Helloooooo my fellow Foster friends! So today's chapter is basically about the kids eating bad take-out, which ends up making all of them sick, except the Moms because they were out for supper AND Callie, because she didn't like it! So this is basically them helping one another even though they're each sick. Also Stef and Lena are going to be taking care of them. So enjoy!
SET INBETWEEN 2x06 AND 2x06.
Next chapter is going to be Jesus and Callie!
Jesus took one last bite of the delicious noodles they had gotten at a new Chinese place that opened near Anchor Beach. He licked his lips with passion and made a loud popping sound which was followed with a satisfied groan. "That was the best food I've ever tasted!"
Marianna rolls her eyes at her twins comment. "You say that every time we eat somewhere new, Jesus." Jude and Brandon laugh at Marianna's declaration, which was unfortunately true. Callie on the other hand, wasn't as fond of the food as her other siblings were. She had a weird after taste in her mouth, and a bad feeling, which lead to her making herself a salad.
"You really missed out, Callie," Says Brandon as he passes her chair and bounces one of her curls with his fingers. "That was some good Chinese food."
"Yeah, I'm not really a Chinese food kind of person." She took her dish off the table, placed it in the sink and grabbed a granola bar in the cabinets, the salad obviously not enough.
"It's true, even when we were kids she's never really liked it," Admits Jude as he passes the dish to Brandon who takes it without any hesitation, it was his and Callie's night to do dishes.
"Well, too bad for you, Callie. But, because we care, next time Moms are out we'll order a pizza," Jesus says, fortune cookie crumbs falling out of his mouth as he speaks. "That's great, thanks for your consideration. And please, please close your mouth while you eat, you're worse than Jude when he was four."
"Hey!" Exclaims Jude as he gives his sister a death glare. She just shrugs and tells him that once he was eating watermelon and he spit it out on their Mom, which caused both of them to burst out laughing, even though there was an angry Coleen glaring at them.
"Alright, I'm going upstairs, I have some gossip to catch up on," Says Marianna as she heads upstairs, Jude the next one to speak. "I'm going to play video games." Jesus suddenly bursts right up and follows Jude, saying something about a competition.
Callie and Brandon just stand there, absorbing each other's company, until Callie speaks. "Let's get started, then!" She grabs a towel, which was laying on the counter, and instructs him to scrape the food off of the plates, clean them with soap and water, and she'll dry the dishes. "Yes, Boss."
Callie glares at him and as Brandon starts washing a cup, he fills it up with water and pours it onto Callie, who squeaks loudly. "Oh, you asked for it, B." That was one of the first times she's called him that, and Brandon felt a piece of his heart melt slowly. Callie calling him 'B' made the whole sibling thing more present in his mind, and he was starting to warm up to the idea.
He suddenly feels something cold and wet drip into his hair. Callie was also pouring water onto his hair with a blue mug. "Oh it's on, Brown-Eyes!" He suddenly grabs her by the waist, takes his glass of water and pours it straight onto Callie's face causing her the elbow him in the stomach, laughing uncontrollably. He groans out in pain, clutching tightly onto his rib cage tightly. Callie uses this distraction as an opportunity, and pours water straight onto his face.
"What is going on in here?" The voice of Stef Adams Foster echoes out into the kitchen, causing both Callie and Brandon to stop their giggling, turn around, and stare at their Moms. Stef's arms were crossed over her chest, her face pure with anger. Lena had her hands on her hips and tried her hardest to be stern, but the smile was creeping onto her face anyways, incapable of hiding how happy she was that these two were finally getting along in a sibling-like manner.
Callie and Brandon stared at them as well, all wet and slippery, their clothing drenched in water and stuck to their skin like glue. Brandon couldn't help but take Lena's smile as an advantage, so he grabbed the glass of water he was using, the mug filled with water Callie was using, and threw each one onto each of his moms, water falling into their eyes causing them to shriek. At first Callie was surprised that Brandon would do something so risky but when Stef and Lena burst out laughing and searched for cups of their own Brandon and Callie shared a look, surprised. Quickly Brandon handed Callie back her mug and they both filled their cups with water, Stef and Lena trying to do the same. Eventually this became a water war, an intense one at that.
Water was being thrown everywhere, faces, outfits, hair, the floor and ceiling, the walls. But throughout this mess they were all laughing heavily and genuinely. They suddenly heard light footsteps coming down and saw the face of Marianna, confused and unexpecting this event. Suddenly her face drops and she turns around. "Yeah, enjoy cleaning up your mess."
Brandon was the first one to feel it. At 2:17 in the morning, his eyes burst open due to the pain in his stomach and the feeling that if he didn't make it to the toilet in time he'd throw up on his bed, or the floors in his home. He uncovered himself from the blankets and ran straight for the bathroom, almost immediately after he knelt down, his supper came tumbling right back out of his mouth. He made loud gagging noises, causing him to cringe. He hated throwing up with a passion.
