Thanks for response as always! Here's another fluffy chapter for you all. Hope you enjoy! Personally it has one of my favourite lines I've written.
Small disclaimer - some British words may have snuck their way in here as I'm not always 100% sure what American equivalents may be (or if they exist at all) with scenarios like a fairground - I also may have guessed some wrong...
"Jude honey! You don't look so good." Lena exclaimed putting her book down and Jesus and Callie approached with Jude rubbing his stomach.
"Yeah I think he ate a bit too much candy...and a hotdog...and then went on a ride."
"Here come sit here with me for a bit." Lena said patting Stef's vacant seat. He groaned and sat down as Lena threw a chastising look at Callie.
"I know! I left them alone for like 5 minutes while I went to get the tickets."
"It was my fault..." Jude admitted. "I thought I could challenge Jesus to an eating contest."
Lena scolded Jesus with a look as he put his arms up apologetically then back at Callie.
"OK, so it was 10 minutes " she winced.
"And where's Kasey?" Lena asked looking around for her missing child.
"We lost her to the stalls ages ago. You know how competitive she gets when she's being outdone by a carnie." Jesus laughed.
Lena rolled her eyes. "As long as she doesn't get dragged back to us by her collar again." Lena warned as if Kasey could hear her before looking back to Jude. "Well don't worry, he can sit with me here for a bit. You two stay out of any more trouble!"
"We will..." Jesus added as they wandered off again.
Lena looked down at Jude as he held his tummy. "I'm sorry!" he said guiltily as she rubbed his back.
"Oh I think you'll pay for it anyway." she laughed. "No need to apologise to me. Here, have some water. You'll be fine once you've had some quiet time." she reassured him pouring out a glass.
"I wish I had my lines with me..." he sighed. "At least I could do something useful! I just read them over and over but they just don't seem to go in."
"Well lucky for you a mother is always prepared!" Lena pressed some buttons on her kindle and found a Midsummer Night's Dream.
Jude beamed. "Do you mind though? I don't want to interrupt your reading."
"Oh I'll survive! Though I'll tell you how we could both be amused and solve your problem!"
He furrowed his brow. "I have a problem?" he said, intrigued.
"Yes - with your confidence in yourself! You've been reading over and over too much Jude. You know you may be surprised how much you remember without the script. How about I read the other parts and you can say your lines? Then we can practise the ones you don't remember as well."
Jude nodded enthusiastically.
"Poor Jude!" Callie said as her and Jesus flopped down on a bench for a break.
"I can't believe you let him eat that much! You know he gets hyper."
"I can't believe you left him alone with such a bad influence!" Jesus jibed back before Callie dropped her head with guilt.
"I'm only kidding, Callie. Relax! He's 14 - let him learn. You don't need to mother him anymore you know, he has 2 more now."
She let out a little laugh. "I know, and I'm getting better - honest! I just...it's hard to break a habit of a lifetime."
Jesus nudged her. "Well, he's lucky to have a big sister like you. Making sure he doesn't do stupid things all the time."
Callie looked over to him noticing a hint of regret in his voice.
"You know Jude isn't my only brother now." she said looking at her fingers to avoid making him uncomfortable.
He let out a small laugh. "Just ignore me. I'm just whining."
She let the silence creep over for a minute but knew what it was that had really affected Jesus' mood recently.
"You know..." she began. "We've all had to deal with bullies, Jesus. They make you do things you wouldn't normally."
He glanced over to her about to question how she one knew but realised it was obvious. Porter had been plaguing him and it was no secret. Even he knew it had dented his persona. He was a bit better after his talk with Evan but it still got to him.
"He just makes me want to lash out. I've never been violent before. It scares me." he said nervously rubbing his palm with his thumb.
"What, you mean like he makes you want to smash his car up with a baseball bat?" she replied raising an eyebrow. He was about to say yes before realising she was referring to how she ended up in their lives in the first place. He smiled.
