Author Note: A special chapter in which Callie embarks on a tentative relationship with another family member. In the process, the meaning of unconditional love and support is reemphasized. Huge thanks to theypreferthepeople, who is A+ in her work (and patience!). There are at least a couple short stories currently in progress.

As always, thank you for all your support. Chapter 48 is nearly ready, and I hope to post it towards the end of the week to make up for the delay between this update and the last one :)

Happy reading! ~b

Chapter 47: Getting Feet Wet

Now that they were officially less than a month away from the adoption being finalized, preparations were well underway and the stress of those was taking a toll on everyone, most of all Callie and Jude. Not having had much structure to their lives during their years in foster care, they had only begun to adjust to their routine before it was disrupted. As a result, both were acting out and struggling to abide by the rules. Callie was relentless in pushing the boundaries of the very limited freedom they allowed her, and Jude had started to follow in her footsteps, copying her sarcasm and backtalk. Like clockwork, things would unravel after a busy day where their routine changed—a missed agenda check, an unintended late bedtime, or an allowance made to skip a hair wash. A day where everything went smoothly because time constraints led to leniency, just to keep their household going, would be followed by considerable resistance and tears the next time they tried to return to structure.

It was proof of what the Moms already knew—neither was ready for more independence.

Together, they had been spending their evenings helping sort of out travel plans and accommodations for Lena's parents and thinking over options for welcome presents. Managing the gifting of overzealous grandparents who were gaining two more to call their own was a whole other animal. Between all of them, they decided on a large LEGO set for Jude and a bicycle and helmet for Callie so she could learn to ride as well.

The promise of permanency also allowed them to arrange everything else Callie and Jude would need that they hadn't yet had the opportunity to attend to. This neverending list of adoption-related tasks took them well beyond midnight on most nights.

Preparing answers to questions the attorney and judge would ask at the hearing;

Reviewing the processes to add them on their extended health plans through their employers;

Meeting with their financial advisor to begin paperwork to set up educational savings accounts;

Purchasing formal attire for them (since Callie was outright refusing to wear the meat curtain blouse);

And making good on an earlier promise to look at bunk beds for Jesus and Jude.

As a result, they were barely getting by with the housework. Every appointment and errand threatened to overflow their burgeoning plates. Things at the precinct had also been busy due to short staffing, which meant Stef wasn't always able to make it home on time, something Lena couldn't help resenting despite her best intentions. It wasn't for lack of trying, however, and when Stef did manage to leave right at the end of a shift, she took over for Lena as soon as she got through the door. Simple things like overseeing homework and keeping an eye on dinner in the oven freed up her wife to go have a bath and some time to herself.

This system wasn't sustainable in the long run, but at least the end was in reach. Soon, the big day would arrive.

"Cal, do me a favour please? Take Mariana's sandals down," Lena said, passing them to her eldest as she wrestled with the hose on the vacuum. She had cleaned yesterday so she wouldn't have to the day Sharon got in but Mari must have been trying on different shoes with her outfit because there was sand everywhere in the hallway. "Grab those dish towels on the landing, too. They're clean and need to go in the kitchen."

Sharon had offered to come stay with them for a few days to give them a hand. She had been out of state, away on a girls trip when Lena confided in her about how stressful things were. Shortly thereafter, her mother-in-law had rearranged her plans, determined to be available. Sharon had meant that literally, too. As soon as her flight landed, she'd come to their place instead of going home first. Her arrival coincided with the primary school's science fair and so Sharon would be meeting them at Anchor Beach, which wasn't ideal. However, she and Stef more than welcomed having another adult around to help with the kids and the daily tasks of running a full house Plus, it meant another opportunity for Sharon to spend some time with Callie and Jude before the adoption. While formal introductions had been made on a few other occasions, the three of them hadn't had much of an opportunity to bond. Despite their curiosity, Callie and Jude had been shy around her, only managing polite conversation. And with Brandon and the twins being close to their grandma and angling for time with her, it was easy for Callie and Jude to blend into the background. They hoped that Sharon living with them for a short period would nurture a different dynamic.

"Okay."

"Thank you, sweetheart."

"Welcome, Mama," Callie replied patiently. She got the sense that Stef and Lena had been under a ton of stress lately; they'd been really busy and snapping a lot at each other and at them. She had been trying to help out as much as she could.

Lena was thankful for her daughter's willingness to help while being mindful not to ask too much of her. "After you're done, could you check in with Jude for me? See if he needs any more help," she asked, referring to the poster board for his project. "If no, tell him to bring it to my car. Please remind him to put it back in the garbage bag." They didn't have much time before they needed to lock up and head to the school. The fair was beginning in two hours and Jude and Connor needed some time to work on finishing touches and to set up.

"Okay!" Callie replied, bounding down the steps.

The woman shook her head and smiled at Callie's joy at being given something to do to help her younger brother. It seemed like their daughter finally grasped that they were in charge, but the happiness in being allowed to revisit her old role was obvious.

