Callie stepped out to the front porch closing the door behind her leaving Will and Stef with Harry and Maya inside.
"You can't just take them, they are settled here" Callie said.
"they need to be placed with a pre adoptive family, you know this Callie, the faster we get the ball rolling the faster they can have permanency somewhere"
"They have permanency here! Why can't they stay until you find them a family to adopt them" Callie asked.
"You know that's not how this works"
"Well it should be! I am fighting for these kids. I was in those homes Katie they keep you for a week and then decide they don't want you and you get tossed into the next one."
"But right now staying with you they would be in the system until they turn 18. We need to get paper work started for adoption and we can't do that while they are in a temporary foster home." Katie said. Callie glanced back at the windows where she saw Harry watching her closely.
"If I didn't know better I'd say your attached" Katie said watching her.
"I care about them yes, It's my job to make their lives better"
"So do it" Katie said.
"what?" Callie asked.
"Do it, adopt them"
"We're not…we just can't…" Callie started.
"Look you and I both know how this works. You already foster them, I'll change your foster plan to adoption, I can have the paper work done by next week" Katie said.
"Your not supposed to…"
"No, but I can see what you want, what they want. Callie, I have to place these kids in a home looking to adopt them. You clearly don't want them to go so…" Callie heisted then opened the door to the house.
"Will!" she yelled trying to ignore the look Harry was giving her.
"Yeah?" Will asked walking into the living room.
"Can you come outside?" Callie asked as Will went out to stand next to her and Callie closed the door as Lena stepped into the room to take Harry.
"What's going on?" Will asked.
"Harry and Maya need to go to a foster to adopt home since they are officially up for adoption now" Callie said.
"What! No, why can't they just stay here until you find a family to adopt them?" Will asked Katie.
"It doesn't work like that" Callie answered for her.
"So you just take them? That's not fair to the kids.I promised Harry he was not leaving tonight. Can't you just wait a week." Will cried.
"They need to be in a home that is permeant, who will adopt them" Katie said. Will glanced at Callie and she knew he was thinking the same thing she was.
"I…do you?" Will asked turning to her. Callie nodded and she saw a smile cross Will's face.
"So we adopt them?" Callie asked.
"They already have a home here" Will said pulling Callie into a hug. Katie gave them a smile.
"We should ask them before we do anything" Callie said. Will nodded and the three adults went into the house. Harry heard the door open and ran into the living room.
"I'm not going with you" He said firmly to Katie. Lena put a hand on his back.
"We just want to talk to you, have a seat let me find your sister" Callie said as Harry sat down on the couch she went down the hall into the backyard where Stef was watching Maya and Elizabeth play.
"Can you guys come in Maya we want to ask you something" Callie said. Maya came running to the door and sat down on the couch next to Harry. Callie and Will sat on the coffee table facing them. Stef and Lena stood in the doorway to the kitchen Elizabeth in Stef's arms. Harry was still glaring at Katie so she stood near the front door trying to give them space.
"Well, you guys know that your grandparents were not able to take care of you so Katie was still looking for a family for you to stay with." Will started.
"I'm not leaving with her, no more families" Harry said firmly.
"Well…Will and I were wondering what you would think about staying here, and being part of our family forever. We would adopt you" Callie said.
"And we would never have to leave?" Harry asked.
"No, not ever." Callie said.
"Yes! I want you to be my mommy" Maya cried throwing herself into Callie's lap.
"No more moving?" Harry asked like he still didn't believe them.
"Well, we might need a bigger house, but you would stay with us. No more families you would be our little boy." Will said.
"Promise?"
"Cross my heart" Callie nodded.
"Yeah!" Harry cried finally giving them a big smile as Will pulled him into a hug. Callie glanced at her mom's over Maya's head, Lena had tears in her eyes watching them and Stef was hugging Elizabeth smiling at her.
"Well alright then, I will get you the paperwork and call you with a court date. I'll rush it for you, Maybe you can have everything done in a month." Katie said.
"Perfect" Callie smiled.
"Ok, Harry, Maya, Welcome home" Katie gave them a smile before leaving.
"And Will said I can paint my room right Will?" Harry asked.
"Yes, any color you want" Will nodded.
"I want green, can we make it like a jungle?" Harry asked.
"That sounds really cool" Callie nodded.
"I want a butterfly room" Maya said.
"You can't silly, you have to share with Elizabeth and she already has a pink room" Harry said.
"I can to pick, can't I mommy?" Maya asked turning to Callie. Callie stopped eating breakfast her fork in mid air.
"Me? Your asking me?" Callie asked.
"If Harry get's to have a jungle room why can't Elizabeth and I have a butterfly room?" Maya asked. Callie was still speechless over the word that had just come out of Maya's mouth.
"You can have a butterfly room, I bet we can find some pictures for the wall" Will covered for her quickly.
