Callie POV
"Weekends?" I look between them "Are you fucking kidding me!?" I lean against the table, closer to them
"Watch your language!" Stef instantly calls me out. My eyes from Lena travel to Stef and I glare down at her. I opened my mouth to answer her, but Lena once again interjected, stopping me from saying something to Stef that I would regret later.
"Callie, like I said, this would be just a starting point" Lena said calmly, guiding the conversation back to the previous topic
"Starting point for what? Do you really except me to just see my brother twice a week?" I state back when I return to stare down to Lena, I had no intention to play just by their rules
"Look, we have no intention from keeping you apart from your brother. We just want to make sure you are up for the challenge, Callie. We want to make sure that you can truly juggle being there for him and working. Taking care of someone is a full time job and doing it alone...it will be incredibly hard" Lena answered calmly
"I took care of him after our mom died. It wouldn't be any different now" I reply back to Lena
"We know you did" Stef states "But taking care of him now would be different. You would need to make sure all the bills are paid, so there would be hot water, electricity, roof over his head, food in fridge. You need to make sure he has clothes and shoes to wear. You would need to pay for any medical expenses like dentist. You will need make sure he knows wrong from right, but you can't make all the decisions for him. You need to guide him in his life, but you can't control him. You are his sister, but you will need to set down rules and to some level be his parent. Don't forget about college…you do want him to have a future, right?"
My palms got all sweetly as I listened to Stef talk. She got me all worried and worked up. It sounded so much easier when I thought about it all in my head. I take my hands to my lap and run my palms over my jeans. I swallow a lump in my throat.
"We simply want to make sure you can handle all of it!" Lena continued after Stef was done talking "If you start with weekends - it will give you time to work it all out. Get used to him actually being there. Our concern is Jude - we want what is best for him!" Lena reminded me and glanced to her wife for a short moment
"One thing, we want to avoid is…" Lena took a small pause "him being pulled out of yet another home without any warning. We know, it would be different. He would be with his sister, but he still would be ripped away from his current home" Lena's voice cracked at the last part
I shift in the seat when Lena said that. My head dips and I start to pick my fingernails. I knew very well what her concern about Jude was.
Jude and I have been through a lot of that. One day we were in one home, the next we were with complete strangers in other. And it was not only that. Whenever we were pulled out of a home, we changed school as well. That was the main reason we never had any friends and why our grades were not that good. Over the years we lost the sense of stability and safety. We knew it was only a matter of time before we will be taken away again. The only constant thing we had, for years, was each other.
Changing homes is about adjusting to the new place, to people. Maybe slowing the process down will not only help him, but me too. As much as I hated to admit it, Stef was right, when she said it would be different. I have never provided for two people. The responsibility will be just on my shoulder, he will depend on me, he will expect thing from me.
Right now the Adams Fosters were his family, one that clearly loves him. Ripping him away from people he loves, does sound incredibly cruel thing to do. I can't do that to him. If I did that, I wouldn't be better than the social workers.
"All we want is to smooth this whole process. Don't make it so rough on him. If things work out, in time he will be living full time with you. We won't fight for the adoption, there will be no custody battle. We just want to smooth the process so everyone get accustomed to the situation. We want you to get adjusted to the new role you are about to take on" Lena took a pause and then added slowly "We won't keep you two apart"
I glance up to them, run my index finger over my nose "Yeah…uh, okay. We can start with weekends" I slowly nod back to them in agreement "So, what now?"
A big smile appeared on Lean's lips "How about we take a ride?" I rise my eyebrow at her, curious about what is on her mind.
I was sitting in the back of Stef's car, behind the drivers seat. Lena was sitting in the passenger seat. My bag was in my lap, I had placed my hands over the bag, keeping it safe. Holding on to is as if it gave me strength and courage. Most of the ride I was staring out of the side window.
