A/N: Happy Fosters day! I am slowly but surely beginning to update all of my Fosters stories again! :) I had this chapter mostly done, so this was the next logical update. I actually had to cut this in half, so the actual face to face meeting with Vanning will be chapter five but either way it is finished. I do not own the Fosters, nope, not mine. I also do not own the song in this chapter.
Chapter Four
Lena's POV
It had been an hour since we brought Brandon home. The kids were doing their best to show him how our "new" living arrangement worked. Almost as soon as Stef, Mike and I had walked in, Stef had dragged us to the kitchen holding the business card in her hand.
"What are we going to do?" Stef's voice was trembling. "He can't go to school next week. Not like this."
"I'll talk to the principal." I grabbed Stef's hand nodding to the card in her hand. "Why don't you call the therapist? The doctor did say that he could help us."
Stef nodded as I grabbed the phone. She read the number out loud as I dialed and put it on speaker.
"San Diego Memorial Family Center, Jason Vanning speaking."
"Hi," Stef spoke. "This is Stef Adams-Foster. I was given your information by Doctor Browning. He said you could help my son…"
As Stef explained the situation struggling to hold it together, I found myself crying quietly. This was one of those one in a million scenarios you could never imagine happening to your family until it does, and happening to Brandon of all people. None of our children deserved this. If it was hard for us, I could only imagine what the twins, Callie and Jude were going through.
"Yes, Doctor Browning told me you'd call. Why don't you come in, bring Brandon, bring the family, I'll explain how the process works and help get Brandon acclimated. Does that sound alright?"
"That would be amazing! Thank you Mr. Vanning." Stef said
"Of course. How does 10AM tomorrow work?"
"That's perfect."
"Alright then, I look forward to meeting you all tomorrow Mrs. Adams-Foster."
"We look forward to meeting you too." Stef replied. As the line went dead and Stef pushed the end call button, I could already see her shoulders shaking. "Oh god… oh god."
"Well," Mike said. "At least it's a start." He rubbed his forehead as he sat in a kitchen chair.
"Mama, Stef," I looked over as Jude ran in. "We've got a problem."
Callie's POV
I should have known this was coming. I really should have known this was coming, but who the heck is prepared for a sixteen year old to start throwing a tantrum?
"This...this isn't my room!" Brandon was sitting on the floor, refusing to move from outside the door. "It's not mine!"
I looked at Jesus who looked like a fish out of water. He looked like he wanted to start cracking up, that or run far away. I didn't know which, but I hoped he would choose run. A laughing fit would not help matters right now.
"Brandon…" I knelt down. "Why do you think this isn't your room?"
"It's not!" Brandon shouted.
I sighed looking up and over to Mariana who shrugged.
"Brandon, calm down okay?" I looked over and saw his keyboard on the bed. "Hey, come look over here." I held out my hand as he looked at me nervously. "It's okay…"
"It's not my room." Brandon repeated, but his voice was quieter as he sniffled.
I saw Jude running back up followed by Stef, Lena and Mike.
"Brandon, what's wrong sweetheart?" Stef came over looking at me, then at him.
"Not my room Mommy. Where's my room?"
As this was going on, I stepped back, feeling the overwhelming scope of the situation.
"Why does he think it's not his room?" I heard Jesus ask.
"He doesn't see his Hot Wheels bedding." Mike said. "He used to have Hot Wheels bedding."
I stepped into the bedroom, remembering the first foster home Jude and I had wound up in. Jude had had a similar reaction of not being in a familiar room. I had actually snuck into the room the first few nights to make him comfortable. I could understand how one little difference was enough to set someone off. Looking at the room, I could see why Brandon had freaked out. This was a teenager's bedroom, no toys, no games, no picture books. Instead of the little boy bedding that Mike had mentioned, Brandon's bedding was dark blue, crisp and ordered. The only things that could be familiar at all, the photographs and the keyboard lacked the memories that made them comforting.
"Callie, Love," I turned to see Stef watching me. "Are you okay?"
I nodded trying to shake away the thoughts. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine." As I passed by the bed where the keyboard sat, I remembered the first time I had heard Brandon play in the music room. Maybe, if nothing else, I could help him remember with the music. I walked out and headed to my bedroom grabbing the guitar Brandon had given me. I noticed everyone had already went downstairs, all except Mariana.
"Do you think he'll remember?" Mariana asked.
I nodded. "We just have to help him."
"How are you so sure?" Mariana leaned her head on my shoulder as I put an arm around her and we started heading downstairs..
The truth of the matter? I wasn't.
I sat on the couch strumming absently. My hands found the chords to a familiar melody. The four of us: Jude, Jesus, Mariana and I, sat squeezed together on the couch as I played. I saw Jude's eyes light up in recognition.
"Why do I know this song?" His eyebrows creased as he struggled to recall.
"Mom used to sing it." My reply was casual, but I felt eyes on me. The mention of our mother was something rare, especially since Stef's father and the funeral, but for some reason my mind had drifted to this memory.
"You play?" I heard the voice, barely recognized the subtle changes in tone, the shyness, but Brandon was there, watching us. His gaze was locked onto the guitar, but drifted to the floor once he realized that we knew he was there.
I nodded as we all shifted, trying to make room in case he wanted to join us.
"Cool." He gave a shy smile. I turned slightly as Jesus tapped the spot beside him and Brandon sat, choosing the floor instead. Mariana and I exchanged glances as we both noticed the barely perceptible hurt that crossed Jesus' face.
"Callie," Jude looked at me. "Will you…please?" he looked at the guitar, the plea on his lips softer than I had ever heard.
I nodded. "Sure."
I began again, my fingers finding the notes naturally same as before, but this time, I also found the words.
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance, I hope you dance
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances but they're worth taking
Loving might be a mistake but it's worth making
Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who wants to look back on the years and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
(Time is wheel in constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who wants to look back on the years and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)
I hope you dance
I hope your dancing
I hope your dancing
I pray your dancing
I hope you dance.
There was a sense of dread that filled the space between us. We were gathered in Jesus and Jude's room after Brandon had fallen asleep on the couch. Mariana had called an emergency meeting, and as Mike, Lena and Stef had talked quietly amongst themselves, Mariana, Jesus, Jude and I had snuck upstairs. Jude closed the door behind us and the meeting began.
"So what do we do?" Jude asked.
"I don't know bud." I put my arms around Jude's shoulders squeezing.
Mariana looked at me and shrugged. "Brandon usually has the ideas."
"Well Brandon's not here!" Jesus' outburst was so sudden I jumped as I felt Jude's fingernails dig into my palm.
"Jesus…" Mariana seemed just as shocked as the rest of us.
"Well he's not." Jesus looked at all of us. "He didn't even remember that you played. He gave you the guitar didn't he?" He was appealing to me, something that had never happened. "He doesn't even know who we are! There's nothing we can do Jude!"
I couldn't deny that point Jesus had made about the guitar. It did hurt, it hurt like hell, but as I looked at the three of them, I knew. I had to step up, at least temporarily, whether I was a part of this family or not.
A/N: Well, on that note. The song that Callie sings is I Hope You Dance by Leann Womack. The next chapter will involve the family meeting Jason Vanning in person, as Jude and Jesus discover something they never expected about Brandon.