am sorry Lena" Stef whispered "Maybe, I pushed this too soon"
Lena blinked several times before kneeling down to pick up her and Mariana's cups. "No it's fine Stef it was just a balloon. We're fine"
"I want to go home mommy" Mariana whimpered in Stef's arms "I want to go home now"
"I have to pay for this, then we can go"
"No" The lady behind her holding the small child on her hip "I'll pay for it"
"Me too" Someone else said behind her.
"Me too' One of the cashiers said as she pulled out some vouchers "And come again please."
Lena's eyes filled with tears as did Stef's "Oh Thank you" Stef said softly
"I am sorry" The lady turned towards Mariana and Lena "I am sorry you had to live through that. It's every parent's worst fear. Are you a teacher at the school?"
Lena cleared her throat not wanting to talk about it right now. Not wanting people to know she failed kids yesterday.
"She's the vice principal" Jude smiled proudly "She's the best one, and she saved my sister's yesterday"
"Any mother would" The lady nodded as Brandon could Lena was about to lose it so he walked over to her grabbing her hand "Come on mama lets go see if my Dad has Callie. She's going to need you."
Lena nodded and allowed Brandon to lead her out of the store.
"I am sorry" Stef said as she instructed Jude to grab their stuff "Our family didn't mean to put a damper on your evening. We were just trying..."
"To be a family" A man said in line "We understand, this town is a community. Don't apologize. Just get that sweet little girl home and tuck her into her bed and kiss her an extra time tonight."
"Thank you again" Stef nodded as she guided Mariana to the door waiting for Jude to catch up. "Come on handsome lets figure out where your sister ran off too" She sighed "Hopefully Mike or Jesus caught her" She whispered to herself.
She ushered her two youngest children out the door to meet Lena and Brandon on the sidewalk. "Where did Callie go?"
Lena shook her head "I don't know she bolted and we stayed in the store frozen. My kid bolted and I was frozen because a balloon popped."
"Love" Stef held out an arm that wasn't holding onto Mariana "Don't beat yourself up. It is not your fault"
Lena moved to Stef and allowed her to hug her to her side.
"If it's anyone's fault it's mine" She exhaled "I am the one that thought having frozen yogurt for dinner was a good idea."
"It was good mom" Jude said looking up at her his eyes wide "We had fun on the way here, and when Mike bought ours we had fun eating it" Evidence of chocolate still on his face. Which Lena ended up reaching out and wiping his mouth with her thumbs as she gave a small smile "I am glad you had fun."
"Your daughter should be on the track team" Mike called out as he ran back to the group trying to catch his breath.
"She's fast, she's a runner in life. She gets spooked she runs" Stef sighed "Where is she?"
"Jesus should also be on a track team" He smiled "He caught her. Stopped her. The two are headed back to the house together. Come on I'll give you a ride" He pointed to his car
"Jude and I will walk back" Brandon offered "Since dad's car only seats five and it's only two blocks"
"You still spending the night with me Bud?" Mike asked opening the car door for the ladies
Brandon nodded "I was planning on it"
"Okay, I'll wait for you at your mother's for you two"
"Be careful please" Stef said turning to Brandon once Lena and Mariana were in the car "Mama is nervous about you two walking home by yourselves. I can tell. Make it quick please"
"Sure mom" Brandon nodded as looked to Jude "We've got this don't we?"
Jude nodded "We'll be fine"
"See you in a few minutes" Stef winked at them before climbing in with her wife and daughter.
After watching the car pull out Jude sighed "This is going to be a long road isn't it?"
Brandon nodded "Unfortunately kid" He wrapped his arm around his shoulder "But we have each other and that's what really counts. We'll help them."
Jude nodded with a smile "We will! We'll take care of them. Because we're family"
The Fosters
FB
Dana looked at her phone in her hands wishing Lena was still on the other end. Hearing her daughter's broken voice on the other line about hit her heart in a way it never had been hit before. She'd never felt so helpless before. She waited a few minutes to gather her emotions before dialing Sharon's number.
"Have you talked to the kids?" She asked the minute Sharon had answered. "Lena just called. She sounded so.." She paused and listed to Sharon explain Stef had texted that they were all fine and she'd call the minute she could to explain the situation.
Dana nodded "They did all make it out" She nodded "But Lena told me the girls were in the shooting and saw things up close. Sharon my daughter sounded broken. My strong Lena Elizabeth sounded broken. I can't take it as a mother. I can't take being far away and not being able to help." She paused "She told me she wanted it to be just her and the kids" She took a deep breath "But I know my daughter and she's just shutting me out. I can't stay away. I think I am going to fly out this weekend. Even if she only lets me see her once. It'll be worth it."
She listened as Sharon agreed to what Dana was saying. She was thinking about flying out during the weekend as well. She was going to say more but Stef rang in on her line ending the call.
Dan hung up the phone and turned her attention back to the TV which was showing news reports from the Anchor Beach Shooting. Her stomach turned as she watched body bags being wheeled out of the school that her daughter worked at. That her grandchildren attended. It could have been so easily one of her babies being wheeled out in a body bag. She didn't care what Lena said. She needed to hug those babies. She needed to touch Lena's beautiful skin with her hands hold her face in her hands as she kissed her forehead and remind her how loved she was. She needed to see her daughter. If she hadn't be aware before this she was aware now just how fragile life was. She wasn't going to waste a minute of it. She was going to go love and spoil those babies, but first she had to track down her husband and let him know that his beautiful little girl and precious grandchildren were alright. She was sure he was just pacing an office waiting for news on his daughter. Just as she had been. That had to be the most crippling few hours of her life. Knowing there was a shooting and not getting any answer from Lena. Voice mail each time she had called had killed her. She had managed to get a hold of Brandon during this time. She had found out the boys were safe but not knowing about the girls about Lena that had been brutal. So phone calls to make then planning a trip to see her daughter was on the top of her list and buying as many I love you gifts as she could for those babies.