Jude POV
Flashback
I was sitting at the big kitchen table, minding my own business. Part of me was curious about my new foster parents relationship, it was so affectionate. Also, I have never lived with same gender couple.
Lena was by the stove, she had just taken out the lasagna, when Stef walked up to her and wrapped her hand around Lena's lower back.
"Need any help, love?" Stef asked her wife
"No, I got this. You can pour the drinks" Lena replied. It seemed like they were into nicknames. I heard Stef call her son B before and the daughter Mrs. Thing. Both of them seemed to like their nicknames.
Their kids joined us at the kitchen few seconds later. I try to keep myself as small as possible as the kids sit around the table. I try to stay invisible and I keep my head down.
I hear my name being said. Very slowly and warily I lift my head up. I was expecting to be yelled at for doing something wrong, for sitting in the wrong spot or being in someone's way.
"Orange juice or milk?" Stef asked with a smile on her face, she placed her hands on both of the drinks
"I can also make tea or get you just glass of water" She added once I hadn't replied
My mouth is half-open as I stared blankly at her. I wasn't used to having options. Why is she asking me to chose?
"Jude?" Stef tilted her head sideways lightly, keeping her eyes on me. Her voice was gentle, only my mom used to talk like that to me "What would you like to drink, bud?"
Bud?
She called me bud. Did she just give me a nickname?
Answer her – I tell myself. It was only matter of time before her patience runs out and she snaps at me. I can avoid that by answering her.
"M-milk..." I stutter out quietly. Be polite – I remember what Callie told me – Always be polite!
"Please" I added and swallowed back a lump in my throat, hoping my kindness didn't come too late
Stef just smiled at me, she reached for the milk, which was right by her left hand and then she reached over the table – towards me. I flinch back, further away from her hand.
The motion doesn't go unnoticed. I see the way the twins are looking to me. Lena stopped just by the table, holding the lasagna in her hands. Stef froze for few seconds.
"It's okay bud. I will just take your glass" Stef said and slowly reached for the glass. She poured the milk in and placed the glass back in front of me. Lena placed the lasagna in the middle of the table. She took my plate and started to put food on it.
"Say stop" Lena tells me as she put some lasagna on my plate
"Stop" I say instantly. Lena glances down to the plate she was holding and looked at the little bit of food she had placed on it.
Stef glances up to Lena, they share a look. I hold my breath, wondering what will happen looks back to the lasagna and puts on some more on my plate before she hands it back to me.
"Dig in, everyone!" Stef says louder once Lena walks to her seat at the end of the table "Jesus, leave some for others as well!" she smiles at the boy
The dinner went by fast. The food was delicious. For a moment I even thought about maybe asking more, but I knew better, I can't push my luck. There was no yelling or shouting, no plates were broken. The family chatted with one another non-stop. They discussed their day…in front of me! There was even some slight teasing. It was oddly normal. This dinner reminded me of the dinners we used to have, before mom died.
After dinner I managed to get a hot shower. No one banged on the doors, no one yelled at me to not use all hot water, no one shouted at me to get out of the bathroom. Lena gave me clean clothes before I got in the shower. They fitted me pretty well. The clothes smelled nice, like lavender, they were very soft and they were actually clean. I put my clothes, like Lena asked me to, in the laundry basket before I leave the bathroom.
I walk to my assigned bedroom, which I have to share with Jesus. I sit on the bed and try to close the shoulder sling. It was really hard, I couldn't reach it.
"Need any help?" Stef asked from the doorway, I jumped slightly at her sudden presence
"I got it" I said back and continued to struggle with it
"I will just close it" She said coming deeper inside the room. Stef walked up to me and reached for the sling. I kept my guard up, I was ready to react to whatever may happen next.
"How was the shower?" she asked when I felt her tighten the sling
I briefly glance to her before I look back down to the floor in front of me "G-good"
Stef closed the sling and took a step away from me "That's good" She smiled looking at me
"The kids are watching a movie downstairs" She points over her shoulder "You are welcome to join. Lena made popcorn"
Once again, she surprised me. I simply wasn't expected being treated this good. I was used to being ignored.
"I'm tired" I reply back. Actually, I just didn't want to intrude. I was already forced on them by the system. I bet they didn't really want me. The least I could do was stay out of their lives as much as possible.
