ALTERNATE ENDING 1, CHAPTER 14
Stef stopped by her Mom's and picked up some things for her and Brandon. She took inventory of their room and decided that as long as she could get some help, she wasn't going to need a moving van or anything. When she had left Mike, she took all of Brandon's things and only the things that were most important to her. It really hadn't added up to much. Maybe 2 car trips should do it.
Brandon's toddler bed would stay or maybe it was even time to get rid of it completely. Lena had the extra rooms set up as the nursery and a guest room. She figured they'd talk tonight about the logistics of where everyone was going to go.
She got to the house and Callie was curled up asleep with Lena on the sofa. She gave them each a kiss and asked, "Where's Brandon?"
"He's out back. He's been in and out but I think Callie may not be feeling well. She's been glued to me all day." Lena stroked Callie's hair and she began to open her eyes slowly. "She's not feverish. I think she just needs some Mama time."
"I'll go run and check on Brandon." Stef left them to having a little girl time then went out towards the kitchen. "Hi Mom. Smells good."
"Of course it's good. I made it."
"Yeah, well, I still have nightmares of frozen peas and TV dinners." Stef gagged.
Sharon snapped a towel at her, "If I even thought of trying to make you eat wholesome nutritious meals, you'd throw a fit. B's out back. Be gone with you."
Stef threw open the back door, "Hey little man. How's it going?"
Brandon ran up to her excitedly. She loved those first hellos after time apart. Seeing that joy on his face when he caught sight of her after being away for a while made her heart swell. She scooped him up and held him close to her.
"I'm okay but, I think Callie isn't. She's just been sleeping all day."
"Well, I think she might be a little under the weather. Why don't we go and see if we can make her and Lena feel better?"
Brandon smiled and nodded and they headed in.
Dinner was more animated. Callie tried sitting on Lena's lap and started to throw a tantrum when she couldn't fit. Stef offered to hold her but, Callie was having none of that. She began sobbing and howling and Brandon looked a little scared. Lena took her back into the living room to calm her.
After dinner, Stef sent Brandon into the living room with Lena and Callie. He looked at her for a minute unsure of how that was going to work out but, he turned and walked slowly there anyway.
"I have no idea what to do right now." Stef nodded toward the living room.
"You're doing all you can honey. Just keep talking to her and eventually she'll come around. She's only just turned 4. Her life has completely turned itself upside down. You just have to be patient."
Stef blew a big breath out. "I hope you're right."
Stef warmed up Callie's and Lena's dinner plates and took them in to them. Callie was laid out on Lena's lap, or what there was of a lap, and Brandon was telling Lena some elaborate tale that he had forgotten to tell about the zoo yesterday.
Lena took her plate gratefully and began eating quickly. Stef felt bad. She must've been hungry. She finished the plate pretty quickly.
"Well, I'm off. I'll see you all tomorrow." Sharon kissed everyone and left.
Callie was just beginning to stir again so Stef thought it was a good time to take Brandon off for his bath. She reheated Callie's food and brought it out to her. Callie turned her head away and Lena took the plate from her and began feeding her. Stef sighed but let it pass.
She would come back later for Callie's bath. Hot baths and full bellies were age old tricks to getting the kids to relax. They still needed to talk about the move tomorrow with the kids and hopefully after another nap, dinner, and a bath, Callie would be in a receptive mood. Or so she hoped.
After Brandon's bath, she took him back downstairs after getting him in his pjs. Callie and Lena were speaking in rapid French again. As they got downstairs, Stef realized they were Skyping with Gretchen. She whispered to Brandon to be quiet because they were talking to Callie's Mommy. She took him around the house with her to lock up. She then grabbed Callie's half eaten plate and cleaned up any residual messes. She went ahead and turned on the alarm since she didn't foresee them leaving nor anyone coming over at this time of night.
Thankfully, the conversation had finally ended and Callie was trying to curl into her Mama as much as was possible in Lena's advanced state of pregnancy.
"So, Callie, if we go and get your bath done then, you can pick out a movie and watch since it's still kinda early," Stef held her hand out to the little girl.
Callie looked at her blankly and unmoving. "Come on Cals, let's hurry and get it over with. Mama and I have some good news to share with you two."
