AN: Thank you for being patient with me as I write up the chapters. I too want to enjoy Summer while it lasts. And than you Brian1972 for the suggestion.
Amy POV
"That's all for math," said Callie's school Vice Principal, Mrs. Irwin, who was informing me about the work Callie will have to do at home, because of her suspension
"For English," she turned to the next spreadsheet "This week Mr. Smith, will finish with the 'To kill a mockingjay'. Callie needs to write a book report for it and essay about racism in the book that the kids will have to write this week at class," she reached for a note that stood on the corner of her desk
"Here is the theme and few pointers written by the teacher," Mrs. Irwin handed me the note. I took it, looked over the text and then added it to the pile of other notes the VP had given me from the other teachers.
Mrs. Irwin looked at the spreadsheet again "The last thing," she searched for the note the teacher had left "Note from Mrs. Hewit, biology teacher. The class will write a test on Thursday. Callie needs to study at home these pages and prepare to write the test on Monday, when she returns."
"Got it," I added the note on top of the pile I was holding "Anything else?" I asked believing this was the last of the subjects
She looked over the papers on her desk before she replied "No. That's all,"
"Okay. Thank you," I gathered the notes neatly in a pile and put them into a folder for safe keeping so that not a single note is lost
As I was leaving the office, my phone rang. Mrs. Irwin and I quickly said goodbye. Once I was out of the office, quickly I reached for my phone, while it was still ringing.
"Hello?" If my parents weren't visiting, I would have answered more specially greeting Callie, but because I had no clue, who was calling, I had to go with more general pick up line
"Amy?" Callie sounded worried
"What is is honey?" I asked as I started to walk down the hallway, heading towards my car
"Carl Peterson is here," she informed me "He said Mrs. Witter informed him about my suspension and mentioned that he will inform Sydney Fields as well."
"Did he say anything to you?" I asked worriedly
"No. Your parents are talking to him right now. Your mom made him tea. They are all sitting in the living room, talking. I'm not sure about what. I think you should come home. He said he wanted to talk to you!"
"Okay. Uh...I'm leaving your school right now. I will be home as soon as possible,"
Once I ended the call, I increased up my pace, wanting to get home as fast as possible. I did not like having Carl Peterson in my home. He's Callie's probation officer and has the power to take Callie out of my home and put her back to Juvie. So, yeah, he made me nervous. Not sure, who I feared more - Sydney Fields or Carl Peterson.
~o~o~o~
"I'm here!" I announced as I barged into the house. All four of them turned to look at me. Carl Peterson slowly lowered his cup down and placed it on the corner of the coffee table. He was sat on the living room couch, next to my mom. Dad and Callie sat on the armchairs, facing the couch.
"I'm sorry that I made you wait. I was in school getting Callie's homework," I informed Mr. Peterson and held the folder up briefly
"Don't worry about that. Your family kept me company," Carl said as he picked out a file from his briefcase that stood on the ground, by the end of the couch. He looked at my parents and Callie, without saying anything giving them a sign that she would like to talk to me alone.
"Where are the groceries, Aims?" my dad asked as he stood up
"Oh, uh...left them in the car!"
"I will go get them. Linda and I will start on dinner, so you and Mr. Peterson can talk," Dad told me as he was leaving, I handed him the keys as he passed me. My mom stood up and took the empty cups – hers, dads and Callie's.
"Callie, take this to your room please," I handed Callie the folder that contained all of her homework for this week
"Okay," Callie replied taking the folder from me
"Callie, dear, get those papers up to your room and then come down and help me and Harold make dinner," Callie nodded back to Linda as everyone left the living room.
"So..." I said awkwardly after I watched my family walk away
"I'm sure you know, what I want to talk about," Callie's PO said as he clicked his pen on
"The suspension,"
Carl nodded back. He opened a file and turned few pages "Callie's is still on her probation. It ends..." he dragged her finger over the page looking for the information
"November 28th," I told him, knowing the date
Carl put his finger to the paper "Yes," he confirmed and looked up to me "Are you informed...aware of her probation rules?"
"Yes. She can't wander the city after 9PM alone. No communication with another person, who is under probation or parole, is allowed. The possession or use of alcohol or drugs is prohibited. Also, Callie has to obey all law - no stealing, vandalism, tagging, assault etc. Is she breaks either one of the laws, she can put back in Juvenile Detention," I counted off the rules effortlessly
Callie's PO looked stunned for a moment "I forgot you were a police officer," he said with a small chuckle, but then got serious again "And not only that, but Callie's arresting officer. I do believe you forgot one. Which, in our case, is why I spoke to Callie's PO and why I'm here right now."
