All of the kids were fairly excited to go back to school on Wednesday. Everyone except Jesus was caught up with everything that their teachers sent. Lena could not get through to him on one of the assignments and finally sent a quick text to his teacher. The immediate response made Lena laugh a little and homework time go a little easier.
"Callie, I think that is your brother's cup. I saw him drink out of it just a few minutes ago." Lena commented toward the end of breakfast.
Callie halfway shrugged her shoulders. "It was my cup first. He must have just gotten a quick drink from it."
She sat the cup down and went to get her backpack. Brandon picked it up and took a drink. "Now, I know that Callie just said that was her cup. Go get a new one please."
"But why?" Brandon asked setting it back down.
"Because your sister and your brother's mouths were both on that one. You all are just getting over being sick. If either of them still have germs you all have just shared them. Get a clean cup."
Brandon looked at Lena with some understanding. "Oh. Mom always says we all share germs anyway. It is part of being a family and all. We just thought we wouldn't have to wash as many dishes if we shared."
"Let me guess, you started this just a few days before getting sick?" Lena asked rolling her eyes.
"Not really. We have been doing it as much as possible for a couple of weeks. I drew the line at sharing silverware."
"At least one of my children has standards."
XXXX
"Uh, Lena, if it is okay with you, I would like Stef to go to class with me again tonight. You see, the teacher already sort of met us together and…" Daphne said to Lena while looking at the floor.
Lena carefully placed a finger under the girl's chin. She lifted Daphne's face to meet her own. "Daphne, Love, you don't have to explain anything to me. I know you bonded at the last class. I will still have my chance next week. Besides, I would love to spend my evening with my other babies. Don't worry about a thing." Lena was tempted to give the older girl a small kiss on her cheek, but took a step back instead.
"But Stef will have to use her lunch break again…"
"Actually she is off tonight. Even if she was at work, it would be no big deal. You all come first." Lena reassured Daphne. "In fact, Stef even mentioned that she would go back with you to that class tonight if it worked best. She said it reminded her of so many parts of her pregnancy with Brandon that she had forgotten. So, it is good for both of you."
When it was time for the class, Daphne left a little happier. Lena was still trying to drag Jesus through his homework and so she grabbed a few extra cookies off the rack to share with Stef. This time, Daphne got in a little easier.
"How are things with you?" Stef asked noticing the difference in the girl as they got into the car.
"Fine, but I am a little confused. Callie and Brandon were fighting over some sort of points. Lena looked it up and told them that Callie was ahead. Brandon decided to read more which made Callie read more also."
"Yes. B and Bug are both trying to get the most AR points for this nine weeks in the fifth grade. The winner gets to shadow the vice principal for a day. Last I checked they both had close to a hundred points this nine weeks."
"Wait… But isn't Lena the vice principal?" Daphne asked surprised.
"Yep. They are reading books and taking tests over them to spend a day with their mama. At first they both said it was a lame prize and that they could have her time any day. Then a few other kids started getting ahead. Neither could stand that idea."
Daphne was once again silent. Not only was reading not something she could ever fathom doing voluntarily, but knowing that the Adams Foster kids would read more just to spend more time with Lena seemed unreal just like everything else about this family. Once again, they were pulling into the parking lot and Daphne had a resurgence of anxiety that hit her hard.
Stef glanced over at the teenager and noticed the immediate change this time. "Hey, Daphne, breathe a little, Sweetheart. We made it through this class last time and we will again. It is valuable information just like Lena said and I am here with you." Stef grabbed Daphne's hand and squeezed it a little before the girl pulled away.
"Whatever." Daphne mumbled as she opened her car door. She gave herself just a second on her side of the car to regain control on her emotions before joining Stef to walk back into her class.
XXXX
"But Mama!" Callie protested. "Next week is my last time to dress up like a book character ever in elementary school. It is a really big deal!"
