Callie POV
November 21st
When I walked in the kitchen, after changing to a little bit more fancier/formal clothes, Cooper was setting the table, while mom was by stove, getting ready to take out the rice and watching the chicken she was making.
"I really hope, Gavin will not be late, because the chicken is almost ready," Mom said checking the time
"He won't be late," I say slightly annoyed as mom proceeded to get the rice out of the pot. The doorbell rang, just as mom asked Cooper to mix the rice with some butter.
"See, I told you he would be on time, but you didn't believe me," I tell mom as I turn around on my heel to go let Gavin in
As I am opening the doors, I am already talking to what I assume is Gavin on the other side "Your timing is absolutely perfect Gav-" I stop in half sentence, when I see Jude standing there
To my surprise, Jude was dressed up a bit, just like everyone else in this house was. Jude did not have full suit on, but he did had suit pants and light blue shirt on. He smiles at me awkwardly as I just stare at him in surprise. I was not expecting to see him tonight.
"Jude, what—what are you doing here?" I stuttered out as we still stand in the doorway
"I came for the dinner," He replies simply "Can I come in?" He asks me after I hadn't replied for some 10 seconds
"Sure, sure..." I snap out of it and step aside to let him in "How did you know about the dinner?"
"Amy told me. She invited me," Jude said as he walked pass me
"She did?" I ask surprised as we walk together to the kitchen. Jude only nods back as we enter the kitchen.
"Jude, so glad you could make it!" Mom smiles at him. I notice that Cooper had set the table for 5 not 4 people.
"Thank you for inviting me," Jude said as he walked up to Cooper. They shook hands like men always do. It was weird seeing Jude do that. He hadn't done that before. At least I haven't seen him shake hands like that.
While Cooper and Jude talked by the kitchen table, I walk up to mom, who was still standing by the stove and asked her in half whisper "Why did you invite Jude? I thought you said it was only going to be you and Cooper!"
"I said Gavin should meet your family. Jude is your family, he's your brother!" Mom explained to me "Don't you want Jude to meet your boyfriend?"
"No..." I say back awkwardly "It's just, I wasn't prepared for it…I told Gavin it would be just the 4 of us"
"He should be fine. It's just Jude," Mom said and the turned off the stove to take out the chicken
10 minutes passed and the 4 of us were still waiting for Gavin. The food was now almost completely cold. Mom was real upset about it. She kept blabbing about how she made dinner and he couldn't show up on time. Cooper tried to calm her down, while Jude just sat quietly sipping his OJ. He had refiled his glass two times already.
"I will call him," I said pulling out my phone
"If he picks up, why don't you tell him to stop at a Pizza place and order a pizza, because the dinner I made is cold!" Mom said as she tossed the napkin, that was on her lap, angrily to the table
"He is late just 10 minutes, mom! Why are you so upset about it?" I snap back at her when I had stood up
"Because I made dinner, specifically waiting for him to visit! And now the dinner is ruined! Cooper and Jude both came here expecting to meet him, but he can't even have the decency to show up on time!" Mom said in annoyed and hurt tone and then nodded to Jude, who sat at the end of the table "Even your little brother knows that if someone invites you to dinner, you show up on time!"
"Stop being so over dramatic! It's just dinner" I say in louder, more harsher tone as I walk to the living room to call him. The phone rings many time, but he doesn't pick up. I try him 3 more times, but there is no answer. I place my phone in my pants pocket and run my hands over my face in frustration.
I can't believe he screwed up this dinner. All Gavin had to do, was show up on time. And he couldn't eve do that! There is no chance, mom will ever be supportive of our relationship after this. The chances of her liking (tolerate) him are even more slimmer than before.
I walked back to the kitchen. Everyone at the table looked at me, expecting me to say something, to update them on the situation.
"What did he say?" Cooper asked me first
"Didn't pick up" I mumble back quietly, slumping down at the table
"You know what...the rice is still lukewarm so why don't we eat" Mom said handing the bowl of rice to Jude and bowl with chicken to Cooper. Both of them put some food on their plates.
"Are we not going to wait for Cooper?" I ask looking around the table
"Is he coming?" Mom asked back in annoyed tone of voice "Did he pick up and tell you that he will be here in 2 minutes or 10 minutes?"