I exhaled before I recalled the last law with a heavy heart "Callie has to attend school regularly and obey all school regulations. Suspension and expulsion from school is a violation of this rule."
Carl placed his hands on the file as we looked at one another. I do believe he noticed, how scared I was. What scared me the most right now was that he wasn't saying anything. I gulped heavily.
"Look, I know it looks bad," I admitted shifting my seat a bit and then started to explain "But Callie was provoked. She is being bullied by these three boys ever since she started to go to the school. Callie wasn't looking for trouble. She was at her locker, getting her books, when her bullies came over and snatched her phone out of her hand. Callie asked them multiple times to give it back, but they didn't listen to her."
I scooted closer to the edge and leaned a bit closer to Carl "Callie is not aggressive-" I was cut short
"The school record of her breaking the boys nose says otherwise, Mrs. Scott!" Carl stated back, briefly glancing down to the file
"You didn't let me finish!" I said a bit annoyed "She was only reacting in self defense. Callie felt uncomfortable. One of the bully, gripped her hand, not letting her go," I demonstrated on my own hands, gripping my left with my right "She still has a bruise on her wrist!"
By the looks, Carl wasn't aware of the last fact. He even looked concerned for a moment there. Callie's PO glanced down to the file and I saw how he searched for the fact in the paper.
"They wanted her to admit to stealing, which she didn't do, because it was her phone. I still have the check, if you don't believe me! Callie felt threatened. She asked him to let her go, but he didn't. Callie reacted in self-defense, when she hit him. She thought she was in danger, that he will hurt her!"
I looked over my shoulder to the hallway to see and listen if anyone was coming. When I was sure no one was coming, I looked back to Car and said in a hushed voice "You have her file. Are you aware of the trail that took place few weeks ago?"
He turned few pages "Trail against Liam Olmstead," Carl looked up to me "Judge ruled - not guilty," he read in hushed voice knowing how sensitive the data was
"The last time she was aggressive, was shortly before she was arrested, back when she was living with the Olmsteads. Liam was coming on to her. Her trauma from 2 weeks before the incident-" I gestured to the file where a conclusion of the trail was written "-made Callie feel threatened, so she acted out in self-defense. Just like on Friday. When Callie feels like her life is in danger, when she's cornered, uncomfortable and scared – she has a right to defend herself! We all do!"
"Her life in school wasn't in danger-" Callie's PO tried to point out
"To her, it was! Callie is still traumatized from what happened with Liam! Try to imagine yourself in her shoes," I argued back defending Callie "Knowing all that she has been through. She's a kid, who has been through hell and back!" I played to her human emotions, she has to have a heart as well "If you take her out of her home, the only place she feels safe in – Callie will never heal, she will never get better, she will never grow into the person she could be!"
"You have to give Callie a second chance!" I started off my little speech to Carl "She hasn't missed school. Her grades are improving. She plays guitar and she's damn good at it. Callie placed 8th in original songs playing and singing songs she wrote herself in the music school competition leaving behind kids that are older and have been playing music instruments for longer than she has. She's just starting to get to know her grandparents, her extended family," I gestured with my right towards the kitchen that was on the other side of the wall
"Callie is seeing a psychologist that helps her come to terms and deal...with everything that life has thrown her way. She apologized to the boy, whose nose she broke, and his mother for the incident. If you want or don't believe me, you can call and ask her yourself!" I paused briefly as I pulled out my phone and looked up the mothers number.
Mr. Peterson looked at the number for a while "I will do that" he scribbled the number down in her notes
I clenched my hands together as I continued "I talked to Callie about the incident and we discussed, what she did wrong, how she should have acted differently. She understands that violence doesn't solve anything," I paused as I breathed a bit more heavier because of my emotional speech "One mistake – one incident – can't be the reason she looses everything she worked so hard for!"
Carl raised his right hand up slowly, gesturing for me to stop my little speech. I gulped again, holding my breath.
Callie POV
It has now been almost hour, since Amy and Carl both sat down for a chat. The duration of that chat scared me more and more every minute that went pass. Whenever Sydney Fields was here, Amy and Sydney never spoke that long. Things must be serious.
I heard them speak, but the voices were to indistinct for me to understand what was said. Besides, Linda and Harold chatted with me and put me to some work, to keep me occupied and to keep my thoughts away from what was going on right now.
Not that the work helped.
