Saturday wound up being sort of a lazy morning for the Adams Foster family. Everyone except Jude and Daphne had an extremely late night. Jesus and Brandon still were not even home. Jude found himself sort of alone when he got up. He poured himself a bowl of cereal and went to find a show to watch as he ate. Many times on Saturdays the moms slept late, but usually there were a few more kids up. As the youngest, he was quite happy to have complete control of the TV.

After he finished an episode, he decided to go play outside. Normally one of his moms would have told him to change out of his pajamas first, but no one was up. He slipped out the back door not being too concerned about being able to get back into the house. Jude had seen Jesus climb the tree in their backyard several times over the years. His moms always made his brother get down as soon as they noticed, but now Jude felt rather free.

He had to move a chair from the back porch to the tree to get started. The climb was rather difficult for the six year old, but he was also quite determined. It took a while, but Jude was rather impressed with himself as well as his view. Then, he looked down and saw he was high off the ground. In his attempt to hold onto the branch tighter, he his body was slightly off center and he began to slip.

Jude saw all of his six years flash before his eyes as he fell. He woke up sometime later at the bottom of the tree. His head hurt and his arm hurt. He thought he could see someone inside of his house so he went to the door and tried to open it with his good arm. It was locked.

Lena saw him outside and heard him struggling with the door so she went over and let him in. "What were you doing outside, Little Man?"

"I was just playing." Jude didn't want to tell her about climbing the tree because he knew his moms would be unhappy with him.

"Oh. Was anyone with you?" Lena asked glancing back outside.

"Nope, just me."

Lena looked at him closely because something didn't seem quite right. "Are you feeling okay, Jude?"

"I think so."

Lena tousled his hair a little. "Mom and I like it better when you stay inside if you are by yourself. Next time let us know before you go out." She looked over his clothing. "We would also like it if you put on real clothes if you are going to be outside. Now, what sounds good for breakfast?"

"I already had cereal." Jude shrugged. "You can make something if you want, though. I like scrambled eggs."

"It just so happens that I am good at making those. How many people are here this morning?" Lena asked him opening the refrigerator and taking out two egg cartons.

"Let's see, there is Mommy, Mama, Callie, Mariana, Lexi, Daphne, and me." Jude heavily flinched when he had to use the second hand to count people. "That makes seven people. Everyone likes eggs know that we know that the chicken doesn't really poop them out and they aren't really baby chicks."

Lena smiled at him remembering his issue with that in the past, but had not noticed his pain yet. "How many eggs should I scramble for seven people?"

"All of them?" Jude said with a shrug.

"We have close to two dozen eggs here. Surely we don't need that many. How about if we make two eggs for each person? Do you know how many eggs that would be?"

"All of them?" Jude repeated still being a little unsure.

"It isn't all of them. We would count by two's seven times. Try it."

"Two, four, six, eight, ten, eleven, twelve. We need twelve eggs, Mama!"

"It is actually fourteen. Eleven is an odd number and we don't count it when we count by two's." Lena looked at him carefully as he had always been efficient at that task in the past. "Can you get fourteen eggs for me?" Lena asked getting the large skillet ready. Jude reached out with his right arm first. He touched the eggs and then hissed back with some pain. "What's wrong with your arm?"

"Nothing." This time Jude reached with his left arm and started counting. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve. There are only twelve eggs here, Mama. That is not enough."

"Right. Eggs come by the dozen and that's twelve. We will have to open the other carton to find more. How many more eggs do we need?"

"If we have twelve and we need fourteen…." Lena smiled and she saw Jude thinking. She loved to make moments like these educational. "I think we need two."

"That is correct my little math whiz." Jude just stood there looking at Lena with a glazed sort of expression. "Are you sure you are okay this morning, I think you are acting a little sick or something?" She kissed his forehead and decided he didn't have a fever. "Well, okay, go ahead and count out two more eggs for me."

