AN- Sorry guys! I wanted to update sooner, it's just been a really crazy week. Vacation, illnesses, workload family in the ER most illness.. Wow crazy. I am also leaving again this Thursday for another long weekend. (I LOVE SUMMER.. Camping!) Anyways.. Here's an update and I am seeing that this story is getting longer then I thought! :) At least three more chapters to go!
Thirty minutes of tossing and turning and pulling the covers away from the other of groaning and kicking at each other grumbling Mariana and Callie rolled onto their backs. Giving up on sleeping. "What time is it?" Callie whispers and Mariana rolls over slightly to see the clock on her mother's nightstand
"5:00"
"An hour before the alarm goes off" Callie sighed.
Mariana rolled to her side and the two locked eyes with each other and had a silent conversation with their eyes as they sat up on their elbows and looked at their mother's bed.
Mariana nodded and made the first move and Callie quickly followed
Each girl picked a side Mariana went to Stef's and Callie to Lena's. They didn't have to say anything. Stef and Lena each moved towards the middle of the bed and held up the blankets so the respective daughter could crawl in.
"I was wondering when you two would stop fighting with each other and crawl in. I was waiting for the pinching and biting to start." Stef yawned as she pulled Mariana in close to her kissing her. "Morning Miss Thing."
"Morning mommy" She snuggled in next to her "And man, you have some morning breath going on."
"Hey" Stef jabbed Mariana in the side causing her to grunt "Watch it, love or I'll just continue to breathe on you."
Lena rolled her eyes at Stef as she pulled Callie into her, letting out a yawn. I don't think we got much more than three hours of asleep last night."
"Sorry" Mariana mumbled knowing that her night terror had been part of the problem.
"No, sweetheart it wasn't you. I just don't think any of slept well."
Callie closed her eyes as her fingers ran along the bridge of her nose.
The room fell silent for a few minutes while everyone just got lost in their own thoughts. Lena's hand grabbing Callie's hand stilling her motions and bringing it down to hold.
The door opened slowly and Jude peeked in.
"Come on over munchkin" Lena called to him "We'll make room."
"For us too?" Brandon asked coming up behind Jude with Jesus next to him. All three boys moved to the bed and climbed on sitting on the end by the girl's feet.
"Morning, my babies" Stef greeted them as she sat up leaning against the headboard pulling up Mariana with her.
Lena looked down to Callie to see her eyes closed but she wanted to sit up to see the boys too. She ended up sitting up bringing Callie up with her. Who let out a groan of protest "I was finally comfortable."
Lena's response was to use the palm of her hand to smooth over the girls forehead and hair before placing a soft kiss on her temple.
"Mama, we just couldn't sleep" Brandon shook his head "We tried."
"Yeah, we tried too" Lena sighed "Just. Nerves" She then looked at Stef "It's early, and I know we try to do things normally on a school morning, but this isn't a normal school morning. Stef let's get up and go out to breakfast just us and the kids. We don't have to cook, we can make sure they eat we can sip on coffee."
"I want coffee" Callie mumbled against Lena
"I'd allow it this morning"
Callie looked up at her "But you let me have some yesterday"
"Are you turning down a cup?"
Callie was quick to shake her head.
Stef rubbed her eyes and nodded "Alright, we can do that love."
"After, we'll go to school and work."
"I am going with you" Stef said "Walking you in this morning."
Lena nodded "I know, and you're meeting us there at the end of the day? Right? I mean it's like a first day."
Stef nodded "With grandparents, I want to go with you and Callie to the doctor. I want to hear what he says about her arm. I want to know why it's not healing the way it should be."
"Okay" Lena agreed
"Actually, I want to see your arm love" Stef said shifting on the bed "Crawl over mama."
Callie carefully crawled over Lena and moved to Stef. Jude took the advantage of his sister moving to crawl up to Lena quietly and wrapping his smaller arms around her.
"Jude? You okay buddy?" Lena asked softly.
He nodded against her but didn't say anything. His fingers gripping her teeshirt tightly.
Stef had managed to help Callie take her arm out of her sweater and was about to look at it closely when she felt Callie pull away slightly to lean over Lena to touch Jude's arm.
"Hey, baby" She whispered "It's going to be okay. We're going in this together"
Jude nodded as he sighed.
"Look at this family" Callie whispered to him "Look at how many of us are going in together. Big numbers my friend."
