AN: I know people are not getting notifications for my story as of late — chapters 18 and 19, I know, did not send out notifications. So if this one DOES send out notifications, make sure you've read those chapters as well. Enjoy!
Lena felt absolutely numb on the ride back home. She'd gone through the motions of dinner. She'd smiled when she was supposed to, she'd made sure Jude and Frankie were eating. She'd stopped an argument between the twins and then had told Jesus he could not have another dessert, and yes, Mariana had to finish eating her soup and salad. She kept up appearances for her children, all the while her mind was racing.
Once Stef and Callie came back in the restaurant, she'd already shuffled everyone around, making sure Mariana was beside Jude and Jesus beside Frankie so each could help with their younger siblings because she knew Callie was going to need to be between her and Stef when and if they came back in. Jesus was always better with his little sister, helping her when asked and Mariana was amazing with Jude. The two teenagers had known seeing Sophia had really messed with Callie's head, and they also knew it had somehow done something to their mama as well. They just didn't know what and they knew it was in their best interest not to ask.
The moms had kept Callie between them, Lena keeping an eye on Callie and Stef watching their surroundings. They'd enjoyed the meal to an extent, but it had turned out more stressful than either mom had wanted it to be. It had been meant to be a treat for Callie and the rest of the children, but had not ended that way. Callie had barely touched her food and had folded into Lena's side within minutes of coming back to the table, reaching over and pulling Lena's phone from her purse. She then immediately started to play Angry Birds, a game Lena had downloaded for her to play when she had asked earlier in the week.
Normally, Lena and Stef both would have taken the phone from her and chastised her for not only taking it out of Lena's purse without asking, but also for having it out at the dinner table. However, today was not that day, as they'd had no trouble with Callie and her own phone other than her always leaving it at home because she wasn't used to having one or forgetting to charge it when the battery died. They were glad she wasn't attached to hers like Mariana often was to her own.
"Okay, everyone out of the car. Mariana, help Frankie take a bath tonight, please. Jesus, put the leftovers in the fridge — remember you cannot eat anyone else's leftovers without asking, young man. Jude, go pick out your pajamas and after Frankie takes a bath, you can take one. I will help you with your bath or if you sweet talk Mariana, I bet she will help you," Stef said. Jude smiled and looked towards Mariana who smiled and nodded her head.
Stef waited until all of the children were headed inside before looking down at Callie, who was sitting on the edge of the seat in the car.
"You okay, Love," Stef asked, smoothing Callie's hair away from her face. Callie nodded, but her eyes were on Lena.
To Stef it was like Callie could sense something was going on with Lena. Even though Callie didn't know what was going on, she had been watching Lena closely since going back in the restaurant earlier.
"You can go in the house, Love," Stef told her.
Callie got out of the car, but she didn't head in. She walked to the front of the car and waited. It was then that Stef knew she was going to have to wait to talk to her wife about everything going on because Callie was more in tune to Lena than Stef felt even she, herself, was at the moment.
Lena realized it as well and walked up to Callie and put her arm around her.
"What do you need, Bug," Lena asked her quietly, sensing Callie's emotions were going in overdrive. They didn't need to lose how far they had come with Callie over this incident.
"You," Callie whispered, and wrapped her fingers in the bottom of Lena's shirt. Truthfully, Callie didn't know what she needed. But she wanted Lena. She wasn't really sure why right now, but she didn't want to be too far away from the woman.
Lena smiled and leaned over so she could kiss the top of Callie's head, "Let's go put on some pajamas and watch a movie, Bug. Me and you, in my room."
Stef smiled. She knew it was Lena's way of telling her what she needed as well.
After all, Callie had just been through something that had brought back horrible things from her past — but Lena had, too.
Callie was practically on top of Lena after they both had their pajamas on and were lying in the moms' bed. But it hadn't started there — Callie had refused to go to her room and get her own pajamas, and had followed Lena into her room and picked up Stef's discarded t-shirt she'd worn the night before and shed her clothes, replacing them with Stef's shirt.
She breathed in Stef's scent as she pulled the shirt over her head. She wanted both women right now — she'd never lived in a home where she'd felt it was okay to want the parents. Not since her mother had died.
But at the same time, she knew she couldn't be selfish, and something told her Lena was who she needed most right now.
Callie then followed Lena into the bathroom, not letting her get too far from her.
Lena, used to it by now, didn't say anything. Callie seemingly knew nothing of privacy and she and Stef had learned quickly it wasn't worth it the battle when it was them, and since she didn't do it to the others in the house, they had, thus far, let it go.
"Why don't you sit on the toilet lid, Bug, while I wash my makeup off," Lena said, taking her long curls up onto the top of her head and securing it with a ponytail holder.
Lena turned the water onto a cool, tepid stream and let it begin to warm up a little. It was the perfect time to talk to Callie.
"Bug, you know you can't just walk in on just anyone when they are in the bathroom, right? Just like not everyone can see you when you don't have clothes on," Lena started. This was not something she had thought she would have to have with her thirteen year old. It was a conversation she and Stef had had with Mariana when she was six and Frankie over the last year.
