Hi guys, penultimate chapter of Ep 5! I am not finished writing Episode 6 yet so there may be a wee bit of a gap between 5 and 6 but I will do my best to finish it and post as soon as possible. Glad to hear people like the Stef/Lexi chat!
Thanks to Mea23 and TheTBone who helped me bounce this idea - and for convincing me I could take it in this direction. It's a bit unorthodox and maybe a tad silly, but I thought it was nice to make it a little different!
Hope you enjoy and please tell me your thoughts! I love to hear them :)
Jude sat in the bathroom stall and looked down at his nails. He had the bottle placed on the toilet roll holder and it cast him back to the scene he had been in with Lena the day before. He hated the vial. It represented the repression he was so desperate to stand up to. Nail polish was liberating for him - it was expressive. More importantly, it was fun. He liked it. He had spent his whole life getting beaten down for trying to be who he was and for the first time he was in a family and a place where he could be those things. He couldn't just give that up because of Callie or Connor. He stared at it for a few more moments before making his final decision. He grabbed the bottle and forced it back into his bag. The act in itself felt freeing. He may have no friends. He may have to put up with bullies - but it was him. This was him.
He stormed out feeling powerful again, even though his face was taking longer to catch up with the rest of his confident spirit. He tried to catch eye contact with those around, they barely even saw him. That was a start - he must not be that obvious. He grabbed the first available table and pulled out his sandwich - the blue on his fingernails shining bright. He would sit proudly with it and if people wanted to avoid him for it then they would - that had always been his world. He felt the table move and saw that someone wasn't avoiding him. His heart sunk. He wasn't ready to talk to him yet - he hadn't prepared. Why was he sitting there? He tried to smile nervously to hide his fear. Was he here to tell him they couldn't be...Jude stopped his thought train as he caught a glimmer of hope. A glimmer of blue - and not his own.
He was overwhelmed as he saw the smile behind it. Had he? Did he actually? Connor's dimples cut brightly into a smile and they exchanged a look in silent solidarity. Jude's heart exploded a warm tingle through his body. In that moment he felt truly accepted. This wasn't just him against the world any more. It wasn't just him and Callie. He had the Fosters and he even had Connor. In that moment, he was on top of the world. A better world.
"So!" Kasey appeared behind Callie who jumped, dropping her book.
"Wow you're stealthy without that boot." She grumbled picking it back up.
"Sorry. I was gonna try and talk to you earlier but apparently the only way to keep you in the same place for more than 5 seconds is to nearly get you arrested the night before." Kasey tilted her head towards Wyatt who had just left Callie's side. "Was the finest hair this side of Mariska Hargitay too alluring?" Kasey teased as Callie rolled her eyes.
"Come on - you promised you would tell me." She pattered behind a walking Callie as the two of them headed towards the closest bench to the beach.
"Fine. Wyatt took me to this beautiful beach house to watch the meteor shower." Callie looked across at an eager Kasey as the two of them sat down.
"And what? Your metors got too noisy and the neighbours called the cops?" Kasey lifted an eyebrow.
"No. The people who owned the beach house did. A small fact Wyatt neglected to mention." Callie replied wryly.
"Shiiit!" Kasey gasped. "Oh my God, no wonder you needed a ride. My God, if the cops picked one of us up for B&E Mom would probably make us mow their lawn for the next ten years."
"Yeah - well I think your Moms would be the least of my worries as I sped away to juvie." Callie snarked back as Kasey gritted her teeth. It was easy for her to forget that Callie's reality was harsher than a glaring whisper or being sent to an imaginary kennel.
"Right, sorry. But wait, you two looked pretty snug right now - is all forgiven already?"
Callie looked at Kasey nervously before looking back to the ground with a shrug. "He apologised. Besides...it's good to have a friend, you know. He's sort of my only one. Means I don't have to find...new people to spend time with or hide in the...music room." Her voice got low and Kasey sensed the hesitation. She remembered back to the confrontation she had with Brandon the night before. She wasn't sure whether to bring it up with her or not. She didn't know what Brandon had said and she certainly didn't want Callie to think she was jumping to conclusions.
