Stef POV
It was a late Valentine's day evening. Callie and Ethan went out on a date some 3 hours ago. Lena was kind enough to give her car to the young couple for the night, so they don't have to walk or call a cab. Ethan has had license since he was 16 and Callie vouched for his driving skills before Lena handed Ethan her car keys.
Everyone else was gathered in our bedroom. We were about to Skype with Brandon and everyone wanted to see him and talk to him for a little bit. The laptop stood in the middle of bed, but we were all sitting on the bed. Jesus was sitting on my right, Jude was on my other side. Next to Jude was Mariana, but Lena sat on the other side of Mariana.
Minute or two after we all saw how Brandon came online, Lena pressed a button to start a video call with him. We all anxiously waited for him to answer. It rang 4 times before Brandon picked up the video call.
"Heeey!" We all called together, when we saw Brandon appear on our screen. By the looks, B was sitting on his bed. There was wall behind him, I saw a corner of pillow beside him. It looked like the laptop was placed on his legs.
There was a small delay "Hey, guys!" Brandon called back waving his hand at the web camera "You all look cozy!"
"Did we wake you?" I asked once I noticed how messy his hair looked
"No, I was awake-" He replied, I wasn't sure if it was the lag on the video call or if he truly was hesitating with his reply "-practicing!" he ran his hand through his messy hair few times
"How is Julliard treating you?" Lena asked next, leaning a bit more into the frame
Brandon ran his hand over his face and sighed "Oh, man...it's hard. I'm so tired and stressed! All I want to do is sleep! I miss mama's cooking so bad!"
"Aw...we miss you too baby!" Lena smiled back at him
"We are so proud of you B!" I spoke up "Hang in there! We know it's hard, but remember, we all believe in you! We love you no matter what!"
"Thanks, mom! I needed to hear that,"
"Have you been to any parties yet?" Jesus asked "I heard that NY throws the wildest parties ever!"
"I wish I could say that I have," Brandon shook his head, he momentary looked somewhere over the laptop. To me it looked like he was looking to someone, who was out of shot, maybe sitting on the other end of the bed or standing in the middle of the room.
"I don't have the time to go to parties. Professors are trying to kill us. I have to write an original song by next week and I still need to learn how to play this one Bach piece. It's very complex," He once again looked off screens. I glanced to Lena, to see if she saw it as well. Lena looked back at me, asking me with her eyes, if I had seen it.
"Have you been to the Grand Central Park?" Mariana asked curiously. I remember Mariana telling Brandon on Christmas, he has to go see it and take lot of pictures. She also asked for a souvenir from there.
"Yeah, I went there today actually. We drove in the canal with the little boat, where you have to pedal yourself," Brandon showed the movement with his hands "It was a lot of fun. After that we went to the Zoo!"
"We?" Jude asked with a smirk on his lips. He obviously wasn't the only one who noticed that.
"What?" Brandon stuttered back, he looked like he was a deer caught in headlight. He obviously, hadn't meant to say we, it just slipped out, thus, giving out that he is seeing someone.
"You said we!" Mariana replied excited and started to drop questions one after another, without giving Brandon time to reply "Who did you go with? Was it a date? Do you meet someone new? What's her name?"
"Is she pretty?" Jesus asked next "On 1 to 10 how hot is she?" Brandon closed his eyes and shook his head lightly as his cheeks started to turn in a light shade of pink. His look confirmed it, he is seeing someone at NY.
"Where did you meet?" Jude continued dropping the questions "Do you have classes together? Does she play piano like you do? Is she better than you?" Brandon looked slightly stunned by all of the questions his siblings were dropping on him. By the looks, he was not prepared to answer any of them.
"What's her name?" Lena spoke up next, giving Brandon an easy one. He once again looked away from the web camera to someone else in the room.
"Is she there?!" I asked curiously, when I saw how he gave a small shoulder shrug to someone in the room "Come on, introduce us! We don't bite," But Brandon still hesitated
His hesitation gave Jude some doubts "You aren't embarrassed with us, are you?" Jude asked warily, when Brandon had been quiet for some few seconds
"Of course not, buddy! Why would I be embarrassed about you?" Brandon replied to Jude instantly
Jude shrugged back "Don't know," he looked down to his hands and said quietly "We aren't exactly the most traditional family," Jude looked up to the screen, I placed my hand on his shoulder and rubbed it gently "And we aren't exactly high class or rich or-"
B didn't allow Jude to finish his trail of thoughts "Hey! I love you guys! I couldn't wish for a better family. Trust me when I say, I am not embarrassed about you! I couldn't be more prouder to be an Adams Foster!"
