Author's Note: Hi everyone! Sorry for the lack of updates, but not only have I been majorly busy with my first year of college, but my mind has just been other places recently. I'm really into the show 9-1-1 right now and have been writing for that, or Ghost Whisperer, and it seems the inspiration for this story has kind of fizzled out. I'm going to attempt to watch a little bit of the Fosters though in my free time to try and get me reinspired. I know where the story is heading though at least, so that's good. I hope you enjoy this chapter, although I felt like something was just...off or missing. I don't know if it was the writing or storyline...I just don't know. Like it's weird that I know where it's heading, but I think maybe how I wrote it felt off. Anyways, hope you like it. And I just want to say THANK YOU for all the support. I'm so glad everyone is enjoying the story so much. I never thought I'd have as many followers as I do.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Fosters or any characters you may recognize from the show.
Callie was able to rest for two full days, not having to fret over anything but just being the 15 year old that she is—she didn't have to worry if Jude was safe, or hungry, or constantly feeling the blows of their foster parents.
Actually, Callie got to sit down and watch a movie with her brother for the first time in months, Monsters Inc., which had always been one of Jude's favorite Pixar movies to watch. Meanwhile Callie herself started to read a random sci-fi book she saw sitting on Brandon's bookcase that looked somewhat interesting for the time being; and was even playing, if you could call it that, Brandon's old guitar that he never used anymore. That was probably the biggest surprise so far since she stepped foot back in this house—Callie could still remember 10 year old Brandon's face light up when he pulled that orange guitar out of the large box that Christmas morning.
A loud knock from outside the door filled the room making Callie pause. Everyone should have been at work or school and Jude certainly would have just barged right in. "Come in!"
Stef entered the room, a soft smile on her face. Callie sat up from the resting position she was in while reading her book, and marked her page number with a loose piece of paper before placing the novel on her nightstand. "Hey love, sorry to interrupt."
"It's okay. What are you doing home?"
"Well mama and I saw this as a good opportunity to talk to Jude and you since we were both free during our lunch break, and there is something we can't hold in any longer. C'mon, mama and Jude are downstairs in the living room."
For some reason Callie didn't like the sound of that. Sure it was just talking, probably regarding something small, but in previous experiences when a foster parent wanted to talk it always ended with a social worker knocking on the front door to collect them. Callie has actually been waiting for this talk for the past couple of days they have been here. Nothing was clear on whether Jude and her would be staying, which they most likely would be, but there's still some doubt creeping around in Callie's mind that the Fosters simply changed their mind about adding two kids to the family. Callie was older after all, would that change anything?
They might think she's harder to handle with the baggage she comes with from these past three years, less predictable than the young girl they remember. They already had 3 teenagers in the house, do they really want to add two more to their plate? Callie tried to shake the negative stream of thoughts for now and sat down on the couch next to her brother across from Lena and Stef. Jude gave her a side hug which made her smile.
"So," Stef started, side-eying Lena. "We obviously have a few things to discuss today, especially with you staying here. Mama and I have something to ask the both of you, and we obviously discussed this with the other kids…"
"Although a discussion didn't need to be had," Lena added. She looked at her partner with a small smile nodding at Stef to give the news; just like she had the first time around.
"We know it's been three years since you've lived with us, almost 2 since we had any contact, but you two were always our kids, and we hope you feel the same way about us as your moms. Now we know you'll need time to adjust, but mama and I need you to know nothing has changed since you left us. We still want to adopt both of you, that is if you still want to be a part of this family."
"I, uh…" Callie didn't know why to say. Was this even real?
It was almost impossible to find a good foster parent who wanted to adopt a teenager, especially if they had siblings. Most didn't want one kid, so why would they want two? But to be asked if she wanted to be adopted, if she wanted to be a part of the Fosters twice in her life felt like a dream.
They still wanted her, still wanted them, even after being taken away for so long. Callie has never seen foster parents love a child so much as if they were really, biologically, there's. And that's what it felt like to Callie. It truly felt like Lena and Stef are her mother's—that's why it hurt all those years ago to suddenly be uprooted with barely enough time to process Jude and her were actually leaving the Fosters forever. And it also still hurts because she really does want to be a part of this family more than anything. Has longed for this exact moment ever since she was 7 years old and was sat down on her bed, a woman she never met before trying to explain why her mom was gone and what her father did.
"So, what do you say?" Lena asked. Jude looked over to Callie and grinned from ear to ear. "Yes!" he shouted, and Callie had to beam at Jude's excitement. He deserved a family that consisted of more than just a sister. And this family gave him just that, and knowing her brother and her would be safe and taken care of, well that is the biggest weight lifted off her shoulders. "Yeah," She finally replied, smiling at the two woman before her. Stef and Lena shrieked in excitement, and pulled each child in for a hug.
After all, it isn't everyday you're asked if you want to be adopted.
Jesus sighed running his hand through his brown wavy hair, and checked his watch one more time. It read 5:30 PM. He knew he could only wait 15 more minutes before he needed to walk back to the library where both his moms currently think he is.