"I guess you do know what it's like."
"Well hey at least the worst you did was swear at him. You've got more restraint than me." Callie said through a self-conscious smirk.
Jesus looked round at her again.
"Well I didn't catch him beating my sibling. I don't think it would have been the car I was smashing up with a bat."
"Some people have a way of getting in your head - you just have to try and rise above it...as pointless as that advice is. I know it's what everybody says."
"I'm just worried that one day I'll do something I really will regret. I almost..." Jesus nearly stumbled into an admission but remembered what Evan had said about it best leaving the drugs issue to lie. "I mean...I almost always end up getting violent. I just wish he could disappear."
Callie studied him slightly remembering the chat she had with Evan. She hadn't quite pieced everything together but she could tell that something had happened.
"Don't worry Jesus. You'll figure it out...we'll help you." She put her hand on his back and rubbed it harshly.
"Now how about a ride on The Bomber - or are you scared you'll scream louder than me?"
"As if!" He took up the challenge. "Let's see who has to hold on first!" The two of them stood up, Jesus pushing Callie slightly who pushed him back in return.
Stef wandered through the fair to find her eldest daughter leaned over the counter of a stall with the owner leaning back talking to her.
"Kasey?" Stef smiled suggestively as Kasey snapped to attention.
"Mom I...I was just talking to Duane here..." she stood up nervously.
"I can see that. Mind if I prize you away for a second?" she said folding a finger under her collar and guiding her to a quieter area. Kasey picked up a bag as Stef pulled her aside.
"So I was just having a chat with your boyfriend...tall, handsome, blonde...remember him? And then I come to find you flirting with a carnie and I was just wondering...wait...did you win all that in an hour?!" Stef got distracted noticing the bulging contents in the bag Kasey held.
"Mom...I'm not too sure that a travelling wife is the way for me...it's all method."
Stef gawped. "Kasey Foster! You little...how did...I don't know whether to be proud or to arrest you..."
"What? It's all fair and legal, I just know how to work my womanly wiles."
"That is...no! It's bad! Very bad. I didn't raise you to... and yet..." Stef wavered, unable to disguise her pride at Kasey's resourcefulness over people who con for a living. "No. I do not approve." Stef lied, desperately trying to maintain authority. "What would Evan say?"
Kasey's face dropped. "He wouldn't care Mom. Not that it matters right now anyway."
Stef sighed deeply. "You're both as bad as each other you know."
Kasey immediately went to the defensive. "Mom you're not having a go at me are you? You're the one who was on the verge of kicking him out!"
"He made a mistake Kasey - and he's dealt with the consequences."
"What he did was stupid and reckless. It could have risked everything! He's worked so hard for you guys to accept him and he nearly threw it all away!"
"Because you've never done anything stupid or reckless..." Stef admonished folding her arms.
It was enough to make Kasey speechless.
"I...I know...I just..."
Stef's tone changed to a more understanding one. "Honey, you didn't want us to kick him out. You can't keep on punishing him forever. You need to talk this over and move on."
Kasey looked at her with slight guilt. "I know...we've just barely seen each other...and everyone's always around."
"Well maybe tonight you two can go out get some food and talk it over, yes?"
"I'm sensing I don't have much of a choice anyway?"
"No. No you don't. I want my house back tension free."
"Well I guess that would be nice then..." she conceded, deep down longing for a resolve anyway. "As for now though, I'm going to go screw over some more swindlers." she set about to move.
"Oh no you don't, young lady! No more. It's tacky and you're above it."
Kasey screwed up her face. "Mom, it's a public service. These guys get away with murder! I may as well take what I can from them..."
"You know for someone who wants to teach these guys a lesson you certainly like putting money in their pocket. That's flawed logic my love." Stef teased nudging her daughter with her foot.
