Amy POV
July 8th
The sun was still rising, but Jesus, Jude and I were already at the lake side. We found the perfect spot by the lake, secluded from the other fisherman. Neither of the boys seem to mind that it wasn't even 6 AM and that they were both already up. They were both ray of sunshine.
I got Jude's fishing rod ready first and he walked to the lake and cast it in already. Jesus was impatiently waiting by my side, looking over my shoulder as I prepare his fishing rod. In few minutes I got our rods ready and we went to the lake side. I stood myself between the boys, some 10 meters between us, so our lines don't cross.
"How do I do that?" Jesus asks after watching me cast my bobber in the lake. I reel the line back in just to show him again.
"You don't want to swing the rod all over…like a bat" I said and tried to demonstrate it with my free hand "That can only result in someone getting hurt. The hook can hurt someone who is next to you or behind you" Jesus nodded back
I let go of the hook and pull on the line by the reel "You want to make it a quick, soft side movement…like this. This way, when the bobber hits the water, it doesn't splash and make too much noise. Fishes like quiet" I demonstrated him the correct way
Jesus watched me do it two more times and then turned back to look at his own fishing rod. He turned the rod a bit sideways from him and tried to throw the bobber in. First time it hit the water just by the waterside and it splashed pretty hard. He looked to me and blushed.
"It's okay. Try it again, this time, try putting a bit more force in the throw and with your left, pull on the fishing line by the reel and release it when you throw it..practice makes prefect" I encouraged him and watched him reel in the bobber "Also, you want the fishing line longer, Jesus" I pointed out seeing his finishing line was barely the length of the rod
He reeled it out and repeat the cast in. This time it was a much better and the bobber flew pretty far in the water, not making too big of a splash when it hit the water.
"Nice! Like a pro" I praised him and turned to look back at my bobber. I saw in the corner of my eye, how Jesus was peaking a look, trying to see how far mine and Jude's bobbers were.
"Yours is much further away than mine" he said observing
"Fishes don't just swim in one place, Jesus. Trust me, yours is in a good spot too" I smiled back at him "You can never know where the fishes are swimming"
"So what now?" Jesus asks back looking at his own bobber
"Now we wait" I said back and looked to Jude, who was some 10 meters on my right. Jude's eyes were concentrated on the floating bobber in front of him, his hand was ready to reel in the first fish that swam up to the hook.
Not 3 minutes passed when Jesus said from my left "This is kind of boring"
"You need to give it some time, Jesus" I explained and kept looking over the lake
"But nothing is happening" He sounded so bored, minute later Jude called out "It's pulling…it's pulling!"
Jesus and I both looked to Jude. The bobber was being pulled under water time by time.
"Wait it out!" I instructed him, knowing the fish could just be testing the hook
"It's ON!" Jude called and started to reel the line in, but to his disappointment, it came back empty
"Sorry, bud" I watched how he looked at the hook sadly
"I thought it was on" his tone told me just how saddened and disappointed he was by the fact. He then glanced to me and added "I had a feeling it was a big one"
"I have no doubt that you will catch a big one real soon" I offered him a smile and looked back to my fishing line
"I don't see what the big deal about fishing is. You stand by the water, watch a bobber all day long and even if you think you had caught one, you can come back empty either way. This is pretty depressing" Jesus said from my left "I don't see what the fuss is all about"
"Well, first of" I started and looked over the lake "Look at the view. The fresh air. Listen to the birds signing. The nature is all around you, in it's whole beauty. Isn't this amazing?"
Jesus looked around him and shrugged "It is pretty cool, but like for 10 minutes tops…"
Jude whispered quietly from my other side "I think fishing is not the best sport for a kid with ADHD"
That fact had slipped my mind. Jude was right, Jesus probably wanted more movement, he needed some more action, more activity. Not just standing in one spot for minutes at a time and watching one object, waiting for a fish to swim up. Fishing wasn't for people with low patient. Good thing I didn't suggest renting a boat and fish in the center of the lake.