Having overheard their exchange, Stef emerged from the bedroom. "My goodness, who is this kid and what have you done with our Callie girl?" she remarked quietly so her words wouldn't carry. She couldn't help her surprise, though; it was the most agreeable their daughter had been all week.

She quickly gathered the items strewn on the floor so her wife could vacuum. Frantic cleaning was an anxious habit of Lena's before Dana would come over that had generalized to Sharon, even though Stef's mom actually preferred homes with a little mess to those that looked like no one lived in them.

"Shh! Don't jinx it!" Lena warned. Things could still go wrong. It was still the first time Sharon had stayed with them since Callie and Jude had moved in. She had full faith in her mother-in-law that she wouldn't overwhelm her newest grandkids, but there had been so much flux to everything lately that she couldn't help but worry how Callie and Jude would fare over the course of their evening away from their routine at home.

Callie felt her stomach do a flip as they drove up to school. She was stuck with Mariana in the backseat and all she could think of was how she wasn't ready to see Stef's mom again. She'd met Sharon before and the lady had seemed nice enough, but she didn't know her. Not really. Sharon would usually be around on days they had to go for family meetings. Either she watched the other kids so they could go—just her and Jude with Mom and Mama. But if Brandon, Jesus, and Mariana were doing other stuff, Sharon would come hang out with them in the waiting room while Dr. Wiseman was talking to their moms.

What if she was mean when she got angry? Worse, what if Sharon didn't like her? Then what?

She leaned her head against the back window, letting the hum of wheels on the busy road take her far away from her thoughts. She jolted as Stef's phone vibrated; the buzz was jarring as it rattled in the empty cup holder. In the front seat, she heard her foster mother. "B, can you read that for me? Just in case it's Mama or Grandma." Bored, Callie resumed her position against the glass as she blocked out their murmured conversation.

She jumped again as Mariana reached across the backseat to shake her knee.

"Mom's talking."

"Huh? I know..." Callie replied distractedly as her sister rolled her eyes. "What?"

Stef eyed her eldest daughter in the rearview mirror as she turned into the parking lot, concerned about how Callie would tolerate the last minute changes to their plans. She and Lena had been making an effort to be more consistent in giving Callie a heads up about what would happen to avoid catching her off guard and the knee-jerk resistance that came with it. In general, the strategy had worked wonders but sometimes, things changed and Callie needed to learn to roll with it. "Sweets, did you hear what I was just saying?"

Callie rubbed at her eyes. They felt grainy and she realized she must've dozed off. "No...sorry," she said sheepishly. "What'd you say?"

Stef willed herself patience as she resigned herself to repeating herself. "I said, Grandma is having trouble getting a cab, so she's probably going to be late meeting us in the parking lot." She paused, knowing what she would say next would be a point of contention. "So Mama will head in with Jude first while the rest of us waits until Grandma shows, and then we can go inside to join them and get started on refreshments."

Really, it was just a slight alteration to the original plan, which was to welcome her mother as a family before going inside.

"I can walk Jude in and make sure he links up with Conner!" her daughter immediately offered, as predicted. She had brought this up several times already.

Callie's glimmer of hope at avoiding an encounter with Sharon faded as Stef turned around and gave her a pointed look.

"We've talked about this, honey. Mama needs to check in with some of the staff so it's best for Jude to go in with her," Stef explained, already uneasy with the fact she was offering a rationale. The truth was that Lena was taking him because she was his mother—she wanted to carry out her role with pride. They didn't have to explain that to Callie. "You'll see each other soon," she said, trying to abate some of her daughter's anxiety.

"Yeah, Cal! Plus, you get to see Grandma first," Brandon pointed out, his way of being helpful.

Callie wished the ground would open up and swallow her; she didn't want to meet Sharon first. "Your grandma," she said softly, only intending the comment to be for herself. But it was uttered the moment her foster mom cut the engine, and everyone heard.

Sighing to herself, Stef deliberated the best course of action as she got out of the car and waited for her kids to follow. After all, Callie's point was true. While her mother already saw their new children as grandchildren, that relationship was unidirectional. For now, Callie and Jude didn't consider her to be their grandmother. Her mother couldn't just waltz on in and declare herself their grandma.

It had taken a lot of patience and effort before Callie accepted her and Lena as parents. They were all too familiar with her resistance as they forged the new relationship with her—and while they had had a hard time seeing it while they were in the thick of it, what was causing a similar dynamic with Sharon was obvious now that they were on the outside looking in.

"B. Mariana. Could you go look for Mama's car, please? Walk back with Jesus," she instructed as both children nodded. "Watch for cars."

She waited for them to be out of earshot before walking around to the other side. Callie had her arms crossed and was leaning with her back against the car door. In spite of the defensive stance, her daughter deflated at seeing her, likely worried she'd upset her with her earlier comment.

"Bug…you're okay," Stef said sympathetically as she placed her hands on Callie's shoulders. "Really. It's okay to be unsure about Grandma. She's someone you don't know. But remember what Mama and I talked to you and Jude about?" she asked, continuing when Callie didn't respond. "You don't have to like her, or even call her Grandma if you don't want to." She and Lena were adamant they would not pressure Callie and Jude to bond with their grandparents.

