Six
"So how long have you guys been together?" Stef asked the young couple sitting across from Lena and herself. The foursome were sitting at the table on the back patio with Jude at the head of the table. All were enjoying a plate of ziti with garlic bread, a meal both Jacob siblings have not had in a very long time. Callie was being more reserved about eating too quickly while Jude had no problem practically inhaling his food.
"Umm. About a year, right babe?" Brandon asked his girlfriend while gently placing his hand on her leg in comfort. He could tell she was more nervous beyond the normal meet the parents dinner, which he understood completely because it was much more than that. In addition to being here as his girlfriend she was here with her brother asking for help, for someone to save them from the terrible situation they were currently living. So naturally she responded by grabbing ahold of of his offered hand and squeezing tightly.
"You wish." She scuffed, causing both of the elder woman at the table to laugh. She turning to the two across from her to correct the answer. "We met about a year ago, when he was at work. I walked into the shop to delay going home and we became instant friends. About three months later we started to date. Actually our nine month mark is in two weeks."
"Thats pretty impressive to keep a relationship hidden that long." Stef said, which earned her a sharp elbow in the side from her wife and a warning look from her son. The girl across from her turned into herself and gained an almost guilty look.
"I want to apolo....."
Brandon's fork clanked loudly was he dropped it. "Callie don't you dare apologize."
She turned away from all the eyes on the table. Her voice so small you almost didn't know she spoke. "It's my fault they didn't know until now."
He bent his head around to try to catch her eye without much success. "Hey, no. I didn't have to go along with it. I could have told them from the very beginning if I wanted to."
Their argument of who was at more fault continued on as Stef watched their dynamic from across the table. She couldn't believe how mature her son was acting in this relationship. With all of his past girlfriends he never would have put them first. She was currently witnessing the case of Brandon doing the exact opposite by putting Callie in front of himself. She could already tell he was fiercely protective of her.
After a few more moment of this, Lena put an end to it. "Alright, enough, you are both at fault. Now would you like to tell us how the two of you met?"
The two smiled at each other as Brandon started to tell the story with Callie adding details he forgotten. Dinner continued with laughs over stories the couple shared from the past year. Both moms were very happy their son had found someone as wonderful as Callie. It was clear the two loved each other very dearly.
Sobering up from their good time, Stef asked the question that needed to be addressed immediately. "Callie, Jude. I know this is a difficult topic for the two of you but Brandon told me a little bit about your background before you arrived."
Right before their eyes, the three fosters watched as Jude contracted into himself and Callie's eyes go dull. Brandon swore to himself one day in the near future this will never happen again.
"What has he told you?"
Stef gently smiled at the young woman across from her, while Lena grabbed Callie's hand that was not being held by Brandon's. "Well he told us that your current placement hasn't been feeding you or taking care of the two of you properly. I don't think that ok. What about you?"
"No. Not at all." Callie answered in a small voice looking down at her lap. Brandon responded by unlacing their hands to wrap her into his side for support. Immediately she laid her head into his shoulder, his free arm going to run his fingers those that her hair in a calming effort.
Stef smiled at the two children, devastated for where they have been but surprisingly overjoyed their journey had lead them to this moment, even if she doesn't know much about them yet.
"Well I think it's decided that we will be calling your social worker tomorrow and you will be staying with us for the time being."