"You are not dressing as Katniss and you are not taking a bow and arrow to school. Period. Drop it." Lena replied clearly exhausted from her long day having to substitute in a classroom and then coming home with her no longer sick children. "Why don't you go back to reading?"
"I am tired of reading. Besides, what is the point if I cannot dress up like Katniss. That was the only reason I was going to finish the whole series." Callie whined. "You just don't understand. I will wait and ask Mom when she gets back." Callie mumbled the last part a little louder than she intended.
"No, you will not. You need to understand that weapons of any kind are not allowed at school. Last week I had to convince my boss to not suspend a first grader over a loaded Nerf gun. There is no way that I could knowingly send my child with a bow and arrow. I told your grandparents you weren't ready for those books and I guess I should have taken them from the start…." Lena was interrupted by a large crash in the living room.
"We are all okay!" Jesus yelled out before Lena got there.
"I don't think that plant is going to be okay every again, though." Jude with an apologetic smile looking back and forth between Lena and the mess. "We are really sorry, right Jesus?"
"Right. It really was mostly Brandon's fault…."
Lena rubbed her forehead a little. "Brandon is not even in the room. How in the world could this be his fault?"
"If he played with us more, he would have been the good big brother and stopped us before this happened. He would have never thought it was a good idea to hit the plant…"
Despite the poor logic, Lena laughed a little to herself causing both boys to put on a small smile. "That might be, but this time the two of you need to fix the plant and then vacuum. Next time I need to see the two of you use a little more of your own common sense."
"Mama! Tell Callie to leave me alone!" Mariana yelled from upstairs. "I am trying to do something important and she keeps messing it up…"
Lena remembered that Callie was right with her, but looking around she realized Callie was indeed somewhere else. She gave both of the little boys a look to get them started cleaning up the plant mess and then headed for the stairs.
Xxxxx
"I am totally bringing popcorn to the next class." Stef commented as they left. Daphne shrugged a little in response. "What? Are you partial to candy when you watch a movie?" Stef asked trying to get a response. She still got nothing.
They climbed into the car in silence. "Did anything happen during this class that bothered you, Sweets? I mean when we left home you seemed to be okay, and now…"
Daphne shrugged again and stared out her window not really sure what to say.
"Okay…" Stef said trying one more time. "So I will take that as a yes… If you don't want to talk about that, maybe we could talk about school. Anything interesting there?"
After a minute or two of silence, Daphne saw that Stef was not going to just leave her alone. She sighed. "I really like my English teacher, Ms. Phillips. She said I could stay after school and work on some stuff tomorrow if it is okay."
"That sounds like a fine idea. Will you need a ride home from there?"
"She said she would call Lena and work out the details. She said that I could still catch up to the rest of the class. She said I had creativity she doesn't see all the time."
"That's my girl!" Stef praised. "I could tell from the start that you were smart."
Daphne glanced back at her awkwardly. "Thanks… Anyway, this school isn't so bad if I have to go to school…"
"Which you do."
"So I have been told." Daphne said continuing. "Ms. Phillips is trying to get a job fair put together. Do you want to come to it?" She asked a little shyly.
"I already have a job." Stef answered with a grin. Daphne slumped a little in her chair before turning back to face her window. Stef realized she once again said the wrong thing. "However, if you mean attend by setting up a booth, I will definitely discuss the possibility with my boss."
"Thanks, Stef."
They pulled up at the house and noticed right off that it appeared to be completely dark inside. Stef quickly checked her phone for a message explaining, but found none. "Hmmm… Lena's car is here, but it seems odd that they would all walk somewhere this time of night." Stef said to herself under her breath.
"Maybe they are all in bed?" Daphne guessed.
"At eight fifteen? No way. Last time they were all sick. They seemed to actually have extra energy from normal when we left. Again, no way. At the same time…. I just don't see Lena walking somewhere this close to bedtime…"
Stef reached the front door and found it locked. She quickly pulled out her key and unlocked the door. "Hello?"
