Callie sat at her desk Monday morning going through paperwork when there was a knock in her door. She looked up surprised to see Katie there.
"Hey, come on it, business or pleasure?" Callie asked waving her in as Katie took a seat on the chair on the other side of Callie's desk.
"Business actually but it's not about Harry" Katie said.
"Did you find his sister?" Callie asked.
"We did, she's in a foster home 30 minutes from here."
"Did you contact the parents,"
"I haven't, I didn't know what exactly you were looking to find when you found her."
"I think I just want Harry to have the chance to know his sister, and to know that she is safe just like he is."
"Well she's not with a pre adopted family, so I'm not sure how long she will be there, but here is their information." Katie said handing Callie a file.
"Thank you" Callie said picking up her phone as soon as Katie had left her office she quickly dialed the number it rang a few times before a women answered.
"Hi, my name is Callie Adams Foster I am a social worker in the San Diego area. I am also a foster parents and it has come to my knowledge that you are fostering the younger sister of my foster son" Callie said. She was not sure what was even the proper way to go about this kind of thing.
"Oh yes we heard her brother was back in care. We thought about taking him but we have 4 foster children in our home right now and unfortunately just not enough space." The women said.
"Oh yes I understand that, Harry is our only foster child at the time." Callie said.
"Please call me Laura, I'm glad to know Harry is in a good home."
"Yes and I'm glad to hear about Amaya, I would love to be able to get them together sometime" Callie said.
"Oh and us as well, My husband and I were planing a weekend away for our anniversary next weekend, the kids are going to be staying with my parents for the weekend, but would you guys like to take Amaya? She can get to know her brother, she's a good girl she's been with us for 2 years."
"Wow, yeah that would be perfect" Callie smiled, she couldn't wait to tell Harry his sister was coming for the whole weekend.
"Your late" Mariana said as Callie rushed into the restaurant for their weekly lunch.
"I'm sorry, I ran to the daycare to drop off more diapers for Elizabeth because she was short and what do you know mom already picked her up to take her to the park, I rushed there for nothing" Callie said sitting down across from her at the table.
"Oh please you love that moms don't leave her in daycare all day when one of them is off work" Mariana teased. Callie just smiled her agreement.
"When I have a baby, we should set up like a nanny who just watched all the Adams Foster kids, Elizabeth, Brandon's baby, mine, who knows maybe Jesus will find out he has a love child hanging around somewhere.." Mariana said as Callie burst out laughing.
"When you have kids huh?" Callie asked.
"Well yeah, I mean I am next in line right, unless you have another before me?"
"Well nothing is in the works, unless you know something I don't." Callie widened her eyes making Mariana laugh.
"No, I was just wondering, Sam and I are officially home owners now and we're trying to figure out bedrooms and…it's coming up a lot I guess" Mariana said.
"Well he wants like a dozen, you better get cracking sister"
"Ugh no, I told him I am not having 8 kids, he can start pulling them off the streets if he want't that many" Mariana said.
"Well that's how moms found you" Callie said as Mariana faked a hurt face. Mariana was one of Callie's had a lot in common, not only were they sisters, but they had a life before being sisters that they could talk to each other about. No one understood Callie's time in foster care like her sister, even before they had both been adopted then had so much in common.
"Do you think it's better? Having a whole blended family?"
"Well it worked out for us pretty well didn't it?" Callie asked.
"I mean really though? From a mom's point of view, do you think it is?" Mariana asked
"Yeah I do, I think Elizabeth will grow up learning a lot, and I think it will actually create that color blind generation we need by having a child grow up sibling of a different culture or skin tone. I mean these kids need homes, at least for a little while. Why not mix it all up?" Callie shrugged.
"Hey Callie you have a minute?" Katie asked as Callie passed her in the hall.
"Sure" Callie nodded, she was on her way to lunch with Brandon and Megan but Katie didn't seem to leave much space for any other answer as she walked back to her office expecting Callie to follow.
"I wanted to let you know Harry's grandparents are going to take custody of him."
"Oh good, I mean I know you mentioned them but I'm glad they decided to take him." Callie said. She was, from what Katie said about the grandparents they were good people, better then his mom was. She was in no position to keep Harry, but the fact that he was going to a good home made her feel a lot better.
"It will still be a while, he has not seen them in a long time so he will have visits to meet them, and they have to pass the home inspection, it's across state boarders so I'm think another month." Katie said.
"It's fine, your right I don't want to just put him in a home where he doesn't know the people.
"Good, thanks for coming in, you saved me a phone call"
"No problem." Callie smiled.
"Arn't you going to miss him?" Jude asked as he and Callie sat in her back yard watching Harry and Elizabeth run around.