"Yayy!" Maya cried going back to her eggs.
"Ok have a good day, I will pick you up after school" Callie called to Harry as she dropped him off. Harry looked back at her and waved. Lena walked passed him messing his hair as he gave her a smile and she walked over to Callie.
"Your awfully chipper for a Wednesday" Lena said.
"Maya called my mommy today" Callie said smiling.
"It's amazing isn't it?" Lena asked.
"Truly the best thing ever" Callie agreed as her cell phone rang. She saw it was Katie calling.
"Hang on, Hello" Callie answered.
"Callie! I'm about to walk into a home inspection I only have a minute I just wanted to let you know we spoke to the kids birth mom, she said she wants you guys to adopt them, papers are signed and everything from her" Katie said.
"What does that mean?" Callie asked.
"It means there is no court, nothing to argue, everyone agrees, you have an official hearing for adoption on Tuesday, of course it's just the formality to sign the papers, congratulations, they are yours" Katie said.
"Oh my god!" Callie cried breathless.
"I have to go, I'll call you later with the time and place for court."
"Thank you" Callie said hanging up the phone.
"Good news?" Lena asked.
"What are the chances of you getting off work Tuesday to come to the adoption of your new grandkids?" Callie asked Lena burst into a huge smile pulling Callie in for a hug.
"Sam started talking about adoption last night" Mariana said as she and Callie were sitting on the back deck. It was a warm summers night and after dinner they had all migrated outside to enjoy the cooling air. Mariana and Callie sat on the swing watching everything from a distance.
"Oh yeah, you guys are talking about it?" Callie asked turning to her.
"Yeah, I mean we want a family it's a lot to think about but I think it's something he wants"
"And you? Is it what you want?" Callie asked. Mariana was quiet for a minute.
"Being adopted…I hated thinking this but I always wanted a kid of my own, someone who looked like me you know? I know we get personality traits from moms but I wanted to look at my kid and say yes, she has my eyes, or Sam's nose. I wanted that, but I can't, so yeah I do what to adopt, I mean I always sort of did. I was adopted it feels right to give back and give another kid a good home just like the one I got. I want a baby I just wish I could have just one who was a part of me. That's the way it's supposed to be at least…" Mariana said.
"A child you adopt is a part of you. Not at first, at first they feel like some alien crash landed into your life that you have to fit around, but then without realizing it they fit in and they do become a part of you. Mariana look at our family, no one is where we were "supposed" to be when this life started. Moms are not supposed to be married, Brandon is not supposed to be a child of divorce, we are not supposed to be adopted, Harry and Maya are not supposed to be joining this family, but it worked out that way, and I think it worked out for the better for all of us. We are not where we are supposed to be, we're somewhere better" Callie said looking at her making Mariana smile as Callie reached out pulling her sister into a hug.
"Besides look at this amazing rainbow we all created" Callie said as they both turned to look over the yard. Stef, Lena and Megan sat by the garden Lena was holding Mile in her arms laughing at something Stef said. Elizabeth ran around in front of them screeching as Brandon caught her up in his arms tossing her over his head. Harry and Maya were kicking a soccer ball around with Sam and Will. Jesus and Mike had popped the hood of Stef's car to find out why it was making a funny noise. Jude walked out from the house handing Megan a glass of water sitting down next to her making a funny face at Miles. Callie never got the chance to admire her family from afar, they truly were all so different but somehow the same. From Stef with her blond hair. Brandon Callie and Jude with their light skin, Will, Mariana and Jesus's tan skin Callie was always a little jealous of. Lena and Francisca's dark wild curls and milky brown skin all the way to Sam, Maya and Harry with their shocking black eyes and dark skin. They were a little bit of everything all mixed into one.
"Do you believe in fate?" Mariana asked her.
"I didn't, for a very long time i didn't believe in fate or luck or anything like that. But now, how can you not. I do believe it was fate that brought this family together. Like we were meant to be together all along" Callie smiled.
"Callie Adams Foster, do you promise to love and care for Harry and Amaya like they were your own?" the judge asked.
"I do" Callie nodded.
"And William Braverman do you promise to love and care for these children like they were your own?"
"Yes" Will nodded firmly.
"Sign here and here" The judge smiled handing them papers.
"Hey just so you guys know, I promise to be the best uncle ever, teach you how to drive a stick, keep the boys away from Maya" Jesus said making everyone laugh.
"Yeah and we promise to always be here for you too, anything you guys need you can come to us" Brandon said putting his arm around Megan.
"That's right Miles is going to need his big cousins around to play with" Megan nodded as Harry smiled at her reaching up to let the baby grab his finger.
"And we promise to always be the cool aunt and uncle, we'll take you to concerts and make sure you are into the good music" Mariana said making Maya smiled at her.
"Yes, and cooking lessons, no fast food when you come for a sleep over at our house" Sam added.