Jude sighed again as he leaned into Lena further ignoring Callie.
"Come, love" Stef said pulling Callie back closer to her. "Let me look at your arm."
Callie watched as Lena wrapped her arms around Jude holding tightly tucking him under her chin. Whispering softly to him. Watching as he relaxed a little.
She looked up at Stef for a brief second almost confused that it was Lena bringing Jude comfort and not her. Part of her was sad, it had been her job her whole life to do so. She watched as Stef gave her an encouraging smile as she brings her in for a small kiss. Reminding her without words that Lena and she were the moms. This was their job. She ran her finger tips over Callie's knuckles while Lena kept whispering soothing things to Jude.
Mariana had scooted down to join Jesus and Brandon at the end of the bed the three were talking in hushed whispers about how they thought the day was going to work.
Callie watched Lena and Jude for a few moments before looking up at Stef again who was now inspecting her arm while still rubbing circles onto Callie's hand with her free hand.
For the first time in as long as she could remember Callie didn't feel like Jude's caretaker and part of that was a sad feeling, but she also didn't feel like an adult either. She had two other people looking out for her and Jude's best interest. It felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Especially after seeing the content look Jude had on his face by simply being in Lena's arms.
"Lena" Stef said after a minute "Honey, I don't like this. Look."
Lena turned slightly as Stef shifted Callie a bit to make the look easier for Lena without disturbing Jude too much.
Lena looked at Callie's arm and noticed that the red was going outside of the circle that Stef had drawn the night before. It was hot to the touch and still really puffy looking."
Lena put her fingertip to the wound and shook her head at feeling the warmth.
Stef raised her eyebrow "Should, I take her in this morning?"
"What?!" Callie exclaimed her eyes getting big. "I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon with mama! I don't need to go earlier."
"You should go Callie" Jude shook his head "It would keep you out of school longer."
Callie shook her head as she tried to take her arm away from Lena and Stef who were both looking at it closely. "No, Jude. I don't want to go to school later. I want to with mama."
Lena stopped looking at her arm and looked at Callie. "As much as I want you with me, I am not sure I can risk your health baby."
She put her hand on Callie's forehead "You're not warm."
"I feel fine" Callie stressed "Please! I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon! With you! It's scheduled. So I am going already. With you mom' She said looking to Lena "If I am feeling fine, why can't I go to school with all of you? It's important to me to go back with you."
Lena and Stef looked at each other over Callie's head having a silent conversation before blinking and nodding.
"Alright, love" Stef said seriously "You can go to school with mama today. We'll give you your medicine and clean up the wound like we normally do. However you need to check in with mama a few times today for a fever check."
Callie groaned and rolled her eyes "That's the deal, or you come with me now." She shrugged.
"Fine" She nodded "Check in with mom."
Stef nodded and patted her cheek "Good answer love bug, if you have a fever at any point either mama or myself will be whisking you away to the doctors. Got it?"
Callie nodded "I understand."
"I mean it Callie" Stef narrowed her eyes at her daughter "You're already mama grounded. You better check in with your mother. I would hate to see your life if I find out you didn't."
"Yikes" Jesus looked up at his sister "Don't mess with it. Just don't."
Callie smirked "You know from experience?"
"Uh" He ran his fingers through his hair while blushing. "Maybe?"
Lena rolled her eyes but went back to hugging Jude to her side.
"Alright, my babies, why doesn't everyone run and get dressed. Quietly. After all grandparents are still sleeping. Grab your lunch and meet us in the car in fifteen? We'll head over to Grant's diner Yes?" She said referring to a family favorite little diner that had the most amazing inexpensive breakfasts.
All the kids nodded and the boys excused themselves from the room. The girls had had brought in some clothing for the week and had them off to the side. So Callie and Mariana grabbed their clothing and slipped into Stef and Lena's bathroom giving the mother's a chance to get dressed themselves.
"When's the last time all of our kids have been up on a weekday morning before seven am?" Stef asked shaking her head?
"Does Christmas count?"
"Are you okay?" Stef asked as Lena dug through her closet trying to find something to wear. "Yeah, I am trying to find something that will cover my bullet scar bandage mess, but won't bother it, but I won't get too hot in, or too cold in."
Stef moved over and peered inside Lena's closet and pulled out a light cardigan and then she pulled out a loose tank top and a skirt.
