Half way to the house, Lena noticed that Callie had fallen asleep. As she pulled into the driveway, she dreaded having to wake her up. She new that Callie was going to push herself so she could go to school on Monday.
"Callie? Wake up Bug we're home…" Lena gently shook Callie's shoulder. She didn't want to scare her. She watched as Callie's eyes fluttered open and she stretched a little in the car.
"Huh? We're home already?" Callie asked a little out of it.
"Yeah, we're home. Come on Bug, let's get you inside and to bed." Lena got out of the car and went to the passenger side. She opened Callie's door and helped the teen out of the car. Then she grabbed the duffle bag from the back and they made their way to the front door.
As Lena was finding her key to open the door, it burst open and her kids we're on them like glue.
"OMG! Callie you're home!" Mariana yelled.
"Finally you're home we've been waiting for hours!" Jesus exclaimed.
"Callie how are you doing?" Brandon asked taking the bag from Lena.
Callie was overwhelmed with welcomes, but she noticed she was missing one. "Hey guys! Sorry for scaring you, I'm fine. Glad to be home! The hospital sucks!" After hugging her siblings she kept looking around. She couldn't see Jude. "Uh… Where's Jude?" She asked no one in particular.
Mariana gave her a mischievous grin. "He's upstairs. In our room."
"In our room why?" Callie asked confused.
"I don't know…" Jesus answered this time.
Lena looked at her kids and smiled. What did they have up there sleeves? "Why don't you go look for him while I put all this away." Lena told her.
Callie nodded her head. She was worried about Jude. She went to the stairs and climbed them one by one holding onto the handrail. She felt tired and weak still, but she wasn't going to share that information with nobody. As she made it to the second floor, she noticed her door was open and there was a shadow moving around. When she reached it and looked inside, she couldn't believe her eyes. Her side of the room was covered with music notes and symbols. And in the middle of it all was her baby brother. "Jude! What is this?" She asked him. He ran towards her once she was in the room and gave her a great big hug.
"Callie! You're home! I was trying to finish before you got here. Do you like it? Jude rambled on. "We decided to do something nice and decorate your room. Cool right?!"
"Yes I love it!" She hugged him again. I missed you so much. I was worried when you weren't downstairs when we got home." She said after letting him go and looking around the room.
Jude look a little mad. "They we're suppose to come get me! Those traitors! Just wait till I get them!" He then started laughing. "Well maybe not I got to see your reaction. It was great!"
"Yeah, I'm sure it was." Callie snickered. The little energy she got from the nap in the car was starting to leave her, so she sat down on her bed.
"Hey Cal? Are you ok? You look a little pale... Should I get momma?" Jude was by her side in an instant.
"No, I'm fine, just tired. You don't need to get momma." She felt anything but fine, but she wasn't going to worry Jude with it.
She took a deep breath and let it out. She was starting to feel a bit better, but Jude was still worried. "I'm going to get momma. Just sit here and we'll be right back."
"No, Jude… Don't." He was out the door before she finished her sentence. Now her mother was going to come up all worried and stressed.
Just as she thought, she heard Jude telling Lena about hiw she didnt look good. "She looks pale momma are you sure she's ok?"
"Bud, she going to be ok. She's tired and still sick, but it's going to be fine. She just needs her medicine and rest." Lena tried to reassure him.
When Lena walked into her daughter's room she understood Jude. She looked pale and tired, she was breathing a little heavy but nothing to noticeable. Like she was trying to hide it. "Hey Bug, Jude said you don't feel good."
"No, I'm ok, I told Jude I'm just tired, but he doesn't believe me." Callie stated.
"Well the doctor said you needed to rest and stay hydrated so how about I make you some lunch so you can take your meds and get a nap in before you start tackling all that homework you we're going on about at the hospital." She really just wanted her to sleep, but she knew how stubborn Callie is and this was the only way to get her to rest.
"I'm not really hungry though." Callie tried.
"Care to try that answer again?" Lena gave her a look.
"I'll try and eat what I can?" Callie said like a question.
"That's more like it." Lena nodded. "What would you like?"
"Grilled cheese and tomato soup?" Callie really liked grilled cheese with tomato soup.
"I think that's a great idea" Lena smiled. "Go ahead and lay down and I'll bring it up as soon as it's ready."
"No, it's ok, I'll eat at the table" Callie stood up.
Ok, if you want to you can. But I want you in bed afterwards. Ok?" Lena made sure she understood there would be no stalling.
"Yes, I understand. I'm just going to take a shower before lunch" Callie answered.
"Ok I'll call you when it's ready." Lena said as she left the room.
When she got downstairs all her kids were in the kitchen waiting for her. She stopped in her tracks at the sight and sighed. "Ok, what's up?"
"Hows Callie, really?" Brandon asked.
"She's tired and a little scared still. She had a rough night and she's still trying to assimilate everything that happened." Lena told the kids. "She is severely allergic to bees. And if she gets stung again she will end up in the hospital every time. It's something that she's going to have to learn to live with and so will we." She looked at her kids to gouge their reactions. So far they just looked worried for their sister.
