Lena found Callie in the bathroom in her room washing her face. "Hey Bug. How are you?"
Callie looked at Lena through the mirror then focussed back on her face without acknowledging her.
Lena sighed. "Look Callie I know you needed some air and space. I know we've been hovering… but we almost lost you yesterday. And that was very scary for us. Especially for your mom. She blames herself for what happened and then you disappear. She was just scared." Callie kept moving her eyes so she could see Lena.
Callie sighed. "Momma. The boys woke me up. When I went down, they were having so much fun that I didn't want to tell them to quiet down. It's not fair. I went to the kitchen drank some water, because I felt really thirsty. I grabbed a Epipen, then I thought, I'll go up front because there's a beehive out back. But after all that I still get in trouble. I just wanted some alone and quiet time." She looked at Lena with a flushed face and dark circles under her eyes.
"Oh bug. Come here." She opened her arms for a hug and Callie lunged herself at her. She buried her face in her curls inhaling the scent of her shampoo. "Bug you have to understand that for a while we are going to be very worried about you."
"But momma, I just needed some air. I feel like I'm back in juvie…" Callie admitted.
Lena pulled away from callie a little and looked her in the eyes. "Callie, I'm sorry we made you feel that way. It wasn't our intention." She started to take Callie to the bed so she could lay down. She looked exhausted. "Let's make a compromise ok?
"What kind of compromise?" Callie asked while her mother put her back in bed.
"If you need air or space, you come to us. We will give you what you need, but with rules. Ok?" She looked at her daughter as she nodded her head. "1, no going out without telling us. 2, you keep your epipen with you at all times while outside. 3, you wear bug spray. And 4, we will be checking in on you every once in awhile to make sure you're ok. Is that fair?" Lena asked. "I'm not going to tell you, you can't be alone, but if you break the rules that's what's going to happen. Got it? Any rules breaking will result in you not going outside alone. Either me or mom will have to be with you."
Callie nodded her head. "I'm so sorry momma!" Callie started to cry again. She was just so tired. She rubbed her eyes and then the bridge of her nose.
"I know sweetie but you can't be scaring us like that. And you can't talk to mom like that either." Lena hugged her tight.
"I know. I'm sorry." Callie pulled away from the hug. "I was just mad and I guess cranky from being tired and sick." Callie said while looking down at her hands in her lap.
Lena put her finger under her chin and raised her head so she could look her in the eyes."That's still no excuse. And there will be consequences for your actions." Lena said in a firm voice.
Callie nodded. "I know. And I want to apologize to mom. Can I go talk to her?"
"Cal, I want you to stay in bed for a while. You haven't slept much in the last two days, and like you said, your cranky because you're tired and sick. I would rather you take a nap and then when you and mom have had time to calm down you can talk. Ok??" Lena tucked her in the bed and kissed her forehead.
"Ok momma. I'll try and take a nap. Then I'll talk to mom and apologize to her." Callie yawned and blinked a few times she really was tired.
"Ok. now close your eyes and take that nap that you need so much. I will be downstairs if you need anything. Ok?" Lena said and watched as Callie snuggled more into the bed and closed her eyes.
Down stairs, Stef was still sitting on the swing outside on the porch with her head in her hands. She was so upset about how she handled everything with Callie and about how she yelled at Lena. She was thinking what might have happened if Callie had gotten stung again. About how she looked when she was gasping for breath and turning blue. How she was swelling and hive were coming out everywhere. After a while Lena came back outside and sat down next to her wife.
"How is she?" Stef asked without lifting her head.
Lena put her hand on Stef s back and started an up and down motion to try and sooth her. "She's ok. I found her in our bathroom washing her face. She was upset, but I talked to her. I explained that she couldn't do that. And that she couldn't talk to you like that either."
Stef lifted her head and looked at Lena. "Lena I went off on her. All I kept thinking was what if she got stung again? What if we didn't get to her on time. I kept seeing her gasping and turning blue. I just exploded."
Lena hugged her wife. "Oh honey, she's ok. She wanted to come down and apologize to you but I made her go to bed. I told her that she could talk to you after a nap."
"Did she tell you why she was out here?" Stef wanted to know. She know Callie liked to be outdoors and when she needed space she always went outside. Plus she loved the beach.
"She said that the boys were being loud and that she felt suffocated, locked in. Like in juvie." Stef's eye opened wide. "Calm down I already talked to her about it. She understood and she also knows there will be consequences for her actions."
Stef nodded. She didn't want to punish her but she was very disrespectful and that wouldn't be tolerated. Even if she was sick.