Brandon lifted the laptop up and adjusted it a little closer to him "Jude, listen!" He paused a little before he continued sincerely "I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your adoption. I wish I could have. I really wanted to be there and see you become my brother officially. I'm truly sorry, that I missed it."
"It's okay, I understand. You were busy with studies and all that," Jude replied without any emotion, while keeping his eyes on his hands
"Hey, Jude!" B said and waited till Jude look up the screen "You can't even begin to imagine, how happy I am that I can call you my brother. I love having you as my baby brother!"
"I love you too, B!" Jude replied more cheerful, with a small smile on his lips. I leaned to him and placed a kiss to his temple while rubbing my hand up and down his back.
"Hold on, just a sec!" Brandon said and by the looks of the video he picked up his laptop and walked around his dorm room "I want to introduce you all to someone,"
"Be nice!" He whispered to us, when he popped back in the screen
"We are always nice!" I replied with a chuckle as I looked around my family. Everyone looked excited and eager to meet the mystery girl.
"Be on your best behavior!" Lena whispered as she looked around, but her look stopped on me
"You know us - we are saints!" Jesus called back with a smirk on his lips
"Aha...sure!" Brandon nodded back, knowing that's not entirely true. It can get pretty crazy around here in the Adams Foster home.
"Emily, meet my whole family! Family, meet Emily!" Brandon said and then turned the laptop to his side. It looked like they were both sitting on the end of the bed. We could see the headboard where he had been sitting seconds ago. By the little glance we got of his bed, it looked unmade and messy.
The girl that was sitting next to him, was wearing a white t-shirt. I had a feeling it could be Brandon's shirt, because the neckline looked to be too big for a girls shirt. Kind of like with Ethan's shirt on Callie.
"Hi!" the girl waved her hand shyly at us. Nice smile – that's the first thing I thought about her. She had dark brown, slightly curly hair that reached over her shoulders. Blue eyes.
We all greeted her back at the same time. I doubt she understood what either one of us said to her.
"It's nice meeting you, Emily!" Lena said kindly, after we had all spoken together "I'm Lena!" she placed her hand on her chest
"Yes, I know!" Emily smiled back "Brandon has showed me pictures of all of you!"
"You two look so cute together!" Mariana squeaked out happily "How long have you two been together?
Emily glanced to Brandon, before turning back to the web camera and smiling at us "Thank you!"
"Almost a month," Brandon replied to Mariana's question
"So, when you said you were practicing-" Jesus started but was interrupted by, well, everyone
"Dude!" Brandon called out and turned the camera away from Emily "Shut up!"
"It was nice meeting you Emily!" I called hoping Emily would hear me, when I knew Brandon would not turn the camera back to Emily after what Jesus tried to imply. Somewhere in the background I heard Emily replying the to me, but it was distant and not very clear.
Brandon walked with the laptop and I believe he sat down at his desk "So, moms, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked changing the subject away from him and Emily
"Oh!" it had slipped my mind that we called him for a reason "Right, right!" I glanced to Lena
I felt nervous, because I wasn't sure what the kids would think. Lena and I have been discussing the topic for some time now. More so today. After our little talk with Ethan this morning, Lena and I wanted to know how our kids would feel about asking Callie to join our family.
The way Callie came into our family was slightly different than it was with twins and Jude. Even though legally she's a grown up, Lena and I see her a kid. Our kid. Over the course of time we have gotten to known her and she has made her way into our hearts. We love her and we want go give her a family. Honestly, I can't imagine our lives without her. I don't even like the thought of not seeing walk through those doors every morning. In my eyes, Callie completes our family. She has a place at our table.
The first step we need to take, is to ask our kids, how would they feel about it. We were sure, Jude will be ecstatic. He has wanted for Callie to join the family from the start. Lena and I are more worried about twins and Brandon, because Callie had rough start with all three of them. The twins and Callie had clearly warmed up to one another over these last few weeks. Personally, I was more concerned about what Brandon will think. He hasn't had the time to get to know her, because he has spent most of his time in University in NY. B hasn't had the time to warm up to her.
"Mom and I had something we wanted to ask all of you," Lena said while looking at me. Because of the seriousness in Lena's voice, everyone was all ears. I saw how Brandon shifted nervously in his seat in the video. He now had his chin pressed to his closed fist.
