Lena POV
I was tapping my fingers at the steering wheel as I waited impatiently for the light to turn green. The more you are in hurry, the more red lights you get.
I can't believe my wife and Amy are missing. When Cooper called me to inform me, I was left speechless. Stef and Amy are both responsible adults, they know better than to just leave without telling anyone where they are going. They know better than to scare us like that. Stef and I have always told our kids to never leave without telling someone where you are going. And we have always told them to take their phones with.
But now, not only Stef and Amy didn't tell where they are going, they also left their phones and they left the house completely open. They didn't even lock up. Someone could have just walked in and emptied the place, stealing everything they can carry.
There are so many questions on my mind right now. For instance, where would they have gone? Why would they go anywhere for that matter? Why not take the car? Why walk? Why leave their phones? Why not lock up? Why would they act like that? What were they thinking about when they just left?
Something just seemed off. Something must have happened. I don't believe that either of them would do anything like this without a good explanation.
As the light turned green I put the car back in gear quickly and drove out. I was just 1 minute drive away from my school – my first stop point. Cooper had gone to check his work and his place. Callie had already checked the station and asked around there. Now she and Mackenzie are just driving around the city searching for them, with no specific destination in mind.
When I turned into the school parking lot, I saw that two people were on the grass, just by the side of the school where my office is located. They were rolling around the grass, fighting.
As I parked the car, I recognized Stef as one of the people, by the outfit she wore this morning. If one was Stef, the other person had to be Amy. Who else could it be?
I texted both Cooper and Callie that I found them and then got out of the car and hurried closer to them to find out what had happened. As I got closer I heard Stef state as she was messing up Amy's hair mercifully "The chicken nuggets are mine!"
Amy replied as she was trying to get out of Stef's hold, she was trying to push Stef's hands away "We bought them together! I get to have some as well!"
"You already ate your half!" Stef argued back as she started to pat her hand to Amy's cheek
This fight looks like one that siblings would have. Like two brothers, like Brandon and Jesus would get into. They were fighting about something – I guess chicken nuggets – but the fight was more playful than violent. Stef was on top of Amy, she had her pinned down to the grass, by sitting on her.
"Hey! Hey!" I call out running up to them, trying to stop them from fighting
Even though it looked playful, they still could get hurt. Neither one was still 100% healed. I wasn't sure if I should pull them apart. I wasn't sure if could even do that. Both of them were more physically stronger than me. Besides, if I get too close, I could get elbowed or hit accidentally by either of them. And even if I did pull them apart, I had no way of knowing if they won't continue to fight each other while standing as well.
Neither one batted their eyes at me, they continued to bicker about the chicken nuggets. So, I had to figure out a different way to get either one of their attention.
"STEFANIE MARIE ADAMS FOSTER!" I said loudly in my most firm and demanding voice
Stef stopped instantly and looked over her shoulder to me, that moment, she looked scared. Amy used that moment of confusion and patted on Stef's cheeks few time and messed her hair up some more.
"Stop! That's my woman!" Stef hissed at Amy and rolled off her, she was up to her feet in 3 seconds. When she was up, she started to help Amy get up to her feet as well.
Once they were both standing they started to straighten out their hair and they dusted off their clothes. Amy took some leaves and small branches out of Stef's hair. Once they were done, they both turned to me. Amy's mouth dropped as she looked to me, while Stef was just smiling at me.
"Damn she's hot. Can I get pregnant just from looking at her?" Amy said in a fast manner as she was looking me up and down
Stef's hand flew to Amy's chest, hitting her "She's mine! Don't even think about it!" Stef warned Amy
Amy let out a groan as Stef's hand had hit her right where she was shot. She leaned down a bit, placed her left hand over her chest where she was hot and got over her lips slowly "...that hurt"
"Crap! I'm so sorry!" Stef said sincerely as soon as she realized she had hurt her. She put her hand on her back. It was unintentional of course. Amy nodded back, telling Stef that she holds no harm feelings towards her.
"You okay?" I ask worried as I saw pain in Amy's eyes while she tried to gather herself up
As Amy straightens her stance, she replies while she still was wincing in pain "I'll be okay! But can you tell your wife to share the chicken nuggets?"