The girl frowned. "She's gonna be in our house hanging around and stuff though." That sounded like a good idea—in theory. Whenever Sharon visited, she took on almost all of the household tasks like cooking and laundry and running out for groceries. As kids, they weren't ever off the hook for chores, but Moms were, meaning they had more time to hang out together and do fun stuff.

Stef smiled wistfully at the girl's plaintive tone, wondering if she should've asked her mom to stay at an Airbnb. At the same time, her heart soared at Callie's language, making it clear that she considered their home a safe place that was also hers. "Yes, it's going to be a bit different for a few days with my mom around. And like we've talked about, you do not have to like her or spend more time with her than you're comfortable—but we do expect you to be polite and use your manners." At the heart of Callie's wariness, Stef understood it had to do with not being sure if "Grandma" was a person she could trust and needing to find that out for herself. However, it saddened her that Callie didn't automatically assume that she and Lena would only allow safe people into their lives.

Sharon did not keep them waiting long. About fifteen minutes after Mariana and B returned with Jesus, the checkered black and white taxi pulled into the lot. "Watch for cars, please!" Stef bellowed, heart thumping, as three kids ran to greet their grandmother, narrowly missing a car that was reversing without due diligence.

Callie watched with interest as all three of her siblings crowded around the older woman and took turns bombarding her with hugs. She felt a bit more at ease seeing how comfortable they were around Sharon and how happy they were to see her again.

Feeling Callie's hand in hers, Stef gave it a reassuring squeeze and winked at her daughter. "Alright. Let's go say hi to my mom, shall we?"

Their greeting went as smoothly as she could've hoped, perhaps even a bit better than expected.

"Hi, Ma," Stef said, letting her mother kiss her as B, Mariana, and Jesus each claimed a piece of luggage to take to the SUV. "Thanks for coming."

"You know I wouldn't miss this for the world, Stefanie." It wasn't just about her daughters needing a break or the science fair, but the opportunity to make inroads with her newest grandchildren whenever possible. "Hi there, doll," she said, noticing for the first time that Callie was holding onto her daughter. She looked so different than the first time she'd met her; her face had filled out and her complexion was healthier. She even looked like she might have gained a few inches.

Unsure of what to do with herself, Callie looked down and sidled slightly closer to the cop.

Stef nudged her daughter. They had practiced polite introductions, which was an expectation with all guests.

"Uh. Hi," Callie replied shyly. "I—I'm Callie…a—and it's, um...really nice to see you, again," she stammered, hoping that was sufficient. Realizing that she was still holding Stef's hand in front of Sharon, she yanked it away and sprung back, shoving both hands deep into her pockets.

Once it was clear her mother had taken her words to give Callie space to heart, Stef relaxed. There was no hovering or fussing over Callie and she didn't try to give her a hug or show any signs of awkwardness towards Callie's body language.

"Callie. I remember. There is no way I could forget such a beautiful name," Sharon said as her granddaughter's eyes flitted up in surprise. "It is wonderful to see you again, too, darling." She couldn't wait for them to spend time together and get to know each other, but she stopped herself from saying more.

Callie gulped and bit her lip, not sure how to respond. Knowing her foster mom expected good manners, she hesitated as she thought of a considerate response. "Thank you," she said, kicking herself as her voice inflected with bubbling insecurity. Stef's mom seemed like a really kind person, although she was careful to remind herself that really kind looking people weren't always kind on the inside. They'd learned that in foster care. But it was hard to doubt Sharon and she found herself imagining what it'd be like to have a grandmother like her that she could hang out with. Or, what it would be like to have a grandmother at all. They hadn't had any grandparents growing up. Sharon was probably the oldest person she'd ever known.

Sharon didn't miss a beat. "Now, I understand that there is a science fair underway and that Jude has a booth."

"Yeah. It's his first one," Callie replied eagerly, distraction helping to lower her guard. Sharon's eyes smiled a little when she talked and with her red cropped hair, matching lipstick and purple-hued eyeshadow and flowy scarf...she was almost cool. Definitely cooler than Stef, that was for sure.

"That's pretty special. I don't know that I'll recognize him if he's grown as much as you have."

The girl gave a shy smile. "I can show him to you. He kinda looks like me but he's small."

"That's very kind of you to offer."

Relief flooded Stef at seeing her mother and Callie walk together ahead of her. Callie kept several feet between them, but her curiosity of the older woman was evident by the way she'd glance at her more than Sharon paid attention to her. Pulling her phone from her pocket, Stef snapped a photo and sent a text to her wife.

I think it's going to be okay. Sharon heading in with Callie. Callie leading.

Unfortunately, it wasn't long before Stef was having to eat her words.

"Mom. Please, can I go?" Callie begged. There were too many people in the gymnasium and she didn't want to be stuck inside. "Why do you make me ask if you always say no?" she accused when Stef shook her head, although she kept her voice low so people around them wouldn't hear.