"I promise to always be here when you guys need to talk, about anything anytime of night. I will always be there for you" Jude said as Callie smiled at her brother.
"And I promise to be the best aunt every, even if I am only 2 years older then you" Frankie said making everyone laugh.
"How about just the best friend ever?" Harry asked.
"Deal" Frankie smiled.
"And we promise to always love you, you are a past of our family now and that means so much to us. You are both so important to everyone here, never forget that" Lena said.
"We are so glad you found your family with us, this is right where you belong and you will always have a place in our family no matter what" Stef said.
"Well, this is by far the most people I have ever had promising to adopt two children, you are both very lucky" The judge said giving Harry and Maya a smile. Maya nodded.
"Yes sir, we are" Harry smiled back.
Callie placed the bowl of salad on the table as Frankie and Maya walked around her putting a plate at each chair. The table was full, there was not an inch of space between the chairs around it.
"I think we may have to invest in a bigger dining room table" Lena said putting the pasta in the middle.
"I think you might have to get two and push them together" Megan smiled coming in after her.
"I supposed that would be more functional" Lena nodded. Callie laughed that their family was now so big they needed two long tables to seat everyone.
"Ok drinks, water, lemonade" Stef sang coming in putting the jugs on the table.
"Soda?" Jude asked.
"Soda will rot those teeth I paid a lot of money for braces mister" Stef said pinching Jude's cheeks.
"Hey momma is it time to eat yet?" Jesus asked coming in with Harry on his back.
"Yes yes go wash up" Lena nodded as Jesus galloped back into the kitchen making Harry laugh.
"My turn next!" Maya yelled running after them.
"Who are we missing? where's B and Frankie?" Stef asked looking around.
"They were out back I'll get them" Megan said.
"Who else..Miss Thing? I swear we need a dinner bell around here" Stef said.
"I'll get them" Callie said going into the living room where Mariana and Sam were on the couch with Miles cuddled between them.
"Momma says it's time for dinner" Callie said giving them a smile.
"thanks" Mariana said as Sam walked into the dining room Mariana stood putting the baby over her shoulder.
"We started looking at adoption agencies yesterday" She told Callie.
"Oh really?" Callie smiled.
"We were thinking about adopting a baby from China"
"China huh, we don't have one of those" Callie smiled.
"Just thought we would contribute to the rainbow" Mariana smiled back at her as they went into the dining room. Everyone took their seats, they all sat in the same places they always had, the kids all had their usual seats, now the seats between them were taken up by spouses, Callie and Will were separated by Elizabeth's highchair and now Maya and Harry were between them as well. It took some maneuvering to get everyone squeezed around the table but finally they were settled.
"To Maya and Harry, welcome to the family" Lena said raising her glass.
"To Maya and Harry!" Everyone cried clinking their glasses together.
"Good luck guys, we can get crazy" Jesus said making everyone laugh.
"Hey! we are a perfectly normal blended family" Stef said.
"mom we're not just blended, we're like ultra pureed." Jude said.
"Well Jesus is the crazy one anyway" Mariana said.
"Oh please, miss drama queen over there, I'm telling you stay 6 feet away from your aunt Mari at all times" Jesus fake whispered to the kids.
"Hey!" Mariana cried.
"Alright alright you too, it's probably best to stay clare of both of you" Brandon said. Jesus picked up his roll throwing it at him. Brandon caught it taking a bite giving Jesus a smirk.
"Give me yours then!" Jesus cried.
"I believe the rules of a food fight are that you don't get to take back the food you threw" Jude said.
"Oh yeah how about some sauce on you new shirt?" Jesus teased.
"Not that you could tell if you got sauce on your shirt, the 70's called they want their pattern back" Mariana said pointing to Jesus's shirt.
"Ohhhh" Callie cried as she and her sister high fived.
"Hey, hey let's be civil please" Lena called.
"Oh man some things never change" Stef sighed with a twinkle in her eye.
"Those who don't behave do not get banana pizza for dessert" Stef said
"There's banana pizza!" Jesus cried.
"Yess!" Frankie yelled.
"We are all going to make it after dinner, mom and I thought it would be a nice treat" Lena smiled.
"Oh man I can't wait!" Jude cried.
"Banana pizza?" Sam asked as he and Megan looked confused.
"Oh just you wait" Callie smiled at them.
Callie looked around as the chatter around the table died down everyone full of dessert pizza. Elizabeth was asleep in Lena's lap. Harry was perched on Jesus's chair next to him Callie noticed how much he was trying to sit just like Jesus was. Maya eyes were glazed over and she was almost asleep in Mariana's lap.
"Ok time to head home it's late already past bedtime" Callie said.
"Ugh mommm" Harry complained but with a smile on his lips. Callie smiled catching Stef's eye across the table.
"See, always a happy ending my love" Stef whispered giving her a wink, and Callie knew she was right.
The End