"What is it?" Brandon asked with a serious facial expression
"So, mom and I have been thinking about expanding our family a little more," Lena said and then paused to see the reactions from the kids
"In what way?" Brandon was the first one to spoke up "Puppy or kids?" He asked making me chuckle "If you are getting a puppy, while I'm all the way over at NY- I'm going to be very upset with you!"
"Oh my gosh!" Mariana exclaimed and gripped Lena's hand "Are you going to use a donor and carry a baby like you have always wanted to?"
"No, we are not going to use a donor," Lena explained while looking down to her daughter
"So, a puppy then?" Mariana raised her eyebrow at Lena
"No puppy!" Lena clarified "Mom and I are thinking about another kid,"
"Are we not good enough for you?" Jude asked after a beat, his voice small, full of doubt and uncertainty. The look he gave me, broke my heart. Jude thought we are going to replace him.
"You are more than good enough! You are everything to us!" I said caressing his cheeks "You mean the world to us!" I assured Jude and looked around all of the kids "We love you all, more than you could ever imagine!"
"We can't imagine our lives without you. Mom and I are so happy we can call you our kids. We love you to pieces! You are all perfect to us!" Lena added to reassure the kids as she played with Mariana's hair that was taken in a pony tail
"But still...you want another kid?" Jesus asked warily "Why?"
"Because we already see her as part of our family!" Jude sat up a bit straighter by my statement and a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes. The twins shared a look with one another. They all sensed who we are talking about.
"She already is family," Lena added, gazing to Jude, who's eyes grew bigger and a smile started to slowly appear on his lips "She's Jude's sister!" Brandon shifted once he understood what we are talking about. I couldn't read how he felt about it.
I reach for Lena's hand and griped it tightly, yet gently in mine "Mama and I feel like-" I trailed off as I didn't quite now how to finish that sentence. In the end, I decided to start over "In our hearts, she feels like our daughter already,"
"Our love for her grew as we got to know her over the last couple of months," Lena said slowly, while looking around the kids "We love her and we believe we can give her the family that she needs and deserves!"
"Mama and I, would like to know, how would you feel if we asked Callie to join our little family?"
"You are serious right? You are not joking right?" Jude looked to me, holding back his excitement
"We are dead serious, buddy," I replied after I smiled to Lena
"Yes!" he exclaimed out loud "Yes!"
Lena and I looked to the twins, who were very quiet for the moment "How do you guys feel about it?" Lena asked, her brows raised lightly as she looked to them hoping to hear another two - yes
Mariana glanced to her twin and they had a small conversation with their eyes "To me, she already feels like family. I'm used to seeing her every morning at breakfast table and every evening at dinner table! It would be weird if she wasn't there," Jesus stated after a little while of thinking about it
"If I have to be completely honest-"Mariana started, but then suddenly paused, making my heart faster fearing what she is about to say. I noticed that Jude was looking at Mariana with fear in his eyes as well. Neither Lena, nor I said anything, we allowed Mariana to speak at her own pace.
"I have always wanted to have a sister. A big sister sounds even better!" I breathed out relieved and glanced to Lena, who looked just as happy as I was about Mariana's answer
"Brandon?" We all turned to the screen
"Isn't Callie 18?" He asked after a moment
"She is," I replied to his questions, but Lena picked up after that "Family is for life, not only till you are 18,"
"No, no...I know that," Brandon answered, while looking down to the table. When he looked back up, he continued, while speaking in slightly slower manner than usually "She grew out of foster care. Can you even adopt someone who isn't…legally a kid...a foster kid anymore?"
"It's called adult adoption," Lena explained to him "It's basically the same thing as normal adoption. The only different would be that we wouldn't need for her biological parents to sign away their parental rights over her. If she agrees, then all we need to do is sign few papers and go to court,"
"Do you even know if she wants to be adopted?" He questioned further
Lena and I share a look, before I reply "We haven't asked her yet, but we have a strong feeling that she does. Underneath that thick shell, that strong front, Callie is just like any other kids, who wants to be loved and wants to belong somewhere. Just because she doesn't show it, doesn't mean she doesn't want it."
Brandon ran his hands across his face and leaned back in his chair. He crossed his arms on his chest and took a second to think about it.
"B, if you don't want mama and I to adopt her, you can say it. We don't want you to-"
"There is enough to go around," He said interrupting me, leaning closer to the laptop "There is enough to go around!" B repeated in a whisper as he nodded
I kissed my fingers and blew a kiss for him. Brandon pretended to catch the kiss mid air and then placed his hand, in which he had caught my kiss, on his cheek.
