Author Note:
A quicker update, as promised. The content was originally embedded as a scene in another chapter but ended up with a life of its own. I'm lukewarm on the final product, and there's likely an inaccuracy (or two) when it comes to the details of court proceedings but it serves its purpose. Enjoy! As always, so many thanks to theypreferthetermpeople for her dedication.
Thank you as well to the reviewer who brought to my attention a pretty big discrepancy in the previous chapter that had gone unnoticed; I really appreciate it. Last chapter was written as though Sharon lived out of town, but previously, her character had roles that alluded to her living close by. This is an error (she lives in the same state in this AU). I've gone back and made some minor alterations to the first two scenes in Chapter 47 to reflect this. Sorry for the confusion! Forgetting these details from earlier on is definitely a sign that this story is getting stale. On a related note: three more chapters left and an epilogue. ~b
Chapter 48: An Unexpected Hurdle
"STEF! Stef, could you grab that?" Lena hollered. She was halfway down the stairs, balancing an oversized load of laundry in her arms. It was before dinner on a Thursday and all five kids were at the table—binders, agendas, and books sprawled across the surface as they did their homework. For Lena, this time was a chance to tackle chores before the children were set free to do whatever they wanted, which often undermined her efforts to maintain some sort of equilibrium and order in their household.
"No worries, got it!" Stef called, grabbing the handset. Her chest automatically clenched in the way it usually did when she recognized Bill's number on the Caller ID.
"Hi, Bill. You're working late," she remarked, curious as to why he was calling at this time of day. His shift usually ended at four-thirty and it was past half past six.
Their children's Case Manager laughed softly on the other end of the line. "Yes, you could say that. I have tomorrow off so I'm hoping to wrap things up here. That way I might actually be able to unplug."
"That sounds great. You should be using up your vacation," Stef replied, skeptical at the small talk. There was a cautious sort of emptiness to his cheerful comments. Like most Case Managers at the county, his workload was heavy, ensuring he almost never called unless there was a reason. Small talk was indicative of changes—a new appointment, a home visit, or something to do with Callie's probation.
"Where are you off to?" she asked, deciding to keep her response casual for Callie and Jude, who were watching her anxiously after hearing his name when she answered. She shot a reassuring wink their way, but two nervous pairs of eyes followed her nonetheless as she paced behind the island. The news probably wasn't good but she had to keep positive for them.
"Nowhere. My folks are coming in from New England."
"Well a staycation is nice...they don't get as much credit as they should, in my opinion. Who wants the hassle of traveling anyway?" She refrained from cursing under her breath for having probably missed him on her cell. He often tried that line before the house.
At this point, Lena poked her head down the stairwell. "What's going on?" she mouthed, trying to follow the awkward conversation that was borne out of anxiety. Her concern was justified when her wife covered the mouthpiece with one hand and gave a slight shake of her head that would've been imperceptible had she not been paying close attention.
Bill sighed, knowing there was no way to cushion the news. "I don't suppose you've heard from court today?" he began. "They faxed paperwork over to our office this afternoon. I was able to speak to the clerk, and she was planning on getting ahold of you or Lena." He bit his lip; Stef was going to lose her shit.
"No, we haven't…unless they called our work and we missed it." She glanced at Lena who shook her head, indicating she hadn't received a call at her office."So what's the deal?" she questioned, forcing an even tone as she cut straight to the chase. Worry was etched onto Callie and Jude's faces.
"There's no easy way to say this, but they've moved the date of the hearing to the following week. I wanted to give you a heads up. They probably will need confirmation from you that you can still make it."
Stef swallowed her anger. "Why?" she said incredulously.
"The short and the long of it is, the judge forgot that his son's sixth grade graduation was on the original date and rebooked all his appointments. Another judge is able to preside over some of the hearings that day, but he only requested to work a half-day. All the ones scheduled for that afternoon were rescheduled."
Stef turned around, leaning against the countertop and closing her eyes in resignation. "Of course he forgot," she said flatly. And of course the judge standing in wouldn't be able to honour all existing appointments, theirs included. Sometimes it seemed like luck was never on Callie and Jude's side.
"I'm sorry, Stef. This is going to be tough for the kids."
The cop laughed dryly, begrudging the fact that external factors would soon prey on lingering insecurities. "Yeah, it will. It's not your fault, though. I wish they'd told us sooner." Her mind was already in overdrive wondering how to begin explaining this to Callie and Jude. They had made such a big deal of the date already, with family and friends having booked travel plans. In the grand scheme of things, it was only a difference of a few days, but still, another unnecessary delay. One they didn't need on top of everything else that they'd gone through.
"Well, it is court. They don't exactly have a reputation of putting people first. You know how it is."