"Of course, but he's not up for adoption, we can't keep him, and the fact that he is going to a good home…He will be happy and educated and get what he deserves" Callie said.
"I guess, I just think it will be hard, he won't even be close anymore" Jude said.
"Well it doesn't mean we won't see him again. The foster system is changing now a lot of kids stay in contact with families they were placed with, the good ones at least."
"But to leave a good house… if he had a choice what would he want?" Jude asked.
"But he doesn't, we don't."
"But if he did?" Jude pressed her.
"He just doesn't know his grandparents, they are good people." Callie said.
"The Quinns were good people"
"Jude, it's different" Callie shook her head
"How? it's not Callie, the difference is moms fought for you, and you fought for you"
"I was 16"
"So since he's a kid he has to do what people just tell him, what the people sitting behind desks at the social service office think is best" Jude asked. Callie glanced at her brother surprised by his tone.
"Jude, what's going on with you?" Callie asked.
"I just think you have a lot more in common with Harry then you choose to see, especially now. You became a Social Worker to help kids like us, well this is a kid like you were." Jude snapped.
"Jude we were going to be adopted, you were adopted I was invested in the Fosters. Harry never planed to stay, in fact his first few weeks here he was waiting to leave." Callie said getting a snap in her own tone.
"We never planed on staying either Callie, when Momma picked you up it was supposed to be two weeks tops. You were always waiting to be kicked out your first month there." Jude cried.
"Where is this coming from?" Callie snapped now herself.
"Because you took this job to make a difference Callie, to be the voice that kids like us needed when we were in the system. And you got to this point because moms fought hard for you and never gave up no matter what Robert Quinn did. Well this is a kid just like us Callie, a kid who was dealt a crappy hand in life but finally landed someplace he likes being. He likes our family, he has friends, momma said he's at grade level in school, he's just like we were Callie. But the difference is your willing to pull him from the familiar and stick him with biology he doesn't even know, that you don't even know. Just because the look good on paper doesn't mean they will do right by him. Your supposed to be his voice Callie, stick up for him, ask him what he wants." Jude stood up marching through the house.
"Jude!" Callie yelled after him but he kept going.
"I thought he was staying for the game?" Will said popping his head outside.
"change of plans" Callie muttered turning back to the kids.
That night Callie lay next to Harry in his bed, she ran her fingers through Harry's curly hair making it stand up as he read his book she was only half listening too. Callie watched him, what if Jude was right? Was Harry just like her. When he first came here he couldn't read, Callie could not even sit next to him, he hardly even put up with her trying to talk to him. Now here he was folded into her side reading from a chapter book like he had done it all his life. He was just a kid, but he deserved a choice, and even more he did deserve someone to fight for him.
"We aren't in a position to adopt him" Will said when Callie mentioned it to him later.
"I know, but I personally am in a position to make sure he is going to the best home he can have. And if it turns out his grandparents aren't that I am the one who needs to fight for him. Jude was right"
"Jude is your brother and he knows which one of your buttons to press" Will raised an eyebrow at Callie.
"But he has a point, if my moms had not fought for my right to a choice, I would be living with Robert no question. And I would not be who I am today." Callie said.
"So give him a choice? He's 7 Callie not exactly in a place to make life decisions."
"So we make it for him" Callie said pointedly finishing the conversation
Callie's phone went off in the middle of the night. she groaned rolling over not opening her eyes.
"You should get it" Will muttered.
"Why, it's probably just Mariana or Jude"
"It's probably your older brother" Will corrected her and Callie sat up suddenly remembering the date.
"If it is mom owes me 20 bucks" Callie cried looking for her phone in the dark.
"I can't believe you bet on her" Will laughed as Callie grabbed it.
-Water broke, on the way to the hospital- she read.
"Ahh yes! the baby's coming!" Callie cried.
"Are you going?" Will asked.
"I don't know.." Callie started when her phone buzzed with a text from Mariana, and then another from Jesus. Before Callie could answer either Lena was calling her.
"So it begins" Will laughed laying back down.
"Hey momma what's going on?" Callie asked.
"Hey baby mom and I are on our way to the hospital but B says it will be a while. You guys go back to sleep and come later, no sense in having over tired people sitting in a waiting room all night" Lena said.
"Ok, but you'll call us if anything happens?" Callie asked.
"Of course" Lena assured her.
A few hours later Callie woke up again surprised by how late it was. She went out into the kitchen where Will was putting some eggs onto Elizabeth's tray.
"Hi, I turned off your alarm. The kids and I are heading to the Zoo with Uncle Sam for the day, your moms said just family today." Will said
"Oh, thank you for letting me sleep in" Callie smiled.