"I hope Brandon didn't give you a hard time for dragging him out. I know he's not the biggest Wyatt fan." She responded, testing the waters. Callie's piercing look of fear was enough to answer Kasey's questions.
"He wasn't thrilled but you know, there's no reason he should have a problem with it." She answered quickly. The walls shot up in a way Kasey hadn't seen with Callie for a while.
"Well...Brandon knows he has to act like your brother now - I guess he's just being protective." Kasey nodded softly. "He knows his role, I'm sure he'll fill it." Kasey said firmly but affectionately with hopes it may ease Callie's nerves. It was clearly something that was an issue. She threw Kasey a concerned look. The words weren't being said but the message was clear.
"And if Brandon ever over-steps his mark - you know you have all of us too. There's no us and you while you're part of our family, OK? We're all "us". I mean that." Kasey added. "I don't want him stressing you out."
Callie's mouth twitched but she couldn't find any words to respond. She didn't need to as they were interrupted by a shout.
"Well look at you staying on campus." Stef's voice echoed over, shocking them both in the unfamiliar setting.
"Speaking of being on campus...Mom? What are you doing here?" Kasey raised an eyebrow.
"I came to arrest you for lying to your Dad last night." She folded her arms as a tingle of nerves flushed through Kasey's body.
"Uhhhh..." She gulped. She was sure she had a plan for this but the unplanned confrontation had thrown her off.
"Uhhhh..." Stef mimicked, arms still firmly clenched and eyes fixed on Kasey.
"I'm sorry - I just, well Dad got talking to this guy we bumped into and I thought as it was the first time he'd had human contact with someone other than us that it may be nice for him to have some grown-up time..." she skirted over the truth.
"Kasey - you may be able to lie to your Dad but you can't lie to me. I know your motivation."
Kasey's mouth dropped in time with her stomach. Had Stef pieced it all together?
"You do?"
Stef bent down and lined up their eye level.
"You used your Dad to get me off your back and blew him off for something better. Come on, what was it?"
Kasey stuttered slightly. She was glad she wasn't on to her about the date but she had to think fast of a good enough excuse.
"I called her." Callie chipped in to Kasey's surprise. "Wyatt and I were hanging out at this cool place, I started to get a bit gun-shy and called her to join. I had forgotten she had plans and I think she felt too guilty to not come. Or resist the temptation for a chance to wind us up." Callie looked at her fondly. Kasey had easily earned a coupon for being covered for. She had done so for Callie numerous times, even though she was still struggling to be completely comfortable with her doing so it didn't mean she didn't feel happy to return the favour.
Kasey turned her head with unexpected relief. "Right." She nodded before squeaking out a nervous laugh. "I wasn't sure whether you knew she was out with him or not so didn't want to say anything..." Stef shook her head.
"No, Callie doesn't lie to us about her whereabouts. You could learn a bit from her." Kasey tried to suppress a smile at the irony.
"Until you finally do learn that, at least learn this:- use me as an excuse to lie to your Dad again, I'll be a permanent excuse for all of your plans being cancelled. Understood?"
"Got it." She nodded with a sheepish smile, catching a glint in Callie's observing eye. She too was struggling to suppress a grin at the dodge.
"OK. Now you're meeting us at the café tonight I believe?" She asked as Kasey nodded.
"Right. Well I'll see you both later. You - stay out of trouble." She prodded Kasey's shoulder as she saw their squad car roll up at the place she had agreed with Mike. As she disappeared Callie turned to Kasey.
"Apparently I need to teach you how to sneak around more effectively." She whispered with a vague taunt as she got off the bench..
"I dropped the ball for like a second!" She protested, hopping up behind and chasing her back towards the school to the ringing of the warning bell.
The Fosters sat around the front tables at Café Scuro. The poetry readings were between acts and the room buzzed with conversation and laughter.
Callie played with a napkin between her fingers. She hadn't intended to join the family tonight but she looked down at her small brother and felt more strongly than ever why she was there. He was flipping coasters with Jesus off the edge of the table to catch in their hands. The two of them laughed and competed, The brightness of Jude's nails echoing the new found colour in his face when he was with the family. After the situation last night with Brandon, spending those few seconds facing the lure of temptation, she had only been able to subdue it so quickly by remembering that only results in the loss of family, she was feeling more than ever how important it was to try. She had been resisting to avoid falling into the trap of security, but she was seeing more and more that that feeling of security was becoming beyond her control. Maybe, like Jude, she had to learn to accept that they had been hurt and they may be hurt again, but it shouldn't mean they avoid the comfort for the time it was available.
