Chapter 11

Callie's eyes slowly opened at the annoying sound of a bird chirping outside of their hotel room window. It was morning already and Stef laid very still, asleep in front of her and awfully close in proximity.

Stef shouldn't be here, Callie thought to herself as she recounted what happened yesterday in her mind. She hated the way Stef's presence was making her feel right now.

It was as if she felt guilty for not being able to take care of herself when she knew she should have been able to. She was technically an adult now... But here she was, being practically coddled as if she were a child by the blonde woman by sleeping in the same bed as her.

I hate her, Callie kept repeating in her mind while she stared at Stef. It was a total lie. This she knew as she gazed at the woman she had missed for years without even knowing. She eyed the cop carefully and studied her face with sudden interest. She looks older, Callie was beginning to realize... but still pretty. Unfortunately though, Callie's mind began to drift away from actually wanting Stef to be there to something completely different. Her anxiety just increased since she knew they were going to have to talk now. The idea of putting everything off until the morning was nice, yesterday.

But now, it was morning.

And it was as if the blonde could sense that she was being watched, causing her eyes to flutter open slightly. Callie instantly shut her eyes in an immediate attempt to pretend that she was still asleep but Stef smiled a little after already having had seen her.

"Relax," Stef whispered in an attempt to calm her daughter's fear. She too, wasn't exactly looking forward to the discussion they were going to have to have. She especially wasn't looking forward to the way she already assumed her daughter was going to handle the situation to begin with, with her guard all the way up and the "I'm fines" coming out of her mouth. She was too much like her mother, Stef was beginning to realize. But the good thing about that was that the blonde was sure that she'd be the only one that would get Callie to open up. She needed to give her daughter time and allow her to process everything at her own pace.

Callie opened her eyes as she watched Stef sit up from the bed and put her feet on the floor. The woman stretched her neck back and forth as if she hadn't slept very well last night. "Hungry?" She suggested to the teen carefully as she tried her best not to turn around and look at her, from fear of making her worry too soon. She wanted Callie to feel as if it were up to her the speed that today would go, since she knew very well that it was probably the only thing that would be up to her.

"Yeah," Callie answered simply at the relief of postponing the talk.

Mariana squinted her eyes at her mother as she was still trying to wake up when she walked into the bright kitchen. Jude, Jesus and Brandon were already sitting at the table, attempting to serve themselves breakfast.

"Good. You're all here," Lena said an an obviously unenthusiastic tone when she saw Mariana come in. The woman took a deep breath before she put the plate with the extra toast in front of them and sat down.

Mariana took a seat shortly after. "Did mom have to work again today?" She asked her mother when she noticed Stef wasn't there. It was Saturday so it was rare that both moms weren't home for breakfast.

"No," Jesus answered flatly before Lena could. All of their other children had been waiting for their sister to wake up so Lena would finally explain where their mother was and what was up with the awkward silence. Lena was never this quiet.

"Mom is not at work," Lena decided to answer Mariana first. "There, uh... There is actually something important that I would like to discuss with you all now that you're all awake."

Four pairs of eyes stared back at the woman as they waited for her to explain what was really going on.

"Okay?" Mariana pressed out of curiosity now. It sounded like bad news and she felt a little impatient since her mom was dragging it out longer that she should have.

Lena's eyes moved to focus more on Jude before she spoke. It was his reaction that she was concerned with the most. "Mom is... Mom's with Callie right now," she finally got the words to escape from her mouth which would've given her a sense of relief, had she been able to tell her son's expression right away.

Everyone squinted their eyes at her in confusion.

"Callie?" Brandon repeated as if he must've misheard her. It seemed like forever since they last saw or heard anything about the girl.

Lena could tell that Jude seemed at least confused about the news. What she did notice was that he wasn't as upset about Callie being back as she had thought he would be. She thought it would be okay to continue.

"Yes," Lena answered. "She's with Callie."

"Well, where are they?" Jude finally responded in a curious and eager tone.

"How did you guys find her?" Mariana asked next.

"Is she coming back here?" Jesus questioned.

Neither of her children had spoken with upsetting tones. Instead, they all expressed the understanding feeling of curiosity that they should have.

"Um," Lena began awkwardly. "Mom ran into her at work," she decided to answer somewhat honestly, omitting the part about exactly why she ran into her. "And she's... They're at a hotel for right now."

"Why?" Jude asked, not understanding why his sister was at a hotel right now instead of home with them now.

Lena couldn't help but feel guilty by his question. "Well... They needed to work some things out first. And I think we all need some time to take this in before Mom brings Callie home."

"What kind of things?" Mariana went for it.

Lena let out a deep breath. "You're definitely going to law school," Lena mumbled as she thought about how difficult the teen was making it for her. "We just all need a few days. I'm not sure exactly what kind of things and that's what Mom is trying to help her with. I just wanted you all to be prepared for the idea. Mom wants to make sure Callie wants to come back home."

"Of course she does," Brandon answered as if there were no question about it.

Lena felt as if she weren't so sure that what her son said was true but thought better than to say anything different in front of her children.

Jude sensed his mother's reluctance to Brandon's words and could help but ask his next question. He needed to know. "Do you not want her to come home?"

To be continued...