"If you don't want to, Jesus, you don't have to stand here. You can head back to the camp" I said looking to him
"Thanks for worrying, Amy, but I'm good. I want to catch at least one fish…I didn't wake up at 5AM to just quit. I am no quitter" he said back with certainty and smiled back at me
"But just so you know, I am not keeping you here…I'm not forcing you to stay here and fish with us!" I had suddenly felt like I had forced him to do this against his own will, like I gave him no choice, that he just had to come with us
"I know" He replied "I want to stay"
"Amy…your bobber!" Jude called out excited from other side and I quickly looked back to my bobber in front of me. It was being pulled under time by time.
"Pull it, pull it out! It's on!" Jude called excited
"Not…yet" I said waiting patiently for the right time to reel this fish in
"You are going to miss it!" Jude started to get worried "It will get away!"
"This baby is not going anywhere" my eyes were fixated on the bobber. Once it pulled under water for longer than millisecond and I saw the line going out, I started to reel it in.
"Do you have it?!" Jesus asked excited while I was reeling the fish in.
I felt the weight of it as I was reeling it in, I called out before I even got to see the fish"Oh...Jude, this is going to be a big one…I can feel it!"
Lena POV
I woke up and first thing I see is three empty sleeping bags. I couldn't believe I didn't hear them get up. I take a moment to rub my eyes and stretch before I wiggle my way out my sleeping bag and get out of the tent.
I don't have to look for them far. Stef, Mariana and Frankie were all sitting by the camp fire. Frankie was sitting in Stef's lap, but Mariana was on her right. Stef had said something to Frankie that made her giggle out loud.
"Morning" I announced myself and walked closer to them "Why didn't you wake me?"
"Morning love" Stef said for all of them when they all turned to look over their shoulders "You looked so peaceful, we didn't want to wake you"
"Boys are all fishing? Is Callie up?" I ask when I take a seat on other side of Mariana "Brandon is still sleeping, he didn't go with. And Callie is hiding from me in her tent" Stef informed me
"The water is still hot…you want tea?" Mariana asked pointing to the pot with the lid over.
"I think I do" But I quickly stop Mariana from getting up "I will get it myself, honey"
When I sit down, now with a glass of hot beverage in my hands I look to all of them "What were you talking about?" Mariana quickly avoided my look and glanced down to her cup of tea
Stef tucked some hair behind Frankie's ear and spoke softly "We were talking about what happened yesterday" she looked up to me "Making sure everyone is okay"
"Are we okay?" I ask trying to catch Mariana's gaze
"Little bit shaken up still, but we will be okay" Stef said reaching with her right to Mariana's hand and squeezed her forearm gently, Mariana warily looked to Stef and I saw a small smile. What I didn't expect was for Stef to ask me the question.
"How are you feeling, love? Did you sleep okay? Any bad dreams?" Stef looked to me with such love and care, that tears whelmed up in my eyes.
"I'm okay…" I said looking down, but when I heard Stef say my name I looked back up to her "No bad dreams…Seriously, Stef, I'm good" I said honestly back when I saw the worry in Stef's eyes "…but I would have slept better if you hadn't been tossing and turning that much!"
Stef squinted her eyes at me "Excuse me…but you weren't the one who had clouds of curls on both sides of you that were tickling your nose all night long!"
"Can I get whatever you all are having?" Brandon got out of the tent stretching and yawning
"It's just tea!" I said looking over my shoulder to him
"Tea sounds good" He came up to us with his hands on his lower back "My back does not appreciate the mattress. I want my bed…my bed is good to my back. The mattress is not"
"Wow…grandpa!" Mariana teased him "Is this foreshadowing to when you are in your 50ties? I had expected that from mom, not from you"
Stef poked Marianas upper arm softly and whisper to her "Watch it!"
"How did you sleep?" Stef asked him as well when he sat down
"Jesus was snoring. Jude punched me in the face…twice" He said tossing the tea bag in the hot cup of water I just handed him "And I think there is a rock…right under the tent where my mattress is"
"You are like a Princess and the Pea" Mariana teased, he just squinted his eyes at her and lifted the cup up to his lips
"HE-HEEY!" we heard a call and all looked to the 3 fisherman returning. The boys looked happy as they both walked on each side of Amy. Amy was carrying a big ice box, it looked pretty heavy in her hand.