She looked across to catch Brandon looking at her. She wondered momentarily what he was thinking and if she had been clear enough last night. He gave her a smile. A small, non-threatening smile. Maybe she had got through to him, especially now she was cementing her attachment to Wyatt. She watched as he nervously sipped at his glass, clearly looking for as much of a distraction as she was. Luckily, Kasey provided it.
"Callie! You came!" Kasey chimed appearing behind them.
"I am so sorry I'm late..." She slipped through the chairs, pulling up her own. "Did we miss much?" Cooper plonked himself next to her and bid his hellos to the family.
"No reason to break a habit of a lifetime." Stef quipped taking a sip of her coke.
"Did you speak to your Dad on the way in?" She added with a raised eyebrow.
"Dad?" Kasey asked confused.
"Seems his new friend dragged him here. Looks like your impromptu abandonment actually did result in him making a friend." She looked behind and lo and behold, Mike was sat there laughing with Danny.
Cooper looked at her with a surprised grin. "You told your Mom about -" He quickly re-routed as Kasey pinched his arm "- ditching your Dad." Stef scrutinised them both as Kasey beamed innocently.
"Oh you know Mom, can't get anything past her." She added firmly as Cooper thoroughly got the hint.
"You know, I'm gonna grab us a drink..." He offered, deciding it best to avoid any further hole-digging.
"So who's the guy Dad's with?" Brandon asked as Cooper left, the unfamiliar face piquing his own interest in their Dad's social life.
"We bumped into him at the alley and I recognised him as the Dad of a girl I know."
Stef may have probed further into it but Mariana's appearance served as a distraction.
Kasey shuffled to let her past before noting something glaringly different.
"Holy crap, Mariana! You fall face-first on your jewellery box?" She gawped before looking at a clearly still disapproving Stef. "How are you still alive?" She whispered noting her Mom's icy expression. Mariana looked at her defensively.
"What do you mean? This was your idea." She replied as Kasey's mouth dropped and Stef turned to her furiously.
"I...ha...woah-kay..." she stuttered as Stef folded her arms to stare her down. Kasey put her hands up in her defence. "I was exaggerating! I didn't mean for you to actually do it." She shuffled nervously. Mariana looked at her sheepishly before the next poem began and she was forced to take her seat.
"How could you suggest something so -" Stef began as Kasey moved away slightly in her seat and coughed.
"No talking during performances Mom..." She cut her off bravely as Lena tugged on her partner's arm to prevent her from responding.
"So not over." Stef whispered back as Kasey winced an inch further away.
The girl on the stage flew into her poem. It was more powerful than any of the ones Kasey had heard the night before and actually kept her attention. She had always been much more into reading than listening, but she couldn't deny that the addition of the music made the event much more exciting. As she completed her piece, Kasey realised she recognised the girl, and not just from the café. She had seen a picture of her when she met Danny - it was his daughter, Alice. It made more sense now that they should be here.
As the girl finished her performance, Kasey saw that she went over to where Mike and Danny were sitting. They began to talk and congratulated her as Kasey peered over. She saw Danny point in their direction and Mike nodded his head towards her. Alice turned and smiled as Callie grabbed Kasey's attention.
"You know her?" Callie asked, noting the lingering stare. Kasey looked round and shrugged.
"No. I mean, yes -" she quickly remembered the guise with which she had lured Mike to Danny. "Not well - she's Dad's new friend's daughter."
"I thought you recognised him as her father?" Lena observed beginning to see a crack in the story.
Kasey's palms began to get sweaty as the heat began to focus on her, along with the eyes of Callie, Stef and Lena.
"Woah - Mariana, why you do that to your face?" Cooper chimed in, returning. It would have once again been a good distraction had it not now been promoted to another awkward subject to a flailing Kasey.
