"Hi honey." Sharon said, giving Lena a hug before holding her at arms length to study her face. She could see the dark circles under Lena's eyes, indicating the lack of sleep and the worry.
"Hey Sharon." Lena said, her eyes misting over. "Thanks for coming down."
"Of course." Sharon said. She was just as worried about her daughter as was everyone else but she was also worried about her pregnant daughter-in-law. "And now that I'm here I want you to go on upstairs and get some sleep." She instructed firmly.
Lena was about to protest but Sharon stopped her. "No arguing, I promise to come and get you if I hear anything but you need to go lie down for an hour at least."
"I was going to talk to Callie and see if I can get her to eat something." Lena explained. "The last thing she ate was half a tub of yogurt at dinner last night."
"I'll worry about Callie." Sharon said. "I'll make her eat. You just leave it to me."
"She's stubborn." Lena warned. "She'll throw a fit and drive you crazy."
Sharon smiled mischievously at Lena. "You think raising Stef was a piece of cake?" She asked, thankful for the grin she received from the younger woman.
"Okay, call me if you need anything." Lena said. "Jude and I will be in my room."
Callie hadn't moved from her corner since she sat there six hours ago, she was too afraid to do anything and just like she had thought no one had said a word to her. She was glad that she chose to stay downstairs because this way she at least heard every word and knew what was going on. She tried not to let it show but she had never been more afraid in her life - She wished Stef would just come back home so she could apologize and see for herself that her mom was okay.
She had heard Sharon come in and she had heard her and Lena talking so she was prepared when her new grandmother walked towards her.
"You doing okay honey?" Sharon asked, surprising Callie. She hadn't expected Sharon to be nice to her, after all she was the reason that her daughter was awol.
Callie remained silent as she watched Sharon take a seat beside her.
"You know, when your mom was about thirteen years old she ran away from home." Sharon said. "She got mad at me for not letting her go out with her friends at eleven at night so she decided to run away instead."
The tiniest of smiles spread on Callie's face as she imagined a young, feisty Stef climbing out her bedroom window.
"We knew she'd be at the beach, that's where she always went to think and she loved to swim in those waves so her father drove down to keep an eye on her. I knew she was angry but I also knew she'd be back. Stef wasn't one to stay away long." Sharon said, trying to assure the teen that her mother would be back. "She just needs some time to herself sometimes."
Callie listened intently to the story thought she refused to make eye-contact and forged nonchalance but in truth she wanted to hear the story, she wanted to know for certain that her mom would be back and that she hadn't pushed her away entirely.
Callie felt increasingly guilty. She hadn't meant for things to get this out of hand, all she really wanted was to keep them at arms length so that when things went south, like they always did, her heart would be protected just a little bit more. But instead she had ruined everything for herself as well as for everyone else. Even Jude wasn't really talking to her and Lena was just avoiding her. How she wished that she could go find Stef and bring her back home but she had no idea where to look or what to say if she found her - somehow 'I'm sorry' just didn't seem to cut it.
"You're a lot like she is you know." Sharon continued. "And after raising her I have no doubt that you'll grow up to be a fine young woman just like her."
Sharon watched the teen carefully as she spoke, she wanted to point out the similarities between the two so that Callie would realize that she wasn't as bad as she imagined. Sharon could see the fear in Callie's eyes though the teen was trying hard to hide it. She could see Callie stiffen as she spoke, indicating that she was getting the right point across but she remembered Lena's warning not to rally the girl up too much so instead she decided to change the topic.
"How about some lunch huh?" Sharon asked, patting the girl's leg. "I haven't eaten since breakfast and I'm starved and I'll bet you are too."
Little did she know that that was exactly what it would take to send Callie over the edge.
Lena had taken Jude to bed with her, knowing that the boy was just as worried as she was and could use a few hours of just relaxing, though she knew that neither of them would really sleep. She had been lying down for just over fifteen minutes when the commotion began downstairs.
"Callie, you have to eat something." Sharon said as Lena and Jude made their way downstairs to find Callie had knocked a plate out of Sharon's hand. It was now broken on the floor at their feet. - the noise that had alerted Lena to the chaos.
Callie still hadn't said a word to Sharon and just watched as Sharon had made a sandwich for her. The moment the older woman tried to hand Callie the plate Callie pushed it away but Sharon, almost as stubborn as Stef, just pushed it back causing Callie to knock it out of her hands.
"Callie, you need to calm down." Sharon continued as she tried to move the teen away from the broken glass on the floor but Callie was still angry so she flung her phone across the room, slamming it against the wall and breaking the screen.
Lena was about to say something but Jude beat her to it.
"Stop it Callie." Jude yelled, as tears filled his eyes. "Just stop it. Why don't you just disappear? You make everyone leave. You're..."
But Lena silenced him by pulling him into a quick hug.
Callie instantly stopped her struggle as tears filled her own eyes. She tried to walk away and make it out the door but Sharon held her arm to stop her. Lena rushed forward to help Sharon calm Callie down while Jude remained rooted in his spot on the stairs.
When Lena got to Callie she quickly wrapped her arms around the now still teenager and held her tight while Sharon let go and guided a still crying Jude back upstairs, leaving Lena alone with Callie.
Lena held on to Callie, stroking her hair until she felt the girl relax in her arms. Then she pushed Callie back into the window seat and sat down beside her without letting go of her arm. "Are you hurt?" Lena asked, finally releasing Callie far enough to check her bare feet.
Callie shook her head as she curled her feet up under her. She had made sure she hadn't stepped in any glass, she hadn't wanted to cause any more trouble.
"Okay, then please wait right here till I get this cleaned up." Lena said as she got up and went to get a dustpan and brush.
Callie sat still as she watched Lena brush up the broken plate and picked up the sandwich and threw it all away. Lena then came back to sit beside her, though she didn't touch her or talk. She just wanted the girl to know that she wasn't alone. If Callie wanted the contact she could initiate it herself but Lena didn't want to risk upsetting her again.
The two sat like that for about ten minutes until the doorbell rang. For a moment Lena hoped it was Stef but then she realized that Stef wouldn't have rung the doorbell, she would have used her key - unless she had lost it.
With that thought Lena got up and rushed to the door as Sharon and Jude came down the stairs as well.