CHAPTER 3 – Where are You?

Lena sighed as she plopped back in her chair at the end of the day. The first official week of school was in the books and she was exhausted. The first week of school was always crazy busy especially in the elementary school. Some kids were still nervous on the first day while others like the kindergarten classes it was the first time in school. For those kids it was an emotional day for both kids and parents as they were dealing with separation for a 7 hour period probably for the first time in their lives. Lena was lucky as her daughter was in kindergarten where she was the Assistant Vice Principal but it also helped that Callie had been in their pre-school program so this wasn't her first time sending her off to school.

One the first day Lena made it a point to linger around the kindergarten wing to greet the parents and kids as they arrived. While she would have done that normally she was hoping to see Stef and Brandon as well. She had met Brandon once over the summer as he came to a day session at the school to get used to the place before classes started. However, she had yet to meet the mystery father figure which was odd. Brandon was a great kid, a little quiet but very smart and kind hearted. She saw him and Stef on their first day off school and even ended up taking a picture of the two for Stef.

Lena logged into her computer wanting to check her email before heading out for the day. That was the main source of communications Lena and Stef had over the past couple months. Stef would email about a school related event but then always add something a little personal as well. Not seeing anything of interest she logged off and was in the process of packing up her things before getting her daughter in the extended day program. That was until her phone rang.

"This is Lena," she answered.

"Lena we have a situation with one of the kids. The parents never showed up to get them."

"I was heading down there in a few minutes anyway. What kid?"

"Brandon Foster."

Lena was a little shocked by this news. She never thought Stef would forget to pick up her kid, she hoped everything was ok. She quickly grabbed her contact list and headed down to the extended day area.

"Hey Eve what is going on," Lena asked arriving in the classroom?

"Well, Brandon usually isn't in the extended program on Fridays but when he went with the other kids I thought there was a change in his schedule and didn't think much of it. However, as you can see he is still here and the program is just about over."

"Thanks Eve. I am going to stay with him until I can get a hold of his parents. Thanks for letting me know and I will see you tomorrow."

Lena walked over to Brandon where he was playing with a music keyboard.

"Mommy we are playing dance party," Callie said jumping around whenever Brandon played some keys of music.

Lena couldn't help but laugh at her daughter.

"Very nice sweetie…why don't you go get your stuff together ok."

"Ok mommy."

"Hey Brandon…remember me Ms. Adams."

"Uh huh you're the vice president."

"Close I am the Vice-Principal," she said with a smile. "Do you know where your mommy is," she asked hoping to get some information out of him.

"Umm working."

"Ok and your dad?"

Brandon just gave a shrug.

"Ok well why don't you go get your stuff together too and then we can go outside and play on the playground."

Brandon put down his musical toy and ran off with Callie to get his stuff. Lena pulled out her cell phone and tried calling Stef.

"Foster."

"Umm Stef," Lena asked?

"Speaking."

"Hi, its Lena….Lena Adams from…

"Right hi Lena how are you," Stef asked with a smile although Lena couldn't see that.

"I am good I hope I am not catching you at a bad time."

"Unfortunately I am working but luckily my shift is almost over. Is everything ok?"

"Yes…kind of…I am sitting here with Brandon. He is not usually in extended day on Friday but no one came to pick him up."

"WHAT," Stef yelled into the phone?

"He is ok…he has been in extended day playing…I was just concerned something might have happened to prevent you from picking him up."

"Yeah my idiot hus…..ugh umm I can be there in 15 minutes is that ok?"

"Yeah I am going to take Brandon and Callie outside on the play ground. Don't rush, get here safe."

Lena sat on a bench just a few feet away from where the kids were playing. She would look around every few minutes to see if Stef had arrived before going back to going through some personal emails and tasks she could complete on her phone.

"My god I am so so sorry," Stef said rushing up the walk.

"Oh…ummm….yeah no worries they are fine as can be playing," Lena said a little shocked to see Stef in full uniform.

"Mike was supposed to pick him up today."

"Is everything ok with him?'

"Besides the foot he is going to have to pull out of his ass when I get done with him yeah everything is fine."

Lena couldn't help but chuckle.

"Just make sure you wear some very pointy shoes."

This time Stef couldn't help but chuckle.

"I am sorry about this…keeping you here late."

"Hey it is not a problem…I was here already finishing up some things….the first week of school is always a crazy time."

Stef was about to ask her another question when their kids appeared in front of them.

"Mommy this is Callie," Brandon said proudly introducing his new friend.

"Well hello there Callie," Stef said leaning down to greet the small kid.

"We hungry mama," Callie said attempting to climb into her moms lap.

"I guess we will have to get some food in that tummy huh," Lena said tickling her daughter causing her to giggle.

"How about I treat everyone to pizza," Stef suggested?

"Oh no we couldn't impose."

"Mama pizza please."

"Lena really it is ok…I owe you one it is the least I could do."

"Are you sure? Do you have to get back to work?"

"No, I took an hour of leave my shift was almost over anyway. If you have nothing better to do I would love for you two ladies to join us."

"Pleeeaaase mama," Callie said with big beautiful brown eyes and slightly pouty lip.

"Put that lip away young lady," Lena said with a smile tipping her lower lip. "We can go have pizza."

"Yaay," both kids cried out.

"I will meet you at Round Table on Governers Blvd ok."

"Sounds good see you soon."

Stef didn't have time to think about any implications this dinner could have as she was listening to her son tell her all about school. Before she knew it they were at the pizza place and ordered a small plain pizza for the kids and a veggie pizza for the adults. The kids were so happy to be having pizza and they knew they could play in the playhouse after.

"Mommy go play now," Brandon asked standing up on his chair.

"Brandon Foster put your bottom on that chair right now," Stef said sternly.