"You know I do, Bill." She was saved from making any further comments that would convey her disappointment by a beep signalling the call waiting. She pulled the phone away from her ear to look at the display. Recognizing the courthouse number she quickly thanked Bill and accepted the second call.
"Yes, this is she," she said when the clerk asked to speak with her. "Bill just made us aware," she confirmed. Her attempt to save herself from having to hear that awful line of reasoning again, which was unacceptable to her.
"Of course we will be there." She glanced over at Callie and Jude, concerned. Her reply came across a little more curt than she intended when asked for their availability on the Tuesday following their original Adoption Day. After all of the uncertainty and waiting, they were absolutely going to attend whichever timeslot they were offered.
"Is there no availability for the morning of the Thursday?" she pushed, referring to the original date although she knew it was pointless. "Of course. I forgot," she said, unable to help her clipped tone when all remaining hopes were dashed. She knew she was being petty by taking her frustrations out on the clerk, when it wasn't in her control, either.
"What should I tell them? My children, yes," Stef said when the woman on the other end asked if she had any questions. Who else? Lips tight, she drummed the cabinet beneath the sink as the clerk stammered the same explanation Bill had given her. She was polite but oblivious as to why the change in circumstances was a big deal, which did nothing to tame Stef's frustration.
She and Lena happened to like the judge assigned to their case. He was the same one who had finalized the twins' adoption, and was caring, albeit somewhat disorganized. She was more upset that the other judge had the audacity to discard half the day's appointments, with the expectation that a later date would be received with patience and understanding by two kids who had waited over half a decade for their adoption.
Deciding she'd better end the conversation before saying something she regretted, she committed the new date and time to memory. "We'll see you on the Tuesday. Eighteenth at one-thirty," she confirmed politely for the sake of setting a good example for her children.
She set the phone back into its cradle a little roughly, taking her frustration out on the benign object which had been the conduit for bad news. Her throat tightened as she glanced at the rest of her family. They were sitting too quietly, and Callie and Jude's expressions were solemn. Her youngest son's chin was dimpled as he tried not to cry in front of his other siblings, with whom he still wasn't completely comfortable sometimes. Though Callie had one hand on his knee, her shoulders were sagged, giving the impression of someone defeated by circumstances that rendered her powerless. Behind and between them stood Lena, a supportive hand on each of their shoulders. Stef exhaled another sigh and gave her wife a knowing look before grabbing the calendar off its hook on the kitchen wall.
"B. Mariana. Jesus. Can you give Mama and I a moment alone with Callie and Jude, please?" Wide-eyed, they all nodded and scattered dutifully out the door to the backyard.
Placing the calendar down on the table, she took the chair adjacent to Callie so the four of them could sit close to one another. "That was Bill and the courthouse," she began, clasping her hands. She hated the news she had to break. "The judge who was supposed to do our adoption hearing, he forgot that his kid's primary school graduation is the same afternoon." She tapped the thirteenth of the month, a Thursday, which had been decorated with stars and stickers. "There isn't another judge available during that time who can take over," she explained, simplifying the explanation. Getting into the nitty gritty would only disenchant them further. Despite her best efforts to stay calm, the angry inflection found its way into her voice.
"Sooo...Adoption Day is going to happen a few days later now," Stef said softly, sliding her finger across the page to the eighteenth. Even on the calendar it was a big leap. "I'm so sorry, my babies," she continued as Lena's mouth gaped open with surprise. "I know how much you were looking forward to that day. Mama and I were as well."
Lena drew in a measured breath. For the rest of their children, who were excited to gain two more official siblings, this would be disappointing. But for Callie and Jude, the news came as a devastating blow. It had been enough to get them acquainted with the idea of being adopted. To have it pushed back now was simply unfair.
"Can the date get changed again? If it does, will our adoption get cancelled?" Callie interrupted before Stef could say anything else. Her voice pitched as she fought to keep tears at bay. Her mind couldn't help but to go there: without a date, the adoption wouldn't be able to go through.
"Oh, honey, no. No, your adoption cannot be cancelled. It's going to happen," Stef immediately reassured. It hurt that that was the first thing that'd come to her daughter's mind. "Hey, hey…hey, look at me," she said, reaching up to stroke Callie's cheek with her thumb.
She waited until Callie made eye contact before continuing. "It's just a few days later. Less than a week. Just a weekend, really, in between," she encouraged, trying to be cheerful. In reality, she knew how difficult that weekend would be for all of them.
Retracting her bottom lip, Callie dropped her gaze downward. That was five more days. "But he's a family judge," she piped up, considering the irony of it all. "How could he forget about his family?" Feeling defeated, she sucked in another trembling breath. "And how come they couldn't find another judge to, you know, help families?"
