AN- I can't say thank you enough, for all the support I receive when I write. It means the world to me.
Had this rolling around in my head and managed to get it down, and while I had the chance. Now I am off to work on OSH, hopefully that will be up by Friday. :) Enjoy!
Lena came out of the bathroom towel trying her hair. While sporting her favorite robe. "I know we haven't been on the road that long Callie, but I have to say that shower was luxurious. You'll have…" She paused when she saw spotted the girl curled up on her side of the bed, sound asleep. Her phone in her hand, and the pizza box with the last few pieces they hadn't managed to eat, by her feet.
Lena smiled to herself as she moved to Callie's side of the bed. She moved the pizza box over to a small counter, before going back and carefully prying the phone from the teen's hand. She spotted the charger already to go by the bed, so she quickly plugged it in.
"You can shower in the morning" She whispered to Callie. "Sleep well, sweetheart." She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her hairline, before tucking the blankets around her.
After that she quietly got ready for bed, and slid into her side. She was just about to plug her phone in, when the screen lit up. She smiled at seeing the caller id, and swiped it quickly so it wouldn't wake her daughter.
"Hi, honey!" She greeted softly as her smile grew at hearing Stef's voice on the other end.
"Hello, my love. I miss you already."
"I miss you too" Lena nodded as she tucked herself into the bed, adjusting her pillows behind her. "But I have to say, I have this really cute brunet asleep beside me. She's rather lovely, if I do say so myself." She said softly.
"Uh, cute as a button? Big brown eyes? Sweet as can be?"
"Yep."
"I know of, who you're talking about it. Seems like you're one lucky woman. Though I think you should know, I too have a beautiful brunet next to me. Also asleep."
Lena's eyes got wide for a moment. "You do huh? Petite little thing? With a smile so big and bright, she can light up the darkest of dark rooms?"
"That's the one."
"Seems like you're a lucky woman tonight too" She smiled "What's up with Miss Thing? Why'd she crawl into bed with you?" Lena asked as she shifted to get more comfortable. "She's not sick is she? I'd feel so terrible leaving you alone, with a sick Mariana."
"Relax love, even if she was sick, which she's not. I could handle it" Stef promised. "We'd be okay. We are okay. Mariana was just feeling a little bummed, and lonely with everyone gone. I invited her in, and she crashed shortly after."
"Why is she bummed?" Lena asked "Is she missing everyone already? I am sure she's excited about seeing Lexie?"
"Change in plans, left her bummed. She found out after you left that Lexie can't come. She's bummed she's not seeing Lexie, and she's bummed she didn't find out in time, or she could have gone with you and Callie."
"Poor, baby" Lena said softly "I wish she'd found out sooner too, I would have loved to have her with us. She must be so disappointed."
"She'll be okay" Stef promised "Tomorrow, I am taking her to work with me, and I am going to see if I can juggle my schedule just a little, and get off a day or two early. I plan on doing what I can to make up her disappointment."
"Oh, Stef. Honey that's great! You're the best mom in the whole world!"
"That role, was already filled, by my lovely wife. She's the best mother in the world. How's your trip going so far? Are you two bonding, and having lots of fun?"
Lena looked over at the girl and nodded "We're having a good time, we just had the best pizza in the entire world. She's enjoyed the drive so far. She is just memorized by the scenery. She's pretty quiet, but in typical Callie fashion. I think this trip is going to be great."
"Love, that makes me so happy, but I miss you both so much!"
"I miss everyone too. I hope you and Miss. Thing have fun. I am glad you two get this chance to just spend time with each other. When is the last time you've spent one on one time with her?"
There was a long pause on the other. "God, Lena I don't even know. I know I see her every day, talk to her every day, but I can't tell you the last time it was just her and I."
"Well, I am glad you girls get this chance" Lena nodded "And I am glad that Cal, and I get ours. It'll be good for all of us. I can't wait to see you two though."
"Me too love, me too. I should let you get some sleep, you guys have a big day of traveling. Call me when you get to the summer home?"
"Of course, be careful tomorrow while you have Mariana with you at work. Have fun too. Give her several kisses from me."
"Done, be sure to do the same for my other baby. Love you, my love. See you soon."
"Goodnight Stef, I love you too" Lena had no sooner ended her call when Callie began moving, and shifting.
She leaned over and placed her hand firmly on the girls back. "Shhh, it's okay honey. I am here." She watched in amazement as Callie let out a soft sigh and became peacefully still again. With her pointer finger rested comfortably on the bridge of her nose.
