Never feel alone

Chapter 14

Lena

"Can I help?"

I turned from the dinner dishes to see Sophia standing behind me. "Sure, sweetheart. I'd like that." I handed her a clean dishtowel. "You want to dry?"

"Okay," she nodded, unfolding the towel. "I used to help my mom do this."

"I used to wash the dishes at home when I was a kid," I told her. "I would always daydream while I did them."

"Me too," she smiled. "After we went in the system, I mean. When it wasn't fun anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, mom and I would talk and stuff," she explained. "She made it like a game. But in the foster homes, it was a chore, so it was boring."

"I see," I smiled. "Maybe you and I could make this a regular thing, honey? Would you like that?"

"I'd love it," she grinned. "Thanks, Lena."

"You're welcome, sweets." I turned on the faucet and rinsed a dish, then passed it to her. "How are you feeling?"

"A lot better," she said. "Do you think I can go back to school tomorrow?"

I thought about it. "I suppose so," I nodded. "You've been fever-free for twenty-four hours."

Good," she said. She put the dish in the drain rack. "Lena?"

"Yes?"

"I was kind of wondering something." She paused, not quite looking me in the eye.

"What is it?" I asked, giving her my full attention.

"Can I... I mean, would you mind if I- if I called you Mama, like the other kids do?" She blushed deeply.

"Honey," I sighed. I put the mug I was washing back in the sink and looked down at her, biting my lip. "I'm flattered that you want to call me Mama. But I don't think it's appropriate right now."

"Oh." Her little face fell, and I felt terrible. I knew that it must have been so hard for her to ask me that question.

I reached out to rub her shoulder. "It's not that I don't want you to, baby. I'd be proud to be your Mama. But there are certain boundaries I have to maintain as your foster mother."

"I understand," she nodded without looking up,

I pulled her closer and hugged her. "But it doesn't change how I feel about you," I assured her. "I love you very much."

"I love you too," she said, smiling sadly. She set the dish towel down. "It's getting late. I better go take a shower for school."

"Okay, honey," I said. "I'll be up to say goodnight." I watched her go upstairs, my heart aching.

Callie

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror as I was changing for bed that night. I stood there, holding my nightshirt with one hand, and lightly touching my stomach with the other. I looked different since coming to the Fosters. My bruises were fading. They were yellow and green now instead of black and purple. I twisted my upper body, and only felt a dull ache in my ribs, instead of excruciating pain. They were healing. I squeezed the little bit of baby fat just below my bellybutton; it had gone away while we lived with Brian. He never let us have enough to eat to keep any fat on us.

I was still looking at myself when Sophia came into the room, dressed in her bathrobe."What are you doing?" she asked me.

I turned to her, and I couldn't help but notice that she was starting to fill out too. "Nothing," I said, a little embarrassed that she'd walked in on me. I pulled my nightshirt over my head.