"Oh, honey…I wish I had an answer for you. I really do," Stef replied honestly. "It's so disappointing." Her daughter was definitely a girl after her own heart and she could appreciate how upset Callie was. Callie had gone out on a limb to trust in a new narrative, only to be let down again.
Catching sight of Jude's hand reaching for Callie's, she gave him a sad smile. He looked shell shocked. "How are you doing, Bud?"
Predictably, her son's first inclination was to shrug. "Sometimes people make mistakes and forget stuff, and that's okay. Because it happens," he said, sounding the most mature they'd probably ever heard him. "But I'm mad. Like really mad. Because, the judge promised that day and people have to keep their promises. He should have to live with his mistake and do our adoption, anyway!" he said boldly. Perhaps knowing he'd gone too far, his throat bobbed with a gulp.
Stef understood his frustration. But while she'd been fuming mere moments ago, the necessity to teach forgiveness and empathy now shoved it out of the way. "Mistakes do happen, I agree with you there. But I don't think it's okay that the judge's son miss out on having his Dad there for his graduation because his Dad forgot. Do you?" She peered at him from where he was sitting behind Callie. "It's not his fault," she said, hoping she'd made her point clear.
"Guess not," Jude eventually mumbled.
Wanting to redirect their conversation, Lena bent over her children. She tapped Jude on the back, gathering her arms around him when he turned around. "Do you remember what happens on that day?"
The boy sniffled as he nodded into her hair, taking his time before answering. They'd talked about it a lot. Together, all four of them...as a family with all his new brothers and sisters...and then some nights him and Lena, or him and Stef before bed. "We have to say hi to the lawyer and then we go through the metal detector to make sure everyone's safe. We get to walk in together, then me and Callie sit at the table in front with the lawyer, and you and Mom sit behind us. Then the judge comes in and we stand, and say our names and that we're gonna tell the truth."
Lena suppressed a smile at his enthusiasm. "That's perfect. Callie's turn now," she said, prompting her daughter to turn towards her. "What else after that?"
"Mm, the lawyer and the judge will ask you and Mom questions to make a case for why it's good we stay together forever. Then it's mine and Jude's turn. The questions aren't hard or anything," she said, relieved they'd already reviewed some of the questions with Bill. "Then he signs a bunch of stuff and reads something official about our family and our new last name." She couldn't help but grin at that. Becoming an official Adams Foster was going to be pretty awesome. She already felt like they were part of the family but something about changing it felt like she could get a fresh start. "Then we take photos, and go home for the party."
Lena had to smile at Callie referring to the adoption decree as a bunch of stuff. "Beautiful job, you two. Could I get a hug?" She brought them into her arms as they slid off their stools simultaneously, placing a kiss on each on their temples. As a parent, the validation that they were needed never got old. "As you can see, the day is going to be the same even though it's on a different date," she pointed out. The change was a big deal but these kids needed hope. "Do you have any questions about Adoption Day?"
"But, people..." Callie began before trailing off. Worried her foster moms would be mad at her for undermining their efforts to cheer Jude up, she played with the ends of Lena's hair. Some parts of it were so tightly coiled that it looked like a hair roller. Her Mom used to get curly hair, too, whenever she'd let it grow long enough, but not like this.
Lena squeezed her forearm, bringing her back to the present. "You can ask us anything, you know that right?"
Callie shook her head, feeling shy all of a sudden. Feeling a tap on her arm, she glanced at her Mom.
"What is it that you want to ask, honey?" Stef asked. She took Callie's vacated spot as Lena took Jude's, helping the boy onto her lap.
"But Grandma...Grandma isn't gonna be able to come anymore, though, right?" Callie said plaintively as she, too, climbed up so she could perch on Stef's thigh. They'd all talked about how guests would be arriving earlier in the week to help with last minute errands for the two parties—one at the courthouse immediately following, and the other that night at the house—before flying out before the end of the weekend to existing commitments.
Stef stared, both impressed and flabbergasted. These kids had really taken to her mother. They'd spoken to her twice by phone in the last week. The conversations had been brief, but the building blocks of the new relationship were slowly being cemented in. She and Lena were excited for the two of them to spend more time with Lena's parents, as well as Jenna and Kelly, feeling confident it'd be a positive experience.
"Baby, she wouldn't miss it for the world. Neither would anyone else. Adoption Day is a huge deal!" She was certain that their family and friends who were planning to come would still be arriving, regardless of the switch in dates.
"It's probably gonna get moved around again," Callie said despondently, finding a hangnail to chew. By this stage in her life she'd learned she had no control over these things so it was best not to get her hopes up again. Because she had this time, and that was why this stung so much.
The cop sighed. Callie had had to deal with so much going wrong in her life and being repeatedly let down that her worry about this needed to be validated and heard. "Cal, this is truly unprecedented; hearing dates don't usually change. So I don't think it will happen again. If it does, we'll cross that bridge together and get through it." She knew it wouldn't be as easy as throwing a placating answer Callie's way when the girl regarded her with dubiousness.