"Well...it is kind of fun too." Kasey smirked. "You should give it a go you know. Some of the prize balls are really worth it. You crack 'em open and they each have something in!" Kasey pointed at the bowls of various sizes of white balls, each in a different coloured bucket. "The guy over at the shooting stall - if you pretend you don't know how to shoot he shows you...and he positions it to avoid the offset."
"You've got this all figured out don't you?"
"Yep!" Kasey beamed. " Come on Mom - you can't honestly pass up the chance to beat these guys? Just...turn on the charm" Kasey added to her inference with her eyebrows as Stef fully got her meaning. Stef gawped in shock and hit her lightly on the arm.
"Kasey! I can't...I haven't flirted in...I'm gay!"
Kasey's face dropped. "Wait, what?! You're gay? You told us Lena was just your special friend!" she said with a hurt expression as Stef rolled her eyes.
"Enough!"
"Fine. I mean I got the second hardest prize anyway so you only would have been defeated." Kasey goaded looking out to the distance as Stef stuttered looking around.
"One!"
Kasey gripped her arm and dragged her over to a nearby stall.
"Hey Jonny. This is my Mom, Stef. We have a little bet saying she reckons even a pro like you couldn't teach an old dog like her how to fire a gun." Kasey flirted ignoring Stef's reluctant glances.
The muscle clad gent on the other side of the counter leaned over. "She's felt awfully hopeless after my dad left the picture." Kasey whispered as a shocked Stef turned to her open mouth. Kasey pinched her and she cracked a fake smile.
The man smiled and pushed himself off the table. "Well I'm always up for a challenge." He moved to the back of the stall to collect a rifle.
"Did you just call me o-"
"Shh!"
Stef's eyes flared up "And did you just 'shh' me?!"
"I pinched you too."
"If I don't win something you are so..."
"So you've never shot a gun before?" Johnny interrupted Sref's threat clicking the air rifle as he pulled it down.
Kasey urged Stef on with her eyes. Stef decided a better way to get Kasey back. To fully comply.
"Uhm...no sir. But you just hold it, squeeze and pull right?" Stef said flirtatiously. Kasey was caught between amused and completely grossed out. Stef was winning in more ways than one.
Callie and Jesus walked back to the cafe arm in arm having picked up Evan on the way. They returned to Lena and Jude laughing.
"Callie!" he shouted excited. "I remembered a whole 2 acts perfectly!"
"Hey - nice!" she hi-fived him.
"See all you needed was a push Jude. You're gonna walk this." Lena smiled folding her arms before checking her watch.
"OK - anyone know where Kasey and your Mom are?"
"Stef went to find her a little while ago."
"They'll be at the stalls then probably. Sure we'll see them we wander over - we'll bump into them if they're on their way."
"You really are a miracle worker. Another green band - I can't believe my luck! Just can't believe it's that tiny touch out of the blue prize band. Stef continued winking at Johnny.
"Well we could call it blue just this time." he smiled cupping Stef's chin.
"Hey maybe if you showed me how I position my left arm one more time I could get it even closer?" Stef was now fully embracing her challenge as the stall owner stood behind her and placed her arms in his positioning the gun.
"You're going to do me out of prizes..." He joked.
"Ha-hem." Lena coughed loudly causing Stef to fire the shot straight into the bottom of the dartboard.
"Lena!" she exclaimed.
"Well who's this cutie?" the man said with a sleazy beam.
"I would be her wife." Lena said accusingly.
"I thought your daughter said you weren't married?" He responded slightly offended. Stef stuttered in response.
"Excuse me?!" Lena said forcefully her voice getting slightly high pitched.
"I believe she said her dad was out of the picture..." Stef corrected as she wriggled guiltily out from the man's clasp and over to her stern looking wife.
"Well...?" she demanded.
"Really Lena I was just trying to get some free balls. I mean...wait...wow that came out wrong..." Lena raised an unimpressed eyebrow.