"No" I say quietly not wanting to voice my answer
"Then we will eat, while it is still lukewarm! Cooper and Jude are both hungry. And I am as well!" Mom said firmly and handed me the bowl of salad
Eating came very hard for me. Mostly I just pushed the food around my plate and just stared at it. Amy, Cooper and Jude had engaged in some conversation that I did not participate in. Time by time I checked my phone to see if he had left some message or maybe called me back. But there was no answer back. It was like he was ignoring me.
When the four of us were cleaning up the kitchen, the doorbell rang once again. Mom stopped washing the dishes "If that's him-"
I roll my eyes as I hurry to the doors. When I open them, I see Gavin standing there, dressed more formal than usual. He was still wearing his black jeans, but on top he had this light gray, striped sweater. He looked quite handsome.
"Are you serious?" I ask him angrily as I could not contain it "Now you decided to show up!"
"What?" Gavin looks to me surprised as he steps inside the house. He leaned down to give me a kiss, but I lean away from him and evade it. He looks to me surprised and slightly hurt at my reaction. I close the doors behind him. We don't go deeper in the house. We remain standing by the front doors.
"You are late!" I keep the angry tone "Like almost hour late! I can't believe you! You know how important this dinner was!"
"No, I am 10 minutes early," He said pulling out his phone to check the time "See, 7:22PM, I'm early!" He smiles at me
"The dinner was at 6:30!" I point out to him frustrated
"No, you said it was at-" Gavin tried to argue with me
"6:30! Check the text I sent you Sunday!" There was no way, this was on me. I knew I said the right time to him. I even sent him a text with the time.
"Babe, I know what you said. You said the dinner will be at-" He says as she scrolls through his phone to check the text message and then his face dropped "-7:30...oh shit! Baby, I am so sorry! I was so sure it was at 7:30..."
"Yeah, well, the dinner is already over. We ate already! Gosh, why did you have to screw this up!"
"I said I was sorry. I mixed up the time. That can happen to anyone!" Gavin tried to excuse his mistake
"I called you like 5 times!" I say upset "Why didn't you pick up?"
"I have my phone on silent" He uses the same old, same old excuse "See!" Gavin lifts his phone up so I could see. The phone was on silent, but he might as well just put it on silent 30 seconds ago.
"Good luck making my mom like you now," I said to him, the moment I heard footsteps coming to hallway
"How nice of you to finally join us, Gavin" Mom said, not in pleased tone, as she walked towards us
Gavin glanced to me, but I shook my head and looked down to the ground "I'm...so, so sorry Mrs. Scott...I was so sure the dinner was supposed to be at 7:30 not 6:30...It's all my fault. I mixed up the times. I am truly sorry for missing the dinner!"
"What's done is done," Mom said glancing to me briefly. She looked back to Gavin and gestured to the kitchen "Let's go sit down at the living room, shall we? We could talk, get to know each other a little better..."
"Yes, thank you" Gavin said as he followed mom inside the living room. Gavin stood awkwardly at the center of the room, not sure where he should sit. I walked up to Gavin and guided him to one of the armchairs. He sat down and nervously run his hands to his trousers as he looked around the room. Cooper and Jude walked in the room a moment later.
"Would you like some tea?" Mom offered him "I can't offer anything else. I wasn't prepared for sit down at living room…" Mom said hinting at the fact that he missed the dinner
"No thank you. Not really a tea guy" Gavin declined. He had to stand up the next moment, because Cooper walked up to him.
"I don't think we have officially met," He extended his arm to him "Cooper Ellis"
Gavin chuckled back "No we haven't. Gavin Hayes. Pleasure to finally meet you!"
"I'm Jude," Jude extend his arm towards Gavin, when Cooper walked up to mom and rested his hand on her lower back "Callie's brother..."
"Nice to meet you Jude. Callie has told me a lot about you" Gavin shook his hand as well and smiled to my little brother "Strong handshake" Jude smiled back at him warily and then went to sit down at one
Amy, Cooper, Jude all sat down at the couch. Gavin sat down at the armchair, where he sat before, but I took the last seat at the other arm chair.
"No bike?" Cooper asked looking over his shoulder to the street, starting this sit down
"No, I borrowed a car from a friend today" Gavin relied with a small smile
"My mom said you drive a bike that you built yourself," Jude speaks up a moment later "Is that true?"
"Ermm.." Gavin glanced to me "Your moms were…Stef and Lena, right? I hope I remember this correctly..." He asked when he looked back to Jude
"Yes. Callie and I were separated when we got placed at foster care" Jude confirmed it "It can be a bit confusing to people from the outside."