"What's un—presented—ed mean?" Jude interjected, immediately worried.
Callie laughed and slapped him on the arm. "It means unusual. Not that you don't get presents, silly."
Stef scoffed at the presumptuousness. Jude couldn't stop talking about gifts ever since Dana had mentioned it, which was why she and Lena had preferred to keep them a surprise. "Your sister is right, baby. Court dates don't change very often, so the chance of that happening again is very small."
"Can we still have cake?" Jude inquired, moving on now that the important matter of gifts had been settled.
Lena chuckled at her son's tendency to have his priorities straight. "We will still have cake. Thank you for reminding me. I will call the bakery and ask to have it ready for the new date." A reception with family and friends was planned at the house for right after, with celebrations to lead into presents and dinner. They anticipated being rushed out of the courthouse as soon as the orders were in their hands to accommodate the other hearings scheduled for that afternoon.
"Now, which one of you would like write something on the calendar for our new Adoption Day?" she asked, reaching for a pen. She was unsurprised when Callie shook her head. "That's okay. Jude?" she encouraged, wanting to have them participate in something that symbolized their big day would still come. "Why don't you draw something to remind us?"
Callie held her breath; Jude was going to jinx it all. Personally, she didn't want to write anything down in case things fell through again. She wished she could tell him not to but he was her little brother and she didn't have to heart to stop him when he was so excited. Feeling Stef's arms behind her, she leaned back, allowing herself to be hugged.
Jude bit the end of the pen, deliberating what to do. "I kinda want to draw a cake, 'cause the eighteenth is super special," he whispered. He struggled with the outline of a flattened cylinder before asking her. "—I can't draw," he said, discouraged. "Can you help me Callie? Please?"
"Fiiiine," Callie said, reluctantly accepting the pen. If they got adopted on that day, it would be pretty special. She hadn't brought it up because she didn't think Jude would remember.
"Buddy! We're going to have cake, I promise! Trust me, Mama is not going to forget!" Stef teased, shaking her head. They were treat-obsessed, much to her joy and Lena's dismay. But even Lena let go of her rules when it came to celebrating milestones. Cake was a big deal in their home; one on each of their birthdays, plus another on the twins' Gotcha Day—the anniversary of their adoption finalization. She fell silent as Lena held up a finger and nodded towards the candles Callie was working on. Complete with icing and small inky flowers along the side, with candles on top, this was a birthday cake.
She gasped as Callie shifted against her leg and the girl's hip bone painfully jutted into her femur as she got up to stand over the calendar. "Eighteenth is Mama's birthday," Jude explained as his sister worked on drawing the flames. "Draw more!" he bossed excitably.
"Don't think we're gonna get all of them. She'd be getting up there by now, you know," his sister said.
Lena burst into a laugh as Stef's eyes bugged out at their daughter's comment. According to the children's birth certificates, Colleen had been in her early twenties when Callie had been born, so approximating her age was easy. "Sweetheart, she wouldn't even be forty this year," she said, trying to keep serious when Callie stared at her incredulously.
"Well exactly, Mama. She was over thirty already, and she said when she turned thirty-one that she was getting up there, 'cause that was more than halfway to sixty! And that was when she started her count to sixty, so the number of candles on her cake was gonna be her age minus thirty." She remembered Mom's last birthday before she died. Dad had bought a cake and she and Jude helped her blow out the one candle.
Scandalized, Stef's mouth fell open. Owe it to Callie (or rather, Colleen) to make her self-conscious about her age. "Honey, both Mama and I are over forty. And I happen to like all my candles on my cake, every single one. Now what would your Mom have to say about that, hm?"
"Mm...she probably would've said that you need a pretty big cake then to hold all the candles," Callie supplied casually, smirking as her foster mom feigned insult. It was so easy to get under her skin.
Stef grabbed a notebook off the table, rolling it up tight and wagging it at her daughter in warning. "Careful."
Callie grinned cheekily, unable to help herself. Stef had left herself wide open! "Also, if you're not fast enough your cake might burn up before you get around to blowing out all of them." She looked past Lena, making sure there was a clear escape path because once she said the next thing on her mind she'd have to run. "Because lung capacity changes with age and you do get more out of breath as you get old, you know," she added before trying to dart behind her Mama.
"Smart mouth!" Stef admonished as she sprung out of her chair faster than her daughter could react. Catching Callie by the arm, she popped her on the tush as both children shrieked with laughter. "Smart! Mouth! And now I know where you get it from, too!"
It was times like these that felt like Colleen Jacob was around. Keeping an eye on things.
Making sure they were okay.