Chapter 21.

Callie opened her bedroom door to find Serena standing in the hall, looking forlorn. "Listen," she said. I'm sorry for freaking out on you before. Can we talk?"

"Yeah," Callie replied. "Come on in." She stepped back to let the older girl inside.

Serena looked around the room, nervously. "Again, I'm sorry," she apologized. "I'm just really stressed out lately, you know? I'm turning eighteen in a week, then I'll be leaving here, and I'll be on my own... it's a lot to deal with, and then being reminded of the past like that... do you forgive me?"

"Sure," said Callie. "I get it. So... you're getting out of here? You're so lucky. I'd give anything to go home." She couldn't help but feel jealous of the other girl's eventual freedom. It didn't seem fair that someone who didn't seem to want to leave, got to. While she, who'd never wanted anything as badly as she wanted to leave, had to stay. She wished she could reverse their roles.

"That's because you have a home to go to," Serena told her. "When most of us get out of here, myself included, we have no one to go back to. This is my home. So, you're really the lucky one."

"Oh," said Callie, blushing, and regretting her spiteful thoughts. "I'm sorry." She shifted uncomfortably. "I live with a foster family. My little brother, too. But I'm pretty sure they're going to keep us, if I ever get out of here."

"Tell me about your family," Serena asked, smiling sadly. Callie didn't know the older girl's story, but she thought maybe she was thinking about her own family.

"My little brother's name is Jude," said Callie. "He's twelve, and adorable. My foster moms are Stef and Lena. Stef's a cop, but she's cool. Lena's the assistant principal at my old school. Then, there's Brandon. He's..." She paused, not sure how she should describe him. "He's really great. He's Stef's biological son, and he's a super-talented musician. Then, there's the twins. Mariana and Jesus. They're fifteen. And that's everyone, I guess." She wiped a stray tear from her eye when she was finished speaking.

Serena nodded, knowingly, placing her hand on Callie's shoulder. "Hey... don't cry. You'll see them again. Really." She was quiet for another long moment, then glanced at Callie. "So... the Olmsteads. I have a feeling I know where this is going, but I want to hear what you have to say."

"Well," Callie explained. "I recognized your picture from one of Mrs. Olmstead's picture albums. She kept pictures of all the kids she's fostered. I asked about you, and she told me you left their house a few weeks before I got there." She sighed, not sure where to begin. "Anyway, this is really hard to talk about, but you know Liam? The Olmstead's son? Well, he, uh... he did something to me while I was living there. And I just met another girl who, Sarah, who he was trying to do the same thing to. I wondered if, maybe... he'd done it to other foster girls before us. Like, maybe you?"

Serena looked down, her brow furrowed. "If you want to know if Liam raped me too, then yes. He did." She stood up, pacing around the room, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I'm sorry if my question upset you," Callie told her. "I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay," said Serena. "I'm sorry it happened to you, too. It makes me sick how he goes after girls like us. I guess he thinks we're easy targets. He's smart... he knows no one will believe a trashy foster kid over him. So he gets away with it." She sat down on Callie's desk chair, and began to tell her story. It was, Callie quickly learned, much like her own. "It's taken me a long time to move on," she finished. "But I'm not like you. You seem strong. And it sounds like you have a lot of people who love you. You'll be okay."

I'll be okay, Callie thought. That was a new idea, and with it came a grain of hope. She'd always thought she was damaged beyond repair. But maybe she wasn't such a lost cause after all? She smiled gratefully at Serena. "We'll both be okay."

Meanwhile, the phone rang at the Foster's. Stef picked it up, and found it was Bill. Hearing his voice, her heart fluttered momentarily with hope that there was some progress on Callie's case. She and Lena had recently met with their lawyer, and the counselor had faxed a statement, as well. But her optimism about the nature of the call faded all too soon, because almost immediately, Bill told her he had some bad news. "We've received a letter from Callie's counselor," he explained. "But unfortunately, Child Services can't use it to remove Callie from the group home. I'm sorry."

"So, what's next?" Stef asked, determined. "Because I'm still not going to give up."

"I didn't think you would," said Bill. "And that's why I wanted to run an idea by you. I'm telling you right out... it's a long-shot. But if it works, you could have Callie home in a matter of days."

"I'm listening," said Stef. "Go on."

To Be Continued