Hi All!
Had a break so decided to post some new material! Really enjoyed writing these chapters as it was nice to have a break from the angst and just do some good "old-fashioned" Fosters fun! (And if Fanfics have "finales" so to speak, the next chapter would be considered my Winter Finale. Lol.)
I also want to quickly thank anyone who has ever read, favorited, reviewed, followed or any mixture of those! I want to add a quick note though to a few reviewers in particular:
Bralliex: I cannot believe that you took the time to thoughtfully review each chapter! I hadn't had time to read new reviews before as I was busy with school, but I just wanted to say that I really appreciated each and every single one! That was so kind of you and truly amazing!
tfrye123: Thank you so much for the thoughtful critique! I am really doing my best to ensure that everyone is believably on the same page before they are finally a family again. So it's awesome to see that I am doing it in a way that would notice! I honestly enjoyed and was moved by your review!
Starry Eyed Dreamers: Wow. Just wow. Thank you so very much for your in-depth critique of the characters and your suggestion for future chapters (hint: you stumbled upon a few upcoming spoilers too!:). But, seriously. I know that to some it may "just" be a fanfiction, but I really and truly do work hard to only write as I feel is genuine to the characters. So the fact that you think I have captured them? Means the world to me. This one really made my night!
And anyone I didn't mention, any guest reviewers and everyone else, thank you so much! I cannot say enough how much all of your opinions and continuing to read my story means to me.
Ok…as usual my "quickly" lasted about a page. Sorry guys! Onto the fic!
Peaces!
Chapter 15:
Break. Springs.
(March)
Callie clicked the seatbelt into place and glanced out of the window. Mariana's seat beside Callie was empty, as she was in the bathroom removing her makeup while Sophia sat near the aisle asking the flight attendant for a blanket or something. Callie widened and then closed her eyes, breathing deeply as she thought about the odd circumstances that had brought her here…
One Week Before
"So," Sophia said as she walked along beside the pool next to Callie "Dad said it was fine with him if I didn't want to go on the school trip."
Callie was confused as to why Sophia seemed so excited about her news but she allowed her tone to only convey curiosity "Okay. That's…nice? I guess."
"It's more than nice Callie! Because Dad also said that I can still go on a trip as long as I have an adult with me!"
"Okay." Callie said and her older sister senses began to tingle as she had a thought as to what Sophia was implying. "Sophia…no."
"Callie! Please?! It's Spring Break! And Dad and Mom both said that I can go as long as you go with me."
"But Sophia if you wanted to go on a trip for Spring Break, why didn't you just go with your other classmates?"
"Because…" Sophia whined "It's going to be like being in school. And I don't want to spend my Spring Break in school! I want to spend it with my FAVORITE sister ever. And it would be the perfect opportunity for us to bond." Sophia said, stopping Callie from continuing her pool circling with a tug of her hand. "Please?"
"Sophia, where would you even want to go…?" Callie asked and Sophia seemed satisfied with the thought that Callie was giving in to some extent.
"That's easy. Cancun."
"Cancun?! As in Mexico?" Callie said crossing her arms as Sophia nodded. Callie's mind flashed to a trip that she and Brandon had taken to Mexico almost two years ago and shook her head.
"No, Sophia. I've been to Mexico. It's not the safest place to visit."
Sophia tilted her head "What do you mean? When did you go to Mexico?" Callie glanced back at the house and then said in a conspiratorial whisper "You can't tell Dad or Jill."
"I won't!" Sophia said, her eyes clearly hungry for the secret.
"When I was almost 17, Brandon and I went to Mexico to hang-glide."
"HANG-GLIDE?!"
"SHHHHHH!" Callie said, yanking Sophia down beside her in the poolside beach chair.
"Yes, hang-glide."
"Callie?! That sounds amazing."
Callie paused briefly and smiled as she remembered the feeling of flying but then shook off the memory when she remembered her reason for bringing it up. "It was fun, yes. But we were there to hang-glide without parental consent, so not too confident on their lax policies for teenage bad behavior. And aside from that, we had to bribe some corrupt police officers with Brandon's keyboard to get out of a stint in jail or something. And we almost got stuck there because we forgot our passports. So, it wasn't exactly a trip to add to the tour guide handbook."
Sophia looked at Callie incredulously "But we wouldn't be doing anything illegal like you guys did. We would just be beaching and sight-seeing. My friend Margo went last year and she told me about some amazing museums and Mayan ruins and I really want to see them, Callie."
Callie scoffed "Right…so you want to go to Cancun for the Mayan ruins, Sophia? Please spare me the parental talking points alright. I know what goes on in Cancun."
Sophia gasped and shook her head innocently "Really, Callie! You know me. I mean it would be fun to party too, but I really do want to get a head start on a report that I have when school starts back. I was planning to do it on the ruins."
Callie paused and considered Sophia carefully. She was right that was kind of a nerd and likely did want to see the ruins she'd mentioned. It wasn't her fault that Callie's mind leaned more towards illegal adventures than most.