"Hey it's not everyday you become an auntie is it? I took your phone because your brothers and sisters were blowing it up. Mike is there with your moms, the rest are getting there in an hour. I told Jude you would pick him and Frankie up. Your sister said don't forget the gift you got Megan, and Jesus want's to know who's making family dinner tonight" Will said making Callie laugh.
"Ok, yes I will pick up Jude and Frankie, Tell Mariana it's already in the car and tell Jesus he's probably stuck with hospital food" Callie said. Will nodded picking up her phone to text back.
"Anything else?" Callie asked
"Oh yeah just one more thing… next time there's a Fosters Family big event such as a birth, anniversary, big party, vacation…you know the like. I'm hiring you a secretary to field all your family's calls! I swear if I was on your phone dealing with someone another one was calling my phone looking for you because yours was busy. At one point I had both twins having a conversation on each phone." Will cried making Callie laugh.
"I thought that's what I married you for" She teased him making him smile.
"Ok I had better shower and get ready, have a fun day with dad!" Callie said giving Elizabeth and Harry a kiss on the top of their heads.
"Send pictures of the baby! give Megan a hug for me" Will said.
Callie pulled into the driveway of the big house as Frankie came bounding out.
"Can we go!" She cried.
"There's not even a baby yet, why don't you run in and grab your book to bring, where's Jude?" Callie asked as Frankie followed her back into the house.
"He's making moms and Mike some sandwiches" Frankie said going up the stairs as Callie wondered into the kitchen.
"Hey" she said seeing her brother by the table.
"Hey" Jude said.
"So new baby huh?" Callie asked, she couldn't remember every feeling this awkward around her brother.
"Yeah, thank's for taking us"
"Oh yeah no problem"
"I'm sorry I blew up at you the other night" Jude said after a second. Callie sighed sitting down in a stool across from him.
"It's ok, I deserved it."
"No you don't, I know you care about him, you just want what is best"
"I do want what's best. But you were right Jude, That was the wake up call I needed, maybe I am becoming one of those Social Workers and I don't want to. Will and I are going to look into Harry's grandparents ourselves, and I will be supervising visits with them. We can't keep him, but I will fight for him to be in a home that deserves him." Callie said.
"Good" Jude gave her a smile.
"You were right, I want to be the person we needed when we were going through this" Callie nodded.
"Ok come on keep your voice low ok? I bet there are new babies sleeping" Callie said taking Frankie's hand as they made their way down the hallway. Jude followed closely behind with a map of the big hospital.
"Is Brandon's baby here yet?" Frankie whispered.
"I'm not sure, we will find out when were figure out where we are supposed to be" Callie said as they passed a room Jude looked in at an older women coughing roughly.
"I'm guessing this is not it" He said making Callie smirk as she looked over his shoulder at the map.
"We have to go down there, they said follow the pink line" Callie said pointing down the hall as they three of them made their way down.
"Jesus says he's lost too, he's somewhere on the pink line" Jude said looking at his phone.
"Well tell him to keep following it at least he will find up" Callie muttered as Jude typed the reply.
"Callie?" Callie heard a voice call. She spun around looking for who said it.
"What?" She called.
"Marco" Now Callie knew the voice was Mariana.
"Polo" Callie called back laughing.
"Shhhh, there's babies sleeping" Frankie told her as Mariana came around from another hallway.
"Have you seen Jesus?" Jude asked.
"Nope, momma says to stay near room 371 but we're at 320 so I think we are way off" Mariana said
"This way then at least the numbers are getting bigger" Jude said leading the way where Mariana had just come from.
"See, and people thought I was crazy having Elizabeth at home" Callie said.
"You were crazy! When I have a kid drug me up man I don't want to feel even a tiny pin prick" Mariana nodded.
"Hey! I found you!" Jesus cried from behind them.
"Wow! look who can follow a colored line" Callie laughed.
"Shut up, is the little squirt here yet?" Jesus asked picking up Frankie and setting her on his back to make room for him to walk next to Callie.
"Momma says no but soon, and to keep going because she just hears Jesus yell" Jude said checking his phone again. they turned another corner and found a small waiting room. Stef, Lena and Mike sat around a coffee table food and a deck of cards out.
"Hey is this where the party is?" Mariana asked as they filed into the room.
"Hey it's the late risers" Stef smiled at the three older adults got up to greet everyone. They all settled into seats as Callie noticed they took up the while room.
"How is she doing?" Callie asked as Mike, Jesus and Jude sat around the table and Mike started dealing the cards out to them.
"Well she had the drugs so she's having a better go of it then you but it's no cake walk either way" Stef said as Frankie settled into her lap.
