the fosters get sick short stories

Callie - flu

Chapter 1

Ahhh! No way! Stef and Lena heard their daughter exclaim from upstairs; her frantic footsteps brought her down to the kitchen in record time. Moms! Moms! Oh, my God, this is the best news ever! Lena chuckled; Callie was bouncing on the balls of her feet and grinning from ear to ear. What is it, bug? Yeah, out with it, Stef said. Okay, so, you know James Elliot? Nope, doesn't ring a bell, Stef replied, sarcastic. She was kidding, of course; he was her favorite photographer. Everyone in the house knew that. Callie rolled her eyes. Anyway, he's releasing a new book and he's coming here, to San Diego, on his book tour to do a signing! That's great, Cal. Where will he be? Stef wondered, loving that she was sharing her excitement with them. At Books-A-Million. That's right near here. I know, Callie beamed. I can't wait.

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Two months later

Saturday

Mama, I feel better, honest, Callie sighed, mumbling around the thermometer that was under her tongue, attempting to convince her mother that this was unnecessary. Lena shook her head. Don't talk. The thermometer beeped and she retrieved it, reading the result. 101.4. I'm sorry, honey. This means no book signing today. I'm fine. I need to go, she protested. A fever means you're going nowhere. But, I can't miss it! He's my favorite! I've been looking forward to this for weeks! Callie, you're not going. But, Mama— Coughs cut her off and she couldn't rein in the chills that made her shiver. And with that, Lena's point was proven. And that is precisely why. You're still sick. This sucks, Callie stated with a childish pout, arms crossed. I'm really sorry, bug. Next time, I promise. The teen rolled her eyes, looking away. Whatever. Lie down and rest, okay?Callie flopped backwards onto her mattress once she heard Lena go downstairs, coughing again. She groaned. Stupid flu... She started feeling off on Wednesday, but that was only the beginning. By Thursday, she was in the thick of the illness, praying to every god she could think of that she'd be better in two days and with a vice principal for a mom, that meant no fever. Frustrated, Callie got back in bed, dozing off soon after. When Callie woke up, she quickly checked the time. It was almost eleven; the signing started at noon. Callie got out of bed and went to her window. Lena was outside working in the garden. Knowing this was most likely her only opportunity, she quickly threw on some clothes, making sure to grab her bag with her wallet, and locked the main door from the inside, hoping her mama would take the hint to leave her alone. As quietly as possible, Callie took the stairs and checked around the corner to make sure that Lena wasn't in the kitchen. When the coast was clear, she tiptoed there to the island. She ducked down quickly when she saw Lena stand up, which made her woozy. She heard footsteps and held her breath. Any second now... But the yelling never came. Callie heard water running. Oh, shoot. Callie peeked around and saw that Lena had spilled and was cleaning it up, with her back turned. The girl crept along the floor and got through the open back door. Next, she made a break for the garage, needing her bike if she was going to be on time for the signing. She got her bike out as quickly as possible and pedaled for her life down the driveway and onto the sidewalk, speeding away. Wow, Callie breathed out loud, surprised at the rush she felt, which helped her maintain her pace. After fifteen minutes, she locked up her bike on the other side of the strip mall, just in case. She was breathing hard and sweating, wishing she had brought something to drink. Callie entered the Books-A-Million and observed the line that was forming around the store for the signing, in addition to the displays that were promoting it. It wasn't yet 11:30; she still had time to buy a copy of the book and request a wristband, so, she decided to browse the shelves near James Elliot's table. Meanwhile, at home, Lena went upstairs to check on Callie. She turned the handle of her daughter's bedroom door, finding it locked. 'She must be pretty upset,' thought Lena, understanding. She hated denying her a chance to meet someone who meant a lot to her. Introduced to him in Anchor Beach's photo club, Mr. Elliot's street photography had brought out Callie's creativity and expressiveness, aiding her in letting down defenses that she was so quick to raise. Callie deserved to get something out of the book signing, Lena decided. And if her daughter couldn't be there to get a signed copy, she'd get one for her. Lena grabbed her wallet and keys and got in her Prius, a smile on her face.