She watched her for a few more seconds to make sure she was truly settled, once satisfied the teen was good, she turned off the lamp and slid down herself.
"Donuts and coffee for breakfast?" Mariana asked picking a sprinkle off her doughnut as she sat in front of Stef and a cute little donut shop. "I don't know, isn't that a little cliché?"
"Hey, I got my coffee and doughnut for free, I don't know what you're complaining about little miss." Stef smirked as she bit into her maple bacon bar. "To think I let your brother eat this yesterday, I really must be the world's best mom."
"What do you think mama, would say if she knew we were having donuts for breakfast two days in a row?" Mariana asked as she turned her attention to her hot chocolate with a mountain pile of whip cream on top.
Stef moved in quickly and put her finger in the whipped cream before her daughter had a chance to lick it, before she tapped the girl on the nose successfully leaving whip cream on her nose. "Mama, would probably tell you to make sure you eat your banana. Besides, I don't go out for coffee and donuts every day, I thought this would be a fun treat."
Mariana let out an annoyed grunt as she wiped the whipped cream off her nose, before she let out a small giggle. "Thanks mom. It is kind of fun" She admitted as she finally got a lick of the whipped cream. "So, good."
Stef winked at her and took a sip of her coffee. "Jude's at camp, having fun. Brandon is with his dad, having fun. Callie is with mama having fun, Jesus is with his wrestling buds having fun… And now you can say you're with me…"
"Having fun!" Mariana filled in. "I am so excited you're letting me come to work with you. Can you handcuff me and let me sit in the back of the cop car! That would make such an awesome picture. It would get people talking."
"Absolutely not" Stef shook her head "Forget about it, and that's not the kind of talk, you want people to be talking about you."
"Relax mom, I was kidding" Mariana held up her hands "Mostly, I mean it would make me look bad ass."
"Mariana!" Stef warned "Language, and I don't think getting arrested makes you look bad ass, it makes you look like you've made some poor life choices. You my smart girl are way better than that. Like mama says to you, don't play small baby, but don't play stupid either."
Mariana sighed "Mom, I know. Can we skip the lecture?"
"Someday, I hope you see yourself the way, mama and I do. Beautiful, talented, smart and with a personality that is larger than this life. You don't need theatrics to convince others of that. You just need to be you. You're going places in life kid. Jail just isn't one of them."
Mariana's smile grew "You're not just saying that, because you are my mom are you?"
"I'd never lie to you, baby. You're one of a kind my love" Stef promised "And going far in life. Now hurry up and eat your breakfast, of I am going to be late for work!" Stef winked as she chased the last of her own doughnut down with coffee.
"I hope we get to go on a high-speed chase today" Mariana smiled as she began to finish her own breakfast.
"Doubtful, those don't happen that much. Media makes things seem like an everyday occurrence. My love the most exciting thing you will probably see today is a speeding ticket, and the paper work that follows." Stef tossed a napkin into the garbage while she waited for Mariana to gather up her things. "However, I do promise to take you to lunch! I am also going to see if I can skip out a little early, and we can spend the rest of the afternoon watching movies, while I do paperwork."
"Well at least, I am not sitting around the house by myself" Mariana shrugged "But I still think it would be cool, if we got to go on a high speed chase."
Stef rolled her eyes, like she'd ever let her daughter be involved in something that dangerous, she'd drop the girl off somewhere before that ever happened. But letting the girl think that it could happen, wouldn't hurt anyone.
"Morning" Callie smiled sweetly to Lena as she came out of the bathroom. "Did I wake you, when I got up? I know you wanted an early start, but you looked so peaceful… I was really trying to not wake you."
"Good morning, honey" Lena smiled as she stretched. "You didn't wake me at all. Remember I am used to sharing my bed, and room with someone."
"Oh" Callie nodded "True, and mom snores"
Lena out a chuckle "Yes, sometimes she does, I've gotten used to that too. Is that shower amazing, or what?"
Callie sighed a happy sigh "Oh, it was wonderful. I can't remember the last time I had a hot shower that long, and no Mariana banging on the door, reminding of our time limit."
"Another vacation plus" Lena admitted "What do you say, we get ready, pack up the car and hit the road, can you make it about forty minutes until breakfast? There are some great diners next down over."
Callie nodded as she sat on the end of the bed, and began to brush out her hair. "My hair dryer is in my other bag. I don't want to go out there and get it" She groaned slightly.