Stef took a deep breath before responding, regretting her earlier optimism. This was now the second time in half an hour her daughter was asking to go outside, and her irritation was rising. "Callie, that is not true." They usually said yes. "But the awards are about to be presented and I think your brother and Connor have a shot, don't you think? When that is over I'll go outside with you."

She didn't understand. Things had looked so promising until they began to unravel, and it'd happened so slowly that she hadn't noticed what had precipitated it. Callie happily reintroduced Jude to Sharon, and stood by proudly while her brother explained the electromagnetic properties of the cornstarch-based slime he and Connor had made. They had made it dark blue and glittery, to show how the particles would form a chain and moved independently towards the charged ions in the styrofoam board. The older woman complimented the boys on their choice to use Frankenstein-esque font, complete with It's Aliiiiiiiive as a tagline.

"Did something happen?" Stef questioned.

"I just want to not be here, okay?" Callie replied petulantly. Her voice was now teetering on a whine.

Stef refrained from giving a facetious response. That much was obvious. She wracked her brain, wondering what she could do for her daughter to give her some space while being able to keep an eye on her from a distance. Between five kids, one of whom was participating in his first school event, it wasn't easy. But she knew if she didn't offer some sort of solution that met Callie halfway, Callie would do what she wanted. She could read her daughter well enough that she could see the disobedience brewing, much like a train picking up its speed about to jump the track.

"Go sit on the bleachers—wait, I'm not done talking," she said as the girl began to walk away.

Callie huffed loudly in exasperation at being stopped.

"I see you and you see me." The reminder was in reference to the invisible boundary of how far her daughter was allowed to go. "Understood?" Once she received agreement, she let go of Callie, watching her stalk away, hoping they'd get through their evening intact.

Callie smirked to herself as she spotted her foster mom looking around for her from across the gym. She had found almost the furthest point up in the bleachers to sit, way off to the side, where it wasn't very busy. But busy enough to be relatively hidden. And while technically she was pushing Stef's rule a little, she could see her fine from where she was sitting. How would she have known that Stef's eyes were so bad?

It was just nice not to be in a crowded space with awkward stares and hushed whispers. The more she paid attention, the easier it was to notice it happening, but it wasn't like she could call anyone out. Sadly, she wasn't surprised—Stef and Lena held hands sometimes. At first it had embarrassed her, before she realized that was silly. She didn't have to be embarrassed for others' ignorance and stupidity, especially when her moms weren't bothered by it. But still, it pissed her off that they were getting judged for something that wasn't anyone else's business. People who didn't like same-sex relationships didn't have to go get themselves in one. Those women were the nicest people ever. She hadn't known it at first but they were and they didn't deserve this.

Overhearing cutting remarks in a conversation between adults she was sure were about their family, Callie froze.

"That one. The one with the slime experiment? See him?"

Realizing that comment was about Jude, she stabbed angrily at the chicken nugget on her plate. So stupid.

"I bet he's gay."

Callie whipped her head around, not bothering to be inconspicuous so they knew someone had heard their ignorance. She was not surprised at seeing two women who looked like Stepford wives. They were as clueless as she'd expected and didn't notice her.

Her anger surged, forming a knot in her belly as the remarks continued. "If he isn't, he will be soon enough. He doesn't have a chance, not with two lesbians for parents."

"Neither of them have a chance. Kelsey came home and told me that the girl they took in—his sister—is also somewhat of a problem child."

"Oh?"

"Mmhm."

Of course one of them was Kelsey's mom, Callie thought. Now she knew where Kelsey caught her bitchy from.

"There should be a law against this sort of thing. Those poor children will never know what's normal. Kids need a mother and a father. I mean, how can they even put them with that...family?"

"If you can call them that."

Unexpected tears pricked Callie's eyes at the hurtful barrage of words. Seeing her foster mom approach the bleachers, she quickly wiped her eyes. No way did she want Stef to find out people were talking smack about her and Lena. They didn't deserve that. Not after all they'd done to help her and Jude, to give them a home and food to eat and clothes and everything.

"Hey love bug. Get enough to eat?" Stef asked as she sat next to her.

"Mmhm... Is it time to go yet?"

Stef hung her head in exasperation. "Why are you so bent on leaving, honey? We're having such a nice time as a family," she said gently. It wasn't often that they got to go out together and as much as she didn't want to, she found herself taking this personally. "Please talk to me, baby. Did something happen?"

Callie shook her head. "It's just stuffy in here…" she complained, trailing off just as she heard the women again.

"That must be the sister."

This time, frustration got the best of her. Snapping her head around, Callie shot them a disgusted look. "You don't know anything about our family!" she huffed as she sprang to her feet. "In fact, you clearly don't know anything about families. So I suggest you shut your fucking mouth before I—"

Words left her as she felt Stef's firm hand on her shoulder and was pulled in close.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, or so help me Callie, you're going to be in deep trouble. I am warning you," Stef said. The redirection was stern but in a voice soft enough to force Callie to listen carefully to what she was saying. By this point, she had a good guess as to what had been going on before she had arrived, but her child was grossly mistaken if she thought she'd be allowed to intimidate anyone.