Callie shook her head again and said as she tried to come up with another excuse "Alright, say I believe you. Even if I am okay with going to Mexico for Spring Break, Jude is off too. And so are Mariana and Jesus. And it wouldn't be right for me to spend all of you guys' Spring Break in Mexico with just you. It wouldn't be fair to them."
Sophia smiled widely and said "First off, it wouldn't be the whole of Spring Break, just 3 days, which was mom's concession to the trip."
"Still, Sophia. Spring Break is only 10 days and I can't spend a third of that with only you. I have other siblings too."
"And that's the only reason, you won't go?" Sophia said slowly with a mischievous grin.
Against her better judgement Callie finally nodded slowly and said "Yeesss…." Just as slowly.
Quicker than the words had seeped from Callie's lips, Sophia was shoving her phone up into Callie's face.
Callie squinted as she read the message "Sure. I'll go if Callie will. And I'm sure I can get Mariana to come too." Callie's eyes read the sender and she shook her head saying out loud. "Of course, Jude would say that…I'm gonna kill him."
"Are you ok?" Mariana said and Callie glanced at her, returning to the present plane ride, and smiled gently.
"I am." Callie said and patted Mariana's hand.
Mariana responded by clenching hers tightly. "I missed this." She said and nodded to the surrounding atmosphere "Going out of town for a family vacay. Spending time with you."
Callie smiled and nodded at Mariana "Me too."
The plane ride, although not the smoothest, seemed to be over as quickly as it started, although it actually lasted more than 4 hours. Partially due to the distraction that Sophia's constant chatter had provided and Callie was more than grateful for this. It helped to keep her mind off of the boy on the flight whose presence was more than just a little unexpected.
As Callie, Mariana and Sophia walked off the flight and into the Cancun airport, Mariana pulled along 3 large carry-on cases which she'd been able to carry on using Callie and Jude's spare "extra" carry-on option. Sophia lugged one preppy fabric covered suitcase. Callie tugged her single backpack over her back wondering what in the world Mariana needed all of that luggage for. We're here like 3 days.
"Hey!" the girls heard and Callie turned to see Jesus lumbering towards them. His backpack was his only luggage and Callie was glad to see that he had packed light too. Now she didn't feel so out of place.
Jude was following him closely yelling something about how he wasn't done with his in-flight lunch. "Hey, dude, I told you: Finders, Keepers." Jesus said offhandedly, laughing at Jude's complaints.
"You can't find food on someone's else's plate!" Jude snapped and Callie noted that he was somewhere in between she and Sophia. He had a roll-along suitcase as well as a small knapsack slung over his shoulder. Callie was more than a little annoyed that Jude had been colluding with Sophia behind her back, but it still warmed her heart to see Jude so relaxed and contently arguing with Jesus. They really are brothers. She thought with a smile. The thought warmed her heart immensely.
"Will you two please?! I had to listen to that nonsense the whole flight and frankly I've had enough." Brandon said walking up behind the two boys and Callie shook her head a bit.
Jude and Jesus had been invited and expected by Callie and Sophia as they waited near the boarding gate for the boys. Jesus had gotten special permission from Lena and Stef to travel after his doctor had assessed him and declared to his Moms on his behalf that was "No more likely to get into trouble in Cancun, Mexico than any other 17 year olds." Not exactly a glowing recommendation, but they took it after Jesus expressed how important the trip was to him.
Brandon on the other hand, had been a shock. Such a shock, that Callie had gasped out "Br-Brandon?! What are you doing here?!" upon seeing him.
Brandon stopped short and glanced at Jude and then back at Callie "Um…Jude invited me…? It's okay isn't it? I mean," he said motioning to the other children "Everyone else was going and the whole reason I came home was to spend time with them, so…"
Jude? Callie thought, but remembering the talk she'd had with him a while back about being kinder to Brandon, she realized that maybe didn't have the right to be angry. Seeing Brandon popping in from New York at least once a month, Callie wondered just how many tips he was making at that hotel to fund these sudden trips across country.
Or is he still using his college fund?
Realizing that she was zoning out into near-ridiculousness, Callie tried to hide the awkwardness she felt as she refocused on the task at hand and cleared her throat a little, "Yea, I mean no. I mean…Yea, it's okay of course, I just… I didn't know you were home even. I mean in San Diego."
Brandon nodded and Callie appreciated that he didn't acknowledge her awkward behavior "Yea, they," He said pointed at the other Adams Foster kids "insisted on it." He gave a short laugh, "So I guess it was just a pity invite especially if they didn't even bother to tell you I was coming."
Callie shook her head softly, but quickly cut her eyes at Jude who was staring down at his phone oblivious "No, I mean. It was kind of last minute for everyone. I'm sure they just didn't think to mention it." Callie said and with her uncomfortable smile she led the way towards the gate.
"Enough, alright?" Brandon said, setting down his backpack as though the weight of carrying it down the plane stairs and into the air-conditioned airport had zapped all of his energy. "Jude, if it means that much to you, I will buy you lunch." Brandon said as he drunk from a water bottle and then stretched back his arms.