Lena waved her hand away when she still refused to budge. She turned Callie around to face her. "For this once, we will let this slide. But, you are to do what you're asked when Stef asks you to. You are to give her all of the same respect that you give me and Mommy. You can skip your bath tonight but, you will need to get your pajamas on and then Stef and I have something important to talk about with you two. Now, go upstairs with Stef and get your pjs on and tomorrow morning, she will give you a bath."
Callie looked like she wanted to object but followed meekly anyway. Stef smiled at least glad they had gotten this far without a breakdown. Baby steps, baby steps, she kept repeating to herself in her head. I'm a tough cop.I will not let myself be defeated by a 4 year old.
Stef went through the drawers. "So, Callie, what pjs do you want to wear tonight?"
Callie grabbed a Frozen nightgown that was under her pillow and began throwing her clothes and shoes off in different directions, that seemed mainly aimed directly at Stef. She got dressed and hopped down from the top bunk. She then ran downstairs back to her Mama. Stef took a huge breath and let it out slowly before following.
Callie was once again trying to get into Lena's lap when Stef got downstairs. She could barely manage to get one leg to balance over Lena's before Lena's belly caused her to run out of lap. Stef grabbed Brandon who was sitting beside Lena and put him onto her lap and snuggled close to Lena's side smiling at Callie. Callie switched sides and again tried her balancing act of trying to stay on what was left of Lena's lap.
Stef and Lena looked at one another and Stef nodded in Lena's direction to tell her that she should begin.
"Well, the first part of the news I think you two have already guessed. You've noticed Brandon and Stef over every night right?" When Brandon nodded and Callie gave no response, Lena continued, "Well, tomorrow, Stef and Brandon are going to move in here all the time!" she tried to put an upbeat spin on the last part but her chewing on her lower lip and looking at Callie intently gave away her nervousness of how this was going to be received. Stef and Brandon were also watching Callie to see what her reaction was going to be.
Callie started breathing hard and looked like she was going to bolt so Lena wrapped her arms around her as best she could. "This is going to be great. Stef is going to sleep with Mama in her room. And you and your best friend, Brandon are going to share your room."
The sharing room part was news to Stef, "They are?"
"They barely want to sleep in their room together as it is. I think giving Brandon his own room can wait for a bit longer."
Stef shrugged. Lena was right. Brandon hadn't been in a room alone in years and had no memory of it. As long as they weren't going to have to wrestle with the kids in their bed every night, they could hold off on setting up separate rooms.
Brandon decided to try and reach out to Callie. "It's going to be fun Callie. My Mommy is a good Mommy and you're going to love her. And I love Lena and Lena loves me. So now we both have two Mommies."
"That's not good news. And your Mommy is not my Mommy. My mommies are my mommies not yours. I have two Mommies already. I don't need three." Callie started crying and tried to buck off of Lena's lap but Lena held her tight.
"Callie Q, that's not how we talk to people around here. And I've already told you, you will give Stef and Brandon the same respect that you expect them to give you. They're new in this family. And we are going to be a family. Stef isn't replacing your Mommy. She could never do that. She's just someone else who loves you for you to love also. And you and Brandon are best friends and now you're going to be brother and sister." Callie cried harder and Lena held her tighter. "Oh, baby, you're making this harder on yourself than it needs to be. This really is going to be a good thing. You've always liked Brandon and Stef. Now, they'll be around to help and love you just as much as Mommy or I do."
"You said we only needed each other Mama. You said I was your heart that you couldn't live without."
"Baby, you're still my heart that I can't live without. And when you have more love, you heart just gets bigger. I love Stef and I love Brandon and I will always love you. I need all of you to make my heart work. If I don't have all of you, then my heart will be broken." Lena held, kissed and rocked her while Callie wailed on.
Stef reached over and began rubbing her back. Then, Brandon leaned over and hugged her. At first, Callie stiffened then, she began to quiet down.
"Do you think you and Brandon can sleep in your room tonight?" Lena asked hopefully.
Callie shook her head and Lena said, "I figured. Come on. You have to get up early so Stef can give you your bath in the morning." She led Callie upstairs with Brandon and Stef following behind them.
Stef and Lena got ready for bed and climbed in beside the kids who were already in the middle. Lena kissed Callie, then Brandon, then Stef. Then Stef leaned over and kissed Brandon, then Callie, then Lena. Callie turned her back on Brandon and Stef and wrapped her arms around her Mama. Stef let out a deep breath before closing her eyes and falling asleep.