Lena POV
"A sister?" I stutter out the word "He…has a sister?" Our lawyer only nods her head back to us to confirm what I just said.
Stef reached for my hand and squeezed it tightly. She was just as surprised as I was, only she was speechless. Her mouth parted, like she wanted to say something, but no words came out.
"I'm sorry, that the adoption couldn't go through today. I will call you two as soon as I know something else, any other court date, anything. I promise" She said and with that she walked away
I turn to Stef once she does "What are we going to do?" I ask her in a hushed voice
"What is it?" Mariana asks noticing our surprised looked. We walked back to the kids together, still holding each others hand. The kids were now watching us closely as we walked up to them.
"I have a feeling it is bad news" Brandon said observing both of our features
"Just tell me" Jude said quietly from where he sat between his two older brothers. Stef glanced to me and from her eyes I could tell she wasn't capable of telling him, she was still too shocked.
"Jude, buddy…" I said softly not taking my eyes off him "We can't adopt you today…I'm sorry, love"
"What? Why not?" Mariana exclaimed out loud, voicing what her brothers thought as well
"You said Donald signed the papers" Jesus spoke up"Did he change his mind?"
"It is not Donald" Stef finally spoke up, she tilted her head to one side watching the youngest boy "It is your sister, bud"
Silence.
Neither one of them said anything. Jude's face changed instantly. He swallowed back a lump in his throat. The other kids stood with shocked facial expressions. No one saw this coming, I don't think even Jude saw it coming.
"She wants to get legal guardianship over you, Jude" I explain further
"You have a sister?" Jesus turned to Jude, as did the other kids
"How come we didn't that!?" Mariana asked hurt. Jude remained silent.
"That means she is…out of the foster care?" Brandon asks looking up to us "Wait...was she in foster care?"
"We don't know any detail about her yet, but yes, she must over 18. Our lawyer will contact us as soon as she knows something and we will try to sort this out" I explained to the kids
"But right now" Stef spoke up softly "Jude, we can't adopt you. I'm sorry. But mama and I promise you, we will do everything we can, so you can become an Adams Foster, okay?" Jude's face remained blank as he just looked back at us.
"Let's go back home" Stef said stopping the silence that was surrounding all of us, ushering the kids to car.
The other kids walked up to their rooms when we invited Jude to sit down with us for a minute to talk about what happened today.
"Jude…why didn't you tell us you had a sister?" I ask softly, watching him closely
Jude glances down to his hands in his lap and shrugs at first, then adds quietly "It didn't come up. No time seemed right to tell you…"
"Where you afraid to tell us?" Stef asks pressing on the table with her elbows
"I wasn't afraid" He said looking up to us
"But…" I say quietly, feeling that there is going to be one
Jude sits quietly for a moment. Second later he lifts his hand up to the table, he was picking his finger nails and biting his lower lip while avoiding eye contact.
"I was afraid of what you would think of her" he admitted after a moment
"Jude, honey..." Stef reached over the table to his hand and squeezed it softly "We would love to hear about her"
"No" he pulled his hand out of her hand and said louder "You wouldn't" He shook his head "She is not like me…or Brandon…or the twins…"
"What…does that mean?" I was confused by his words
Jude's eyes traveled to Stef and he said bitter "You are a cop…"
Yes, Jude was a bit scared of Stef at first, when he found out she was a cop. He has had some bad experience with them. Jude never really went to details about it, but he has said, he doesn't trust cops, nor does he like them. But Jude did realized that Stef wasn't anything like the cops that he has met in his life and later on started to trust her.
Stef and I both were surprised by his words. I glance to Stef and we share a worried look. The only reason why he should think that, would be if his sister has been in some sort of trouble with the law or that she was hanging out with the wrong crowd of people.
"She was in juvie" Jude admitted looking to me. He looked scared as he waited for our reaction. Stef next to me tensed up, she straightened her back and reached for my hand under the table, trying to stay calm in front of Jude.
"See! I told you mom wouldn't like it!" He gestured to Stef next to me when he saw her movement. It didn't sit right with me as well, but I didn't show it as much. Of course that information worried me, I had no idea what she had done. I know nothing about who this girl was or what she was like.
"How about we dial back a bit" I interpose quickly to ease up the tension that was forming. Jude looked back to me, with confusion in his eyes, wondering where I am going with this. I felt Stef looking to me as well.
"How about you tell us about her" I suggest as I look between Stef and Jude
"What do you want to know?" Jude asks shifting on the stool after a short moment
"Can we start with her name?" I ask carefully watching the boy
"Callie…" Jude said after a moment, he relaxed a bit more "Her name is Callie"
Callie POV
I was maneuvering through the dining-hall while holding up 3 plates. The people who were walking towards me and not caring about a poor waitress with dishes in her hands, were making my job harder.
I almost spill the soup that was one of the dish, when 2 little girls run down the aisle. I stop just in time and balance the dishes, before I continue to head to the table 8.
"Here you go" I walk up to the table and place the dishes in front of the family "Have a nice meal" I tell them before I head back to kitchen area.
On the way there, I got called by another table to get their check ready. When I walk up to the small desk to get the check ready for table 11, the manager walks up to me.
"Callie, Rita is here" He says pointing to one of the booths at the other side of the restaurant. Rita smiles at me from the other side of the room and I do a small wave back at her.
"Thanks, Peter" I reply getting the check. I quickly get the check to the table and then head over to Rita. I take out the notepad and pen ready to take Rita's order.
"Hi, Callie. How did it go?" she doesn't dance around the bushes and just gets straight to the point
"Good…I think. I handed in the paperwork this morning and now I just have to wait till I hear from the lawyer" I reply after I shrugged at her first "Are you ready to order?
Rita was the one helping me with this whole thing. She was a big help and right now, the only person I could go to help. She knew the system inside out, she worked in the system.
I met her after Juvie, when I was placed in her group home – Group United. I stayed with the group home for few months, until I found out about this independent living program. Once I got my own little apartment, I knew I had taken the first step to towards my goal - getting custody of Jude when I turn 18. Rita has helped me every step of the way ever since I told her what was my goal.
"I will have the usual" Rita says back and I write down tomato soup, blueberry muffin and glass of freshly squeezed orange juice
"Anything else?" I ask as I write her order down
"This is a big step you are taking. They will be looking at your every move. There is no room for mistakes. How are you feeling about it?" Rita reminded me just how serious this is, she hadn't taken her eyes off me ever since I walked up
I put a big dot at the end of the word juice and glance down to her in the booth "Excited, but worried at the same time. I hope that I hear soon from the lawyer…I just want my brother back"
"I am proud of you Callie. I really am" Rita reached for my hand and squeezed it softly "But, you know that taking care of a 15 year old won't be easy. It is a lot of responsibly"
"He's by brother. I was the one taking care of him for 6 years after our mom died, not our foster parents. This won't be any different. I don't want him to spend another minute in the foster care. I know what it is like being alone…I don't want him alone. I don't want to spend another day being separated for him…these last 2 years have been hard enough"
Rita smiled up to me and squeezed my hand softly "I will support you every step of the way, Callie. Now…" she let go of my hand "What about my soup?"
I chuckle back at her "Right, your soup. Coming right up" I say ripping the paper off the notepad and head to kitchen to put up the order.
AN: So I know, not everyone is fond about Rita. But I personally find this the most plausible scenario. Don't worry, Rita will only be a background character.