"There's one more thing." Lena cringed at having to say this part. "I made a deal with her. She can go out when she needs space…"
"What? No!" Stef interrupted her. "It's too dangerous. What if something happens?"
"Stef calm down, Ok? I told her she had to let us know and take her Epipen with her. It's just the yard. She's not going hiking in the woods." Lena said trying to calm her wife.
"So just the yard and we can watch her?" Stef asked with sadness in her eyes.
"From inside yes. She can be outside by herself." Lena said with a warning in her tone.
"But…" Stef tried to complain.
Lena held her hand up to stop Stef. "If she breaks any rules, she will have to deal with only going out with you or me. She's ok with it."
Stef nodded again. "Ok I guess that's what's going to happen."
Callie slept the rest of the day and the moms only woke her up to eat a little dinner. Then she fell back asleep and slept through the whole night.
The next morning, Stef went into the girl's room to check on Callie. She was still sleeping, but she could see her starting to stir, so she walked in and sat no the girl's bed. She looked so peaceful and calm. The bags under her eyes were starting to fade and she wasn't as pale.
Callie turned on her side and started to stretched. She found resistance on her sheets and when she opened her eyes she saw Stef sitting on her bed.
"Morning Bug, how do you feel?" Stef said smiling.
Callie looked at her mom and just broke down. "I'm so sorry mom! I shouldn't have talked to you like that yesterday. I'm sorry… I just needed some air and I was tired." Callie was hugging Stef so fiercely and she didn't want to let go.
"Oh bug, it's ok, I understand. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that either. I was just so scared. I can't lose you baby. I wouldn't survive that. And I almost did." Stef was crying at this point.
"I'm so so sorry mom." Callie kept repeating.
"I know, it's forgiven. But you know that you can't talk to me or momma that way no matter how you feel right?" Callie nodded her head. "Good so you know there will be consequences because of your actions right?" Again Callie nodded. "Good. Momma and I still have to talk about it and we will let you know ok?" Stef said and hugged her daughter.
"I understand. And whatever you decide. No complaints." Callie stated.
Stef pulled back and raised her eyebrow. "Really? You're sure? No complaints?"
"None. Besides I know I'm technically grounded anyways. I can only go outside with supervision, so…" Callie went to rub the back of her neck and winced when she touched the sting site.
"What's wrong sweets? Does it still hurt?" Stef wanted to look at the sting and check to see it the infection was going away. She went to reach and pull Callie's hair out if the way to check, but Callie pulled back.
"No mom, it's fine." Callie said with a little fake laugh. "It's just a little sore, but that's normal." Callie tried to play it off.
"Yeah normal? And how do you know that? I thought you've never been stung before?" Stef asked.
Callie's eyes grew wide. "I haven't but I know people that have…" Callie tried to fix.
"Nuhu no talk to me. What did you mean." Stef said while she tucked some hair behind her daughter's ear.
"Nothing really. Just that in one of the foster homes we lived in, the smaller kids found a beehive and threw rocks at it. I was inside cleaning so I didn't get stung, but a few of them did and there stings were sore for days after." Callie explained.
Stef looked at her very suspiciously. But left it at that. "Ok. Well how about some breakfast? You want me to bring it up or do you want to go down?"
"I'll go down. Just let me go to the bathroom first and brush my teeth." Callie said.
"Ok. Well stand up. Let's make sure you're not dizzy or anything." Stef held out her hand to help Callie.
Callie slowly pulled the covers, swung her legs and stood up, holding on to the night table and Stef's hand. When she was upright she felt a little weak but nothing to mayor and she did get a sense of vertigo, but it was small. So she closed her eyes to try and stop it. Once she knew she was steady, she let go of Stef's hand and smiled at her.
"See, I'm good!" Callie smiled and made her way to the bathroom and went about her business. But Stef noticed when she tightened her hold after standing up and that she kept her eyes closed a little longer. So she decided to wait for her so they could walk down together.
In the bathroom, Callie went to use the toilet, and when she took off her pants, she noticed some raised welts that looked like hives on her thighs. It kind of looked like a rash, but that couldn't be because she was taking allergy meds. She lifted up her shirt to check and see it it was anywhere else. She saw that it was on her torso as well. It doesn't itch or anything and it wasn't a lot, so she decided to ignore it. There's no way she was going to tell her mom's because she wanted to go to school on Monday. She finished up in the bathroom and came out to the hall where she found Stef waiting for her to go downstairs.
