This chapter officially marks the longest story I have posted! I feel like I am not even close to finishing this story and all my amazing readers and reviewers keep me motivated! Here is some Christmas fluff...thinking I might do a Callie Brandon fluff piece before we get back to the drama...what do you think? Read, review and enjoy!
Christmas Eve in the Foster household brought a sense of peace and happiness that had been missing in recent days. Callie felt like a new person determined not to let any outside factors affect the holidays with her family. She actively and happily participated in all the Foster traditions including CinnAbon classic cinnamon rolls breakfast, helping out at a local soup kitchen serving brunch to homeless and struggling families, a visit to the town Christmas tree, a trip to a local group home to drop of some present and then back home for dinner and exchanging secret Santa presents. Stef and Lena learned early on it was much easier getting a house full of excited kids to sleep if they were exhausted from a busy day of activities.
Stef mumbled something incoherent as the sun beaming through the window was starting to hit her face. She peaked an eye open and was soon able to focus on the big red numbers of the clock on her night stand, 8:17am. It was early, however for this day it was relatively late.
"Babe," she softly murmured.
"I am awake," Lena acknowledged shifting slightly on her side of the bed.
"It is pretty late," she informed her better half.
"I know….maybe he won't do it this year."
No sooner had they said that did they hear feet running down the hallway. Stef and Lena quickly made space just in time for the door to fly open and Jude leapt onto the bed, flopping between his two moms.
"It's Christmas," Jude informed with a bright smile.
"Merry Christmas sweet," Stef said kissing his forehead.
"Merry Christmas snuggerbug," Lena said tickling him from behind.
Jude laughed happily before sliding off the bed.
"Come on lets go everyone is already awake," he said running down the stairs.
Stef and Lena couldn't help but laugh as they sat up still coming to terms with the fact they would need to get themselves together and head downstairs.
"I hope he never outgrows his Christmas excitement. I love he still gets excited about Christmas morning and I love how all the kids still look online to track where Santa is in the world. Our kids are pretty great."
"Yeah, I think I will keep them," Stef smiled giving Lena a kiss. "Now let's go before we get a second warning."
Stef and Lena walked into the family room where the kids were littered around the room. Jude was sitting on the floor in front of the tree, Jesus and Mariana were on the couch and Callie and Brandon were snuggled on the love seat both drinking coffee.
"Rough night," Stef asked with a smirk?"
"Not so much as a super early wake up call," Brandon glared at Jude who sheepishly smiled.
"All right well let mama and I get a cup of coffee and then we can get this show on the road….why don't you kids start with your stockings."
Stef and Lena laughed as Jude jumped off the floor and gave the stocking to his siblings. The moms took a moment to themselves in the kitchen and just listened to the joy and laughter coming from the other room. They finally joined their family, snuggling side by side in their new chair and a half and got the present exchange underway. It took nearly an hour for the family of 7 to get through a majority of the presents….however they all knew the best was saved for last.
"All right Jesus this one is for you….just remember what we givith and can takith away," Stef informed her son.
Jesus smiled and tore the paper off the large box.
"No waaay," Jesus nearly yelled. "How did you get one of these….they are like sold out everywhere," he added turning the PS4 box in his hand making sure it was real.
"We have had it for about 2 months now…ordered one when it first came out."
"Seriously….this has been in the house for two months and I didn't know it."
"I will not confirm or deny where that was stored."
"Mooooooom."
"Jesuuuuuus."
"Ok children," Lena said reigning them in. "Merry Christmas Jesus."
"Thanks moms this is great."
"Ok miss thing this is for you," Lena said handing over the package.
Mariana, while a little more controlled then Jesus, tore into her present. Once the paper was pushed aside Marian looked over the gift which was in parts. The first part was a full nail kit with multiple colors and a manicure set. The second part was a facial kit with various scrubs, lotions and a loofah. The last piece was in an envelope and once Mariana read it over her face lit up.
"A full day at the spa," Marian turned to her moms to confirm.
"Yup for you a friend you get the full spa treatment…massages, manicure, pedicure, facial, hair cut/color and style….the works."
"Ahhhh I love it," Marian bounced hugging her moms.
Stef and Lena smiled having done so well with the first two kids….now for the other 3.
"All right buddy you're up," Stef said handing over the box to Jude.
"Thanks mom," Jude said as he carefully opened the present.
As excited as Jude was to open presents it was like he didn't want to destroy any part of it including what the gift was wrapped in.
"Wow is this mine," Jude asked?
"Yup, it is all your and don't let your brother tell you anything different," Stef said shooting a playful glare to Jesus.
"Whatcha got squirt," Jesus asked peering over Jude's shoulder.
"An ipad mini."
"What no way? I have been asking for one," Jesus said turning to his moms.
"And you have been begging for a PS4 which one would you like."
Jesus thought for a moment before hugging his PS4 box tighter.
"That's what I thought," Stef laughed.
"Last up…Callie and Brandon we got you a combined gift."
"I think I feel cheated…am I not good enough for my own present now," Brandon laughed.
"I don't think you will mind."
Brandon reached over to the retrieve the present and passed to on to Callie for her to open. Much like her brother, Callie carefully opened the present preserving the paper that surrounded it. She opened the small box containing a sheet of paper and a small envelope. Callie looked over the paper slightly confused and then popped open the envelope holding tickets.
"Oh my god," she gasped.
"What," Brandon asked curious?
"Oh my god," Callie stated again looking between the tickets and the paper.
"Callie come on your killing me here."
"These are two tickets to see The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and San Diego Symphony and a night at the Sheraton Suites Symphony Hall with dinner at Quinn's."
"Seriously," Brandon couldn't believe it looking over the papers in his girlfriends hands.