"I am telling you, Stef. They are all in bed." Daphne said flipping the light switch by the stairs. "It is too dark outside for Lena to have walked with them somewhere and we would be hearing them if they were up."
Daphne followed Stef up the stairs quietly. Stef opened the boys' room quietly and found all three asleep. She quietly kissed each of them before closing their door back. Daphne shrugged again and gave a "I told you so" look before going into her own room.
"Is that you, Mom?" Callie asked from her bed when Stef peeked into the girls' room.
"It sure it. I am just tucking you all back as obviously Mama has already put you all to bed."
"Actually Mama said that if I was still up when you came home I could get back up. She was feeling tired and said we all had to go to bed. I really wasn't that tired and I need to tell you something…." Callie said getting up out of bed and approaching Stef.
"Hmmmm, I am not sure if you should be getting up after being sent to bed… I have a minute, though, what do you need, baby?"
"Well, next week at school we get to dress like our favorite book character. I could be all the way ready if I had a bow and arrow… It doesn't have to be a great set, but I would like it to really work and not be like that suction cup kind."
"I will take that into advisement and discuss it with Mama." Stef kissed Callies head and ruffled her hair some. "For now you need to get back into bed."
Callie went over to her bed, but looked back at Stef. "Okay, but maybe it would be best to not discuss the bow and arrow with Mama. Maybe it could be like our secret?"
"That makes me more likely to discuss it with your mama. Good night, Bug. I love you."
"Love you, too, Mom." Callie said with a little yawn.
Stef walked into her bedroom and saw ready for bed and reading a book. She put it down when she saw her wife in the door. "How did class go?"
Stef walked over and kissed her wife. "It was find. Daphne kind of acted strangely afterward." Stef reflected a moment. "It may have been because the topic of the evening was about the first night home with the baby. She is still uncertain, I think."
"That would make sense. I guess we need to have some open conversation with her about what she does want to do. I mean, she may need to find parents for that baby if she is really going to give it up for adoption…. What if we…"
"No, Lena. No." Stef interrupted. "Daphne is only here for a little while and we have agreed to no baby at this time.…"
"You are right, of course. However, I do have other news that I just remembered. Daphne's English teacher called tonight and asked what it would take to become a foster parent. She has been seeing the ads about how much they are needed and said she would be willing."
"Nice! Will we get the signing bonus for finding a new family?" Stef asked getting ready for bed.
"Probably, but that isn't the best part. She said that she would take Daphne. She is single and her kids are gown. Don't you see, Stef? This is perfect, maybe she can even keep her forever. I gave her Bill's number and she said she would call first thing tomorrow. If my research is right, with kinship, she could have Daphne in her house in just a few weeks. That would put her there before the baby is born. In fact, we might should start sending her to the classes with Daphne starting with the next one. What do you think?"
"Next class we are watching a few different videos of labor and delivery. It would be amazing to find her a home that might be a forever home." Stef said looking disappointed.
"If you don't like the idea, it is okay. Just give it a little thought." Lena said catching Stef's mood change. "It would be a good opportunity for her and we would get back to normal."
"It would be good for her and us. I guess I would just getting adjusted to having Daphne here, and this is another change. Let's wait to tell the kids until this is more certain" Stef said as she slipped into bed.
"Of course." Lena scooted closer to her wife and reached for her.
"Oh, and I realize it must have been a tough evening since all the kids were in bed when I get here. Most were asleep, but Callie was still up. Don't worry, I made her lay back down, but she said something about needing a bow and arrow for a costume."
"She wants to be Katniss. I am currently reading The Hunger Games and I see why she loves it so much. Katniss is a strong female who is passionate about protecting her sister and providing for her family. I see Callie's fascination and I see this is a good character."
"But she cannot bring a bow and arrow to school, right?" Stef said with a smile and another little kiss. "What if she took a bow without an arrow? That really wouldn't be a weapon. I think my dad might have one. I will ask tomorrow."
"Thanks, Babe."
