Callie woke up to find Jude already awake and attempting to get to Lena. "Stop!" She whispered loudly. "You have to stay over here."

"But, Callie, I just wanted to see if Mama was awake. I think we can go swimming when she wakes up."

"I have a better idea, Jude. Go put on your swimsuit. I will take you swimming myself and we can let her rest a little more." Callie suggested.

Jude looked at her skeptically. "I am not sure about that… I think to be safe we have to have an adult with us."

"I am basically an adult now. I am supposed to take care of you. Mama let me stay in the hotel alone last night and I have been left in charge of everyone before."

"I guess so…"

"Do you want to go swimming or not, Jude? If you want to go, put on your swimsuit. We can go together, it will be fine."

Jude reluctantly went to the bathroom to put on his swimsuit while Callie got hers out of the bag and waited for her turn. Lena was still asleep as Callie grabbed a card key and they silently slipped out the door. "How come Mama needs so much time and space without us today, Callie? She never has before. What is going on?"

"Nothing is going on." Callie said not wanting to scare him. "It is a stressful kind of day, that's all. Just remember that no matter what happens, I will always take care of you. That's because I am your family."

XXXX

Lena woke up some time later expecting to have Jude back with her. She felt for him and then looked over to the other bed and found the kids gone. She sat up and immediately started looking and calling for them. The room wasn't very big and pretty quickly she realized the kids were missing. She called Stef. "The kids are gone."

"What are you talking about? Where did they go?"

"I don't know, Stef. Like I told you on the phone, they started their nap before me, when I woke up they weren't in the room. Seriously, Stef! I have just lost two of our kids!" Lena said panicking even more.

"Okay, breath, Honey. Do you think they left on their own or did someone like Gretchen or Linda find out where you were staying?" Stef said jumping into cop mode.

"I don't know. I didn't hear anything, though, so I guess it was on their own? How could I even know that? I shouldn't have slept…"

"No, Babe, this isn't your fault… See if a key to your room is missing. You know Callie likes to have keys anytime she can."

Lena went to the table by the door. "Yes, one of the keys is missing."

"Well, if a key is missing and there is no sign of a struggle, I would say that in all likelihood they were not abducted." Stef tried to sound confident on this idea, but she had a little thought in her mind that before Lena got to the bathroom, Callie might have worked out some sort of plan with Gretchen. Or perhaps in some sort of odd state, Callie and Jude willingly left with Linda.

"Okay." Lena said letting out a big breath. "Now what do I do?"

"Did they have access to money? Do you have any missing or even your credit card? Did Callie bring any money?"

Lena found her wallet in her purse. "No, it is all here. I can almost guarantee Callie didn't bring money as she didn't even think to pack socks."

"That is good. They probably couldn't leave the hotel without money." Unless they are with someone, Stef thought again shuddering. "Are there places in the hotel they might want to go?"

"The pool! Jude has been enjoying the pool… Surely they would not go there alone! Both of them know better!" Lena said all the sudden switching to anger.

"Check for their swimsuits, Love." Stef said thinking that Lena was probably onto the truth.

"Jude's is definitely missing from the bathroom..."

"I bet anything they went swimming. Take your card and go get them from the pool area. Stay on the phone with me because I want to be in on this one."

Lena grabbed her card and stormed down the pool. "If they are there, Stef, I am going to let them have it this time. Callie is going to wish you were here to just swat her when I am done. This was so not okay."

"No, it wasn't. Keep in mind that these are the same grieving kids that before nap time you were telling me might need some counseling after this experience. I agree that you should discipline both of them, but maybe you should also use one of your best techniques and talk to them."

"You are right. You are always right." Lena peeked into the window of the pool and saw the two kids swimming. "They are here." She said with her voice changing back to relieved.

"Perfect." Stef also breathed deeper knowing the kids were safe. "Now that I know they are safe, I think you should gather them up and deal with them. Call me back in a half hour or so. I love you."

"I love you, too." Lena walked into the pool area with her hands on her hips much like Callie had earlier. "Both of you out of the pool this instant."

Callie and Jude both looked up as they had not really heard Lena walk into the room. The look on her face scared them enough that they quickly found ways out of the pool. "Are you mad, Mama?" Jude asked going toward her.

"Yes, I am. Callie, could you please read the list over there by the door?" Lena asked seeing the pool rules.

"We weren't down here very long and we both swim really well… I am almost an adult anyway…." Callie started saying quickly.

"Read." Lena said with intensity.

"Number one, please shower before entering the pool. We did that one." Callie said before looking at Lena again. "Number two, no diving. Number three, no running. Number four, children under the age of twelve must be attended by a responsible adult…"

"And how does it define adult in the parenthesis?"

"Someone over eighteen, but Mama…"

"No, buts." Lena said cutting her off. "Get whatever you brought down here right now because we are all headed back upstairs. We will definitely discuss all of this and more when we get back to the room."