"You ate half! That half is mine! Back off!" Stef pointed back to a Burger King paper bag by the school wall
"What are you doing here?" I ask them to stop them from bickering about the chicken nuggets again
"Came to see you!" Stef said like it was obvious "Where the hell were you? I have been looking for you the whole day! Something could have happened to you!"
I was taken aback by her tone "Excuse me?" I raise eyebrow at her "I'm not the one that has been missing for over 2 hours, Stefanie! You two just left the house, left your phones, didn't leave a note where you are going! We were all worried about you!"
"You didn't answer my question!" Stef states back pressing her fist to her her hip
I let out a frustrated breath "I was at home! I was there, when you left to visit Amy, remember?" I gesture to Amy who was quietly standing aside, listening to our little argument.
Amy limps closer to Stef and then says to her in a hushed voice, so I wouldn't hear "Tell her what why we came here!" Obviously I did, because her whisper, was nowhere close as quiet as it should have been.
"Oh, right! Almost forgot!" Stef called out and turned around. She hurried to the school wall and picked up something that was on the ground.
"Look what I got!" Stef was holding a canvas in her right hand the next moment "Isn't this amazing! We could hang it up in our bedroom!"
I tilted my head as I looked at it confused "A canvas of hills?"
"I got it for you!" Stef beamed at me, but then her facial expression changed "Don't you like it?" Stef was looking to me like she is about to cry if I don't say I don't like the painting.
"No, no...it's amazing. I love it!" I said taking it from her hand to not hurt her feelings. I held the painting up front in me, examining it. It's not that it isn't beautiful painting, it's just -we don't need one.
"That's not what I meant!" Amy said to Stef in hushed voice again pulling on Stef's sleeve many times "I meant the other thing!" Amy moved her eyebrows up and down few time, that way trying to tell Stef something
Stef opened her mouth to say something to me, but that was right then Cooper drove into the school parking lot. We all were looking how he parked his car next to my.
As Cooper got out of the car and walked toward us, Amy's mouth dropped as she looked at him "Damn, I would love to bang that!"
I turn to look back at her slowly, surprised by her words. She has never used that language. It seemed as if Amy doesn't recognize him from afar, so I point it out to her "That's your boyfriend"
"Really?" Amy smirked at me "I have good taste!"
"Where the hell where you?!" Cooper asks her when he was up to me, looking directly Amy "I was worried sick!"
"Wanna go bang?" Amy asks Cooper bluntly taking us all by surprise
"You go girl!" Stef says with a smile and slaps Amy's butt
Cooper looks to me utterly confused. I shake my head back and shrug back as I have no idea what has gotten into them. They were clearly not themselves.
"No we are not going to bang" Cooper declines "What is wrong with you?"
"What is wrong with me?" Amy asks placing a hand on her chest "You haven't touched in me weeks! I want to have sex!" Amy glances to Stef by her side and points between them "Neither one of you have touched us - that's what wrong with us! We both want to have wild, crazy, breathtaking, leg shivering sex!" Stef next to her just nodded agreeing with everything she said
"A 4-some?" Cooper asks back warily, but sounding excited about the idea
"NO!" the three of us call back at the same time at first
But then Amy shrugged and changed her mind "Well, maybe. We could try-"
"No!" I state again looking at Amy
"Fine, no 4-some" Amy's head dipped down, but then she looked up to me "But just so you know - 4 sexy people like us, we would make some hot sex!"
"She's right, we are hot as hell " Stef mutters to herself not dismissing the idea
"No 4-some! We are lesbians and we are monogamous" I state again firmly and nod to Stef
"That's fine by me. I think I can work both ways" Amy shrugged back. I had a feeling she had no idea what the big word- monogamous meant. I squinted my eyes at her, surprised by her word.
"No! End of conversation! There will be no 4-some!" I put a stop to this
Stef locks eye contact with me the next moment "I love when you are so bossy. It's sexy. You are sexy- you are one hot saint!" She walks up to me and whispers to my ear seductively "Imagine -you, me, naked...making it happen. I will make you scream my name" Stef then places her hand on my side of the neck and kisses me passionately.
It has been a while since Stef has kissed me this way in public. As she deepened the kiss, my heart rate increase, I got weak in my knees. Stef's hand moved from my neck down to my ass and squeezed it.