"Did you catch anything?" Stef teased looking at them and sit up more in her chair
"Did we catch anything?" Amy repeated the question and looked to the two boys by her side "Boys, tell them…" She had a big grin on her face as she set the ice box down
"I caught 2 fishes! Not the biggest one, but it was my first time fishing" Jesus said sounding and looking proud of him
"How did you like it?" I ask him back, knowing that doing something like fishing, where he just needs to stand still and watch an object, wasn't the best hobby for a kid with ADHD. Fishing was the one thing, I was sure, he would never enjoy.
"Pretty boring" He replied confirming my suspicions "I will not go fishing ever again, but for one time activity, it was okay"
"What about you Judicron?" Mariana asked looking at the youngest boy, smiling at him
"I got 4!" Jude added showing the number on his finger "Few got away from me. One fell in the water when it was hand reach away"
"Amy got 5! And one is really huge!" Jesus added when Amy opened the box
"Behold…our mighty catch!" Amy said opening the ice box "This is our lunch and dinner for the next two days!"
Frankie got of Stef's lap and run towards the box, she crouched down and was looking at the fishes inside with amazement. Stef got up too and walked up to them to talk to the boys
"So, Lena!" Amy said taking a seat in one of the camping chairs "I heard that…um" She was holding in chuckle, with her left she scratched her jawline "You are the one to go to when someone needs to...uh... gut the fish?" There it was, that mischief look and smile. I looked to the two boy that went fishing with her.
"Oh…okay…I see what's going on here" I said shifting in the chair "What did they tell you?" I nod to the two boys behind her
"Oh…nothing…just that I should ask you to gut them" Amy said giggling
I look down and suck on my lower lip "I see…" I look up to her "They told you that I can't gut a fish, didn't they?"
"Not that you can't" she emphasized the last word "just that…a certain reflex sets in when you need to take the guts out"
Brandon laughed from where he was sitting "You were pretty bad at that mom" I squinted my eyes at the oldest son and then looked back to Amy
"What those two didn't tell you, because they weren't aware of that fact then and probably forgot about the fact now, was that when that certain event happened, certain someone was few weeks pregnant"
Amy sat up in the chair and peaked to the two boys behind her "What?...They were telling that like it was last summer or something…"
"No…I was 10 weeks pregnant and even the smell of pickles upset my stomach" I straightened my back when I said that and shot a look to Brandon, who held up his hands up in defense
Callie crawled out of the tent in her running gear "Whoa...hey there! Where do you think you are going, Missy!" Amy said standing up and walking towards her
"For a run…I need to keep up with my schedule" Callie said back to her and crouched down to retie her shoes
"Not alone you won't! Give me 5!" Amy said and got in the tent to change
"I can run by myself you know!" Callie called back to her and tie her other shoe
"In an area you don't know!? Yeah, that is not happening!" Amy said getting in the tent to change. Callie waited patiently for her by the road. Amy crawled out of the tent in 5 and they run off the next minute. Leaving only the Adams Fosters in the camp.
Mariana POV
When Amy and Callie got back from the run, we all joined them going down to the lake for a swim. Moms for some reason stayed back in the camp. They said they would join us in 30. Honestly, I didn't ask what they were going to do, because I simply don't want to know. When we all went for a swim, Amy didn't take one step away from Frankie and they stayed close to the side. While we swam more inside the lake.
The problem with a hot summer day, like today, is that when you take the first dip, the water seems refreshing and cool. But when you get out of the water, you dry out in like 10 minutes. So you go take another swim, only this time, the water seems too warm. And it no longer feels refreshing.
Callie and I decided to just lay our towels down and sunbath for few minutes, while it wasn't the middle of the day. We rubbed each others backs in the sunscreen and sunbathed for maybe 30 minutes. After the 30, Callie was still next to me, her nose down to her camera, no longer sunbathing.
"You want to go take another swim?" I ask Callie sitting up when I felt that I was getting too hot. I know swimming right after sunbathing wasn't a good idea, but we wouldn't like swim too far, just where Amy and Frankie were.
"We had a swim 40 minutes ago...if we go like this, our skin will be too wrinkled" Callie chuckles back not looking up from her camera
"I feel like I am burning up already" I felt another sweat drip down my back, the heat was really getting to me
She looks up from her camera and reaches for the sunscreen "Another layer?"