Jude went and got a towel. Callie picked up the card key. "This is all I brought."

"You didn't wear a shirt or a towel down here? What about shoes?" Lena asked.

"No, just the card."

"You meant to tell me that you walked through the hotel barefoot and half naked to get here?" Callie nodded and sort of shrugged. "Go get a towel to wrap around yourself for the trip back up to our room, please." Lena shook her head a little. Callie had always been the most conservative of her children. This other small lack of judgment was disturbing.

Callie hadn't known exactly what she was thinking when she suggested taking Jude to the pool, but figured out too late that it was a really bad plan. Rather than giving Lena space, she had made her angry and scared. Now Callie was certain that the discussion would include leaving her and Jude here to fend for themselves. She got her towel and wrapped it around her body not wanting to make eye contact with Lena again.

Lena ushered the two kids to the room without speaking to them. She was still angry and wanted to use the time to cool down without making a scene in the hallway. Once they got in the room, Lena spoke calmly. "Callie, go take a shower and get dressed please."

"I didn't really get my hair wet, I think…"

"Now."

"Can Jude come with me?"

"In the bathroom?" Lena asked and once again Callie gave a little nod and shrug. "No, of course not! You are so fond of telling me how grown up you are and yet you are afraid to go into the bathroom by yourself now? What is going on?"

"I am not afraid for me…"

Lena had a slight dawn of realization. "Are you afraid for Jude? He really should be no concern of yours. Yes, I am frustrated with the two of you right now, but he is not in any danger. You should know that. I would never hurt either of you. If it makes you that nervous, just leave the bathroom door open."

Callie determined to take the quickest shower of all time as she went in the bathroom. She was not concerned that Lena would hurt him, she was worried Lena would send him off somewhere without her. Or worse, she would just leave with her brother.

Less than five minutes later, Callie emerged from the bathroom with dry hair already dressed. She tried to sneak back into the room.

"Did you even get in the shower, Callie?" Lena asked as she had been paying attention to how long the water was running which at about a minute and a half was not long enough.

"Yes. Now I am done." Callie said walking closer.

Lena touched Callie's hair and sort of sniffed the air around her. "If that is the case, how come you still smell like chlorine and your hair is dry? I am glad that you are so bad and sneaking around and lying, but I am disappointed that you would be trying it right now when you know you are already in trouble."

"Where are we going to go?" Callie whispered trying to hold back tears.

"Probably nowhere." Lena said thinking she was talking about the surprise trip. "I still need to discuss all of this with Mom, but I am fairly certain that I am not taking you anywhere."

"So, we will just stay here? Would you at least call someone to check on us every now and then?" Callie asked still in a small voice.

Lena looked at her in confusion. "I think it is time for you to sit down and talk to me for a minute, baby. Jude, go ahead and take a shower."

Jude was also still unsure why Callie was acting so oddly, but loved taking showers. "Okay, Mama! I want to use the hotel shampoo and wash my own hair. Please?"

"Sure. You may even use the hotel soap if you would like." Lena answered knowing that would please the little boy a little more and take him a little more time. He happily went into the bathroom. "Sit down, Callie." Callie sat down on the bed opposite Lena. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." Callie said looking at the ground again.

"It still doesn't feel like nothing." Lena said moving to the other bed to be next to her daughter. "You can tell me anything. You won't hurt my feelings and it won't change how I feel about you."

"I just want to go home." Callie said scooting to put some space between them. "With you and Mom and everyone else. I am sorry I was mean to Jude and sorry that I took Jude swimming. Do anything to me that you want, just take me home."

"Our tickets are for tomorrow. I am not sure what the cost would be to get the changed now, but if that is what you really want I could check into it, I guess." Lena said looking more confused. "What is going on, Callie? For real. You have been odd since lunch."

"I just don't want to be left here. I heard you tell Mom that we were frustrated with us and you were ready to just leave us here. You said that the naps didn't work you would fly home tomorrow without us. It seems like the naps didn't work." Callie finally said once again starting to cry.

"Oh, Baby, this is exactly why we have told you to not listen in to adult conversations. I am not sure exactly what we were talking about, but I promise it wasn't that." Lena moved closer to Callie and put her arms around the girl. "I have told you this before and I will keep telling you if I need to that I will not leave you here. I am your mama forever even when you don't want me to be, I still am. Is also why you took Jude swimming?'

"I thought if we didn't bother you that things would be okay. Jude wanted to wake you, but I said no. You were sleeping and it seemed better just to let you sleep."

"That's also why you didn't let him have my drink, put him down for a nap yourself, and perhaps why you wouldn't talk to Mom earlier?" Callie again nodded as she cried in her mama's arms.

"I wish you had said something about this right away. Then we could save ourselves from a moment we have coming up where you are not going to want me to be your mama. You know that leaving the room without me was wrong, right?"