"I think Amy's high!" Cooper said the next moment. I pull out of the kiss and press my hand to Stef's chest to keep her off of me for few seconds.
"What?"
"She's high. Her pupils are dilated and red, increased hear rate, blood pressure, she's acting not like her usual self...her speech is fast" Cooper explained and walked over to us
Cooper said Stef's name, getting her attention. He looked to her eyes and then pressed his fingers to her right wrist. After a moment he confirmed it "I think they are both high"
"On what!?" I ask shocked as I hadn't even considered this option - them being high
"We are not high. We are perfect! Never felt better!" Amy said in a fast manner while heading back to the Burger King bag. When Stef saw where Amy was heading to, she run to intercept her.
"Those chicken nuggets are my!" Stef grabbed the bag first
"No idea. Could be they took their pain med in higher dosage" Cooper said walking to them and stopping their next fight. Cooper took the bag easily from Stef hand and held it up so neither one could reach it.
"Give it back!" Amy called first reaching for the bag in Cooper's hand
"Yeah! That's ours!" Stef added
"I will buy you more. You want more chicken nuggets? We can stop and buy some more, you want that?" When they both nodded back, Cooper looked to me "Increased appetite. They could be high on weed!"
"Where the hell did they got weed?" I almost shout back at Cooper
Callie POV
I dropped Mackenzie off by her house after I got the text from Lena, that she found them. I got another text from Lena, saying that they are taking them both back to our house. So, instead of driving to the school, where apparently Lena found them, I am speeding back to the house. I am hoping I will beat them to it.
I had just one thought on my mind now – I need to hide the pot-brownies.
My heart dropped to my stomach when I saw Cooper and Lena's cars already parked in front of the house. My whole body got stiff and tensed, my finger and feet got cold, all color drained from my cheeks.
"Crap" I mutter to myself "Okay, okay...gather yourself up Callie" I tried to talk myself up to going in the house "Maybe they don't know about the brownies" But then dread took over "Maybe I will have 4 adults high on pot brownies"
I reach for my bag on the passenger seat and reluctantly get out of the car. When I am up to the doors, I sigh deeply. My heart was racing, palms got sweaty. My hand trembled a little as I reached for the door nub.
As soon as I opened the doors I heard TV running, I think it was cartoons or some animation film that was running. Could it be that Frankie was with Lena? If that is Frankie, I will use her as human shield. If I will drag her around me all of the time and not leg go of her hand, no one will say anything because no one wants to talk about weed in front of a 5 year old.
Gosh, I'm a horrible human being. I am willing to use a small child so I wouldn't get punished for something I did! But on the other hand, Frankie probably wouldn't remember that I used her as shield in few years. I barely remember anything from when I was 5. So, she should be good.
I leave my shoes on for a reason. I still remember how Stef chased me around the block after she found out I signed her up for a triathlon. You can never be too careful. If the weed effect is off and both of them know it was me who made pot brownies - I will be in big trouble.
I close the front doors quietly and tip toe to the living room doorway to peak a look inside. My face screws up in confusion as I see both mom and Stef sitting on the floor, with their backs to the couch. They had blankets over them, two big popcorn bowls in front of them. I notice two Burger King paper bags on the coffee table. I have no idea what had been in there, but it smells like chicken nuggets. Mom just stuffed a big handful of popcorn in her mouth. Stef was eating fast, but she took the popcorn out one by one. Their eyes were on the TV screen. The animation movie that was on is Ice Age. Both of them were looking at the TV screen with big eyes, fully concentrated on the screen, mesmerized by it.
Yep, they are definitely high!
"Dude..." Stef said to Amy, never taking her eyes off the screen "that mammoth is total a douche! I don't like him. I like the funny dude better, the one that talks much"
The scene where they find the baby girl by the waterfall was on and both of them were discussing it as it happened.
"Totes. He seems so mean. I would totes take that baby in, that girl looks so cute. Her little cheeks" mom replied in a fast manner and then stuffed another handful of popcorn in her mouth
Once she had chewed some of it, mom added with full mouth "Oh, that tiger is totally going to be the good guy in the end"
"I was going to say that!" Stef turned to Amy and called out excited
I am pretty sure both of them have seen this movie a million of times. I know I have. If I am not mistaken, Frankie loves Ice Age movies. Mom and I marathon all of the Ice Age movies some while back. It was a rainy Sunday in summer and we didn't have anything better to do. So, their memory was a bit shady as well.