Jude again reached with his right hand toward the eggs again and once more winced in pain. He really wasn't sure what was wrong with is arm, but he still didn't want to be in trouble for climbing the tree, so he decided just to use his other hand until it felt better. Jude used his left hand again to hand the other two eggs to his mother.

"How about if you make the toast while I scramble the eggs? Your stepstool is over by the other counter, I think."

"Okay, Mama." Jude got the stepstool and tried to pick it up. He realized pretty quickly that it hurt his arm really badly. Instead he dragged it on the ground.

"Please, pick that thing up! That noise makes my skin crawl." Lena watched Jude once again show pain when he tried to pick it up. "Did anything happen while you were outside by yourself? Like did you hurt your arm somehow?"

"No, Mama. It is fine. See?" Jude lifted the stool with just his left hand.

"Okay then." Lena said unconvinced. "Do you know how much bread you will need for toast? We want everyone to have one piece."

"All of it?"

"No, how many people do we have here? You added it up earlier."

"Mama, Mommy, Jesus, Brandon…"

"No, remember your brothers aren't here yet this morning. Mike is bringing them home later. Try again."

"I think there are eight." Jude said obviously confused.

"No, buddy, there are seven of us. Are you sure that you are okay?" Lena felt his forehead with her hand this time. He still didn't feel warm, but his eyes looked funny. "How about you go lay down while I finish breakfast?"

"I think I am okay, but my stomach hurts just a little…." He admitted.

"I think you are a little bit sick. Go back and lay down in your room. I will bring you a little breakfast later." Lena started re-evaluating her plans based on having a sick child who would probably be home all day.

Stef met Jude as he stumbled up the stairs. She reached out to grab him and he withdrew his arm immediately. "Are you okay, Jude?"

"Mama says I am sick." Stef felt of his forehead and let him go.

"So, Jude is sick?" Stef asked when she got to the kitchen.

"Well, I found him outside this morning when I got down here. I am certain he doesn't have a fever, but something isn't quite right. He said his stomach was hurting a little and his arm also seems to hurt."

"Do you think he is sleep walking? I have heard stories about kids who did that before. They have ended up some weird places." Stef said turning on the coffee.

"Maybe. He told me he was playing outside alone. He was still in his pajamas and seemed a little disoriented. I am not positive, but I think we need to watch him pretty closely today. If we see anything else, I will get him a doctor's appointment."

"So, do you need me to drop off Callie at her party a little early when I go to work?"

"Yes, and one of us needs to go grocery shopping before then as well. I have a list started, but I will need a little more time to get it done. Do you have anything to add?"

"We need laundry detergent and fabric softener." Stef looked over the list. "I think this looks like a trip you need to make to the grocery store… I am fairly hopeless at picking out some of these things. So, after breakfast, you could take Lexi home and then take Mariana with you?"

"I did make the list with me in mind, but now with Jude not feeling well…" Lena looked at her wife with a little bit of anxiety.

"I will be home with him. We aren't even sure if he is really sick and I am his mother, also. I will have Daphne, Callie, Jude, and the other boys when they come home. I will call you if anything changes and he needs his mama."

XXXX

Once again, Stef found herself with just Daphne after breakfast. Callie had rushed back up the stairs to make sure she had everything ready for her party. Jude was still upstairs. "I think I will take care of these dishes really fast while Lena is gone."

Daphne was quite awkward around Stef. She felt guilty for her own actions as well as Callie's. Instead of volunteering to help, she just followed Stef into the kitchen and started helping.

Stef worked in the silence for a while, but then decided to break it. "So, Saturdays and Sundays are a little different around here. Many times the kids have things going on so the dishes usually fall to Lena and me. It's okay, though. I like to see my kids go out and play."

Daphne considered that for a moment. "Most places the kids do more chores on weekends, you are saying your kids play?"

"I guess so. Jesus's soccer games are on Sunday mornings and usually there is at least one sleepover. We do make time to make sure their rooms are clean and that all of the homework gets done. It is the best time for shopping and we really like to do family things. Lena says childhood doesn't last long enough."

