CALLIE'S CHOICE CHAPTER 3
Stef and Lena walk up the stairs and knock on Brandon's bedroom door.
"Come on in." Brandon answers.
He is sitting on his bed, and Stef joins him. Lena pulls up his piano stool.
"So we just had an interesting conversation with Callie." Stef informs him.
"Okay, what's going on?"
"Well, actually, we were telling her that the court ruled in her favor to be emancipated."
"That's great" he said with a smile.
"Yeah? How great is it?" Stef asked directly.
"What do you mean?"
"Come on Brandon, you know what I'm talking about."
"I don't think I do."
"Brandon, Callie told us everything. About her plans to live on her own. And about how you like the idea." Lena responded.
He pauses as he looks at the both of them. "I do like the idea."
"That is exactly what she told us you would say." Stef said sharply. "She also told us that if this happened, that you guys would want to try and be together."
Brandon puts his head down and lets out a little sigh. "Okay."
Stef wait a second for him to say more.
"Okay? Are you kidding me? That's how you're going to respond to this ridiculous idea?" Stef said, anger starting to show.
"Why is it ridiculous? Because you say it is?" Brandon retorted.
"Brandon, we understand the complexity of your point of view here." Lena said calmly, trying to keep some sense of composure to the conversation.
"Do you? Because it sounds like you've already made up your minds that it's ridiculous. That it will never work."
"Because it's true, it will never work. You are both young and think you have everything figured out. But think about this Brandon, she would be giving up on her only chance of finally being adopted and being in a family. Our family. It's what we talked about and decided on going into the emancipation process." Stef said, sternly.
"We have talked about it. A lot. And we wanted to tell you."
"Then why didn't you?" Lena asked.
"Because I knew you both would react exactly like this!"
"Brandon, watch your tone." Lena cautioned.
"So you both get to come in here and confront me all angry and I have to sit here and take it?"
"Actually, yes you do. You are the child and we are the parents." Stef responded.
"I am not a child. Even though you're treating me like one."
"Well, you are not making mature decisions at the moment. A decision like this cannot be made lightly."
"Wow, you're really are just going to be completely close minded about this, aren't you?"
"We're not closed minded, Brandon, we are just being rational." Lena made clear.
"So first I'm being ridiculous and now I'm irrational? You don't know what it's been like for us. It's been hard. We've been pushing our feelings aside for so long. We feel like we just can't do it anymore."
"So the only answer is for Callie to move out. So that you guys can date." Stef challenged.
"Wouldn't you rather we try to be together like this rather than, I don't know, be immoral?" Brandon challenged back to her. "Don't you get it? I love her! And she loves me. Since when is loving someone such a horrible thing? That loving someone so much to the extent of you hiding your feelings for so long, just to make other people happy?"
"Loving someone isn't a horrible thing," Lena assured. "But Callie has had a pretty unfortunate life. It would be a shame to throw away the only opportunity for her to have a family, just so you both can try to date." Lena takes a deep breath. "I know it's more complicated than that to you. But that's how it feels for everyone else. I'm sure that it hasn't been easy for you both. You need to understand that your Mom and I can see down the road how this is going to end up."
"Well, It's good to know that you've given up on us before we've even had a chance to try." Brandon scoffed. "I don't understand why this is so impossible for you both to understand."
"We never said we didn't understand. We disagree. This relationship is a bad idea." Stef said adamantly. "And we're not going to allow it. You are not going to be with Callie."
"What gives you right to tell me who I can and cannot date?"
"Because I am your mother. And Callie's guardian." she said very sternly.
"Not anymore." Brandon snapped right back at her.
"You know what, we all just need to take a breath. We're just going around in circles. Maybe if we take a break and talk about it later, like after dinner, we might be able to get somewhere." Lena proposed.
"Fine." Stef got up off of his bed. "Get your homework done B, we'll all talk later."
"I'm not going to change my mind."
"Not productive Brandon. Take some time and we'll discuss this later." Lena urged.
They leave his room and head down the stairs.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Callie poked her head into Brandon's doorway. "So you were read the riot act too, I'm assuming?"
Brandon nodded his head motioning for her to come in.
She enters but leaves the door open. She sits on the bed close to Brandon.
"So we'll all get to talk later. After dinner." Brandon informed her.
"Well, we both basically knew how this was going to go over. I'm really not surprised. I have to believe that you weren't either."
"Not surprised, no. I guess I wish that they would be more open to listening to our side more than they are."
Callie notices his defeated look."Well, we're in this this together." Brandon just nods. Callie jabs him in his side with her elbow. "A united front." Another jab. "A force to be reckoned with." Callie pushes him hard and he flops onto his side. "Come on Brandon, how many stupid, cliché phrases do I need to spout before you'll laugh at me?"
"About ten." He stares at her then a cracks a smile and chuckles. She picks up a pillow pretends to smother him with it.
Brandon pushes it away, but holds Callie's wrists with his hands. "I promise I will learn to appreciate your ill-timed, bad humor."
She leans in and gives him a quick kiss, then gets up and starts to leave the room. As she gets to the doorway, she turns around and says, "Smart move." and walks out.