Lena's eyes lit up "How'd you do that?"
She winked "I know what I like on you"
Lena blushed "Stef, the girls are right in the other room."
"What?" She asked raising her eyebrow "Is it wrong for them to know their mama's are attracted to each other and still in love? I think it's good for them."
Lena look the clothes from Stef and began to change pondering Stef's words as she nodded "Someday, we'll have our room back too."
"Friday night" Stef winked "Not that I am counting, Callie will be no longer mama grounded and our parents will be gone."
"Mrs. Adams Foster. I like the way you think."
Stef smiled as the bathroom door opened and two girls came out ready in record time.
"Oh babies" Stef said softly going to them and pulling them into her arms. For the girls to be ready in such a short amount of time showed they weren't putting focus into their self and how they outwardly looked to the world. Well it was more a Mariana thing, but Callie did spend time usually with her curls. Today both had their hair held back in pony tails. Jeans Mariana had a nice top on but no accessories and Callie was wearing a tee shirt and Lena's zip up hoodie she snagged the night Lena had disappeared on them. It hadn't gone unnoticed by the mom's that Lena had yet to get it back.
Callie pulled away from Stef and climbed onto their bed. "I am just going to sit here, while you do brush your teeth and hair."
"I am going to gather our stuff and grab our shoes" Mariana said staying in Stef's arms a little longer then her sister before pulling away.
"Do you want to come in with us Callie?" Lena asked "Talk to us while we brush up?"
Callie shrugged "I know, I am not supposed to be alone, but if you left the door open and I just sat here."
"You want a few minutes to yourself?" Stef asked
Callie nodded "Please?"
"Sure" Stef nodded "Sometimes I need quiet time too. Don't move from the bed."
Callie nodded "I get it."
"Don't abuse the trust"
"Stef" Lena pulled her wife's arm "She gets it, besides the door is open and we aren't spending a lot of time getting ready."
Stef had chosen to just wear normal clothes to breakfast and when she dropped the kids off. She didn't want to intimidate anyone while walking her family on to campus. She would come home and change for work. Thankfully the station was letting her work a few short hours that day to ease back in, and to be there for her family. She knew this would be an important day in the life of their family and nothing would stop her from being there.
The Fosters
FB
"Are you sure?" Lena asked as she grabbed Mariana in mid run and swung her up onto her hip hugging her close. It was nice that she was petite. Easy to love on.
"Love, I am sure" Stef said as she snapped the Spider Man lunch box shut. "This is something, I want to be a tradition, I've talked to my work and it's okay. Besides Mari want's be there right baby?"
Mariana nodded with her big smile as she played with Lena's curls.
"It's one morning a year."
Lena nodded "Brandon, Jesus lets go. We're walking to school." She called up the stairs
"I'll pick you up as soon as the bell rings" Stef promised "And if you're not ready, I'll get the kids and take them to first day of school of ice-cream and come back and get you."
Lena watched as Stef slipped the Belle lunch box into the pink princess backpack and nodded "That sounds good."
She kissed Mariana's cheek before sliding her to the ground "Grab your backpack baby girl"
"I just don't want you to get into trouble at work" Lena held up her hands "That's all."
"Work. Is work" Stef shook her head "And it already has me out late some nights. My family needs to come first and the first day of school is important. I want to walk you guys there and I want to pick you up." She smiled "I want to meet my children's teachers. I want to see their desks. I want to say goodbye to you in your office" She smirked "I want this to be a family tradition."
"What if they get to high school and don't want their mommy to take them?" Lena asked "Are you prepared for that?"
"Hey, I pay their allowance. They'll always let me take them to the first day of school." She looked at Mariana who had slipped her bag on and nodded with a giggle.
"Cool" Brandon yelled grabbing his new bag and throwing it on "Mom's walking us to school! She always takes me on my first day."
Jesus looked up at Stef curious before putting his bag on before slipping his hand into hers "I want to hold your hand mommy."
Stef squeezed it while she looked at Lena "He may not always want to do that, but this is the reason I want to" She whispered "For these memories" She then lean down and kissed Jesus on the top of the head "This mommy is so thankful you're holding her hand."
Jesus's eyes lit up. "Mommy, I am always going to want to hold your hand."
Stef winked at him "Remember that young man, remember that for me."