"Homework on Saturdays?" Daphne said with a slight smirk. "I don't know no one that cares that much."

"Hmmm, well, Lena being in education and all made the kids do their homework yesterday, but she still expects them to read at least some every day. You will also need to make some time to read today. Maybe Lena and I can read more of your book with you this afternoon before I leave for work. Lena said she had some other things to help you with tonight."

"Like what?" Daphne asked with her eyes shooting daggers at Stef.

Stef realized she need to tread carefully. "I am not sure, you will have to talk to her about it later. I think it is stuff that your new English teacher sent or something."

Callie ran down the stairs and interrupted their discussion. "Mom! Jude is barfing like all over the place! It is so gross! And he is asking for you. Well, really, Mama, but she isn't here."

"Thank you. Daphne, you got this?" Daphne nodded. Callie followed Stef up the stairs. "Jude, baby, are you okay?"

"I think so, Mommy. I was feeling sick, but I am better now. Where is, Mama?"

"I told you that she wasn't here, Jude. Don't you remember?" Callie answered him butting in to the conversation.

"Jude was talking to me, Callie. I am the one in charge. Mama went to take home Lexi and to run some errands. I am home with you, though. Can you tell me what hurts?"

"I need my mama. Mama always knows what hurts before I tell her. Call her, Mommy! Please!"

"I will call her, Jude. Mom, I need…." Callie started, but was quickly interrupted.

"You need to go help with the last of the dishes so that I can take care of Jude. Again, I am in charge." Callie walked off clearly angry. "Mama will be home soon enough without us calling her. Would it help to go lay down in my room? You could watch movies while we wait for Mama?"

"I don't want to watch movies, I want Mama!" Jude screamed back at Stef almost going into a full fledge tantrum that would only rival Mariana.

All of this confused Stef. Jude didn't usually throw himself to the floor like that. Still, she reasoned she could handle it. Stef carefully took him by the shoulders and pulled him back up to a sitting position. When he started swinging his arms, she let go of his shoulders and grabbed both arms instead. He cried out and pulled away in pain.

"Jude, let me see your arm." He stopped long enough to hold out his left arm. "Okay, this one looks fine. Let me see the other one." He tentatively reached out his right arm. Stef only had to look at it for a few seconds. "Baby, we are going to call Mama right now. I think your arm is broken and we need to get you to a hospital."

XXXX

"Jude, you need to tell Mama how you broke your arm so the doctor can help you." Lena said holding Jude's uninjured hand as they waited for doctor.

"I don't know." Jude said quietly in his obvious lying voice.

"You must tell the truth. Broken arm or not, we can put you in time out right over there." Stef pointed to a corner of their waiting area.

"What if I did something bad? If I tell you will I be in big trouble?" He asked even quieter than before.

"Not as big as if you don't tell us." Lena said reaching for Stef's hand with her free one.

"I wanted to climb the tree in our backyard and I think I sort of fell. I didn't want to say anything because you say not to ever climb a tree. Jesus climbs all the time, though, and I thought I could, too." Jude confessed starting to cry a little again.

"Jude, did you, by any chance, also hit your head when you fell?" Stef asked looking into his overly dilated eyes.

"Maybe. I know my head hurts, but I don't really remember what happened. I was in the tree, then I slipped a little, then I was at the bottom of the tree."

"You also have a concussion." Stef stated. "I had training in how to diagnose those and I can see you have all of the signs. You must have hit your head pretty hard on your way down. We will need to mention that to the doctor as well. Thank you for telling us even though it was hard. Next time you should tell us right away."

"Like when I asked you if you were feeling alright, that would have been a good time. I would not have sent you upstairs to sleep if I knew you had a head injury. We also could have gotten help for your arm earlier. Never hide things from us."

XXX

Callie was grouchy. It wasn't her turn to do the dishes and she thought she would get to go the hospital this time since she was the one that reported Jude being sick. He was after all, her little brother. Instead, Mariana would probably get to be there since she was with Lena when they got the call. Mariana got to go when Jesus broke his arm, too. It didn't seem fair. In all of her disgruntledness, she had not noticed she was finally left alone with Daphne.