"So what will happen if she gets stung?" Jude asked.
"Well…" Lena made her way to the big bag of medicines that was on the counter and pulled out a box. "This is called an epipen. If she's ever stung by a bee again we have to give her this injection on her outer thigh and then call 911."
"Oh, that is not going to go well. She's terrified of needles!" Jude exclaimed.
"Well at this point she has no choice. Her reaction to the poison from the bee is deadly. If She doesn't get help on time she could die." Lena said this very seriously. She wanted to make sure her kids understood the severity of the situation.
Jude looked at his siblings then at Lena. "Momma? So, is she not allowed outside anymore?"
"Oh bud, of course she is. She just needs to be careful and take this with her and wear bug spray." Lena's eyes softened at the question.
"So, is she just allergic to bees? Because there's a kid in my class that's allergic to peanuts. And he reads all the packages of stuff he gets." Jesus asked.
"Well, about that, I have to call your pediatrician so she can give all of you an allergy test." Lena waited for the onslaught of complaints. 3,2,1…
"Wait what? We all have to get it done?" Mariana said.
"Yes you will all get it done." she looked at everyone of her kids in the eyes. "I feel like if we had gotten them done before, this wouldn't have happened. So I want to be prepared. The doctor said that allergies this severe tend to be hereditary."
"What? Hereditary? Then that would explain Jude but why us?" Jesus complained.
"Because we aren't sure if you're birth parents are allergic to anything." Lena countered.
"Well that makes sense. I guess it's more as a precaution. To make sure something like this doesn't happen to anyone else. This way we're prepared?" Brandon nodded his understanding.
"Thats easy for you to say. We know both your birth parents." Mariana chimed in. and Brandon smiled.
"Brandon has to get the test done as well." Lena said. That wiped the smile of his face quick. She new he didn't like to go to the doctor.
"Ok now that it's settled." Lena stood up clapping her hands. "Who would like to help me make lunch?" She looked at her kids.
"What are we having?" Mariana asked
"Grilled cheese and tomato soup, at Callie's request." She saw all her kids eyes get wide. They all loved her grilled cheese. She new they would get excited about it.
"I'll help momma." Jude volunteered.
"Ah my faithful helper." she put her arm around her youngest son and looked at the rest of her brood. "I'm absolutely sure that while I was gone all my kids we're very well behaved and homework and chores we're all done."
Mariana smiled and nodded, Brandon said, "All done" as he left the kitchen and Jesus looked at the floor and tried to escape.
"Jesus. Come in here please." Lena said while she pulled all the ingredients from the fridge and cabinets.
He made his way back to the kitchen with his signature smile.
"What are you missing?" She gave him the be honest with me look. He hated that look
"The trash and my homework…" He admitted.
"Well then go ahead and take out the trash and start on you're homework. You're not going anywhere until you're done." She told him while setting up jude with the sandwiches
"But I'm supposed to meet the guys at the skate park." Jesus protested.
"Well then you should have done your homework and chores yesterday and this morning." Lena stated.
She watched him walk towards the stairs. She then turned to Jude. "All right my little helper. Ready to make the best grilled cheese in the world?"
"Definitely!" Jude said excitedly.
Callie was just coming out of her shower. It took a lot more energy than she thought. She was almost dead on her feet. As she made her way to her room she saw Mariana going threw her closet.
"Hey. Whacha you doing?" Callie asked her sister.
"Just looking for something to wear. Mat asked me to go with him to the music store. Wanna come?" Mariana said without looking at her.
"No, I'm good. I think I'm just going to take a nap. I'm kinda tired." Callie said with a sigh.
Mariana looked at her sister and noticed the dark spots under her eyes and how she looked pale and tired. "Are you ok? How do you really feel? You look really tired. I think a nap is a great idea."
"Like I said. Just tired. But I'm just going to go down and have some lunch first. You coming?" Callie asks her younger sister.
"Yeah I'll be down in a little bit. I just want to make sure I have the perfect outfit." Mariana said while pulling out another top from her closet.
Callie nodded and made her way downstairs. She went into the kitchen and saw that Jude and her mom we're still working on lunch. So she decided to go outside for a little to get some fresh air.
As soon as Lena heard the doorknob rattle she turned and saw Callie opening the door. "Hey Cal. What're you doing?"
"Just going out back to get some air." Callie said.
"Oh Bug, I'm sorry but I don't think that's a good idea." Lena winced when she saw her daughter's face.
"What? Why?" Callie exclaimed.
"We still haven't gotten that beehive removed. We called but they can't come till Monday." Lena said apologetically.
"I'll be careful I promise. I just want some air." She wanted to go, no needed to go. She felt trapped.
"Bug please… I would feel a lot better if you stayed inside. At least until we can get the beehive out." Lena at this point sounded tired.
Callie nodded and closed the door. "Do you need any help?"
"Nah, I think we got it. Right Jude? Honey, why don't you just sit and relax until lunch is done." Lena looked at her with pleading eyes.
Callie just sighed, nodded and sat at the table, watching her mother and brother while they cooked.