There Is Enough To Go Around

Chapter 8

It is around five o'clock by the time the police officer arrived home from work to the sight of her oldest daughter, cuddling with Mila on the rocking chair. She smiled at the beautiful scenery as she grabbed a beer from the fridge, soon followed by a greeting from her wife. They shared a kiss.

"How was your day?"Lena asked as she kept a grasp on Stef's hand. Stef squeezed her hand back. Lena always needed a little reassurance that Stef was well after her dangerous job.

"Good, pretty slow however to my disliking. How about you Love? Mila doing alright?"

"She has been pretty cranky all day, not showing any interest in doing anything, particularly eating."

"She seems pretty content with Callie there."

"Yeah, I know....Callie came home, and I went to the kitchen for five minutes, and they were, all cuddled up together." Lena tried to say warmly, but Stef caught onto her worried tone.

"You think we should talk to Callie about this morning?"

"I think so. I wanted to wait until you came home." Lena knew that for the year Callie had lived with them, she had opened up more with both her moms, but she still leaned into Stef a little bit more when she was upset. Though Callie wasn't really the person to come up to you when she had problems, she always seemed more relaxed when it was Stef who talked or comforted her.

"Sure, let's go ask her now," Stef answered, as she pulled her wife into the living room.

"Hey Callie Bug, can Mama and I talk to you for a second?" Stef asked as both she and Lena sat down on the couch that was across from the rocking chair.

"Of course," Callie answered, her head slightly bowed, already prepared for this talk.

"You aren't in trouble honey, we just want to know what was going on in your head this morning...did you think I made her sick? Did you think I would hurt her?" Lena asked tentatively.

Callie continued to stroke the sleeping toddler's cheek, as she tried to fake a smile for her moms. "No, it wasn't like that....Well...when Jude and I were first in Foster care, the first year he got chickenpox. He was only eight and I eleven. Nobody cared to take care of him in that house, and that was when I realized that I needed to really step it up and care and protect him....just seeing Mila this morning....just reminded me of that time I guess..."

Stef leaned in immediately, to grab Callie's hand.

"Callie, look at me." But Callie wouldn't, the shame of her actions that morning, retreated into the safe direction of the sleeping child in her arms.

"Callie." Stef tried again, as she grabbed the teen's chin carefully, and tilted her towards her face.

"You don't need to be ashamed. You were put in a grown-up position during that time, and you were doing the right thing by taking care of Jude. He needed you. And Mila will need you as well sometimes, but I and mama are the parents now, just like we parent you and Jude now. You are free to be the kid now."

Callie looked at Stef briefly, then at Lena, then back at her lap.

"I know...I appreciate that. I guess ever since Jude told me to stop babying him last year when we went camping, it's hard to let go. I was in the position so long, it's hard to break the habit. And to be honest, I like to take care of my siblings."

Lena smiled, almost tearfully, as she stood up to stand next to her daughter. She rested her hand on Callie's head and began stroking through her hair.

"I guess that's something we have in common. And trust me, we will want you to help out with her and everyone else. You are a good leader Callie, but make sure you know your place with us." Lena smiled, gaining a chuckle from Callie.