Linda put me in charge of cutting tomatoes for the salad, while they were both making the rest of the food for the dinner. All I could think about was the 2 by 3 gray and cold jail cell I already spent 3 months in. I don't think I could survive another 3, possibly even more, months in there. Just thinking about it - cold cell, the horrible food, the 5 minute shower, the loneliness, constantly looking over my shoulder scared that some other inmate will want to hurt me – made me want to cry. To add to that, knowing that I would only see and talk to Amy the best case scenario once a day for 10 minutes, made it all 10 times worse.
When I felt the knife being taken out of my hand, I zoned back to reality and looked up front. Both, Harold and Linda were sitting in front of me, on the other side of the table.
"I don't think it was smart of us to give you this sharp object," Harold said with a small chuckle as he held the knife up he had just taken out of my hand
Linda pushed the cutting board with the tomato aside. Looking at it now, I noticed that I had only touched one tomato and it was cut so many times, no tomato pieces were seen. I must have really zoned out and the cutting motion was kind of automatic. Luckily , I hadn't cut in my finger in the process of destroying that one poor tomato.
Linda placed her hand over mine. Once she did I whispered out to them letting them in on my worst fears "I don't want to go back!"
"Back where?" Linda asked softly
"I broke one of my probation rule. They will send me back to Juvie," I shook my head as I fought the tears in my eyes "I don't want to go back. I love it here. I want to stay here...with Amy," I admitted, which was very unlike me
"Oh, sweetie..." Linda sighed sadly as she rubbed my hand trying to sooth me. Harold looked at me sympathetically, like he was feeling for me.
I heard footsteps coming from the hallway and then "Callie!" Amy called me. When I looked over my shoulder, Amy extended her arm, waiting for me to come up to her.
I glanced back to Amy's parents briefly. Linda patted my hand gently, while Harold smiled at me sadly. With my head down, I got off of the chair and walked towards Amy. She wrapped her arm around my shoulder and we walked, side by side, to the living room.
My PO was sitting on the couch, his file in front of me, waiting for me. His phone was right there, on her lap, almost like he had been using it minute ago to call someone. Maybe he did.
"Sit down," Amy whispered to me as she nodded to one of the armchairs. I obliged and sat down. Knees pressed together. Hands under my legs. I was chewing the left side of my lower lip. My head was tilted slightly down, but I could still look up to Carl.
Carl smiled at me, trying to get me to feel more comfortable, but I didn't. Amy remained standing up.
"Should I-?" Amy asked pointing over her shoulder
"Yes, please. I would like to talk to Callie alone for 5 minutes," He replied looking up at Amy
Amy just nodded back and, just like her dad, smiled at me sadly, before she left the room, leaving me alone with her.
Once Amy was out of the room, Carl started off "I want to talk you about the incident at school, which took place last Friday,"
I ended up retelling my side of the story to him. He asked me a lot of side questions, like, what I was feeling at the moment or what was I thinking at that time, what was going through my mind etc. Carl also asked me few questions about Christian, about him bullying me. He scribbled down something in her notes almost every time I spoke, which got me anxious and nervous as I once again feared that I might say something wrong. After that he asked me about if Amy had spoken to me about it and then some following questions about the talk we had had.
"One last question," Carl said placing his pen on top of the notes. I held my breath as I waited for it. My heart was beating was in chest.
"Can you roll up your sleeve, please?" she asked softly. My mouth parted a little and I looked down to my hands that were in my lap now.
Warily and with some hesitation I pulled up the sleeve, revealing the bruise that was starting to slowly fade away. It was starting to change color. Carl leaned a bit closer to have a better look at it.
"Christian gripped your hand?" He questioned looking me straight to my eyes
"Yes," I confirmed. It felt like he was trying to get in my head, trying to tell if could be lying. Thankfully I wasn't. I don't think I could lie to him. He was very intimidating and I had the feeling he could see through my lies easily.
"Thank you," Carl said as he leaned back at the couch "You can pull your sleeve down now," I guess he believed me
As he was writing something down in the notes, he asked me "Can you go and get Amy please?"
"Okay," I mumbled back and walked to the kitchen to call Amy back.
Once Amy and I were both in the living room, Carl cut right to the chase "Callie, you broke your probation. You both know, what the consequences of that is!" he stated looking dead serious. During the one second pause my PO took, Amy gripped my hand in hers from, where she sat in the other armchair, but I felt tears whelm up in my eyes. If I didn't regret, what I did before, I do now. Dammit, I regret it so much! I was already preparing myself for the worse. Trying to put a strong front.
"But!" Carl said the next second, making me look back up to him as I had averted my eyes down in defeat before
"Looking at all of the circumstances, everything that happened that lead to you hitting the boy, the progress that you have made, while living here with Amy – I'm giving you a warning instead!" At those news, I felt huge relief. I looked to Amy with a big and wide smile on my lips. Amy looked just as relieved and happy as I did.