"I know enough to know what you're doing to these children isn't right. I know what I see," Kelsey's mother huffed as she and her friend stood up, grabbing their purses.

Callie twisted away from Stef, taking advantage of her surprise to stomp up the bleacher. People were watching, but she didn't care. These women would learn just how wrong they were. "I SAID, SHUT IT!" she shouted, making it up two steps before finding herself swiftly yanked back by the strap on her overalls and coming face-to-face with her furious mother.

"Oh no you don't. Not another peep or inch from you," Stef warned, dismayed by Callie's behaviour and the fact that she always ended up acting out in public. She levelled the child with the deadliest look she could manage, staring at her until the defiance faded and she was confident her direction would be heeded this time. Keeping a hold around Callie's arm, she led her down a step and positioned herself between her daughter and the 'concerned' parents. "I'm sure you're both aware this school is a safe place for all students and families alike. Given that I have reason to believe you've made my daughter feel unsafe, I will be taking my concerns to administration." That was grounds for being banned from future events. She lead Callie away to make it clear they were done engaging.

"Are you okay?" she asked. After what she had witnessed, she couldn't be too mad at her. "You aren't in trouble with me, but we do need to talk."

Heart still pounding from the surge of adrenaline, Callie nodded. Her heart sank when Stef gestured to Lena, who began approaching with Sharon. "Please don't tell, Mama. Please," she pleaded with the cop, hoping they could keep this between them. She didn't need another parent on her for this. But Stef remained silent and before she knew it, Lena and Sharon were there before she could get anything out of her foster mom.

"What's going on?" Lena asked, immediately worried by Callie shaking and breathing hard.

Stef bit her lip. She had no interest in telling her daughter off in front of the others if it could be helped. "Everything's fine," she said, deciding to downplay the situation a little as confusion etched into Lena's brow. "Callie and I are just going to step outside for a moment to discuss appropriate ways one can be an advocate. I'll update you after." She could see Lena's face fall. Both of them had been rooting for Callie to get through the evening without incident.

Callie felt her cheeks burn at the reference to misbehaviour and the sympathetic look Sharon gave her. No longer wanting to leave, she reminded Stef why they shouldn't. "But the awards," she said weakly. "Mom." This was so dumb; she had only been trying to stick up for their family and now she was in trouble for it.

If only her child had thought about that before, Stef thought, refraining from making the sarcastic remark out loud. "Mama will text us when it begins so we won't miss it," she reasoned. She had no intention of withholding Callie's chance to support Jude, nor did she have any desire to punish Jude by having his sister miss out on witnessing his first science fair win. At the same time, she needed some privacy to check in with Callie to learn more about what she had caught the tail end to.

It was difficult to know if she'd handled it correctly, though. Stef reiterated to Callie that while she was entitled to her anger, the way in which she had chosen to respond had been inappropriate. That she was still accountable to her actions. In her own guilt over not having prepared Callie for ignorant comments that their non-traditional family sometimes unfortunately attracted, Stef issued no real consequences apart from expecting an apology from her should they encounter the two women again and a revisit of their conversation with Lena before bed. But her daughter had outright refused to talk, and the two laps they did around the school track only appeared to infuriate her further.

Fortunately, by the time they arrived home, any traces of anger had dissipated. But Stef kept a close eye on her and as she did the dishes that evening, it hit her that Callie hadn't spoken much to anyone since getting home and she couldn't help the distinct feeling that her daughter was upset with her. She seemed forlorn and lost in thought through the dessert celebrating Jude and Connor's first place win. Most of all, she seemed especially uncomfortable around Sharon, in direct contrast to their earlier interaction. Whatever light the two of them had shared before had faded and Callie appeared to be avoiding her.

When she saw Lena grab the opaque bottle of antibiotics out of the fridge, she silently hoped Callie would give in. She did not want to have to step in and be the mean parent tonight, not with all the second-guessing she was doing over if she had handled the situation at school correctly. Not that she minded, but for whatever reason, they were in a bad cycle with Callie not listening unless it was her—and this was reinforced every time she stepped in between her wife and eldest daughter. They'd been picking their battles, but it wasn't possible when it came to medication.

"I don't need that anymore…" Callie protested as soon as the dispenser came out, signalling what was to come. She kicked herself for not slipping out to the family room when she'd had the chance.

Lena gave the container a vigorous shake. "Yes you do, honey. Remember we've talked about this? It is really important you finish the round to make sure the infection is completely cleared. Otherwise, it could come back. You could build resistance and next time you need antibiotics it won't work," she reasoned, trying to be patient with Callie. Her mind became tired at the idea of the infection coming back. Between herself and Stef, they had missed two weeks of work while their daughter had recovered. Two very long weeks.

