Stef
Where are they? It's already 8:30 and there has been no text or phone call explaining why they are so late. I called Mariana and when she didn't pick up called the phone number I was given to call Sarah. She didn't pick up either. Lena gave me a worried look and I returned it. They are both in so much trouble when they get home.
"lets just go after them" I said then screamed up to our kids.
"We are going out to find them. Stay inside and Brandon you're in charge." when they all responded with an ok or alright we left. It was nearly nine by the time we found them. They laid under multiple blankets and were curled up next to each other. Marianas back pressed against Sarah's front, they have a couple of blankets on they don't need to be cuddling.
"aww how cute are they" I said sarcastically. "can we flip them?" I asked my wife who just glared at me.
"what they were late?" I said and she just gave me a look of no.
"Stephanie their hair is wet if we flip them they will have sand sticking to them" she said as if that's our problem. When I was her age and was late home from a date on the beach my parents use to flip me and then laugh about it. It's so unfair.
"my parents use to flip me" I said annoyed and she just glared. I wish she would stop that.
"stef!" she said and I took my phone out and went to my air horn app that I use to get the kids out of bed sometimes. Before Lena could catch on to what I'm doing I pushed the button and the startled girls jumped like a foot. Me and Lena both burst into laughter as the two girls tried to make sense out of what is going on around them. When I finally contained my laughter I sat down on the blanket with them.
"hey sleeping beauties. how was your nap?" I said with a layer of 'you're in trouble' under my trying to sound sincere voice.
"what time is it?" she asked but I know she knows she's in trouble since we actually came to find them.
"8:30" Lena said.
"Crap" she said as she put on her cover up and passed Sarah her owns.
"we fell asleep" she explained.
"We know, you're lucky that mama stopped me from flipping you guys because I was ready to film it and put it on YouTube." I said as we started back to the house.
"both of you are grounded for the next week" Lena said and Sarah looked surprised.
"Just because you are only here temporally doesn't mean we wont discipline you. You are in our care and..." she interrupted me and what she said surprised me.
"Thank you" I have never heard of a kid thanking someone for grounding them.
"Are you insane?" Mariana asked.
"I didn't realize that I was allowed to stay for a week" she said. I guess we haven't established how long she's staying for. Me and Lena, despite having had the conversation many times, have yet to figure out what we are going to do about her. We don't really have room and the money to have another child, we already have five. Then there is the more personal reason: are we really going to allow her to stay when she is dating our daughter. Mariana is 15 she shouldn't be living with her girlfriend, especially since its only became official a couple of hours ago.
On the other hand, we can't really just kick her to the streets. Her parents, who both me and Lena have tried calling, sadly don't want anything to do with her. So she can't move back to her old house and we really don't want to put her in the foster system. Her only other relation she could live with is her grandmother who is too old to take care of herself let alone her granddaughter. She doesn't have a job, let alone one she can support herself on. So in other words we really are the only place this girl can go.
"Well you're with us until we can figure out where else you can go. Until then you follow our rules and be punished if you don't, got it?" I said and she smiled.
"got it" she repeated.
"good school and home for the next week" I said as we arrived home.
When we were getting ready for bed someone knocked on the door. We finished getting changed before yelling for the person to come in. Sarah walked in looking out-of-place.
"what's up? Need more blankets?" Lena asked.
"No, I just wanted to apologize" she said and me and Lena exchanged a look.
"wow, not used to that" we said.
"Listen I don't normally break curfew and trust me I would have had her home if it wasn't for falling asleep." she explained.
"That's good, thank you for coming to us. " Lena said.
"Thank you for letting me stay" she said and we both smiled.
"of course, sleep well" I said as she left.
"well that was weird" Lena said and we both laughed.
"She's only 17 right? she's acting way older" I joked.
"This is weird I actually approve of someone for Mariana" she said.
"you're telling me, I didn't think that was going to happen. I hope they stay together" I said as we got into bed.
Mariana
I can't sleep because my restless mind wont stop thinking about Sarah. It's crazy how much has happened in the last couple of days. This last Friday if you were to tell me everything that's been going on between me and Sarah I would have denied it and said I was just experimenting. Now only six days later I have cuddled and fell asleep in her arms and it was amazing. I feel closer to her then I ever thought I could feel with someone else, and it has even been a week yet. I just can't believe she's my girlfriend.