Breakfast was loud like always, but she kept catching her moms looking at her every once in awhile with concern in their eyes. After breakfast Lena gave her her meds and told her to go rest some more.
"Can I hang out on the couch? I'm not really that sleepy after sleeping all day yesterday. But I'll rest while watching TV. I promise!" Callie held up her right hand like when you swear to tell the truth.
Stef and Lena looked at each other and had a silent conversation. Then Lena said; "Of course Bug. Go pick out a movie and we can hang out for a while on the couch."
And that's how Sunday went. Between her watching TV, napping on the couch and the moms waking her up to eat and take her meds. That night, when she went to take a shower, she gathered all her stuff and went to the bathroom. When she took off her clothes, she noticed that the rash was starting to spread. She now had it farther down her legs and it was on her shoulders and upper arms. But it still didn't itch or bother her in any way so she just left it at that.
She took her shower and then went to bed. She had an early appointment with Dr. C. the next day and she was hoping to go to school afterwards. When she got to her room her moms were waiting for her. She knew what this was about. They had decided on her punishment. She made her way to her bed and Lena handed her her meds and a bottle of water. She took them and put the water on her night stand.
Stef and Lena both sat down, one on Callie's bed and the other on Marianas. "Ok, so we talked about it and we have decided on your punishment for acting the way you did yesterday. We decided that you're grounded for one week, school, work and home, that's it. No TV and no guitar." Stef said.
"We also think that since you're sick you will go to bed early from now on until your done with the grounding, which will start when you start school again. We know how miserable you are right now and we aren't going to take your stuff away until you're feeling better, but we think you would benefit from an earlier bedtime for now." Lena added.
Callie nodded. "I understand and I just want to say, I'm sorry for how I acted. I was cranky and tired, but it still wasn't an excuse for treating you both that way, to disrespect and disobey you. I'm sorry." They all hugged and when they pulled back they were smiling.
"Ok Bug. Let's get you sleeping because you have an appointment with Dr. C. first thing tomorrow" Lena said.
"And school afterwards, right?" Callie said with a hopeful tone.
Lena glanced at her wife and gave her a worried look. "Let's wait and see what the doctor says." Stef answered.
Callie nods and slides down under her covers. "Ok Bug, good night. If you feel anything weird come get us ok? We don't care about the time. Ok?" Lena gave Callie a very stern look.
"Ok momma. Night mom! Love u guys!
"Love you too Bug, get some sleep." Lena said.
"Night sweets. Love you." Stef said.
Both women kissed their daughter and went down stairs where they found the rest of their brood watching TV.
"Ok guys, Callie is sleeping, so keep quiet." Stef said.
"How's homework going? Everyone finished?" Lena asked.
They all gave affirmative responses, but didn't take their eyes off the movie. So the moms just sat down on the couch where they had spent most of the day with Callie and watched the movie too.
When the movie was finished the rest of the kids all started to stretch. Stef looked at her kids and said. "I think that you guys should start getting ready too. You all have school tomorrow."
The kids all got up and started to make their way upstairs so they could start getting ready for bed. "Remember to be quiet. You sister is sleeping." Lena reminded them.
After cleaning the living room and checking on all the kids, Stef and Lena finally got to bed.
Morning came too soon. Lena woke up and groand. She was just as tired as she was when she went to bed. She nudged Stef, trying to wake her up.
"Mmm, five more minutes…" Stef mumbled trying to hid under her blanket and burrowing more into her bed.
"We have to get up. The kids have to go to school and Callie has her appointment first thing today." Lena was still in bed trying to stay comfy.
After a few minutes the couple grumbled and mumbled their way to the bathroom and then to the kitchen to get the very needed coffee.
"So how are we going to do this? You drop the kids off and then come back so we can go with Callie to her appointment or I take the kids and then meet you here?" Lena asked.
Stef thought about it and smirked. "Let's make them walk."
You're so mean! You get the boys and I'll wake up the girls.
"Why do I get the boys? That's not fair. There's more boys than girls plus Callie doesn't have to wake up now. She can still sleep a little."
"Fine I'll wake up Jude and Jesus and you get Mariana and Brandon."
"See, that's more like it."
"But you have to drop the kids off at school." At this, Stef made a disappointed face. "Then, when the kids leave we can wake up Callie. She needs to eat before we go because she has to take her meds."
"Ok, ok I'll drop off the kids at school. At what time is her appointment? Nine?"
"Yeah, she's the first appointment so we need to be there a little before."
"Ok. Let's go wake them up."