Stef and Lena sat back and smiled knowing they did well this year. Each year brought new challenges as interests changed and budgets fluctuated. The smiled on their kid's faces was all they needed…the end to another good Christmas.
"There is one more present left," Stef announced. "Jude can you go run up and get it for me."
Jude got a big smile on his face and took on for the stairs. Stef had entrusted Jude with this secret present and hiding place the night before. He was thrilled to be in on a secret no one else knew about it but him and his mom.
"Here you go mama."
Lana took the envelope from her son and looked at Stef slightly confused.
"I don't know if you can call it a Christmas gift per say, but without you it would not have been possible. You always encourage and support me. You make me want to be a better person and well…
Lena looked over the outside of the envelope seeing it was well worn and from San Diego State University. She didn't get what Callie's college had anything to do with it but thought maybe she just used an old envelope to store whatever was inside.
Lena took out the folder paper and flipped it open. Sure enough it was from San Diego State University which only leads to more confusion. Once she read the first few lines her eyes welled with tears.
"Maybe you want to read that out loud so the kids can share in the experience," Stef offered.
"Ohh right….Dear Stefanie Adams Foster, Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you of your admissions into San Diego State University starting Spring semester."
There was a silence that fell over the Foster household as they kids were in shock.
"Wait so you're going back to school," Marian asked?
"With Callie," Jesus questioned?
Stef looked at Lena who was smiling and bouncing with excitement.
"Yeah I am going back to school….it is something I have always wanted to do and mama encouraged me to go for it. I am only taking a class or two at a time so I am not quitting my job or anything. Yes, Callie and I will be at the same school but it's a very large campus and I will probably never see her with my limited time there."
"It's ok I don't mind. I think cool you're going back to school….you don't have to run in the other direction if you see me on campus," Callie joked.
"Thanks love."
"But maybe leave the cop uniform at home….it could really hinder your ability to make friends."
"Noted…thanks."
All the kids hugged and congratulated their mom.
"All right guys get your loot and take it to your room please," Lena informed everyone. "And make sure everything is put away before you start pulling your new stuff out…mom and I will be up in a minute to check."
The kids groaned but slowly and surely they grabbed all their new stuff and headed upstairs. Stef stood to gather whatever paper didn't make it into the trash can when Lena pulled her back down into a heated kiss.
"I am soo proud of you baby."
"Thanks love."
"How come you didn't tell me you were going to apply?"
"I guess I was scared of being rejected and then letting you down."
"You would never let me down….trying, failing, getting back up and continuing on is all a part of life."
"Once I got the letter I knew I wanted to give it to you today…keeping a secret for so long almost killed me."
"It was the best Christmas present ever."
Stef was about to kiss Lena again when a chime was heard from the table.
"Which one of them left their phone down here," Stef groaned for being interrupted?
"I don't know they usually all have them surgically attached to their hand."
The chime went off again signally the still unanswered message followed by another chime that a new message came in.
"I think that is Callie's phone," Lena said seeing the black phone laying on the table.
"CALLIE YOUR PHONE IS DOWN HERE," Stef called upstairs.
"Really Stef," Lena said annoyed her wife was engaging in the same behavior their kids did when she asked them to get someone upstairs.
"What? Instant intercom," Stef smile.
"No, intercoms actually get the intended person….yelling falls on deaf ears," Lena said referring to the little movement coming from upstairs.
The phone chimed again.
"Damn what is so important…doesn't this person get it is Christmas," Stef said snatching the phone off the table. "Oh hell no," Stef sighed.
"What?"
Stef held the phone up that displayed the number of the text message. They both knew who belonged to that number.
Meanwhile upstairs the gift exchange was not totally over yet.
"I have one more gift for you," Callie said hopping on Brandon's bed.
"Oh really," Brandon said with a smile. "I always like getting presents from you….but the watch you got me was enough…it's amazing."
"You're welcome….but this is kind of for us both," she said reaching under the bed and pulling out of box. "And it will actually go great with the present moms got us."
"And you couldn't give this to me downstairs?"
"I guess I could have," Callie said handing him the present but it might have been a little TMI."
Brandon was curious and opened the box revealing a black lace teddy. Brandon's eyes bugged out and he nearly fell off the bed.
"I umm….I don't think this will fit me," he smirked once he got his senses back.
"Very funny," she said playfully hitting him and grabbing the teddy back.
"It is for me….and for you to unwrap at a later date."
"Can you try it on now?"
"Nope….you're just going to have to wait."
"That is just cruel."
"And the gift just keeps on giving."
"I hope it gives more than once," Brandon said with a smile.
"If you're a good boy."
Brandon leaned over and kissed Callie. What was intended as a short kiss soon turned a little more passionate.
"We should probably take a little break," Brandon whispered pulling back just slightly from the kiss.
"Hmm Im sorry baby I didn't mean too," Callie said feeling how excited Brandon was getting and feeling back about that.
"It's ok…your just too damn sexy and I couldn't help but think about you in that teddy. When is that concert again?"
"Three days….think you can last that long?"
"Doubtful but I will try."
"What did I say about closing this door when you two are getting your horizontal hula on," Stef groaned standing in the doorway to her sons room.
"We aren't even kissing this time," Brandon pleaded.
"Hmmm I guess I will let you slide this time. I just came to drop Callie's phone off, you left it downstairs."
"Oh sorry…thanks," Callie said grabbing the phone.
Callie pressed the home button causing her phone to come to life. She saw there were no new messages and locked it again tossing it on the bedside table. Stef exited the room sighing knowing she was going to have to live with that she did but honestly believing it was for the best. Callie didn't need to know her dad tried to contact her today….she deserved a little more time just being a happy kid. Stef deleted the messages and was ready to accept the consequences if Callie ever found out.