Going to the library hadn't been a total lie, though. He knew when mama had dropped him off that she would check on him at least 30 minutes in on the find my phone app, so he hung around the library for about 45 minutes working on his english paper before exiting and entering the coffee shop down the street.
It stung a little, knowing he was about to be stood up. So he took the last sip of his tea, because if he was caught having coffee, mainly his ADHD giving him away, he would be in big trouble—although with what he has been up to the past couple weeks at school, he's sure he will be in trouble anyway if his moms find out.
Standing up from his table, he tossed his empty tea cup in the trash can and headed for the exit. The shop's door opened, a little bell at the top signaling someone entering, and Jesus came face to face with the person he was supposed to meet 30 minutes ago. "Jesus?" Her eyes were wide, face in disbelief. Seeing a picture and seeing the real deal, in-person, were two completely different things.
"Mom?"
Ana smiled at her son. "I can't believe how big you've grown, and so handsome." Jesus rubbed the back of his head unsure of how to respond to that. "I'm sorry I'm late. I missed the first bus I was supposed to take here."
"Look, I waited for over 30 minutes for you but my mama...Lena, is coming to pick me up in 15 minutes and I have to be back at the library before then. We, uh, we'll have to reschedule."
"No! Wait, just 5 minutes. I know I have no right to ask for that, but 5 minutes...please."
5 minutes wouldn't hurt he supposed. Jesus nodded in agreement then led them back to where he was originally sitting.
"So, I found this." Ana pulled out some form of paper from her pocket and unfolded it. It was a picture of her, him, and Mariana, and they had to have been 3 or 4 years old in it. Mariana was wearing one of their mom's t-shirts which she of course was swimming in, and held a hairbrush in her right hand pretending the handle was a microphone. Jesus and Ana sat on the couch, close together, big smiles adorning both their faces. "Good times, right?" No, not really, Jesus wanted to say. He kept his mouth shut anyway. "Keep it," she said, pushing the picture towards him. He took it not wanting to mess around any longer.
"Look I brought the money." Jesus digs into his jacket and pulls out a small bundle of cash. "It's all I have but I hope it helps...you know, to get you back on your feet." Ana grabbed the cash from him with tears in her eyes. "It helps, it helps more than you know."
"Okay, good."
"So I guess you gotta go then, huh? Your mom is coming soon?"
"Uh, yeah. Yeah she is."
"Okay...okay then." Ana gave him one last smile before getting up and leaving the coffee house, leaving Jesus feeling like a total fool.
He should've known that was all she wanted.
"It will be fun, I promise!"
"I don't think so." Callie laughed, shaking her head at Mariana. She focused on the task at hand, with her washing the last dish in the sink and passing it over to Mariana who was drying them. It now made sense why Mariana of all people would volunteer to do the dishes, dragging a puzzled Callie right beside her.
"Come on it's not like you don't know the guy. I know you two so would've ended up together if you hadn't left."
"Mariana we were close friends, I never saw him as anything else."
"Oh please, I saw the way he looked at you Callie. And now this is your chance to finally meet back up with him after all these years, and with everyone else you left behind. Think of it as a small before school get together."
"But it's not." Callie dried her hands with a paper towel and tossed it in the garbage, placing the last dish back on its shelf. "I can't go to a party, Mariana. I'm on probation, remember?"
"Yeah but it's not like you have a specific time you need to be at the house by. We would only be gone for a couple of hours anyway. Come on, please?" Callie sighed, giving up. She knew Mariana wouldn't stop begging her. "Fine, but I don't think Stef and Lena are going to approve. Especially with me going."
"It's okay, leave it to me. Come on." Both girls headed upstairs towards the moms bedroom knocking on the door. "Come in."
"Hey girls, what's up?" Lena and Stef smiled at their daughters and continued to fold the laundry they spread out over the bed, placing the neat folded pieces into the plastic bins beside them. "Well, remember that get together I asked you about earlier this week?"
"Yeah, and we told you no because we didn't want you going alone." Stef stopped folding for a second to look over at Mariana already knowing where this conversation was headed. "Yes, but I figured now that Callie is here she could come with me so I don't have to be alone."
"Mariana, no."
"Oh please, it's not like you don't know where I'm going. We will only be gone a few hours and it also gives Callie time to get reacquainted with a couple of old friends."
"Callie is on probation love."
"But it's not like the both of us are going to be doing anything illegal, it's just a couple of friends meeting up. I mean come on you know the host, Callie used to be best friends with him. Plus, it's at his parents house."
"Yeah, and we are still watching you closely after what you pulled with Callie."
"But you said I wasn't grounded, and we apologized...many times. Please let us go. How can we earn back your trust if you don't allow us to do anything?"
Stef and Lena looked at one another, seeming to have a quiet debate, before Lena spoke up. "Okay, you guys can go tonight...but, we want you back by 11:00 pm, and text us when you get there and when you are on your way back."
"Ohh thank you thank you!" Mariana ran and hugged both her moms, dragging a laughing Callie out the door behind her to go get ready.