Determined not to engage, she measured out the dose and attempted to hand her child the plastic cup. "Come on. Let's get this over with," she said confidently. Just once, she wanted Callie to obey her without the situation deteriorating to the point that Stef needed to intervene.

Callie took a step back, refusing to accept the offered sludge. Lena could not be serious. They'd just had chocolate avocado mousse and raspberries. This would totally kill the aftertaste. She was queasy just thinking about it.

"Why don't you want to take it? You've made it this far. The round is almost done," Lena coaxed, gentler this time. She sighed when Callie didn't say anything, but her shoulders went up and she gagged.

The cop frowned. Whenever Lena posed an open-ended question, Callie would take it as an opportunity to dig her heels in. Every time. Steeling herself for an argument, she dried her hands and walked around the island, still giving Lena space to handle things but making her presence known.

"It's gross. It tastes like chalk," Callie mumbled. Her eyes darted over to Sharon; she didn't want her to hear.

"Only for a second, baby. You can eat something after," the woman suggested.

"It's more than a second," Callie huffed. Lena never listened to her. She had trouble swallowing that stuff.

"Honey, please?" Lena asked, cringing at hearing herself beg. Why did everything with Callie have to be a struggle these days?

The girl crossed her arms. "I'll take double tomorrow morning," she bargained.

"That's not how it works, baby. Your health is not up for negotiation." Lena kept the veneer of confidence intact, but was definitely feeling compromised.

"Mama!" Callie snapped in frustration. She was immediately remorseful when she saw she'd made Lena flinch.

Done with the whining, Stef went and grabbed two spoons and one of the single serve yogurts out of the fridge. This was the only technique that sorta worked and that was a heck of a lot better than when they'd first started and Callie was cheeking pills or spitting everything out, so she did not in any way begrudge their progress.

"I don't want to do it like that," Callie protested as her foster mom peeled the top off the container and handed it to her, along with a spoon, without a word. Despite her complaining, Callie took the items grudgingly.

"Well, Mama gave you a chance to do it in one go but it wasn't acceptable, so that's why we're having to do it this way." Stef took the plastic container from Lena and poured some of the liquid onto the spoon, taking care to catch the drip down the side to avoid losing too much of the dose. This also cut down on wasted medication in case Callie spit it out, which had happened on more than one occasion now. She waited for the remainder of the dose in the cup to settle then quickly eyeballed the volume.

"Okay. You know the drill," she said, making it clear she was not in the mood for funny business.

"Please don't make me eat that," Callie balked as she shook her head. Tears welled and threatened to fall as, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Sharon smile as she read the paper. She knew she was only succeeding in making herself look bad, but the stuff would make her sick.

Stef had to hide her amusement at her daughter acting as though she was about to be poisoned. "I'm not making you." She nodded to the yogurt Callie had in her hand. "But you have the strength to make the right decision." That was the spiel she always used to encourage Callie to eat a little before they began, suggesting it would help make her brave. Even though they both knew the point of the snack was to mask the taste of the medicine. "Come on, it's not that bad," she pushed, knowing Callie would cave. "We do this every time you are due for your dose and it ends up being okay, and this time is no different.

"Ah ah ah. Where are you going?" she said when the girl took a small step back. She remained calm but was beginning to worry at signs Callie wouldn't go down without a fight.

"Not here...Moommm…." Callie whined. Sharon was there and she didn't want her to see all this go down. Part of her wanted to try and bail, but then Moms would really be mad. There was honestly no way out of this.

Tired of the stalling, Stef shook her head, despite the fact Callie had just indicated concession. "No. You've run out of opportunities to call the shots. Let's get this over with."

"I'll take the pills," Callie insisted. There was no way she could get those down the hatch either, but at least then she could try to hide them. Plus, that was less weird than Stef feeding her this stuff like some little kid.

Stef scoffed loudly. "Nice try. I am not falling for that, Cal." Nurses had pegged her daughter as being one of the most brazen on the ward with her strategies to avoid taking medication. The Pediatrician had quickly switched Callie to the liquid form only to learn that she would spit it into her cup when she thought no one was watching.

"You don't trust me!" Callie accused, her disappointment at not being able to show her grandmother she could be normal causing her to lash out.

The cop narrowed her gaze at her daughter, not liking the edge in her voice and aware of exactly what game Callie was trying to play. Although, she wasn't so much frustrated as she was confused. It'd been a whole separate ordeal to get the medication sorted. Because Callie refused to swallow pills, she had gone to three different pharmacies to get the white grape flavour Callie wanted. Not purple grape. White. Had she known that the flavour didn't matter, she wouldn't have worked nearly as hard to get the one Callie had insisted on.

"Is this the road you're really deciding to go down, my little pill cheeker? Hm?"

"MOM! Why would you even say that?!" Callie screeched, panicking when she noticed Sharon laugh softly at the comment which had been loud enough for everyone to hear. Now Sharon knew more bad stuff about her and that was the last thing she wanted after the thing that'd happened at school. She wanted the older lady to like her, and didn't want to do anything that would make Sharon change her mind about her.

