CALLIE'S CHOICE CHAPTER 11
Callie went to the house for dinner on the following Tuesday, lasagna in hand, ready to put in the oven.
She made her way into the kitchen to find it empty.
"Anyone here?" she called out as she dropped her backpack and put the food on the counter.
Jude came hopping into the kitchen and greeted her with a smile and a hug. "I heard you were bringing dinner tonight."
"Yeah, well I better get compliments from the least pickiest person on the planet."
"Of course."
"Where is everybody?"
"Um, Mom's are upstairs talking about Jesus I think."
"Uh oh, what's that all about?"
"Don't know. Marianna should be home soon and Jesus is in our room on the phone."
"And Brandon?"
"Giving piano lessons like always. Do you miss him?" Jude teased.
"Yeah, but not as much as I miss you!" She pulled him over for a scruff on his head, but her got to her first, messing up her hair. "Hey, come on, that's my thing!"
"Not anymore!"
Stef and Lena step into the kitchen.
"Hey love, dinner as promised, I see." she says and kisses her cheek.
"Oh look, I think she brought garlic bread, too." Lena added.
"Yeah. But I forgot salad. You have anything?" Callie asked.
"I think we can scrounge something up." Lena assured her.
Callie turns her attention to the oven as Lena raids the refrigerator for salad ingredients.
"You look good sweetie. Happy. I hope?" Stef asks.
"Yeah, I'm great. I am happy." she answers with a smile.
Jude grabs the salad bowl from the shelf. "Can I help?" he asks Lena as she finishes getting the salad makings.
"By all means, it's all yours. Careful with the..."
"Knife, I know..."
"Hey, we're allowed to be annoying with our concern." Stef laughed. She looks at Lena "It looks like everything is in good hands here, why don't I pour us some wine, and take it outside, yeah?"
"Sounds good to me." Callie teases.
"Not this time." Lena laughed as she gets the wine glasses from the cupboard.
Stef opened and poured the wine. "Let's take this with us." she said winking at Callie. She grabbed the bottle and they headed outside.
Jude and Callie worked on homework together in the family room while they waited for the dinner to finish cooking.
"Hey, it smells pretty good in here." Marianna calls out as she comes in the front door.
"We're in the family room..." Callie calls back to her.
"So it's true...Callie's lasagna night?"
"As promised. How's dance?"
"Ugh. So tired. Do I have time for a shower? Even I don't want to be around me."
"About fifteen minutes. Go, go, go!" Callie urged with a smile.
"Okay, I'm going Sargent. Geez! Don't start without me." she said as she hurried away.
"Hey, no promises princess!" she yelled back to her.
After twenty minutes, Callie was taking the bread out of the oven as the the lasagna was cooling on the stove. "Hey bud, will you go outside and tell them it's ready?"
"Sure." Jude said as he finished setting the table.
Callie finished slicing the bread when they all came in.
"Looks good Callie." Stef admired.
"Well I hope it lives up to so much expectation."
"I'm sure we'll love it." Lena assured.
"Jesus! Marianna! Dinner, let's go!" Stef called from the bottom of the stairs.
The twins make their way into the kitchen, Jesus hopping on the first stool he sees. Marianna's hair was wet and it didn't go unnoticed as she took a seat next to Jesus.
"So what's with the wet head?" he asked.
"You're lucky I was able to take a shower at all."
"I don't doubt it."
"Okay, okay. Thank you Marianna for cleaning up before dinner. Jesus, thank you for interrupting you lengthy phone call to join us." Stef looked at him raising her eyebrows. "And Miss Callie, thanks for dinner altogether."
"Hey," Jude said with his mouth half full "it actually is really good."
"Well I knew I would get high praises from you." Callie replied.
"No, really Callie, I'm impressed." Stef complimented. "My hat is off to the chef." she added, also with her mouth half full.
Lena raised her glass. "To our new personal chef Callie, with hopes of many more meals we don't have to cook in the near future."
Callie just smiles and nods her head as they all clink their glasses together.
Heads turn to the doorway as they hear Brandon come in. "Hey, look who's home early. You made it in time for dinner tonight. Everything okay?" Stef called to him
Brandon dropped his backpack on the kitchen floor. "Yeah, last student cancelled."
"Come, sit. You haven't missed a thing."
"Hey." Callie smiled at Brandon.