The thought of camping had never crossed Callie's mind until both moms mentioned doing it. To be fair, she had been more worried about where Jude and her would end up, and once they finally ended up with the Fosters nothing else really mattered—they have a family and were finally loved, well at least for the moment, and Callie didn't need anything else.
The idea though was exciting for everyone, more so for Callie and Jude who never had this experience before, so the plan was set into motion that right before the school year started the entire family would go camping for 3 days. The excitement grew within the entire house as the weeks flew by and the day finally came almost in the blink of an eye. Callie found she could barely sleep the night before, and woke up to Mariana already dressed for the day and finishing packing up her second bag; why she needed two bags was beyond Callie, but still it was shocking that Mariana of all people had been one of the first ones up.
"Hmm...so you actually want to go camping?"
"Yes Callie, I do. But I'm actually more excited this time around because I have another girl to hangout with. We are going to be sharing a tent which is so much better than any other camping trips."
"Why, who did you share a tent with before?"
"Well we would bring the bigger tent, and I had to sleep with moms, which trust me, is not something you want to do."
"Oh come on, you know you love us." Stef stood at the door leaning up against the door frame smiling. Callie laughed sitting up in bed and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "I do, but all I know is this year is going to be so much more fun with Callie and Jude."
"I think that is something we both can agree on. I'm just glad everyone is up on time. We leave this house in an hour, so finish packing if you haven't already."
"Already done, both bags." Stef eyed her 10 year old daughter carefully. "And why do you need two bags exactly?"
"Mommmm." Stef held her hands up chuckling. "Okay okay. Just make sure you can carry them both because there are still other supplies to unpack from the car and carry to the campsite."
"I know...wait, who is riding with you this year? If it hasn't been talked about yet then I call riding with mama."
"And I'll try not to take offense to that." Callie frowned wondering why Mariana was against going with Stef. "Well one of you will have to go with me so talk it out amougst yourselves and get back to mama and me."
"I'll go with you." Callie didn't care who she rode with. "Well okay, I guess that's settled then. Thanks for wanting to ride with me sweets, unlike some people. Now get a move on!" Stef left to go pack the car, while Mariana looked over to Callie who was finally up and getting changed into a white tank-top with dark green shorts. "Goodluck. No one enjoys riding with mom, I can't believe you volunteered."
"What's so bad?"
"Well the last time we went right before you arrived, I rode with her. She shot question after question at me for the whole 2 hours, which wasn't so bad, but we arrived before mama and everyone else meaning we had to carry a lot more stuff to the campsite. I made Jesus switch with me on our way back home."
"I doubt it played out that bad."
"You'll see." Mariana grabbed her bags and headed out of the room, leaving Callie to finish her own.
Everything was eventually jammed into Stef's car, and with how much was actually in there, Callie was surprised the two front seats were even still available to sit in. Stef and her set out first, agreeing with Lena Callie and she would get a head start to pick out a good site. Callie was so excited for the trip, her first camping trip in all her life, because not even her birth mom had taken Jude and her, that she found she didn't mind having to carry a few more things than the other ride had actually been pretty silent so far with the exception of the radio blasting out some 90s songs Callie never heard before in her life. "So, are you ready for your first camping trip?"
"Yeah, I'm kind of excited." Stef glanced over at her daughter who was grinning just thinking about all the stuff they planned on doing, and she had to smile at that. No one deserves this more than Callie and Jude. "What exactly do you do though when you go camping, I mean, besides sleeping in a tent and building a fire?"
"Well, after we set up the campsite we play a little volleyball, and then mama and I go cook dinner while you guys hang around the area. I know Mariana, Jesus, and Brandon use to play hide and seek and tag. We also cook s'mores."
"What's a s'more?"
"You don't know what a s'more is?" It was hard to believe any 11 year old hasn't had one before, camping or no camping. "No."
"Oh my sweet sweet girl, you'll definitely have a s'more before this trip is over."
"So what else do you do?"
"We pretty much do the same things, although we may go on a hike through the trails up a mountain, which may make for some good photos for you. And of course, everyone loves to go swimming in the lake. There's actually a rope tied up to a tree that you can swing off of. It should be fun."
Hearing the mention of the body of water seemed to dampen some of the excitement Callie was feeling towards this trip. For some reason swimming had been the one activity to not have crossed her mind. It wasn't like she didn't plan on going swimming if everyone else did, especially since she didn't want anyone to know she actually had a small fear of the water. It was stupid, she knows it is, considering her fear stems back to almost a toddler age. So she would suck it up, but there was a bad feeling growing in the pit of her stomach telling her things wouldn't be so easy.
Author's Note: Okay, so I feel like this chapter seems like a total mess, and there's a lot of different things happening. Each one sets the path though for future storyline/plots, so I guess the mess is okay? Lol. Always love hearing feedback, good and bad. Tell me what you like so far and what you don't; maybe where you think this story is headed. Also, hope you didn't mind the grammar too much. I do all the writing and editing so its hard to catch everything, especially at 4 am. Until next update!