"Indeed. Excellent question, Cooper." Stef lapped up the topic change, swapping an interrogating look between her daughters. She had been waiting for another opportunity to tackle it once again without being accused of nagging. "You give any other advice this week I should be aware of? Is Jude gonna turn up with a tattoo or Jesus on a motorbike?" Stef mumbled accusingly as Kasey shrugged.
"Doesn't look like Jude needs fashion advice from anyone else." Jesus chirped in, picking up his foster brother's hand. "You seen these babies? This will be a trend in no time." He smiled as Jude chuckled.
"Maybe Mariana should do yours!" He beamed as Jesus shook his head. "What do you think Callie?" He asked her. Jude's face dropped to look at her. She looked at Lena's warm glow, the only person at the table who knew in detail what had been happening recently with Jude and also knew Callie's reaction and fears for him.
"I think you're going to chip them if you keep flipping coasters." She replied, non-committal but with a hint of a smile. It was enough acceptance for Jude who sensed the hidden meaning. She was finally able to resolve her own inhibitions to give him what he needed. Her blessing for him to feel secure. The acceptance in the secret words buzzed through Jude and his smile returned with a flicker.
"Connor even painted his to be the same colour." He smiled proudly as the next poem began and a silent accompaniment fell across the room until it was ready to break into applause.
As the next interval came, Kasey made their way to the bar. She was stopped by Alice. She could see Danny's dimples mimicked in he face, further emphasised by her happiness at meeting Kasey.
"Kasey, right? My Dad has told me all about you. I'm Alice." She lifted her drink as a form of introduction.
"Right, of course - I loved your poem." She smiled.
"Thank you, glad you guys are here too! Must be fate! Look, I just wanted to thank you so much. It's been so long since my Dad had been on a date and this just all seems perfect. They seem to be getting on great. Been trying to set him up for so long since he and Jack broke up."
Kasey nodded a few time before she picked up on what Alice was actually saying. She was about to respond before Alice continued.
"I mean, I'd been trawling that site for ages but finding a guy with the same interests as my Dad. You don't often find that on those sites."
"Right..." Kasey squeaked as dread sunk to her stomach. "Could you excuse me for just a second." She forced a smile turning back and forth in a small panic as she tried to figure which way to turn. She looked at Mike and Danny laughing in the corner and gulped down.
No.
No, no.
She could not have missed that...it was a friendship site - Cooper said. She was sure of it...it was Danny's partner that was...Oh God. She excused herself again quickly, leaving Alice looking confused as she rushed over to Cooper.
"Can I borrow you for a second?" She heaved him up by his arm and dragged him to the side of the room. She flicked her phone out and began to scroll through quickly.
"That site - it was for friendship or dating right?"
"The company is yes, you choose which one you want."
"When did you choose?"
"We chose at the beginning then you set up the account. You changed your mind though and changed it after I did the dating one..."
Kasey's face dropped as she looked into his eyes. "No, no - we were doing friendship from the beginning - we talked about it! Keeping it informal."
"No we didn't, you changed your mind...I checked that you changed the profile when you said he was meeting a guy...you...oh God, you didn't change it." Cooper's hand flew up to his mouth as Kasey finally found the appropriate field on the site.
"That's the information? That's the difference between dating or friendship?" She complained, exasperated. "What kind of hair-brained dateless nerd invented this site format?"
"Honey, it's pretty obvious when you sign up..."
"I didn't sign up, you did. Interested in men. Oh God! Why didn't you warn me?"
"Nuh-uh. Don't blame me for this. I talked you through it, if you got too excited to listen to me that is so not my problem."
Kasey closed her eyes, knowing deep down that he was right. She opened them reluctantly to look again at Mike, feeling as if the room froze around them.
"I...am so dead." She gawped as Cooper too joined her stare."
"Dead for what?" Stef appeared behind her as Kasey quickly rammed the phone into her pocket.
Well, it's the penultimate chapter so why not end with a cliff?
Next Chapter Preview: Kasey has to deal with the reactions to her blunder.
"You need to tell him now. That poor man has completely the wrong impression." Stef folded her arms firmly.
"Are you kidding? He's gonna kill me!" She looked at her mother in horror.
"Yes! As would I! And no, I am absolutely not kidding. You can't do something like this behind his back! t's invasive and controlling - and incredibly dumb!"