"I know that," Callie said, staring at Lena like she'd grown three heads.
"Who can you just walk in on," Lena asked, leaning over the sink and starting to wash her face, enjoying the cool water against her face.
"You and Mom," Callie said without thinking. Lena looked up slowly, just in time to see Callie's mouth open, her face shocked.
"I'm sorry," Callie whispered, her voice etched with fear — fear of rejection, fear of acceptance.
Lena quickly turned the water off and dried her hands before going over to Callie, grabbing the stool she and Stef used when giving the children baths, and sat in front of Callie, taking her small hands in her own.
"You, Callie, have nothing to be sorry about. I am happy you want to call Stef Mom and me Mama. I know it isn't easy for you, but it is more than okay. I love you, Bug. I don't need a piece of paper to tell me that you are mine. I already know that. I just want you to know that. I want you to know that, without a doubt, you are mine and Stef's," Lena said, holding Callie's hands tightly in her own.
"Jude and me aren't adopted yet, though. I know how this goes. I've been in foster care for a long time…" Callie said, refusing to look Lena in the eye anymore.
Lena wasn't having any of that, though. She let go of Callie's hands and lifted her chin so Callie had no choice but to look her in the eye.
"Do you trust me," Lena asked. Lena knew more than the child in front of her and she needed Callie to trust her. To trust that she would make sure everything which needed to be done would be done and that she and Stef would be Jude and Callie's mothers very, very soon.
A tear slipped down Callie's face, but she nodded. Yes, she did trust Lena. She trusted Lena and Stef more than she had ever trusted anyone.
"Then I need you to trust that you are my daughter. You are my daughter and you will be adopted. And you will live with me and Stef without worry. I need you to know this, Callie. You may not be an Adams Foster yet, but you will be soon."
"Okay. I understand," Callie whispered, though her voice let Lena know she was unsure. But Lena didn't want to press Callie any more about the adoption. Not right now. Not at this moment.
Lena nodded and smiled, "Good. Now, let's finish our talk from earlier — who can you walk in on as long doors are not locked?"
"You and Mom."
"Yes," Lena said, thinking to herself that she'd honestly thought those days were nearly past since Frankie was getting older and Mariana rarely came in their room without asking anymore. Jesus hadn't in nearly three years — but she was glad they weren't over. She wanted Callie to be able to be a child who could seek out her mothers whenever she wanted them.
"Who can be in the bathroom when you are in there, as long as they have your permission?"
"You and Mom and Mariana and Frankie," Callie said, reciting the names of all the girls in the house.
"Well, yes, but Mom and I don't need your permission, okay? We will always try to make sure you don't mind, but if we think you need us, we will not hesitate to come in anywhere you are, okay?"
Callie nodded. She understood that.
"You are right about your sisters though. Now, who can you be around when they are changing, as long as they are okay with it," Lena asked.
"Mariana, Frankie, and Jude. Not Jesus because he is a guy. Jude is a boy, but he is still little for now. Mariana likes her privacy though, so I try to stay out of her way."
"You're right, Bug. I want you to remember that if you want your privacy, you are allowed it. Even from Mom and me — yes we may check on you, but you are allowed your privacy when and if you need it."
"I understand," Callie said to Lena, "Can we watch television now?"
Lena nodded and soon Callie was cuddled against her and drifting off to sleep, with a finger on her nose and another at the corner of her mouth, with her other hand wrapped around the bottom of Lena's shirt, barely making it ten minutes into the movie Lena had put on.
"Love, everything okay," Stef said from the doorway, walking into the room and sitting on the side of the bed, watching her wife and sleeping child.
"We had a talk about privacy and who is allowed and not to see her change clothes and vice versa. I'm not sure I was as clear as I should have been, but we can always revisit," Lena said quietly, running her hand gently over Callie's hair.
"We both know we've lost our privacy, but we never really had it. Guess it comes with the mom territory," Stef joked, "Is she wearing the shirt I wore to bed last night?"
"Yes, my dear, lovely, disorganized wife. She picked it up off the floor for you. But don't worry. She put her shirt and jeans in the exact same place when she took them off."
Stef grinned sheepishly as she rubbed Lena's side softly. She knew her wife hated having clothes thrown on the floor.
"Stef, I have to go," Lena whispered, staring at the little girl hugged into her side.
Stef froze. It was not what she wanted to hear her wife say.
"I know what you are going to say, Stef, but I have to. I have to go tomorrow."
Stef only nodded. She didn't want it, but she knew there was nothing she could do or say that would stop this from happening.
The next morning Lena stood in front of a door she'd never thought she'd be in front of again. But here she was. Standing where she vowed to never stand again.
She rang the doorbell and waited only a few moments before the door was opened.
"Hello, Robert," Lena said, her face blank, but prepared for battle if need be, her arms crossed over her chest.
Robert smirked as he leaned against the doorframe.
"Hello, baby sister."
AN: Okay folks, I have been asked over and over again about when I am going to bring up Liam again. It will happen. It is not something the moms can just go 'Hey, who is Liam." So please be patient. As I have said before, everything in this story happens for a reason.