"Here we are" Lena says unbuckling her seat belt when Stef pulls into a driveway on the left side of the street
There was another car parked in the driveway. The house we pulled up to looked huge. There were few shrubs in front of the house, grass was cut neatly, I saw a big tree behind the house. There were no scarps, no broken fence, no trash around the house. It was a well maintained house, just like the other houses in this block.
I unbuckled my seat belt and followed them slowly out of the car. When I got out of the car, I tossed my backpack over my shoulder and stood by the open doors, staring at the house. I hadn't even seen the inside of the house, but I already had the feeling, the inside of will look as amazing as the outside of the house.
One thought started to roam around my mind ever since Stef pulled up to the house. The thought was making me slightly uneasy and worried. My confidence wasn't as high as before I came here. I started to question my choice to get custody of him. How will Jude ever want to give this place up and live with me in my shitty apartment? My place is nowhere close to being as good as this. I won't ever be able to get him a house.
"Come on in" Lena's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. When I looked away from the house, I saw that Stef and Lena were already standing on the path that leads up to the house. When I look over the house once more, I see a glimpse of a figure standing on the other side of the window, looking out to me.
I close the doors behind me and follow the two woman up to the house. I swallow back a lump, that had formed in my throat, and follow them inside the house. My heart started to beat faster after I took the first step in, my palms got sweaty once again.
Great, the house looked even bigger from the inside. First thing I noticed when I walked inside, were the many photo frames on the wall. From what I saw, the house seemed to be decorated neatly. This truly was a home, not just a house.
"Callie" I hear a quiet voice coming from my left when I wasn't even 2 seconds in the house. My heart pumped the blood faster through my veins, when I heard his voice. It voice was lower than I remember, but I still knew it was him even before I saw him.
When I look to my left I see Jude standing there nervously. Time froze for few seconds as we took each other appearance in. I had no idea where Stef and Lena went. My eyes were on Jude, only on Jude.
He was much taller than I remembered him. Jude looked around my height. Last I saw him, he was pretty much just skin and bones, very thin and weak looking kid. Jude has clearly gotten some meat and muscles on his bones, he looked so much healthier than before. But most importantly - he looked happy.
"Jude" I breathed out and let go of the backpacks strap that I was holding on to. The bag slips down my shoulder and falls to the ground. We both walked towards each other until we met in the middle of the hallway. I place my palms on his cheeks. Tears whelm up as I look him in the eye.
"I missed you so much, Jude!" I place a kiss on his forehead and pull him in close to me. I feel his hands wrap around my back. His fingers press into my back when he buries his head to my neck. I hear his heart beat inside his chest.
"I missed you too"
Tears streamed down my cheek as I held him close. I waited so long for this moment. All the doubts I had, disappeared when I saw him. Jude is the only one that truly matteres to me. I would do anything for him and I don't want to live another day without him.
Jude leaned out of the hug to look at me "Why are you crying?"
"I'm just happy to see you" I say while few more tears stream down my cheek "It has been so long…too long. There was a time where I though I would never see you again" Jude lifted his hand up to my face and with his thumb her wiped away the tears "I was scared because I didn't know where you were and I didn't know if you are okay…" I said looking to his big, brown eyes
"Don't cry" he says softly
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry" I mumble quietly and look up to the ceiling, trying to stop the tears. I pull my hands in my sleeves I wipe the tears away myself. Seeing him right in front of me stirred up so many emotions and feelings.
"I'm happy to see you too. We are here now. We are both okay" he replies and reaches for my upper arm to give it a gentle squeeze
I tried hard not to cry, but once I looked back to him, I just couldn't help it. My lower lip whimpered and another tears rolls down my cheek. Once that happens, Jude takes a step closer. He kisses my cheek and then pulls me into another hug.
"I love you Callie" He whispers to me when I am in his arms, I feel his hand softly running up and down my back
"I love you more than you can imagine Jude" I say back with shaky voice as I close my eyes and bury my head to his shoulder, enjoying this moment.