Lena was the first to notice the noise coming from the washroom, her wife still sleeping, curled up beside her, her arms wrapped around her waist. She quickly got out of her bed, causing Stef to stir and turn around unconsciously. Lena half walked, half ran into the bathroom and let out a small gasp at her son laying his head against the wall, clutching his stomach and groaning loudly. Once he saw her he groaned out her name. "Oh, Brandon," She says as she kneels next to him, stroking his hair. "Let's get you cleaned up, grab you a bucket and put you back into bed. I'll get the medicine once you're settled in."
Brandon wasn't stupid, he knew that he didn't have the flu. He tried to explain to his mother that soon all the kids, except Callie, who was smarter than he gave her credit for, would be sick as well. But Lena kept on shushing him and washing his mouth with a wet tissue. "But, Mama, you don't und-" he tries to continue once again but Lena cuts him off once more. "Brandon, Sweetheart, don't speak you'll feel worse." After Lena's done with cleaning his mouth, she grabs him a bucket and places him back into bed, ready to get her thermometer. Brandon was going to try explaining again, but the sound of Jesus running into the washroom and throwing up makes Lena run back into the washroom, completely oblivious about Brandon's groans.
"Jesus, you too?" Jesus was groaning loudly, whispering and repeating 'oh no' over and over again. She rubbed his back as he let out the rest of his supper, almost more than Brandon had. Yet again, Jesus ate much more than his brother.
As Lena was going to get another tissue for Jesus, Marianna came running in and stopped when she saw her brother already occupying the toilet. "Marianna?" Asks Lena, confused. Marianna just runs downstairs and lets out her remainders in the downstairs bathroom. Lena suddenly understands that the kids had eaten Chinese, all but Callie. Which meant four kids who would be throwing up tonight, and four kids to take care of. Luckily, Callie wouldn't be throwing up, so she could help out.
Stef woke up to the sound of groaning and loud feet hitting the floor quickly. Once she noticed Lena gone, she got out of her bed and walked into one of the washrooms to find Lena rubbing Jesus' back and Brandon spitting up in the sink, both boys clenching onto their stomachs tightly. "Food poisoning," Says Lena when she notices her wife at the door "Marianna's downstairs, Jude should be up soon."
Stef nodded and ran downstairs, grabbed some water, tissues and some Tylenol. She found one of her daughters vomiting, one hand holding back her hair and the other grasping onto the toilet bowl. When Marianna notices Stef she lets out a weak 'Mom,' causing Stef's heart to melt as she copies what Lena was doing earlier, as she rubs the girls back.
Callie woke up when she heard Marianna run out of the bathroom. When she notices that Marianna hasn't come back yet, she gets out of her cocoon of blankets and walks into the washroom, following the where Marianna had run off to. Instead of finding her sister she finds Brandon on the toilet throwing up, and Jesus brushing his teeth, groaning. Lena was multitasking as one hand rubbed Brandon's back and the other stroked Jesus' hair. She suddenly knew that they had all gotten food poisoned, which is why she disliked the taste of the food and had a funny feeling.
"Callie, get a bag for Jude, we don't have enough toilets." When Lena mentions Jude she obeys her mother's orders in a heartbeat. Callie quickly grabs a bag from the cupboards and rushes to her brothers' bedroom. Before she opens the door, it busts open, almost straight into her face, luckily, she was only inches away from getting her nose broken.
Jude almost looks as if he's seen a ghost. His face pale but alert, surprised to see Callie right in front of him, but when he sees the bag she's holding, he rips it from her hands and throws up into it, hiding his face in the bag. All Callie can do is rub his back in comfort as he vomits into the bag.
Stef and Marianna head back upstairs, multiple plastic bags in Stef's hands as she helps her daughter back into her room. When she goes into the hallway to see Jude throwing up and Callie standing next to him, stoking his hair, trying her hardest to give him any type of comfort. "Callie, do you mind helping Marianna to bed, I've got it from here," Says Stef calmly, cracking a smile as she gives Callie her bags and unwraps her other arm which was around Marianna and envelopes it around Jude.
When Jude notices Callie let go reluctantly, he stiffens a bit. For six years, most of what he remembers is her taking care of him while he was sick. Even though he loves and trusts Stef and Lena deeply, it's just an instinct to stick to Callie for comfort and help.
Stef notices Jude freeze for a few seconds and wraps both her arms tightly around him, whispering soothing words of comfort. Callie grasps onto Marianna's arm, bringing her groaning sister back to bed as she waits for their moms. Marianna immediately settles back into the bed, bringing her blankets closer to her body. "Alright, let's wait for Moms." Callie sits on her own bed, preparing for when Marianna has to vomit again.
