Chapter 14

"Ali sweetheart, can you come in here a moment," Lena calls out to her daughter, mid-conversation with Stef when she hears the back door close and the now signature sound of soccer boots hitting the kitchen floor.

Ali takes a deep breath knowing that she hasn't yet been punished for skipping class this morning, and makes her way into the living room. Here she finds her moms snuggled closely on the couch – they'd been doing that a lot since her recent injury, trying to take and give comfort to one another simultaneously.

"Did I hear soccer boots hitting my clean floor again?" Stef pulls away slightly from Lena and positions herself so that she's facing Ali, shuffling uncomfortably in the doorway.

"I didn't get a chance to clean them after last week's match." Ali explains, shoving her hands into the front pockets of her jeans, "Don't worry, I cleaned them outside. I know you freaked out last time." She smirks slightly at the look of disgust on Lena's face.

"And with good reason," Lena laughs slightly, remembering her outburst, "There was mud in the bath for days."

"I remember. You had me scrubbing it for a week." Ali smiles as she finally steps into the room.

"As long as cleaning your boots was the only soccer-related activity you were doing." Stef smiles at Ali but the tone of her voice is authoritative – the one she reserves for warnings before going into full-blown telling-off.

"I know mom. 6 weeks of no soccer is bad enough without you having to remind me daily." Ali moans and begins to scrunch up her nose in disgust but the action has her wincing in pain.

"Honey come here." Lena opens her arms up and Ali readily accepts, moving towards the couch and into Lena's warm embrace. She leans the good side of her face against her mom's chest while Lena places a soft kiss in her hair, "You know we only keep reminding you because you'd be on that pitch in seconds." Lena jokes, a sad smile creeping onto her face.

Ali nods into the hug, "Sorry." She whispers so quietly that both women have to lean in to hear her as she continues, "I shouldn't have gone a-wall this morning."

"I'm not going to lie to you. You terrified me when I couldn't find you." Lena speaks in a hushed tone, careful to not overwhelm Ali, "But I get that you needed some space and I'm proud of you for realising that."

"Wait," Ali looks up to her mom, confusion knitting her eyebrows together, "You're not angry?"

"No, actually we're not." Stef places a hand gently onto Ali's lower back, "Don't get me wrong you'll be doing the dishes alone for the next week but I think no soccer is punishment enough, don't you?" Stef jokes, causing Lena and Ali to laugh.

The next day Ali finds herself enjoying a morning of no beach runs as she snuggles deeper under her covers. She can hear Mariana beginning to wake up – her distinctive rustling of sheets a give-away sign – and decides it's safe to get up without her sister moaning that she'd woken her as she apparently has done every morning for the last three years.

As Ali tip-toes towards the bathroom door, the rustling ceases and she prepares herself for Mariana's glare of death as she turns around. But instead, she finds her little sister, legs dangling off the edge of the bed and her head hanging in shame. Ali quickly moves to join Mariana on her bed.

"Hey, are you okay?" Ali whispers, not wanting to wake anyone else up.

"Am I okay?" Mariana half-laughs, still not meeting her gaze.

"Well, yeah that's kind of what I meant." Ali jokes, trying to ease the tension as usual, "Look, if this is about yesterday I know that you didn't mean what you said. I was having a bad day and overreacted."

"But I should've realised before I said it. I should have been more careful." Mariana speaks quickly, trying to get her point across, still not believing that Ali has forgiven her.

"Woah, slow down." Ali places an arm around Mariana and waits for her sister to relax into her side, "I don't want you to filter what you say in front of me, okay? No walking on eggshells…please."

The room falls silent and they stay huddled close together as they listen to the house come alive. Mariana is the first to break the silence.

"You should hurry up if you want a shower before Jesus claims the bathroom," Mariana speaks more confidently and it makes Ali's heart grow with pride at her sister beginning to act like herself again.

"Nah, we've got a few more minutes before he wakes." Ali looks at the clock on her desk, "He's only hit snooze three times."

"Brandon, the table's vibrating." Mariana snaps at her older brother as the family gathers around the table for breakfast.

"What?" Brandon suddenly becomes aware of many pairs of eyes on him, making his leg shake even more. Lena reaches across and gently places her hand on Brandon's knee to stop him.

"Hey, it's alright to be nervous, B." Lena smiles warmly, only removing her hand once Brandon has finally regained control of his lower limbs.

"I know." Brandon tries to brush off the comment but fails miserably – his glass shaking in his hand giving him away, "Look, alright I'm a little nervous but that's normal, right?"

"Yes, sweetie." Lena nods.

"What time do we have to be ready for again?" Ali mumbles through a mouthful of toast.

"Don't speak while eating please," Lena sighs, shaking her head, "Around six should give us plenty of time to get to there. Oh, and before I forget, I've left your suit hung up on the bannister." She turns to make sure her eldest is paying attention.

A few hours later, Ali finds herself in her last class of the day – biology with Miss Wakefield, one of the nicest teachers at Anchor Beach. After the instructions for today's practical have been explained the classroom erupts with noise as everyone begins to work.

"You're still staying over tonight, right?" Ali asks as she turns on the Bunsen burner on her first attempt with a smug smile.

"Show off." Rachel laughs, placing the flame under the water-bath, "And of course I am. I've got my bag packed and all so no going back now."

"You know this will only be the third time I've met your mom," Ali says, her voice ending on a higher register than normal.

Noticing this, Rachel places a test tube into the now boiling water and turns to face her girlfriend, "Hey, she loves you." Rachel whispers, placing her hand in the small of Ali's back, grateful that they'd decided to move to the back of the lab which gave them a bit more privacy.

"Yea, Ali the best friend. I don't think she'd be too fond of Ali the girlfriend." She sighs in frustration, "I'm sorry. It's just that I hate lying about us."

"I know Al but I can't tell her…not yet anyway." Rachel takes a deep breath, glancing to check on their experiment, "That's one of the reasons I love staying at yours. I can just be me." Ali responds by finally relaxing into her side, instantly calming Rachel.

Ali opens her bedroom door to chaos. Who knew getting two adults and three teenagers dressed and out the door by six would be so difficult and clearly stressful for all involved – well, not including Ali or Jesus who've been ready since half five.

Finally, as six o'clock draws near, and Mariana has changed at least three times, the Adams Foster clan are man-handled into the car. Arriving at school not long after they immediately stumble upon a very pale Brandon dressed smartly in his black-tie.

"You look very handsome." Stef smiles proudly, smoothing down his shirt collar, "and you'll smash this recital."

"Thanks, mom." Brandon blushes as he wriggles out of her grasp, "I've got to go set up so I'll see you after."

Stef and Lena watch as Brandon walks back into the main hall, "It feels like yesterday I dropped him off at kindergarten and now he's doing his senior project. God, he'll be in college before we know it" Stef turns teary eyed to face Lena, who takes Stef's hands in her own and squeezes them gently before leading her inside, causing the three teens behind them to follow.