"Hey." He repeated, giving Stef and Lena kisses on the cheek, making his way to his spot next to her. He waited a few seconds and decided to kiss her cheek as well.
He looks around at everyone. "Is that too shocking?" he asked, half kidding.
A few seconds of awkward silence and everyone just smiles.
Marianna spoke up. "Actually I think you're kinda cute. And I never thought I'd say that so..."
"So that's a lot, coming from you." Brandon finished.
Marianna gave him a playful nod.
"So how do you think you did on that pop quiz in trig today?" Brandon asked Callie.
"Umm, okay I guess. I'm just glad I don't have to take another math class next year."
"You and me both."
"Well now I have something to look forward to junior year. God, I hate math." Jesus said as he shovels his food down, almost as quickly as Jude.
"I like math." Jude said.
"Me too." Marianna agreed.
"We know, Miss Perfect." Jesus said, rolling his eyes.
After dinner Brandon takes Callie home.
"I wish we had some alone time tonight."
"I know, I'm sorry. I have to work on that paper tonight or I'll never get it done in time."
"Yeah, me too."
"And I have a short shift tomorrow, so hopefully I can finish it up by Friday."
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow then. In the morning. At school."
"Yeah, like always." She gave him a look, but was quickly greeted by a kiss.
He caressed her face gently and she melted into his kiss.
"I wish we had some alone time tonight." he repeated.
Callie laughed. "You already said that."
"I really mean it."
"Okay I'm going in so I don't get caught up in something I can't get out of."
"Oh Callie, whatever do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean." One last kiss and she got out of the car.
After school on Wednesday, Callie headed to work. So did Brandon. But not giving piano lessons.
Callie came home to find Brandon in her apartment. He had food on the table, take out food, but food nonetheless. And candles. Everywhere. He even brought his iPod and a speaker playing some kind of romantic piano music.
"Brandon? Wow. What is all this?"
"I wished we had some alone time, remember?"
"This. It's amazing. You're amazing."
"Come on, sit. Enjoy this incredible dinner that I did not prepare."
She smiles at him as he pulls out her chair. She sits and he pushes her chair back like a gentleman.
"I can't believe you went to all this trouble..."
"You're worth it."
After dinner he leads her to the sofa. The music continues to play in the background.
He turns her around and begins to massage her neck. Callie closes her eyes and begins to relax immediately. After a few minutes he begins on her shoulders.
"You spoil me."
"I like to."
"I'm glad I gave you a key by the way."
"Me too."
After another few minutes of shoulder massages, Callie grabs his hands and holds them. Then gently kisses them. He runs his hands up and down her arms and she turns around. A long gaze and then she kisses him. A lot. For a moment she pulls away and stares into his eyes. He stares back and then he kisses her intensely. Then small kisses. She looks down and unbuttons his shirt and slides it off. He stares at her breathing heavily. She quickly and effortlessly pulls off her own shirt. He stares at her and she pulls him in again almost frantically. He doesn't stop her. She begins slowly kissing his neck. After a quick moment he pulls her face and stares at her.
"Are you sure?"
"I am. Really. Sure." she says in between each kiss. "I think we have waited long enough. I think this is exactly what I've been waiting for." She pulls him up from the sofa and leads him to the bedroom.
"Callie..."
"I love you, Brandon."
"I love you, too."
As they kiss, the find their way to the bed. No talking is necessary. They can read each other's thoughts.
Everything is slow. Gentle. Effortless.
They both lay in bed, his arm wrapped around her as she snuggles into his chest. She caresses his chest and his shoulder.
"You okay?" he whispers.
"Never better actually. I mean, I knew I loved you. But I had no idea until now how much until now." Then she chuckles.
"What?" he asks as he kisses the top of her head.
"It's corny. I don't want to say it out loud."
"You know you can tell me anything."
"I just... I mean I always thought it was old-fashioned when you heard the term 'make love.' But I get it now. It's more then the sex. I have never felt so close to anyone, ever."
"I have never loved someone as much as I love you. Since day one. When I first met you. And all I could say was something like 'It's nice to meet you.' If you didn't notice, I couldn't stop looking at you."
"Now that's corny." she giggled.
"It's true."
"Can you just stay here all night?" she mumbles as she snuggles into his chest a little more.
"It's Wednesday. 10:00 curfew." He looks at her clock. "Hmm. We still have some time."
"Some time is good."
"Yeah..." He slides out from under her and pulls her head to his for another kiss.