I tighten the grip around the backpacks strap and head to the kitchen, where I heard Cooper and Lena talk. Warily I peak my head in to listen in.
"-the effect will last?" Lena asked Cooper as she looked to the plate of brownies in front of her
"Well, it depends..." Cooper sighted rubbing his back of the neck
"On?"
"What time they took it, how much they took it and how good they tolerate it" I answer Lena's question as I show myself. I had a feeling both of them knew I was the one who baked them. I assumed I would get out of this easier if I come clean now.
Both of them looked to me. Cooper, to me, looked like he was disappointed in me. Maybe I was wrong. I haven't known him for too long and I still had to learn all his facial expression.
Lena on the other hand looked...calm. She didn't look angry with me, or disappointed. That was really strange, because I was so sure that Lena would be the one that looked disappointed in me, in my actions, not Cooper.
"And how much have they taken?" Lena asks pushing the plate of brownies to the other side of the kitchen table. I dropped by backpack by the doors and with head down, to avoid their looks, I walked up to the table. I felt Coopers eyes on the back of my head. I looked down to the plate and counted the brownies. I knew I made 12, but I counted only 10 on the plate.
"I think both of them took just one"
"You think or you know?" Cooper asked from the side and crossed his hands on his chest
"K-know" I stutter out scared a little of Cooper "I made 12"
Just as I have to learn Coopers facial expressions and body languages, I am still to learn the possible ways how he would react to certain things. Me being in trouble was one of those things. I had a feeling that Cooper is here to stay for the long haul. He and mom look happy together so I really do believe he is not going anywhere. He has never lectured me before, he has never taken the parent role before, but my gut told me, this could be the first time I could hear some sort of lecture from him.
"How much weed did you put in?" Cooper asked, still giving me a stern look
"I...I don't know. I just put some..." I shrugged not knowing the exact amount of weed I added
"Do you have more?" Lena asked me, looking straight to my eyes. I nod back.
"I will have that, please!" She extended her hand expecting me to give it to her
"It's in my room" I say quietly and point up to the room. I don't wait for her to tell me, I turn around and head upstairs to get it. I knew it was dumb idea to buy it in the first place.
When I returned downstairs, I handed the little plastic bag to Lena. She lifted it up and looked at it "Looks like some 5 grams?"
"Could be" Cooper said looking at it as well "How much did you buy?"
"8 grams" I replied when Lena put the small plastic bag in one of her pockets
"Where did you even get it?" Cooper turned to me and his tone of voice told me he won't be leaving without an answer. He hasn't raised his voice to me, he just have been very stern.
"A friend" I say looking down to my feet
"Mackenzie?" Lena asked almost instantly
"No! No...Mackenzie had nothing to do with this!" I reply quickly. She really wasn't in on this. I did this on my own.
"Then who?" Cooper asked "I want to know this friend of yours"
"He isn't exactly a friend. I just know him."
"From?" Cooper leaned against the counter expecting me to continue
"Foster care" I say sitting down at the kitchen table
I wanted to start the story, but mom came barging in the kitchen with an empty popcorn bowl "Lena, Lena, Lena, Lena, Lena! I ate my...can I get more? It was really good. You make like the best popcorn ever!"
Lena walked up to mom and took the bowl from her hand "I will make some more. Hurry back to the movie" Lena run her hand up and down moms upper hand as she spoke
"Thank you!" Mom threw her hands around Lena giving her a quick hug and then limped out, back to the living room, as fast as she could
Clearly, the weed made mom super energized, like she was on some sugar rush or high on coffee. It was so nice seeing mom so carefree, so relaxed and so happy. For a change, she was actually smiling and it wasn't a fake smile.
While I was still watching after Mom, Lena asked softly, when she placed her hand gently on my shoulder "You were saying?"
She smiled down to me as I looked up to her. Cooper sat down by the table, he placed his hands on the table. He was waiting for me start the story. Lena went to put another popcorn pack in the microwave.
"Right...um. Well, we met in one of the foster homes I was in"