Callie sighed. "Yes and I know that swimming can be dangerous and I should never get in the water without an adult."

"Not to mention that I didn't even want you leaving the hotel room without me. And then you walked through the hotel by yourself wearing only a swimsuit at that. What do you think Mom is going to say about all of this?"

Callie knew that her mom, as a cop, was stricter when it came to how the kids dressed as well as wandering anywhere alone. It was Lena who was allowing the kids to walk home from school and Stef who said they had to stay together. She also gathered from her previous conversations that it was Stef who didn't want to give anyone the kids' full names. "Um, I don't think she will like it much…"

"And before you ask, yes, we are going to talk to Mom about this. First, as you know, we do not keep things from each other. Second, I called her when I was panicking about finding the two of you. I really thought you had been abducted either by Gretchen or Linda. You don't have a little girl, but when you do, you will understand. Dragging your brother into it only makes it worse. What if he had a problem in the pool? What would you have done?"

"I don't know."

"Exactly. What should you have done when you thought that I might leave you here?"

"I should have talked to you or Mom about it."

"Hmmm, absolutely. So you do know the right things to do. I am impressed by your ability to take care of your brother, however, do you want to know a little secret about being a mama?" Lena paused for a second. "I love spending time with my babies. I really don't mind being woken up at any point, all my tea being gone is not really an issue, and I love snuggling with my babies at naptime or bedtime even. A part of me wants you to need me more."

"I do need you, Mama. I was very afraid to raise Jude on my own. I wasn't even sure where we were going to live." Lena dried the last of Callie's tears. "Now what?"

"Well, I heard the water stop from Jude's shower a little bit ago and I do believe you could still use a shower."

"Really?"

"Really. I better hear the water for at least ten minutes. Please use the shampoo that we brought so that your hair will be manageable." Callie got up and legitimately gathered her stuff for a shower. She smiled back at Lena. "Just so you know, our talk is over but you are still in trouble with me."

Callie went back over to Lena and gave her a hug and a kiss. "I love you, Mama. Thanks for taking care of me."

"Always, baby, always."

XXXX

Stef was a little surprised at how calm Lena sounded on the phone when she called back and explained. "So, what are you going to do to our little swimmers?"

"Well, one is still in the shower and the other one is on my lap. I had full intention to cancel your surprise, but under the circumstances I think we all need a night out. Instead, I am taking her iPod and we are moving all of her stuff back into my bag because it has become clear to both of us that ten year olds need their mamas."

"Fair enough. And for the one on your lap?"

"Not as involved as one might think. He is going to lose his games after our flight home tomorrow for a few days. Oh, and there will be no more swimming on this trip. Both of them are going to get extra snuggles and kisses tonight so they know they are loved babies. If you could do the same for our babies on your side."

"Of course I will. When you get home, can we switch for a little while? I want to have a good chance to show those two Mommy love and I want my three to have some Mama time. We really miss you. Everything runs a little more smoothly when we are together."

"I agree. Save a little love for me tomorrow night… I think we can get the kids to bed early." Lena said being mindful of the little boy on her lap.

"Of course we can. I took care of the Mariana and Brandon situations while you were gone, but while you are giving them love it would be great if you could also do whatever it is that you do that strike fear in their little hearts."

"Absolutely. The same for these two."

"Yes, I will talk about a few more consequences of wandering around alone. Don't worry, I will keep it on the light side for Jude. I will also take the time to go back over that adoption is forever. Until this incident we had been okay on that topic for the last little bit. How about we make an agreement now that if anything ever happens to the twins' birth family we will keep it to ourselves?"

"No deal. They all deserve more than that. We can revisit our love again and again if we need to, but everyone needs to know where they came from. I just wish we had made this trip a year ago." Lena said kissing the side of Jude's head.

"That's why I love you. When Callie gets out will you put me on speaker phone so that I can be there when you tell them about my surprise?"

"Even better. She just came out and I am going to let you tell them." Lena said putting the phone on speaker.

"Hey babies! Mama said you were all cleaned up and getting ready for my surprise."

"Yes, Mommy, we want to know!" Jude said hopping up.

"You three are going to go a really cool movie theater that serves hamburgers, French fries, and shakes!"

"Chocolate shakes!" Jude practically yelled.

"I am sure. So do you like my surprise then?" Stef asked with a laugh.

"Yes, thank you, Mommy!" Jude said with continued enthusiasm.

"How about you, Love Bug?" Stef asked noticing Callie's silence.

"Thanks, Mom… It sounds fun. Could I maybe talk to you alone for a little while?"

"Anytime, Sweets." Lena turned off speaker phone and handed the phone to Callie. She smiled as she saw Callie take the phone into the bathroom. Now maybe Callie could tell Stef all the stuff she had wanted to tell her earlier. It would certainly make their evening better if Callie knew she was squared away with both of her mothers.