"This time only!" he pointed out pulling us both back to reality "If something like this happen again, Callie, you will be taken out of this home and will go back to Juvie. There will be no second chance, no second warning. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir!" I answered without hesitation, barely able to contain my happiness and excitement
"We understand! Thank you so much!" Amy added in a non-nonsense tone with a serous look in her eyes
"I do have one condition!"
"Anything!" Amy replied instantly
"Callie will have to attend 10 anger management classes," he added reaching into her briefcase. Carl handed a booklet to Amy. Amy let go of my hand and took the booklet, giving it a quick look over "All the information you need about the classes can be found there. Address, contact numbers, names and everything else," he quickly explained to Amy, who was nodding her head back as she listened
"I will have the teacher mark your attendance and how you are participating. If you miss one class, without giving a reasonable excuse, you will go back to Juvenile Detention. Is that clear?" my PO said and waited for my response
"Yes. I understand!" I confirmed
"Good!" Carl smiled at us "My next visit will be after Callie has finished her anger management classes," he said as he started to pack his stuff. Amy walked hm out, I simply leaned back in the armchair still surprised, how I got so lucky this time. I was still stunned.
"Pheeew," Amy walked back in the living room a minute later. I jumped up the armchair and ran into Amy's hand, taking her by surprise for a moment. She recuperated the next moment and embraced me.
"Don't punch anyone else, got it!?" Amy said, when she pulled out of the embrace and placed her hand on my cheeks and looked me straight in the eyes
"Got it!" I replied pressing my head back to her shoulder, Amy wrapped her hands around me keeping me close. I felt her kiss my head.
"Well!?" Linda and Harold both came in the living room
"We are good!" Amy informed my parents as we both pulled out of the hug, but still held on to each other with one hand "Callie's staying!"
Linda let out a relieved breath "That's amazing!"
"This calls for a group hug!" Harold announced, before he and Linda both came over and joined in on the hug.
Amy POV
May 13th
It was Monday and Callie's suspension was over. Today my parents were flying home as well, so it was going to be quite a busy day. Their flight was at 11:45PM. The day started earlier than normally. It was before 7, when I drove to the hotel to pick my parents up and drove them back to the house with their bags packed. They wanted to have breakfast with us, before they fly back home.
After breakfast, we all got in the car. First, I drove Callie to school. Callie and my parents said their goodbyes in the car. After that, I drove my parents to the airport.
"Take care of yourself, Aims!" Dad kissed my cheek as we stood few meters from their gate.
"I will, dad!" I smiled back at him. They pulled out their bags handles and got ready to leave to the gate to board their plane.
"Oh, almost forgot!" Mom exclaimed and turned back to me "We left you a little something on your nightstand," she informed me
"An early birthday gift, if you may!" Dad added with a smile
"You didn't have to,"
"How could we not!" Dad argued back
"Besides, it's not just for you," Mom winked at me
Her statement made me a little bit suspicious, but I didn't say anything about it "Okay...thank you!"
"Bye, baby!" Mom kissed my cheek one last time, before my parents both turned and walked towards the gate. I watched how they boarded the plane and then watched how the plane took off. Only then I left the airport and drove home.
When I got home, I made my way up to my bedroom holding my car keys and wallet in my hands. As I walked in my room, I saw some papers on the nightstand. Walking closer to my bed, I noticed that the paper had a yellow sticky note attached to it.
As I sat on the side of my bed, I set the keys and wallet on the bed. Then I reached for the paper. It was moms handwriting on the yellow sticky note. I smiled at the note as I read it.
Consider this an early birthday gift.
When the times comes and you both are ready…
Love,
Mom and dad
I reached for the sticky note, wanting to pull it off, so I could see, what was the paper underneath was. The moment I pulled the sticky note off, I felt tears fogging up my eyes. The words ADOPTION REQUEST were written at the top of the page. They must have gotten in Friday, when they both drove to the city.
It was something that I have thought about every now and then for few weeks now. More often since her Music School competition. My love for the girl grows each day. Deep down I knew, that because of my grief about Aaron and Markus, I was hesitant about it. The loss still hurt. There was a small voice in my head that kept telling me that if I do adopt Callie now, that I'm moving on from my sons death too soon. It hasn't even been a half year.
But adopting Callie was something that I want.
I might not ask her today or tomorrow, it might not even be this week, but I do feel that day will come soon.
"When the times come and we're both ready for it," I said to myself as I set the adoption request form in the top drawer of my nightstand, where it will be safe, till the day comes, when I need it.