Stef brings Jude back to his bed, sitting next to him. When he's finally done puking, he speaks almost instantly. "I'm sorry!" At first Stef is confused at what he's apologizing for, it takes her moments to realize that he was apologizing about being sick.
"Oh, Sweets. This isn't your fault, and don't you ever think it is," Stef whispers soothingly, stroking his hair into place. Jude looks up at his mother. He looks so much younger than his age, it's impossible to not get the urge to protect him. His thick brown hair is all messy, sticking out all in different places. His eyes look bloodshot, filled with exhaustion and sickness. His skin, abnormally pale, his body crouching down.
"Usually when Callie and I were in former fosters houses, they wouldn't do much but get us a bag to throw up. We usually had to take care of each other. For the most part it was Callie taking care of me."
Stef softens at Jude's declaration, she was already heartbroken for these kids, but this just made things worse. Why would Bill place them with such unfit foster parents, why would he do that? How could he do that? Not all of them could be fantastic manipulators.
"Stef, if you want I could clean it up for you." Jude's voice brings Stef back to earth. "What?! No, Love, Lena and I'll do that, and I'm sure Callie wouldn't mind helping us either. But I think we'll just make her stay with you. I don't want any of you doing any work when you're sick. Don't even get yourself water, understood?" Jude is certain that this was the kindest lecture he's ever gotten by any adult.
He nodded in understanding, leaning into Stef's arms. At first she's taken by surprise, but Jude was less closed off than Callie, the more open one of the siblings, which is why Jude is much better at letting Stef and Lena comfort him. Stef wraps her arms around her son without reluctance. And ever since the adoption he had made lots of progress, but he was still hesitant at times. Trying not to express his opinion too much, afraid of saying the wrong things.
All of a sudden Lena comes into the room with a queasy Jesus. He looks as if he's been on a sail boat for months, seasick the entire time, his skin a green-like shade. His hair was all over the place and his dark pajamas were stretched out completely. "Brandon's in his room, I gave him plenty of bags and some Tylenol. I'll go into his room for a bit after," Says Lena as she sets her son into bed and goes over to kiss Jude's head. "How are you holding up?"
"Not so great," he says shakily as he rubs his arms, feeling cold. Lena notices his gesture and tells him to go back under the covers, Stef helping him out. He crawls back under the covers and notices Jesus get out of bed abruptly and run out of the bedroom. Stef stands there for a while before she goes chasing after him, grabbing Lena's Tylenol along the way.
"I'll be right back Jude, I'm just going to go checkup Marianna, let's hope Callie's taking good care of her, right Munchkin?" Jude laughs and nods lightly. "She's pretty good at that, so I'm sure they're holding up." Lena smiles at Jude's comment and tells him that if he feels sick, that's what the bags are for, and she'll be back with Tylenol and water for him.
When Lena enters the girls' room, she finds Marianna in mid-throw up and Callie sitting next to her, one of her arms around Marianna's shoulders and the other one holding a glass of water, which is now empty, she suspects it's for Marianna. Lena walks into the room quietly and sits next to Marianna, wrapping an arm around her comfortingly. Callie smiles at Lena when she notices her, which Lena returns. "Thanks for helping out, Sweetheart." Callie smiles at her mom and nods as if saying 'you're welcome'. Marianna finally lets out everything and then hands the bag to Lena who kisses her head before going outside to but it into the garbage.
"Hey, Callie, do you mind getting me some Tylenol?" Marianna asks hesitantly. Callie nods instantly. "No, I don't mind at all. I'll be back." After her last words being said she stands up, taking the glass of water with her, needing to fill up more and walks out of the bedroom, heading towards the washroom, ready to grab hold of the Tylenol and give it to Marianna. But when she finds the washroom occupied with Jesus throwing up and Stef searching the cupboards for more Tylenol, considering she ran out, she heads to Jude's room to check up on him.
She opens the door the see her brother lying on his stomach groaning quietly under the covers, which makes her giggle a little. Jude never really groaned when he was sick, it was more of a high pitched whimper. When he sees her, he immediately asks her for things he was too shy to ask Lena and Stef for. He's never been sick at the Fosters' house, so he was more reluctant to ask for things, even after Stef's speech.
"Can you get me some water and Tylenol with another blanket, please?" Callie laughs and sits onto the bed, next to him. "Why does everyone keep asking me for things?"
"Because you're the best!" He says kicking her off the bed with his feet. "Now get me water."
"Why is everyone so mean to me?" She fakes a cry and Jude lets out a giggle. When she's halfway out the room she can hear Jude stop laughing a little too abruptly and when she turns around she finds Jude throwing up into a bag that Stef got him. She quickly turns back, sits on the bed, right next to him, and wraps her arm around him the same way she did for Marianna.