"Callie…I am done playing. Stop stalling please," Stef said firmly, feeling her patience running thin. "Spoon in yogurt. Now." She waited for Callie to do as she was told and take the first bite before proceeding to feed her the dose by thirds. Her daughter chased each spoonful with a mouthful of yogurt.

When they were done, she took away the empty container and spoon and set it down on the counter. She stepped forward, ready to offer a hug along with the robotic phrase they'd been coached to by the Pediatrician. 'I'm sorry I had to help you, but thank you for letting me.' The one that acknowledged they had strong armed her into doing something they didn't have her full consent for. But before she could, her daughter ran past her and up the stairs.

"You ruin everything!"

Later, they found her curled up in her bed facing the wall, a pillow hugged tight against her body. Hearts heavy at the sound of soft cries, the women shared a look of concern; neither could believe things had escalated the way they had.

Not wanting to startle Callie in case she hadn't heard them come in, Stef slowly lowered herself down beside her and began to thread her fingers through her hair. "Honey…" she murmured, heart breaking at the tear-streaked face that turned around.

Callie looked between them, absolutely bereft. "M—Mom. Mama. S—sorry. S—sorry I y—yelled," she hiccupped.

"Oh, my love...you look like you need a hug." They had given her twenty minutes of space and she had likely cried the entire time. Tugging the pillow away, Stef helped her daughter sit up and gathered her into her arms, relieved when Callie did the same. "We love you. So, so much," she said, needing to reassure her all was okay between them. "Thank you for apologizing. You're forgiven." Truth be told, she was very surprised her daughter had initiated saying sorry without any prompting.

"Where is all this coming from, baby? What's gotten you this upset?" she asked, rubbing Callie's back through a coughing fit. It had been quite some time since they had seen her this worked up. "Do I really ruin everything?" she tried, hoping for an indication of what had gone wrong. "I do?" she tried to clarify when Callie nodded.

"You were saying all this bad stuff about me and Grandma Sharon was right there," Callie said, sucking loudly through her nose. Seeing Lena's confusion, she continued to explain. "D—downstairs. And at school, you said we had to go talk and she knows what that means, Mom. Everyone does!" More tears fell. She had wanted to put her best foot forward so Sharon would like her. "Now she's not gonna like me because she knows how big a problem I am."

"Sweetheart. No. Where on earth would you get an idea like that?" Lena asked, sitting between by the foot of the bed so she could make eye contact with Callie. Her child's heartbreak over her wish to be accepted and her conviction that it'd been jeopardized was visceral. The admission over feeling the need to impress Sharon, despite repeated reassurances that there was no pressure to develop a relationship, was the most concerning.

Callie peered over Stef's shoulder. "Kelsey's mom said I was a problem and said Jude was gay and we didn't have a hope living with you guys because you're lesbians and it's not normal," she said in a small voice. "They said we're not a real family." Tearfully, she recounted the conversation she'd overheard, as well as the whispers and stares.

"I am so sorry you had to hear such a hateful things about your brother and our family," Lena consoled. Their youngest daughter was friends with Kelsey and while they preferred she wasn't because they didn't know her parents, they also couldn't control who their children spent time with at school. Obviously, Mariana had told her friend that Callie and Jude were being adopted. Kids being kids, Kelsey had talked about it and brought it home where it became fodder for those who hid their prejudice behind the argument of defending traditional family values. She shook her head in disbelief over what they had learned. "Some people are really close minded about families that are different, like ours. And they are entitled to their own opinions and feelings, but bringing it up the way they did is inappropriate.

"Our family counts," she added. "If it counts to you and I and your siblings, that is all that matters."

"I know! But it was hard to hear that stuff about people you love. And I was trying to stick up for you guys but then Mom yelled at me!" Callie kept ranting.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down there, sunshine," Stef said, quickly realizing that their earlier conversation needed a revisit if her daughter was upset about not being able to finish 'sticking up' for them. "Here, sit up." She propped the pillow against the headboard and moved to sit beside her daughter while Lena took up the other side, sandwiching Callie between them.

"Now, remember I told you, I think it was very thoughtful and kind and sweet of you to try and stand up for us, but the way you went about it was absolutely out of line," Stef said, leaning into her daughter. "Telling someone to do something with the threat of doing it for them if they don't is just that—a threat, Callie." She knew how Callie would've finished that statement had she been allowed to. "Charging up to them is intimidation that falls into the same category and is just as unacceptable."

Callie's heart sank with the realization her foster mom was right. "I guess so."

"You guess so or you know so?" Stef asked, her voice firm and gentle all at once.

"I know so."

"That's more like it." She fought to keep her expression serious, seeing her wife's amused smile as she sat on the other side of Callie. "I don't ever want to see or hear about you retaliating like that again. Because if there is a next time, we are not going to be as lenient," she said sternly, desperate to have her toe the line. "I'm serious, Callie. If something like this happens again, we will be having a different sort of discussion around your behaviour. One that neither you or I will be very fond of. Because like we talked about, you are responsible for yourself and your reactions. No one else's. Is that clear?"