"Okay" Stef says rocking in her feet back and forth "Our bedroom is two doors down. If you need anything, you can asks the kids or come to us."
Yeah, like that is going to happen. The last thing I want is to piss of their kids when I wake them in the night. I only nod back.
"Okay, good night, bud!" Stef says before she walks out
"Night" I say quietly to myself after she leaves the room
Laying down in the bed, while looking up to the ceiling, I replayed the night in my mind. This family seemed different. They seem nice. Could it be that they actually care about me?
End of flashback
I had barely started my story, when Callie stops me.
"Are they different?" Callie asks
"Yes, they are better than anyone else we have ever lived with" I said back, looking straight back at her "Their love is unconditional. They care about me, even though I am not their kid"
"Have they ever hurt you?" I saw the concern in her eyes
"No, never. I was never yelled at when I lived with them. I was never ignored, neglected or abused in any kind of way. When I got the flu, Lena even stayed home with me. She made me soup and we watched movies together" Callie smile is very genuine. I think this was the moment, when she truly realized how much I love them.
Callie looked down to her lap, when she asked me, out of the blue "Do you want to live me?"
"Of course I wanna live with you! You are my sister!" I didn't hesitate to answer her
"But I am ripping you away from a family who you love. I am taking you away from a real home, a real family" she reasons back
"I—uh..." I lower my head down as I simply don't have an answer
"I am, aren't I?" Callie said standing up. As she walked to the window, she added "I'm the bad guy here!" Callie sounded very upset.
"You are not the bad guy, Callie! Don't you get it, I want to live with you! I want to be with you...the last two years we spent apart were the hardest years in my life. I missed you!" I said sitting up and watching her gaze out of the window
"But you also want to live with them?" Callie asked when she turned to face me
"Yes" I admit scared as I stare back at her
Callie stood there, not moving, simply staring back at me. She looked completely lost, like she had no idea what to do next.
"What now?" I ask dreading the answer
"I have no idea, Jude"
Lena POV
I walked inside our bedroom. Stef was sitting on the bed, laundry basket in front of her. I stood next to her and started to help her fold the clean clothes.
"He has been gone barely a day, but I miss him already" Stef spoke up as she was folding Jesus shirt
"He is not gone!. Jude is just staying with his sister" I said as I picked up Marianas shirt
"Still..." Stef sighted "He is not here!" she said sadly as she reached in the laundry basket once again and this time took out a shirt that belonged to Jude
Stef stared down to the shirt in her hands "He is our son, Lena. This family won't be the same without him"
"I know honey" I said reaching for the basket to put it aside "But you saw the two of them. Callie is nothing like Ana. I believe she truly cares for him"
Stef folded the shirt and put it at the top of the pile "Did you..." Stef started but stopped in half sentence. She brushed it off, got off the bed and took the pile of clean clothes to put on the dresser
"What is on your mind Stef?" I ask watching my wife from the bed side
"This will sound stupid-"
"It won't. Nothing you ever say will be stupid" I tell her at once "Please talk to me"
Stef puts her hands on her hips and her head dips down. I could tell she was having trouble saying what was on her mind. She was struggling with it. Stef runs her hand over her mouth "I'm jealous of her!" She admits looking down to the floor.
When she looks up to me she added "When I saw how close they were...even after not seeing each other for 2 years...I'm..I...I'm jealous of her relationship with him! I'm jealous of an 18 year old, because she has a stronger relationship with Jude, than I do. The way he looked to her...with so much love..." She once again stopped in half sentence
"Stef..." I breathed out
She throws her hands up "See...I told you it was stupid!" She turned her back to me "I'm pathetic! So stupid! I'm jealous of two sibling relationship..."
I hurried up to her. I wrap my hands around her from back and kissed her neck "It's not stupid love"
Stef places one of her hand over my arms, while other travels up to her cheek to wipes away a tear.
"I just love him so much Lena"
"I know you do. I love him too"
"This is the part where you tell me - if we truly love him, we have to let him go?" Stef asks quietly
"Yes" I whisper to her and press my lips to her cheek "We have to stand by him, no matter what he chooses, love. We will do what is right for him. We will support him even if he no longer will be living with us. In our hearts he will always be our son" I said as one single tear rolled down my own cheek