Jude looked up at Jesus menacingly "It's not the same as the in-flight meal." Jude said and then after adding a pause for dramatic effect finished with a gasp of mock pain "Nothing is!"
"Oh my God!." Brandon said shaking his head in exasperation as he picked up his bag again.
Callie smiled at their antics and turned to Sophia. "So, Tour Guide Sophia? What's next on the agenda?"
Sophia smiled brightly clearly missing the joke and pulled out the 5 page itinerary she had printed out for their trip. "First: we take the taxi that should be outside in about 10 minutes to our hotel, The Grand Dame. Then we have lunch at Noon, a guided tour of the city at 2:00 and dolphin swimming at 6:00."
"Yeesh." Jesus said, playfully snatching the list from above Sophia's head "I thought we were here for hot chicks and hot food."
"You-" Mariana said leaping up to snatch the list from Jesus as he was dangling it over Sophia's head "-are here for no chicks whatsoever." Mariana handed the list back to Sophia and turned to Jesus with a point of her finger up to his face "You are getting back together with Emma."
Jesus rolled his eyes "E-enough already, Mariana. You and I both know that Emma and I are history."
"What I know is that you and Emma have history. And once you get over yourself, you're going to be glad that I didn't let you ruin it for some Mexico skeezes."
"Alright, alright. Can we please calm the non-dramas?" Brandon started huffily, "I've already had it up to here! And I didn't come all the way home and then fly all the way here to listen to your random arguments about stolen lunches and-and Mexican skeezes!" Brandon finished in a voice that had gotten a little too loud. Unfortunately, he ended his rant with a glance over just as a group of older Hispanic women had come walking up. One gasped and the rest gave him looks of disgust. Brandon tried to apologize, stammering out "I-I'I-I'm sorry…" as the women turned away from him and stomped off clearly offended.
Brandon looked to the other kids for help, but all he received in return was their bursts of ridiculing laughter and Callie gazed quietly at him, thinking how much she had missed his awkward behavior.
Why do I even like this dork? Callie thought off-handishly as she shook her head and smiled to herself.
"So," Sophia said reaching down and grabbing up her luggage handle and nodding toward the exit. "Shall we go?"
Later On That Morning
The rooms were stunning. Robert had more than outdone himself with the accommodations. The girls' room was large enough that all 3 Queen-sized beds with pretty green bedding had enough room in between that there was a small dresser and lamp beside each. And this still only took up half of the suite. On the other side, there was a small kitchen with a midsize fridge and full-sized stove, all in stainless steel with beautiful wood paneling the walls. The bathroom was positioned directly across from the beds and in the farthest corner a giant TV was positioned on a small wooden stand. To the left of the TV there was the large window nearly covering the wall and overlooking a beautiful view of the crystal-clear waters of the beach below. Finishing things off was an exceedingly plush beige chaise lounge beside the window.
The boys' room exactly mirrored the girls on the opposite side of the wall. For security reasons, the boys' room was next door to the girls' room with an adjourning door for direct access to the right of the TV. Callie couldn't help but wonder if Robert had known about Brandon's presence. Callie couldn't imagine that he would have been okay with this if he had, but she wasn't going to be the one to spill the beans.
The girls all set their bags down and Mariana and Sophia promptly leapt onto the giant beds and began hopping. Callie shook her head at them as Mariana leaped onto the other bed and began to do some kind of "Vogue" dance step and bounce routine. Sophia simply jumped with no rhythm.
"Really mature, you two. You're going to break the springs." Callie said with a laugh as she settled back against the lounge.
Sophia laughed as though Callie had made a hilarious joke and then said revealing the source of her humor "Maybe that's why they call it Spring! Break!" Sophia laughed even harder as Mariana joined in laughing along at her silly joke.
When she stopped laughing, Mariana gave Callie a suddenly stern look—as stern as possible while she continued hopping, anyway. "Don't- Even- Try it!- Callie!" Mariana said, speaking one word after every jump before she stopped and said in an accusing tone "We all saw you bouncing like a crazy person at your birthday party and you were 17 then. So don't act like you're above having fun." Mariana finished before continuing her hysterical bounce-dance.
"Yea!" Sophia added with a short laugh before she and Mariana began leaping from bed to bed and laughing like children.
There was a short knock on the adjourning door and both girls paused their jumps to shout "Come in!" before immediately starting up again.
Brandon opened the door and at the sight of Sophia and Mariana said "Oh God! I was trying to get away from this."
"Away from what?" Callie asked turning towards him. Brandon stepped into the room and then motioned towards the boys' room. Callie leaned from her seat and peeked in to see Jude and Jesus nearly mirroring Sophia and Mariana's behavior in the boys' room. When Callie saw that the boys were jumping too, she glanced at Brandon and they exchanged exasperated looks. "It's going to be a long weekend." Brandon said as Callie nodded.
"Very long."