"Thank you Brandon," Lena said, when she turned the laptop slightly to her
"You don't need to thank me, mama! I can tell you both have enough love for all of us. I don't mind sharing. Callie clearly needs someone like you two in her life,"
We had just gotten 4 approvals. Now all we needed was to have a serious talk with Callie about the question.
"Come here, y'all!" I opened my arms and welcomed all of my family in. Jude flew in my arms first. I kissed his forehead, before Jesus leaned in the hug as well. Lena hugged Mariana before they both joined our hugs.
February 15th
I was standing in the bathroom, by the sink and mirror, making my hair "Did you hear Callie come home last night?" I asked Lena as I finished doing my hair
"Yes. They came home around 4," Lena replied leaning a bit closer to the mirror to put on some light make up
"Wow. They had a late night," I replied as I walked out of bathroom "I would not be able to function if I had gotten 3 or 4 hours of sleep!"
"At their age, they could party all night long and still look fresh in the morning," Lena commented from the bathroom
When I was at the closet, I pulled out one my uniform shirts and put it on "Are we crazy?" I asked out of the blue as I started to button the shirt up
"Do you have a specific area to which you are asking that question about?"
"5 kids," I said as I walked closer to the doorway to bathroom so I could see my wife
"Oh, about that-" Lena paused doing her make up and glanced to me "Yes!" she smiled and added "Good crazy!"
"Glad you feel the same way," I smirked at her as I tucked my shirt in my pants "Okay, I'm going down to start breakfast!"
"I'll be down in 3!" Lena called as I walked out
In the hallway, I saw the usual sight in front of me. Jesus was banging on the bathroom doors "Mariana! Come on! I need to use the bathroom too!"
"I need 10 more minutes!" Mariana answered from within bathroom
"You said that 10 minutes ago!" Jesus banged on the doors some more. When he saw me walking to stairs he turned to me and said in a desperate manner, while gesturing to the doors "Mom, do something!"
"You are old enough!" I raised my hands up "I'm not getting involved!"
"I got up 10 minutes earlier—that didn't help!" Jesus called after me as I was walking down the stairs
"Then how about start taking showers in evenings!" I shouted back up, when I had reached the first floor
Before I walk to kitchen, I head over to living room to peak a look out of window. I wanted to make sure that Ethan and Callie were home. When I saw Lena's car in the driveway unharmed, my mind eased down and I calmed down. They are home safe.
I walked to kitchen. The first thing I did, I made coffee. Once I had fresh coffee in my light blue cup and one sip of coffee in my stomach, I started to make breakfast.
I remember Callie telling me yesterday, before they drove out to have their date, that she had plans to meet her work friend Lisa for something. They had some sore of plans before work. I was little bit worried, when I hadn't seen a glimpse of Callie this morning yet. She should have been up. There wasn't a cup in the dryer, that's how I knew, she hasn't already left.
One by one, everyone came down and we started our usual Adams Foster breakfast.
The kids had all just walked out, to get their backpacks. Lena and I were doing the last of the dishes before we get ready to leave.
"Should we go wake them?" Lena asked looking up out of the window. I was standing with a dish towel next to Lena, waiting till she hands me another cup. My eyes were on the garage across the yard as well.
"What are we going to do with Ethan?" I asked her instead of answering "The kids will be at school, Callie will be at work till like 4, you come home around 5, but I will be home around 6. Do we allow him to stay in the house? Do we trust him?"
"We allowed Callie to stay at the house," Lena reasoned back
"He is still basically a stranger to us,"
"In a way, yes, but..." Lena paused and stopped doing the dishes. She sighed and glanced to me "Do you really think we should toss him out till we come back?"
"I'm not sure, what to think. That's why I asked you," I replied and reached for the cup that she was holding under the water
Lena raised her left arm up and turned her wrist a little to see the watch that was around her wrist "We have 5 minutes to decide," Lena thought for a moment "Let's give him a chance. Go wake them up, while I finish-"
"Oh! Someone's up!" I called out when I saw the garage doors opening and Callie stumbled out. She was pulling her sweater over her head, her shoes were in her right hand. For the moment, she was walking in her socks. When Callie was halfway across the yard, she started to jump on one leg, while putting shoe on her other foot.
"Looks like someone overslept!" Lena commented as she closed the tap
The back doors opened with a bang. Callie jumped in on one leg, while trying put on shoe on the other one. Now that I saw her closer, I noticed her sweater was put on the other way- back to front.