"I mean Kasey had won all this stuff and I was curious as to how and so we went to a stall and it turns out they are very generous if you say the right things...feel free to step in at any time Kasey!" Stef clawed desperately with Lena's look getting steadily more unimpressed.
"Mom just wanted me to teach her how to flirt to get free stuff. " Kasey added, enjoying the spectacle. Lena now raised both her eyebrows and Stef gawped at her, frustrated, before turning back to Lena.
"Uh-huh." Lena commented without emotion before twirling round and heading back off towards the rest of the kids. She was clearly waiting for Stef to follow, grovelling.
"Lena I...you are so dead..."she whispered as Kasey struggled to hide her laughing.
"No Mom, you're getting me mixed up with you again..." she whispered back as Stef scowled and whipped the bag of prizes away from her before running after Lena.
Kasey sighed in defeat realising she wouldn't be getting those back again.
The family gathered back at the main meeting point with Stef babbling away in Lena's ear about the whole situation. She had moved in anger phase from completely ignoring her to sarcastic nodding.
"So...we're good right...?" She asked hopefully.
"Right." Lena said clearly not meaning it.
"Sorry." Kasey whispered, partly sincere now feeling a twinge of guilt. "I didn't actually think we'd get caught..." Stef just threw her a look.
"Why is it you're always nearby when I get into trouble? Actually don't answer that. Oh look, Brandon! With Michelle!" she noticed deciding to distract herself with a little discomfort for Kasey. It worked as Kasey's expression dropped.
"...and a giant bear." Kasey commented, slightly confused, noticing a 3 foot blue bear Michelle clasped.
"We ran into some luck!" Brandon smiled. "I managed to win it for Michelle!"
"Wow! That's...impressive..." Stef commented. "Kasey won a bunch of stuff too but she's donating it to the children's home."
Kasey gave a defeated grin.
"You gonna argue?" Callie quipped.
"No point." she replied as Callie nodded with a smile.
"You found Brandon then?" Evan asked Michelle sounding slightly suspicious.
"Yes...just after you cornered me actually." She said pulling herself slightly closer to Brandon.
Brandon looked across at him with slight confusion. Kasey had been distracted at the time missing the comment and Stef interrupted before Evan could respond.
"Well look here, here you two are together." He shuffled nervously with a small smile. He felt like a little boy.
"Either of you two maybe want to suggest anything?" Stef said nudging him.
"Subtle, Mom." Kasey said shaking her head softly.
With Evan still remaining silent she gave him a small pinch.
"Uhm...dinner? I won $40 in the arcade." He smiled nervously as Kasey nodded.
"What a great idea Ev...wait - you won $40?!" Stef distracted herself mid sentence. "Why was I wasting my time with Kasey?" Stef said, quite genuinely regretting her choice. Evan shrugged as Kasey rolled her eyes.
"Anyway - home by midnight." Stef said slapping Evan on the back as the two of them walked off.
"We'll try not to disturb you if you're sleeping on the couch." Kasey whispered as Stef took a swing for her behind.
"You're lucky my desire to have peace between you two is outweighing my desire to lock you in the attic for the foreseeable future!" she whispered as they walked off.
Lena wandered over noticing the development.
"Wow. You really are a miracle worker."Lena whispered as Stef folded her arms smugly.
"But you're still in the doghouse." she added as Stef flopped her arms down again and huffed loudly, Lena turning away and shepherding the kids.
"Come on kids - Mom's buying everyone pizza!"
Stef slumped behind, cursing Kasey.
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter - Ah Foster fluff! Makes me wanna write some Fostering Funs...
Chapter 29 Preview: Michelle gives Callie an idea and Evan and Kasey reconcile
"I don't know your Dad all that well but I can tell from Jesus he can be a bit difficult." Callie tried to empathise.
"Ha! Understatement of the year. If I were Jesus I would report him for it. It would serve him right." She said mopping up the water on another plate. Callie looked across slightly shocked.