"So, I'm sorry that I called you a bully." Mariana said. She was sitting on her own bed painting her nails to match the dress she was going to wear to the mall and Callie was working on her pictures.
"It's fine." Callie shrugged. "It's no big deal."
"It is." Mariana said. "I know you've done a lot for him and it wasn't fair for me to say that."
"Fine, then apology accepted." Callie said, hoping to end the topic entirely.
"It's not like that anymore you know." Mariana continued, much to Callie's annoyance.
"Like what?" Callie asked.
"You don't have to save up anymore." Mariana said. "You'll always have people to take care of you. You have moms, grandparents, siblings... We're all here and you're not alone."
Callie went back to her computer without replying and Mariana turned her attention back to her nails. Had she kept looking at her older sister she would have realized that Callie wasn't really working.
"I'm glad that you care about him." Callie finally said. "I'm glad that he has more people he can count on. I know I may not have done everything right but I really did do my best." Callie said, a catch in her throat as she said the words.
"I know you did." Mariana smiled. "You still do."
Slowly the kids began to disappear. First Mariana, excited to get to the mall and start shopping and then Brandon and Callie, Brandon offering to drop Callie at the beach on his way to Lou's house. Jesus and Jude were the only ones left. Jude was hanging around the house this evening but Jesus was waiting for it to get a little cooler before heading to the skatepark. The two were watching Kung Fu Panda when Stef and Lena walked into the living room.
"Jesus can we talk to you for a bit please." Stef asked.
Both boys instantly looked up at their moms, Jesus looking a little worried that he was in trouble.
"We just want to talk." Lena confirmed to ease his mind.
Jesus got up and followed his moms upstairs. "What's up?" He asked as he entered their room.
"We, uh, we wanted to talk to you about Hayley." Stef began.
"What about her?" Jesus asked.
"Well, we've noticed that you've been having some trouble with her and we just want to make sure you're okay." Stef elaborated.
"She just gets weird sometimes." Jesus answered. "She get's demanding and needy but she isn't always like that. Sometimes she's really fun and it's great to be around her then."
Stef and Lena watched as their son began to open up to them.
"I like hanging out with her but she expects me to hang out with her every moment that she's free. And yet when she's got plans she just tosses me aside. I never know what mood she's going to be in." Jesus continued.
"Honey maybe you two need a break." Lena suggested. "Maybe you need some time apart to figure out what you both like."
"She'll never agree to that." Jesus said. "She'll freak out."
"Honey, it's nice that you don't want to upset her but you also need to look out for yourself." Stef reminded him. "She is not your responsibility."
"We're not saying you have to be rude." Lena continued "You can be nice, be a friend but just friends, at least for a while until things settle down. She may actually need it more than you. It sounds like she may be having problems in her life that she needs to sort out before she involves anyone else."
"Her parents just got divorced." Jesus reminded them.
"Yes, but I don't think that's just it." Lena said. "I think there's more that you don't know about. She may not even know what it is."
"So then how am I supposed to help her?" Jesus asked.
"Be there for her." Lena told him. "Remind her that people care for her and help her figure out what's going on."
"But don't give in to everything she demands." Stef added, wanting her son to know that he is important too. "Let her know that you have your own life too."
"She won't want to even look at me if I break up with her." Jesus said.
"That's her choice." Stef said. "But you can still offer to be there for her."
"That went better than I thought." Stef said, heaving a sigh of relief once they had sent Jesus back downstairs to join his brother. She reached up to the back of her neck to relieve some of the tension.
"He's obviously having trouble with her." Lena agreed, taking over the massage on Stef's neck.
"The last time I brought this up, you were at camp with Jude and he got so defensive." Stef remembered as she stretched her neck to allow Lena more access.
"It was new." Lena pointed out. "At least he realizes that something is wrong."
"Thank god for that." Stef said as she and Lena headed downstairs to join their sons.
It was early evening by the time Stef, Lena and Jude were alone. They had continued the movie long after Jesus had left and enjoyed the time snuggled together on the sofa. Lena in the middle with Jude and Stef on either side of her.
"That was funny." Jude said, still laughing as the credits started to roll.
"There's a part two as well." Stef told him.
"Can we watch it?" Jude asked excitedly.
"I don't think we own that one yet." Stef said as Jude jumped up to check through the collection.
"How about we go rent it?" Lena suggested. Then you, mom and I can spend the evening together.
"Or you could buy your very own copy." Stef put in, reminding Jude that he had some money to spend on whatever he wanted.
"Actually I was saving that." Jude said.
"Honey, we talked about that." Lena said. "You don't need to save up. We've kept the rest of your money safe but this is for you to spend."
"I know." Jude confirmed. "I was saving it to buy something special for Callie."
Both women were taken aback at Jude's statement.
"She's always looked out for me and she's always gotten me presents at christmas and my birthday." Jude explained. "I never got to do that for her. All she ever got from me was homemade junk that broke the moment I gave it to her. When Mariana told her not to bully me she looked hurt and I just thought maybe I could get her something nice to show her that I love her."
Stef was on the verge of tears while Lena was letting her's flow freely.
"I think that's a wonderful idea baby." Lena said, leaning in to kiss her son's cheek.
"And I think this evening is the perfect time to go look for something." Stef said, pulling her wife and son up off the couch.
"Do you have anything in mind?" Lena asked as they headed to the car.
"No." Jude said. "Do you?"
"How about we look around for some ideas." Stef suggested.
The three had been at the mall for over an hour but Jude still hadn't found the perfect gift. They had looked for jewelry, accessories for her camera, books and a bunch of other stuff but none of it seemed right. They were running out of stores to look through but Jude was determined to find just the right gift so they trudged on.
Stef and Lena were looking out for Mariana and Hayley as they wandered the mall but so far hadn't spotted either girl - though they weren't exactly going through the same stores - Callie and Mariana's tastes were vastly different and very few stores had something for both girls.
"How about a picture frame?" Lena suggested as they passed a store that sold personalized products. "You could put a nice picture of the two of you into it."
"No." Jude said peering at the frame that Lena was looking at. "That's not really Callie." He was just about to continue to the next store when something caught his eye. "That's perfect!" He yelped in excitement as he dashed into the store.
Stef and Lena both looked in the window in wonder, wondering what the little boy had found - and then they spotted it - the little silver guitar pick.
"How much is that?" Jude asked, still bouncing up and down in front of the salesman.
"Forty-nine, ninety-nine and another ten for engraving." The man said, handing the object to Jude.
"Oh." Jude's face fell instantly as he cradled the little silver wedge carefully in his hand. "I only have thirty dollars."
He was about to hand the pick back to the man when Lena stopped him. "You know what Jude, I think that's the perfect present and Callie should have it. How about mom and I put in the other thirty."
"I want it to be from me." Jude said, debating on whether he could take their offer or not.
"It will be from you sweetheart." Stef assured him. "We're just helping you out. Kinda like a present from us to both of you for letting us be your moms."
"Okay." Jude finally said with a smile, not wanting to miss out on the perfect gift.
More than happy with his purchase Jude practically skipped down to the food court for ice-cream. He moms were letting him have a treat and he was on top of the world. He couldn't wait to give Callie her present but he wanted to wait for the right moment.
"What flavor do you want bud?" Lena asked.
"Double scoop Rocky Road." Jude said with a cheeky grin on his face.
"Double scoop huh?" Stef asked with a laugh.
Jude nodded excitedly and neither mom could refuse. His joy and excitement was such a refreshing change from their usually shy little boy that they didn't want to disappoint him for something so simple.
"Double scoop it is." Stef finally said as she placed their orders.