Her daughter brushed away a stray tear. "No fighting," she said dejectedly. She understood the consequence being alluded to if she crossed that line again: her behind and her Mom's hand, at the same meeting.

"No, not just no fighting. No threatening language with your words or body. You know that," Stef corrected. The specifics were important.

"I appreciate that you wanted to stick up for your family, honey, I really do," Lena said. That spoke volumes about their daughter's kindheartedness. "It makes me so proud that you stood up for something you knew was wrong and I hope that's something you'll never hesitate to do if you see someone being mistreated," she praised. Callie smiled shyly at her. "That being said," she added, giving her daughter a look that let her know she expected better. "It's important to keep in mind the reasons why you're standing up to someone. It is most definitely not our responsibility to change other people. So you need to decide for yourself if it's worth it."

"But you and Mom say it's your responsibility about all the things we do," the girl pointed out.

Now it was Stef's turn to smirk. "That's a bit different, but you're not wrong. It's a parent's job to teach their kids right from wrong and to protect them, not the other way around. So yes, you are our responsibility."

"Oh," Callie faltered.

The cop bopped her on the nose. "Yes. 'Oh,'" she teased, repeating it in the same tone Callie had used.

"Does that make sense?" Lena asked. She was struggling with how to best convey the message to Callie, who was a bit young for this lesson. "No one can force another person to be kind."

"Look, Cal. Your Mama and I have had our share of mean things said to us over the last few decades. And that never feels good," Stef explained. "But I don't harbour resentment about it—not like I used to. It's not worth it to me to try and change anyone's belief system because I don't need to prove myself to them." She glanced over Callie's shoulders at her wife. It'd taken her well over a decade to reach self-acceptance and be comfortable in her own skin, and she knew Lena had had a similar journey. "What's important to me is that at the end of the day, when I go home, it's to a family that loves and supports me no matter what."

"So everything else is just noise," Callie piped up, understanding.

"You got that right, kiddo."

"So...eff that noise, huh, Mom?"

Stef nearly guffawed at the conclusion. She didn't have the heart to call her out on the language, which was pretty tame relative to whatever else Callie would typically come up with. "I'm going to let that one go, but yes, in a sense."

She paused, deciding how to broach her apology to Callie for neglecting her feelings around what she might not have wanted shared with her mother. Something Lena had brought up when she noticed Callie avoiding her Grandmother.

"I'm sorry I didn't respect your privacy earlier with my Mom around," she began. "She's such an important person in our family that I keep forgetting she's new to you and Jude, and that's not fair to either of you." Suddenly, Callie's sensitivity—the shyness and indignancy, the cautious glances towards the older woman to gauge her reactions at redirections uttered too loudly—made sense. She had embarrassed her.

They had always known that Callie's sense of dignity was important to her so they usually took her aside whenever they needed to speak to her. But at home, this wasn't always possible. Plus, it was a different dynamic within the family. Her mother, on the other hand, was an outsider to Callie. Their argument over medication had been the last straw.

"Were you afraid that Grandma might like you less when she learned you don't always like to listen, just like all of her other grandchildren?" In hindsight, it was obvious Callie wanted to win her grandmother's approval. She had been extra polite, remembering to use her manners and trying to make eye contact with her.

That insecurity of not being accepted hadn't come up in some time, but this was a reminder that the fear was still there. Only, it had shapeshifted onto another person.

Callie brought a knuckle up to her mouth, feeling a bit sheepish as she chewed. Of course, Stef's mom would think the same. Stef had to have learned it from somewhere. She frowned as insecurity muscled the thought out of the way. "But you said I didn't have to like her." The words had weighed on her mind for some time.

"We did, yes," Stef replied slowly, not quite sure where her daughter was going with the statement. "You don't."

"But doesn't that mean she doesn't have to like me, either?"

"Baby, it doesn't quite work that way," Stef murmured sadly, glancing at Lena for assistance.

"Oh, sweetheart. Grandma doesn't just like you, she loves you—believe me, she already does—and will, no matter what. Do you know why?" Lena questioned. She appreciated her daughter's dilemma; while everyone in their family trusted in having Sharon's unconditional love, there was no way Callie would've known that. There was no history there. Time and patience was needed for Callie to figure her out.

Callie shook her head. Savouring the security she had between her Moms, she leaned into the cop, bringing both of her knees up so she could tuck in all cozy. Resting her cheek against the woman's side as Stef readjusted to make room, she told herself she would listen and try to believe whatever it was they were about to say. They hadn't failed her yet.

"Because a grandmother's love is infinite. She loves you because she has a whole lotta love to give. Because you are ours, and because you are you. You don't have to worry about impressing her. We're family now."

"Are you okay, sweetness? Are we good?" Stef asked, bringing her daughter close.

She was relieved when Callie reached up and slipped her hand into her palm. Her way, she had learned, of letting her know all was forgiven and right again.

Although grateful for all the progress they had made together, she was still floored when Callie's quiet voice repeated Lena's words. "We're family now."