Callie sat and watched Jude explain the steps to make a kaleidoscope for what seemed like the hundredth time now and she felt like she was going to scream. It wasn't that she wan't proud of her little brother but there were only so many times a girl could listen to the same thing over and over again before it drove her crazy.
"I'm gonna go walk around and look at the other exhibits." Callie said as she quickly got up and walked away before she had to watch another kid tape some mirrors together.
Callie walked around and observed some of the other displays. There was a group who'd made a hot air balloon and another that talked about the human body. One group had made a solar system so well it should have been displayed in a museum or something. As Callie walked around she spotted a girl that was making a simple rice dish using only solar energy. With a grin Callie walked on over, hoping to get something to eat.
"So you see we can conserve up to sixty percent of our natural resources if we use solar energy to cook some of our food." The girl explained. "The sun is an inexhaustible source of energy. It's free, it's available everyday and it results in less pollution and while it does take a little longer to cook, it preserves nutrients that would otherwise boil away on a gas stove." She continued with a passion that showed that she actually believe in what she was saying.
The girl began handing out small plastic bowls of the rice she'd cooked and Callie thanked her as she took one as well. She looked down and found a heap of rice along with some peas, diced carrots and potatoes. She cautiously took a bite and had to admit it tasted delicious. The girl had obviously added some seasoning and a dash of lemon and this simple dish had become a meal.
"You did a great job." Callie praised with a smile as she took another bite but froze when someone walked up and added to Callie's comment.
"You really did." The blond woman agreed as she walked up to the stand holding hands with another woman with a curly brown bun on the top of her head.
Callie watched the woman hug the young Latina and kiss her head lovingly. She was in civilian clothes today but she still had that same air of confidence along with the gentle tone and loving eyes.
"Thanks mom." The girl smiled before turning to receive a hug from the other woman as well.
"You know what this means don't you." The second woman teased. "You get to take on kitchen duty from now on."
The girl smiled and teased back. "Sure mama, I'll just tell my teachers that I couldn't finish my homework because my moms made me the resident chef." She said.
Callie couldn't help but stand and stare for the more she found out about this woman that she should be terrified of, the more she wanted to just run and hug her.
Stef knew she was being watched for the girl had stood in the same spot and stared at her for a good five minutes now. But what she couldn't figure out was why. She seemed somewhat familiar but Stef just couldn't place her. The girl looked a little lost and maybe a little scared as well but what really captured Stef's attention was the look of longing on her face - like she desperately wanted to be a part of something so loving and real as this family.
"Almost time for my speech." Lena said, glancing at her watch. "Let's go get the boys and head to the podium."
"Okay love, you two go on ahead and get the boys and I'll meet you at the seats in a few minutes." Stef instructed, noticing the girl turn quietly and walk away. "Save me a seat please." She instructed her daughter, watching them walk away.
Stef then turned back to the retreating girl and watched as she carefully covered her plate of rice up with the napkin she'd been given. There was barely five or six bites in that plate; nothing really worth saving so carefully. As Stef watched she began to realize that this girl needed something. She was either homeless, had a less than ideal home-life or she had a child to feed; possibly even a combination of them.
Stef sighed and shook her head as the girl disappeared into the crowed and then turned to go and join her family.
"Education is one of the most important aspects of childhood." Lena said into the microphone to the crowd. "In fact, it is important throughout your life. A person learns something new every day. Education is a requirement for almost any job; it enables you to understand more about your environment. You need to have basic math skills for the simplest tasks; you need language on a daily basis. Having an education enables you to make better health or medical choices; financial decision; parenting choices that will give your children a better life and these are just a few of the benefits of a good education. You have the power to make the changes you want in the world. You are the future and I urge you finish your education. Find a dream and work as hard as you can to achieve it and slowly, one person at a time, the world will change. You have the ability to make your life what you want. It doesn't matter where you were born or who you were born to; each and every one of you have a talent, a gift, an ability that will help you succeed." She paused here for a moment, waiting to make sure she had everyone's attention. "Don't quit." She urged. "No matter how hard it gets, how difficult, boring, unnecessary you might think it is; keep at it and I promise you that one day it will all be worth it and when that day comes I hope you remember me, just in case my beautiful face isn't enough." She ended, earning a laugh from the audience. She knew that with that, a lot of the kids around her would remember her words but sadly a lot of them would forget and those were the ones that Lena would think of often - the ones whose futures lay hanging in the balance.
Easier said than done - Callie thought to herself as she watched the curly haired woman get off the podium and join her family. If Callie decided to go back to school for eight hours every day she would really be screwed and so would Jude. She worked nights and so she needed half the morning to catch up on sleep. After that she had a day job which gave her a small but steady income for her other job could swing both ways - like right now for example, she couldn't work until more girls returned to their spot. After school she had to take care of Jude and help him with his homework, cook for them and make sure they both had everything they needed. She didn't have the time to worry about homework and projects of her own. No, she couldn't afford to go back to school right now - if she had any chance of getting Jude through all of this without making him sacrifice too much then she had to continue the way she was going. After that, if she was lucky, maybe she could consider getting her GED.
On Saturday Jude's science teacher had invited the whole class for a pizza party for doing so well at the science fair and so Callie didn't have to take him with her to work. She headed to the grocery store ready for her shift. It was a mundane job - she put the groceries into either paper or plastic bags for a couple of hours, broke for a short twenty minute break and then continued for another three hours. Nothing very exciting would ever happen apart from the usual arguments between customers and cashiers. Only twice since she'd started working here six months ago did she ever come across a thief and both times the people were caught by their own security, which seemed pretty boring and lame to her.
But today was different, not that Callie knew it as she grabbed an apron and tied it around her uniformed waist. She went to clock in and just as she stuck her finger on the thumbprint slot she heard a scream and someone yell 'gun'.