"I already feel like I have taken a bath in it!" I reply smirking back and reach for my hat. Callie tosses the sunscreen away just when the boys run up to us.
"Hey! What do you think about Jet Skiing!?" Jesus asks all excited, they were all dripping wet, they had just gotten out of the water
"That's the one with like...water bikes, yes?" Callie manages to ask it before me
"Yeah" Jesus nods his head back "If you don't want to, you don't have to drive, we just wondered if you two wanted to come with"
"Do you all actually think moms would allow you? You know how Lena is..." I ask back to him, putting the hat on
"Amy would come with us" Jude said and pointed to where Amy and Frankie were "We already asked her. She said yes"
"I meant…without telling moms?" I rephrase the question
"Without telling moms what?" Lena walked up to us from the side
"How do you always do that?" Brandon asks turning to them. What surprised me was that they weren't in their swimsuits. They both had running shoes on, shorts and shirts. Mom even had a backpack on and a cap. They both had sunglasses on. They didn't look like they were going for a swim.
"Where are you…going?" I ask pointing to their outfits. They both looked down to each others clothes and them looked back to me.
"We are going for a hike" Stef said and then turned back to the boys "What didn't you want to tell us?" She asked in a tone that meant she wanted the truth and nothing but the truth
"We were thinking…" Jesus started slowly but stopped and chocked, Brandon took over "We were thinking we could try out the Jet Ski or boating. The water actives that they offer…down by the pier"
"Amy would come with us!" Jude added quickly and flashed his big brown puppy eyes at them. Moms shared a look with one another, they were having a silent talk thing for sure.
"You can go, but you need to listen to Amy!" they all nodded their heads furiously "Also, you all need to look out for one another, especially Frankie, and remember about the safety on water" Lena said seriously "Remember to wear the vests and listen to what the instructors tell you"
"Wait…are you serious?" I ask surprised, I was a little bit shocked that mama was allowing this
"Yes" moms said at the same time and then they both looked to Callie who was on my left "Except you!" Stef said firmly and took the backpack off her back
Callie lowered her camera and looked up to them "Excuse me? Last time I checked, you are not my mothers!"
Stef opened the bag, took out some clothes and tossed them to Callie "Get dressed!" and then placed down shoes and socks. Callie just looked up to them in shock.
"Preferably today, come on, let's go!" Stef said and clapped her hands
"I'm not going anywhere with you" Callie snapped back at them putting her camera on the towel in front of her
"Yes you are!" Lena said in a tone that I always interpreted as – you have no choice. I think even Callie knew that one, she has known them long enough.
"I'm not going!" Callie stood up, taking a stand against them when Amy and Frankie walked up
"Mama, look what we found?" Frankie said holding up what looked like some sort of shell. Lena crouched down to look at it, meanwhile Stef just did an eyebrow thing and gave Amy a look. It was like one of those silent talks she has with Lena. I didn't know she can do it with Amy too.
Amy turned to Callie the next second "You are going on a hike!"
"I'm not-" Callie protested once again
"I wasn't asking you, I was telling you!" She bent down, picked up her clothes and held them out for her "Get dressed, put your shoes on and get moving!"
I had never seen Amy talk to Callie like this. She wasn't yelling, nor she was angry, she was just so firm with her. To me, Amy always was seemed more like a friend to Callie, than her mother. I guess this was the first time, I myself, with my own eyes, saw Amy in the mother role to Callie, this was the first time I saw Amy put down her foot like that with Callie. Jesus saw it when they were 'arrested', he told me all about how Amy was like Stef when it came to lecturing.
To my surprise, and possibly to everyone's surprise as well, Callie didn't argue back, she didn't say one word back. She looked up to her mom, held the eye contact for few seconds and then grabbed the clothes from her hand.
5 minutes later Callie followed Stef and Lena and soon they were out of our sight.
"Where exactly did they went?" I ask Amy, when I was stuffing my towel in the bag and zipped it up
"To have a long overdue talk" Amy replied simply, when she was putting Callie's camera over her neck. She took the bag from me, tossed it over her shoulder and next moment we were all heading to the pier to check out the water activities they offer.