"I do have a bike. And I did built it on my own. I was 17, when me and my uncle started to build it in his garage. It was ready on my 18th birthday" He said with a smile on his face
"You always liked bikes?" Cooper asks
"Pretty much, yeah. As far as I can remember. My uncle rides a bike as well and I remember him driving up to the house on his bike. I always thought it was super cool. I knew from age 7 or something around that age, that I want one as well when I grow up" Gavin explained to them. I smiled to Gavin, when he glanced at me.
He was doing good so far. But there is still long road ahead. Mom hasn't even started to ask him questions. It was mom's interrogation that I was worried about. I am not worried about Cooper or Jude. Those two are harmless.
"For how long have you been riding bikes?" Cooper asked him when he rested his right arm on the arm holder of the couch. With his other he reached for mom's hand.
"I think I was like 14, when I got my first moped. I think ever since 14 I was riding some sort of moped, but when I turned 18, I started to ride the bike. So if you ask about bike, then it has been 3 years, but I have been operating other two wheel rides for the last 7 years."
"You mentioned your uncle," Cooper continued "Is he your uncle on mom's or your father's side?"
"My moms. I don't even know who my father is. My mos said he left us, when I was like 2 months old." Gavin said in a bit more quieter voice. He doesn't really like to talk about his father, because he has never cared about him or his mom. And as far as I could tell, his uncle, was like his father. He basically raised him along with his mom.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Mom replied, as both Cooper and Jude nodded their heads along, giving him a sympathetic look "It must be hard, growing up without a father"
"It's not as hard as loosing your mom, when you have known her for 10 years" Gavin said in sadder tone as he gazed at me. I smiled sadly at him and then looked down to my palms
"I can't miss what I have never had," He added looking back at my mom. I think mom felt a little for him. Her features and look softened at bit.
"Do you have any siblings?" Jude spoke up after a moment of silence
"Um...no. But I do have cousins" Gavin said as she shifted in his seat "And we are as close as siblings."
"I have 4 siblings...well, 5 including Callie as well" Jude beamed at him
"Callie said you have a big family," Gavin smiled at my brother "Do you even have a moment of piece in your home, when you have that big family?"
"No!" Jude chuckled "That has never happened! I have never been alone at home. All the time, someone is always home along with me"
"Don't you want a moment to yourself?" Gavin asked him intrigued
"No, I like having a big family. I think I would be bored if I was the only child" Jude said and then paused. He looked to me and then wondered "I don't know how Callie does it"
"Sometimes being alone is not a bad thing. I have never been lonely here" I replied looking at mom. Warily, I smile at mom and then gaze back to Jude "Besides, if I am bored I go visit you and the whole Adams Foster clan"
"So, tell us Gavin," Mom said crossing her left leg over her right leg "What do you do for a living?"
"I um...work at a car repair shop" Gavin said quite proudly
"Oh, so you are a mechanic?" Mom wonders out loud, she looked quite surprised
"Yes" Gavin nodded back
"Where did you get your car mechanic degree at?" Mom asked curiously keeping her eyes on him "When did you graduate? Or are you still studying?
"Oh, I don't have a degree. I am not studying anything." Gavin replied looking over the three of them on the couch
"You...haven't gotten a degree or a specialization at the field you work at?" Mom asks to make sure she understood him right. I knew that him not having a degree could be another thing that mom doesn't like about him.
"No" Gavin replied and added a little head shake. I could he him getting a little bit more nervous.
"How did you get job there?" Mom continues to question him
"I work for...with my uncle. He taught me everything I know. I started working at my uncles repair shop part time since I was 16. After I finished high school I started to work full time"
"Why not get a degree in the specialization?" Cooper asked curiously "You could earn more money..."
"I don't need a degree. I am fine without it," Gavin said simply with a shoulder shrug "And I can't complain about my salary"
"What if you want to change work? You would have better chance of getting hired if you have a degree." Mom asks back to him as she shifted to sit more straighter
"I don't want to nor do I plan to change jobs!"
"What if you decide to move?" mom asked tilting her head to one side "You still think you could find a good job without a degree"
"I am not planning on moving. I love the place I live at. I grew up there. I love my job. I love my neighborhood" Gavin answers back starting to get slightly annoyed with the interrogation about his education "I don't want to move"
"Life can be unexpected sometimes, Gavin. You can never know, what will life throw your way", Mom reasoned back "I didn't think I would be moving to San Diego, when I graduated Police Academy at Boston. But I did, after I got married. We moved here, because my husband had a job offer here he just couldn't decline. So I moved here along with him. And San Diego is where we started our family."