Brandon immediately plopped back down.

"And you still have three bites of pizza before you can go."

Brandon looked at his plate seeing three cut up pieces of pizza. He quickly grabbed them and shoved them in his mouth.

"Brandon….small bites please. The fun house is not going anywhere."

It took him a few minutes to chew all these pieces but he eventually got them down and took a big sip of juice to wash it all down.

"Now mommy?"

"Wait for Callie sweetie."

"Mama I finished."

"One more bite," Lena said poking to her daughters plate.

Callie quickly popped the piece in her mouth and stuck her tongue out when she was done.

"All right you're released."

Stef and Lena watched their kids run off into the playroom and right into the play house.

"What is it with these playhouses? I swear a kid can be starving like they hadn't eaten in days and thirsty like they never had water yet they see one of these things and suddenly none of that matters…I think they are laced with some sort of children's crack," Stef said laughing as she watched her son come off the slide into the ball pit.

"And where do they get the energy for all this? I mean they did just spend all day at school and extended day playing….they are like the energizer bunnies."

"About earlier I am sorry….I don't want you to think I am a bad parent or something."

"Stef I don't think you're a bad parent," Lena said gently patting her hand. "Bad parents don't come to school and meet the staff get a tour of the place before school even starts…..bad parents don't come to open house night….bad parents don't volunteer to help with school events….you're anything but a bad parent."

"Thanks…Mike was supposed to pick him up today…he got caught up in something….unimportant," stef said with disgust.

"Is everything ok?"

"Oh I am sorry I don't mean to unload my problems on you."

"No, really its ok. If you ever need to talk about anything I am always here."

Stef looked up into the big brown eyes staring at her and was shocked to see caring and compassion…something she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Mike and I….we are separated. He moved out at the beginning of the summer and recently he finished moving the last of his stuff out."

'I am so sorry to hear that….he is pretty foolish if he thinks he is going to find someone better than you."

Stef tried not to blush.

"Thanks…but I don't think it was really his idea we separate. I don't know…I just wasn't happy and have been questioning some things that don't make much sense to me. I guess I tried to keep things together for Brandon but I don't think I can do that anymore."

"Yeah I have seen people try to keep it together for the kids and it more often than not doesn't work out. If your truly not happy than it is better to figure that out now."

"It is just hard….but enough about my problems tell me something about you."

"Umm well you know a good portion of it already. I was a math teacher for a few years while I finished my Doctorate work and then took the job as Assistant Vice Principal at anchor Beach."

"Ohh wow suddenly I feel very stupid," Stef said with a chuckle.

"No..please don't. It is just a piece of paper that basically says I am a book worm. I always wanted to be a Principal and I am slowly making my way there. I fostered Callie about 3 years ago and adopted her officially almost 2 years ago now…..and I enjoy long walks on the beach and bubble baths," Lena said laughing.

"And I am sure with a 5 year old you have plenty of alone time to enjoy those bubble baths," Stef said laughing along with her.

"Oh yeah tons of free time…usually that free time I am so tired I fall asleep before I can get anything accomplished."

"I hear that….I make sure the coffee pot is constantly full….if I could take an IV hit of caffeine I would be doing that. So no special person in your life," Stef asked hoping to not over step her bounds?

"No, not for a while….not since before Callie. I was actually hoping to adopt Callie with my previous partner but she and I were just at different places…she wanted to travel the world and I wanted to settle down and have a family."

Well there it was….Lena had put it out there that she was in fact gay and her previous relationship had been with a woman. She hoped this didn't change anything because she really enjoyed spending time with Stef.

"She also thought sleeping with my best friend would be a good idea," Lena added hoping to bring light to the situation.

"Oh yeah I hear sleeping with another person is really great for relationships," Stef said playfully rolling her eyes. "Did you uh…did you always know," Stef asked clearly having an internal struggle.

Lena looked at Stef who suddenly found the napkin on the table very interesting. Time for jokes were over and Lena knew this was important to Stef.

"I have known for a while…to be honest I probably knew in high school but who wants to be the gay kid in high school. During my early college days I met someone and it's a little more accepting in college….plus I had very supportive parents so I wasn't scared to come out. I know not everyone is as lucky as I am though. I have friends that are still in the closet and other friends that are just now accepting who they are. Everyone is different, everyone has a different story…there is no right or wrong…there is just accepting who you are."

"I…

"Mama Brandon fall down," Callie said helping her teary eyed friend back to their moms.

Stef could tell whatever happened was not serious but she was still concerned for her little boy.

"Aww what happened sweetie," Stef said pulling Brandon into her lap.

"I fall off the step and got an owie," Brandon said showing stef his red hands from bracing his fall.

"An owie huh….well how about I kiss them and make them all better."

Stef took both his small hands in hers and kissed both hands and then went back and blew kisses against his hands making a funny noise and causing both kids to giggle.

"All better?"

"Better…thanks mommy I love you," he said snuggling into his mom.

"And all those sleepless nights are worth it," stef said with a smile looking over to Lena.

"Agree. How about we call this a night and get our kiddos home?"

"No more play mama," Callie questioned?

"No more play," Lena confirmed. "You need a bath and then bed time."

"With toys," she asked?

"If you're a good girl on the way home."

Lena and Stef both picked up their kids and carried them out to the car. Stef waited while Lena secured Callie into her car seat.

"Thanks for dinner Stef it was nice having a little adult time outside of work."

"Yeah it was I had a great time."

"And it looks like these two had too much fun….they are going to be out like a light before they get home," Lena said seeing Brandon struggling to stay away in his moms eyes.

"I guess I should get him home."

"Yeah…maybe we could set up another play day for them."

"I think they would like that."

"All right well don't hesitate to call for anything. Goodnight Stef."

"Night Lena."