"So, um, Callie, did you talk to your moms last night and get everything straightened out?" Daphne asked trying to bring Callie out of her mood.

"Yes. I can't believe I ever thought I was having a baby. I am never doing that with anyone!" Callie suddenly remembered what else had happened the night before and became quiet again.

"I also see why you say not to argue with Stef. It seems like you were doing okay this morning, though."

"Yeah… Sometimes I forget who is in charge. My mom kind of hates that. It is still worse to talk that way to Mama." Callie tried to shrug off her embarrassment.

"I don't know, Lena seems so open and relaxed… I just can't see it."

"Mama is really the one in charge. Whatever she says goes. She doesn't really get mad very often. Mama, though, has this look and voice. It is hard to describe, but it gives me tingles all the way down my spine. She doesn't have to look upset or angry and can be smiling almost immediately afterward."

"If that's the case, how come Stef handled it last night?"

"Moms are funny like that. Mama would never in a million years swat one of us, but I have heard her tell Mom that it is time. They are like so close they know what the other one is thinking. So, naturally, Mom just does want Mama wants her to do. At least that's what I think. If I had said that to Mama, Mom would have taken me out of the room before giving me multiple swats. Believe me, I have been there."

"Do your moms ever fight then?" Daphne asked clearly intrigued by Callie's explanation. This family was very different than any other Daphne had been involved with. She had never witnessed such a connection between parents.

"Sometimes, but they do it all sneaky like. They don't fight like I fight with my brothers and sister, though. They don't really yell usually. They certainly do not hit. Mom and Mama usually have a quiet discussion away from us, but we know. When it is done, they kiss. It doesn't happen often. Last time was when Mama brought you home."

"Which is another reason Stef hates me."

"Mom doesn't hate you. If she did, you would have been sent away from here the first night." Callie stated frankly.

The front door opened and Callie rushed there in anticipation of seeing Jude. She was disappointed when it was Brandon and Jesus instead. "Hey Callie! Where is Mom?" Brandon asked.

"She isn't here. I guess you didn't know that Jude broke his arm and puked this morning. Mom took him to the hospital."

"Cool!" Jesus yelled. "Did he barf from the pain or is he also sick?"

"I am not sure. I hadn't thought about it." Callie thought for a moment. "He looked kind of pale and odd. He didn't really look sick, so maybe the pain?"

"We miss everything!" Jesus said dramatically. "So, wanna see what Mike showed us last night?"

Callie was at least a little happier thinking that Jesus and Brandon missed more than just the hospital trip. "Sure!"

Jesus acted like he was going to hit Brandon and Brandon flinched. "You flinched! Now I get to hit him on the arm twice." Jesus made a fist and sort of knocked on Brandon's arm twice. "See, it's fun!"

"Hey! You didn't remember to wipe it off, now I get to hit you once!" Brandon quickly hit Jesus back a little harder on his arm and did remember to wipe it.

"Ow! I was gonna do it, but you were too fast! That's not fair because I didn't hit you that hard!" Jesus shoved Brandon almost to the floor. This started a full fledge wrestling match between the two boys.

Callie put her hands on her hips much like Stef usually did and tried to give them Lena's look. When that was unsuccessful she decided to go a step further. "Jesus, go sit on your bed! Brandon, go sit on my bed!"

Both boys paused and looked at her like was crazy. "I don't think you can do that." Brandon answered. "I am older than you anyway."

"Mom left me in charge. You weren't even home yet. What I say goes!"

Daphne had been listening from the kitchen, but had not made her presence known. Now, though, she was beginning to think she needed to intervene. "I don't think Stef really left you in charge. I think she left me in charge. I am older than all of you." All three kids started giggling which turned to laughing. "What?" Daphne asked giggling a little at the sight.

"Mom hates you. She would have never left you in charge." Brandon finally spat out.