"What if you want a bigger place? And the only available...affordable is at some other region, far away from where you live and work now" Cooper added
"Look, I just don't want to go to school anymore. I'm not...college material. That's that and it's not going to change just because you two think I should get some stupid degree or specialization in the field I work at! I finished high school and that's all I need. I have a good job that pays well and I am satisfied with it. I am not planing to go to some stupid school for 2-3 more years just to get some stupid piece of paper that basically does me no good!" Gavin replied in a bit more raised voice. He got bit fired up about it. I think he just got fed up about the topic and that mom and Cooper tried of telling him how to live his life
I got more tensed as I waited and watched for mom and Cooper to react to his little blow up. Jude was sitting quietly observing everyone, not saying anything. Mom glanced to Cooper. They exchanged a look. I couldn't really tell what they were thinking. I am guessing, neither of them like it. But they are not Gavin's parents or family. They have no say in his life. Besides, Gavin is adult himself. He can make decisions for himself.
"Your life," Mom said indifferent and took a deep breath in "Live it as you like it."
"Thank you" Gavin said relieved that this part of conversation is over and shifted in his seat. He glanced to me worried. I gave him a soft look and encouraging smile – telling him that he was doing good so far.
"You know that Callie is 17, right?" mom asked him after a moment of silence
"Uh..yeah. I am aware of her age" Gavin says cautiously
"You do know what it means, yes?" Mom asked leaning forward
"Um..I am not sure what you are getting at," he raised his eyebrow at mom, expecting some sort of explanation in more details
"I'm talking about your age difference. You are an adult, but Callie is still underage" Mom said without hesitation in a serious tone of voice
"Callie is just 3 years younger. I don't see what's wrong with me dating your daughter," Gavin reasons back as he sat up in the chair
"There is this one rule-" mom started to say in her cop voice, Jude next to her was looking at her with clueless look on his face. I was so glad, he didn't know what mom was talking about.
"Mom!" I call out to stop her form continuing this topic. Mom slowly looked at me confused as she did not see understand why I called her out "Can we not talk about it! Please!" I begged her and with my eyes reminded her that Jude was sitting right next to her. Mom sighted and leaned back in the couch.
Amy POV
We talked for some 20 more minutes before Gavin said he should probably head home. It was slowly getting late. Jude and Cooper said bye to him while still in the hallway, but Callie and I walked out to the porch.
"Callie, can you give me and Gavin a minute?" I ask my daughter who stood next to Gavin
"It's okay," Gavin tells her, when Callie looks up to Gavin, not sure if she should leave him alone with me
"I will be by your car," Callie says to him as she gives his hand a little squeeze. After that, she heads down the path to the street to wait for Gavin, so they could say goodbye without anyone eavesdropping on them.
"Callie doesn't want me to talk about it, but I just want to make one thing clear to you," I said to him when Callie was far away so she wouldn't hear us talk. Gavin remained silent as she just listened to me "If you ever try to force Callie to do something that she is not ready for or that she does not want to do - I will not hesitate to put handcuffs around your wrist and arrest you myself"
"You are talking about-" He chocked on his word
"You know damn well what I am talking about" I said as I crossed my arms on my chest. I took a little step closer to him. For a brief moment he stopped breathing and he just held his breath.
"Do you know the shortest sentences in English language?" I ask him as I keep eye contact with him
"Umm..." Gavin looked utterly confused by that question
"No!"
"No?" Gavin repeated the word confused
"No!" I stated again "I need you to understand, that – NO - is a full sentence. It doesn't need an explanation. When a woman says no, it means no! It quite simple actually!" I glanced by Gavin to Callie on the street, by his friend car. She was watching us from afar. I could tell she was wondering what we were talking about.
"There is another word I need you think about" I tell him as I watch him closely
"What is it?" He asked kind of scared
"Stop" I say and detain a little pause "You do know what it means, right?"
"I do," He said as he swallowed back a lump in his throat
"Good. Keep these two words in your mind and we might even be okay. Just know that, if I see a bruise on her-" I personally, don't think it was a threat. As Callie's mother, I just needed to make sure his boyfriend knows, what he will deal with, if he hurts her. I just wanted to make sure, he understand how serious I was about this and that I don't take hurting my daughter lightly.
"I'm not...I'm not that kind of guy, Mrs. Scott. I promise you! I would never hurt her like that. I swear to God!" He blurred out scared
"As long as we understand each other," I replied as I took a small step back "We won't have a problem!"