"Should be anytime though, just waiting for some news" Lena said
"And they still don't know what they are having?" Marianna asked.
"Nope, they want to keep it a surprise." Stef said.
"Where are your little ones today?" Lena asked turning to Callie.
"Sam and Will are taking them to the zoo" Callie said glancing at Mariana.
"Oh you scheduled in some dad practice for him huh" Stef raised her eyebrows at Mariana.
"No! its uncle practice, come on I'm not even married, you can't start with the eyebrows yet" Mariana said making Stef break her serious face and laugh.
"Oh before I forget I believe I won the bet, that's 20 dollars please" Callie held out her hand to Stef.
"No way sister, until there is an actual baby you don't get anything" Stef said giving her open hand a high five. Suddenly a doctor walked in making everyone turn to him.
"I guess this is what you meant when you said the rest were coming" She laughed looking over the crowed of people.
"How is she?"
"Good, Brandon wanted me to let you know the baby is here, he will be out in a few minutes to get you" She said.
"Boy or girl?" Mike asked.
"Oh no, I am under strict instructions to relay no more of that message" She smiled going down the hall.
"Damn it he got to her early" Stef muttered.
"That boy is to smart for you to pull something like that on him" Lena said.
"She's right he's always been a step ahead of us." Mike chuckled as they started picking up the game. Brandon came out a few minutes later looking tired but happier then Callie had ever seen him.
"HI!" Lena jumped up giving him a hug closely followed by Stef.
"Dude we're dying out here" Jesus said.
"It's a boy" Brandon said.
"Yayy! Congratulations" Mariana cried as Stef and Lena crushed him with another round of hugs.
"What's his name?" Frankie yelled over the noise.
"Miles Stephen Foster" Brandon smiled.
"Can we see him!" Callie cried.
"Yeah come on" Brandon smiled leading the way down the hallway.
Callie picked up two plates following Stef and Jude through the maze of tables to the back where they we alone. Lena was setting up places with Jesus and Mariana pushed tables together. Brandon came down looking tired but he hadn't stopped smiling all day.
"They are both asleep I thought I would come to Sunday night dinner" He smiled as Lena gave him yet another hug.
"Ok guys have a seat" Stef called. They all sat down and Callie realized they were in their usual seats they sat in at home. Lena on one end, Stef on the other the kids filling in the usual seats on the sides. But this table was considerable smaller then the one at home.
"Look, it's the originals" Jude laughed as Callie looked around. It was true, as much as she loved their big and ever expanding family, it was rarely just her moms and her brothers and sisters. It was almost nice having dinner like they always did when they was growing up.
"Ok guys, before we eat let's all raise our cups" Stef said as they all put their paper cups in the air.
"To our new family member Miles, such a sweet baby I can not wait to have him sitting around the table with us" Stef said.
"To Miles" Everyone cried tapping their ups together.
"Ugh it is as bad as they say" Jesus said taking a bite and making a face. Everyone laughed.
"Well you got lasagna, you stood a better chance with salad" Mariana told him as she and Callie clinked their forks together over their salad plates.
"So Brandon do you feel any different?" Jude asked.
"Oh I don't think my brain has even registered it yet" Brandon said making Lena smile.
"It will, when he's screaming all night it will" Stef said making them all laugh.
"He looks so much like you. It's going to be like having a little you running around again" Lena said.
"Oh yes you were so cute! Remember when we were moving into the house and he was scared to sleep in his own room for a month" Stef said.
"Oh yes, he slept sideways in our bed, good thing you were short when you were little" Lena smiled pinching Brandon's cheek.
"Ok ok no embarrassing stories, besides Mariana slept with you guys way longer then I did" Brandon laughed.
"Hey! Don't drag me into this, Jesus was the one who slept with all his lights for ever" Mariana said.
"There was an evil monkey under my bed I stand by that! I saw his tail!" Jesus cried seriously making them all burst out laughing.
"Our electricity bill was especially high that month" Lena nodded.
"Brandon look what I found for Miles" Frankie cried handing him a tiny piano. It was supposed to be a christmas ordainment but it did look like a good size for the baby.
"Great! I'll have him start practice tomorrow" Brandon said pretending to play it himself.
"No no what he needs to learn is the clarinet or something, we need some woodwind in this family" Mariana said.
"Yes! like the Sound of Music, Callie had her guitar, Jesus can be drums, Brandon is piano, Megan is violin, Mariana can sing, Frankie can play her trumpet I'll conduct of course" Jude said waving his hands in the air.
"What about momma and me?" Stef asked.
"You guys can be the managers, no one want's to hear you sing mom" Jesus said making them all burst out laughing again as Stef pretended to punch him.