"Morning slug-a-bug!" I greeted her with a smile
"I'm so late! Forgot to put on the stupid alarm! Ah, man...stupid shoe!" She said in a fast manner as she came jumping our way
"Your shirt-" Lena pulled on her blouse "Wrong way, love!" Callie looked down to her sweater. When she saw what Lena was telling her, she pulled in her arms and turned the sweater around without taking it off.
"Is there coffee? I need coffee!" Callie rambled and grabbed one of the dry cup out of my hand. When she started to pour the coffee in the cup, she realized she doesn't have time to sit down and drink coffee.
"No! Ah-no time!" Callie placed the coffee pot down on the counter "Thermos! I need thermos! Where is the thermos!?" Callie was looking thought the cabinets frantically "Where is the goddamn thermos!" She called out in panic as she briefly stopped to look at us, but she resumed to look through the cabinets the next moment
Lena took a step away, allowing her to open the doors to the cabinet to which she stood in front. I opened the cabinet behind me and took out a thermos.
"Here!" I hand it to Callie, who was still looking for it frantically, knocking over everything she touched
"Food! I need food!" she blurred out garbing the thermos out of my hand and pouring the little coffee she had in her cup out to thermos. Some of it she poured past the thermos and almost poured some on her shoes.
"Ahhh, crap! Goddammit!" Callie called out as she jumped back
"We will clean that up, love...don't worry!" Lena managed to interject, before Callie continued her morning run
"More coffee...I need more coffee!" Callie almost tossed the cup in the sink and grabbed the coffee pot "Do you have any food left?"
"Food!" Lena had taken a banana from the bowl on the table and held it out for Callie. She briefly glanced to the food in Lena's hand, but returned her attention back to the thermos as she was filling it with the hot beverage.
Once the thermos was full, closed and coffee pot was put away, Callie grabbed the banana from Lena's hand "Food-check!"
She gripped Lena's wrist twisted it a little so she could see the watch "Ah! Still late! Move it, move it Callieeeee!" Callie muttered to herself and ran towards the front doors
"Where is your bag?!" I called out wondering. She always had a bag with her.
The running came to halt. We heard the running footsteps coming back to kitchen "Aaah...bag, bag, bag!"
"Bye!" Lena and I called out to her as she pulled open the back doors
"Bye, love you!" Callie called back as she was one step out of the house. When the doors closed after her, I realized what Callie had said to us. It was so casual, I almost missed it. My mouth dropped a little as I glanced to Lena.
"Did she just-" Lena said stunned as she pointed to the doors
I nodded back "She did!" A huge smile appeared on my lips. I looked out the window and saw how Callie stopped running. She turned back to the house, when she realized herself what she had just said to us.
"Oh, she just realized what she said!" I commented as Lena didn't see her from where she stood in the kitchen
"Is she coming back?" Lena asked nervously
"She's coming back!" I said in slight panic "She's coming back! Act cool!" I press my left arm to counter and try to act as if I was not ecstatic that she had told us that she loves us
The back doors opened slowly and Callie walked in, with the thermos in hand. She watched us, we watched her right back.
"Did you forget something?" Lena asked casually
"...I, uh-" it was all that Callie managed to get over her lips. She swallowed hard while looking at us.
"You need to get your bag and hurry up or you will be late, honey," I didn't even consider offering her a ride, because I knew it would be too awkward after this. Callie would not get in my car.
Her mouth parted, like she was about to say something. Her right hand finger briefly pointed to us, then to herself. She licked her lips and once again swallowed her.
"ye-yeah...yes..I'm-" Callie stuttered partly turned to the doors "...late! I should-"
"Mm-hmm," I hummed back loud enough for her to hear "Run along!"
Callie turned fully to doors, reached for the door nub, but before she walked out, she momentarily turned back to us and said quickly and quietly "Bye!" before she ran out of the house again
"Bye, love!" Lena and I call after her as she walks out
Lena walked up to where I stood and we both watched how she walked across the yard to the garage, slowly, with her head down, obviously still thinking about what had happened. She disappeared in the garage and walked out of the garage few seconds later. Callie stopped in the middle of the yard and looked at us. She clearly saw us standing by the window watching her. We weren't exactly hiding.
Lena and I both wave at her and smile. Callie tossed her bag over shoulder and raised her right hand back at us. The next moment her head is down and she hurries out of the backyard.
"Ahhh!" Lena squeaked out excited as she started to jump up and down
"That...that just made my day!"
"She said it back! She said she loved us!" Lena said happily as we embraced one another