Marianna. "I'll be back, Jude." She runs out of the room and goes downstairs to find Lena going upstairs. "Oh, hey Sweetie, what are you doing?" Callie goes to the sink and grabs a glass of water. "I'm getting some water and Tylenol for Marianna, but I think we ran out."
Lena gives Callie a questioning look. "Ran out of water?" Callie turns around and gives her an 'are-you-serious' look. "We ran out of Tylenol, not water."
Lena laughs and grabs the water from Callie's hand and goes into the top cupboards, finding an extra tube of Tylenol for the kids. "I've got it for Marianna and Jesus, Love. Do you mind giving some of this to Stef and she'll tell you who to take care of instead?"
"Umm, ok that's fine for me." Lena wraps Callie into a hug after she sets her things on the counter. "Thanks for helping, Honey. I know you must be exhausted." Callie nods onto Lena's shoulder. "It's not half bad."
Lena laughs and Callie pulls away, although Lena wasn't ready to do that yet. "Oh, by the way, how did you know that the food was going to make you feel sick?" Lena asks while smirking slightly at her daughter. "Well, I didn't know it was going to make me feel sick, I just had a feeling. I could just taste it. And it had this weird taste by the first bite, so I just decided to make myself a salad."
"Well, you have a very impressive stomach," Says Lena as she heads upstairs, Callie following behind her. Callie laughs at Lena's words, as she heads back into the washroom and Lena heads into Marianna's room.
"Hey, Stef," Callie calls out and she finds her mother getting Jesus some water. "I've got some Tylenol." Stef notices Callie and smiles widely and genuinely, happy to see her helping out. "Thanks, Baby."
Jesus speaks next. "Thanks, Cal." He says tiredly. Stef suddenly stands up, grabbing hold of Jesus' arms after she gives him the medicine. "I have a great Idea."
After Stef finishes blowing up all of the mattresses and placing them next to each other in the living room, she calls down the entire house down for a 'surprise'. The first people to come down are Callie and Jude, considering he ate the least he'll be feeling better much faster than Jesus, which is why he's more stable. At first they both look confused about the mattresses on the ground but then Jude decides to flop down onto the middle mattress, giggling wildly. Not long after Stef joins, followed by Callie. They all lay, limbs everywhere, on one mattress each.
After minutes of giggling, Brandon makes it downstairs and when he sees all of them together, laughing and enjoying each other's company, he decides to jump onto the mattress, right next to Stef, they're arms brushing. "Why didn't you tell me about this party?"
Stef lets out a laugh. "You didn't receive our flyers?" She asks in her fanciest voice and Brandon replies, just as fancily. "No, no I did not, Mother."
"Ah, what a shame, Jude must've forgotten." Jude starts giggling even more. "Oh, I apologize, Miss." Stef gasps as if she were angry. "You must call me Mother, not miss." Jude smiles brightly at his mom.
"Yes, Mother," he says with an accent. "I apologize, for forgetting to invite Sir Brandon. But it was mainly Miss Callie's fault. She was keeping me busy with all the laundry."
Callie acts as if she were angry. "How dare you accuse me, Mr. Jude?!" Jude smiles and scoots over next to Callie, pushing her playfully. "It is your fault! You must apologize to Mother."
Callie lets out a smile. "He is right, I apologize, Mother." Stef smiles brightly. Hearing Callie call her 'Mother' was like training your whole life and finally winning a gold medal In the Olympics, it was a great moment of victory. Suddenly they hear Lena, Jesus and Marianna make it downstairs. Lena has one arm wrapped around both of her children.
"Are you coming to join us for our at home 'camping trip'?" Asks Stef as she wraps an arm around Brandon, who was feeling a little better, just by being with his family. "I guess we have to," says Jesus, sounding as though he doesn't want to join the rest of his mothers and siblings in their little fiesta. "Oh come on, Jesus. We all know you want it most," chuckles Marianna, as she sits next to Callie on the bed, getting comfortable.
"Shut up!" After Jesus grunted his words, he sat next to Stef on the bed, who wrapped her other arm around him. Lena decided to join in, right next to Jude, stroking his hair.
They all sat aligned on the mattresses, all squashed together. On the far left was Jesus, who had his head leaning on Stef's shoulder. Next to Stef was Brandon, who was laying down completely. Beside Brandon was Lena, whose arm was wrapped around Jude, who sat next to her. And then there was Callie who was also laying down, flat on her stomach. Marianna was at the far right, admiring her family.
In this moment, it was almost as if she didn't feel sick anymore. Neither did Jude, or Jesus or Brandon. So it was true, the best cure for sickness, is love.