"I could braid it" Lena offered "A nice tight, French into a fishtail braid, it'll be out of your face, out of the way, can dry naturally. Tonight when we go to dinner, the curls will be gorgeous"
Callie rubbed the bridge of her nose as she looked at Lena. "Yes, please" She said almost timidly.
Lena patted the bed, and had Callie move in front of her. She took the brush and began to gently brush out knots.
Callie let out a content little sigh. "When I was little, one of my favorite things to do, was have my mom brush my hair. Or run her fingers through it. I couldn't get enough of it."
"Mariana, loves it too" Lena smiled "When she came to live with us, she wouldn't talk. She wouldn't let us hold her, there wasn't much she'd let us do for her. Poor Jesus had to help her with almost everything. He drew the line at her hair. Mainly because he got the brush stuck in it at one point and it had to be cut out. I convinced her, that her hair had to be done, or we'd have to cut it. So she begrudgingly let me brush it. So I brushed it every morning and every night. She was so quiet and still. Didn't say a word or flinch. I honestly wasn't sure she liked it" Lena smiled at the memory.
"I'd work my fingers through her dark hair, and massage her scalp, like this" She said as she began to massage Callie's getting Callie to let out another content sigh.
"A few weeks after I started brushing her hair mornings and nights, she still wasn't talking to us really, or letting us hold her, but when she was upset she'd grab her pink princess brush and seek either mom or I out. Hand us her brush and allow us to brush her hair. It calmed her down, and built her trust" Lena's fingers worked her way through Callie's dark locks. "So we learned it was a good way to soothe her. To this day, if she's really upset, all I need to is play with her hair" Lena watched Callie practically melt under "Now it looks like I know I have two girls, who love it" She smiled as she bent down and placed a kiss on the top of Callie's head, before snapping a rubber band to the end of the braid she'd just made. "And for the record, I love playing with your guy's hair. With my curls I don't get to have as many fun braids, it is fun to try them out."
"Noted" Callie smiled as she stood up running a hand over her braid. "Wow, mom this braid is awesome! Thank you!" She ran to the mirror to get the full effect "Seriously, I haven't had a braid in my hair like this, since before my mom died"
Lena saw Callie's lip tremble slightly as she thought about it. "I can teach you how to do that braid, and someday you'll be able to do your little girls hair."
Callie sighed "If I ever become one, I don't think, I'd make a very good one, at all!"
"Callie, don't over think it now, you're only seventeen. Just don't allow yourself to not dream or wonder." She said softly "You don't have to know either way right now."
"Did you always want to be a mom?" Callie asked as she pulled her socks out of her bag and sat down to put them on "Especially a mom to five, I mean six" She added "Because you're always going to be Frankie's mom too."
Lena gathered her things from her own bag so she could get dressed. "I had many different dreams, and yes I did dream about being a mom, even though it terrified me."
"It terrified you?" Callie's eyebrow shot up in surprise. "Why?"
Lena focused on changing out of her pjs, "The idea of being a mom is scary, Callie. Even as I dreamed about it as teenager, I wondered if I'd be a good one. I wondered if I could really do it. I dreamed a lot about it." She admitted
"You kids are nothing like what I dreamed, you're all so much more then I could ever dream about. I never knew my heart could truly love six different hearts so intently. Being a mom was nothing like what I dreamed it like, and I am so glad. It is so much better. I love being your mom, more than the air I breathe. My prayer for you kids, is that someday, you all get to experience the love of being a parent."
"So you want to be a grandma?" She asked with a smirk.
"Yes! But not at any time soon" She warned with a wink. "I am much too young to be a grandma" She slipped on her shoes "Alright missy, I am starving and am in desperate need for coffee, so let's get this show on the road. "I can't wait to see what kind of adventures we have today. You just let me know at what catches your eye, and we'll stop."
Callie nodded eagerly "I am going to make a photo journal, can we stop at different scenic places and get pictures?"
"Absolutely, the day is young and all ours. Let's go explore! Then tonight, we'll get to my parents place. Get ready for a nice dinner out, and before bed tonight we will soak in the hot tub and watch the stars."
Callie's eyes lit up. "Oh my gosh. Yes!" She practically hopped up and down in excitement.
Lena thought for sure her heart was going to explode with pure joy. It was so nice to see Callie carefree, happy. Not worried about what the world was going to throw at her next. In this moment she was just a carefree kid on a road trip with her mother. For a brief moment in time, she felt like she was safe. To Lena this meant the world.