There Is Enough To Go Around

Chapter 1

So. Much. Paperwork. This was going to take all day if she couldn't keep up the pace.

Lena sat at her desk, her hand brushing through her hair in frustration. The kids had already left about half an hour ago. If she was lucky, she should get through, and be home by four. Much to her annoyance, her cell phone rang, breaking her concentration. Probably Stef, wanting to know if she would be home in time to make dinner, or if they should just do take-out. Her partner knew how hard the first week was after the summer break. Not bothering to check the caller ID, she raised her cell phone to her ear.

"Stef, I will be able to make dinner, I am...getting somewhat close." she groaned, waiting for her love's usual chuckle, but was only met with silence.

"Um...Lena? It's Bill...." The voice finally answered.

"Oh, I am sorry Bill, I thought you were Stef...how are you?" Lena answered as confidently as she could. Worries raced through her mind, however. Why was Bill calling? Was there something wrong with Callie's file? Was he or someone else going to try to take her away again? Lena knew she wouldn't be able to go through that again. After the first time, it nearly broke her heart as she watched her daughter, being forced by the services to leave her home because she and Stef lost focus of their fostering license. Callie should have been adopted. But yet again, the girl always seemed to have the wrong end of the luck, and the social services had failed her once again, not noticing that she had a different father until the day of her adoption. Poor Callie.

"I am good Lena...how are the kids?"

"Good. They are all adjusting pretty well. Still working on Callie's adoption, but we are getting closer I think...Bill...is there something you wanted? I am a little busy and you are making me nervous."

"Oh, sorry...I guess I was wondering if you guys could do me a favor...."

"What kind of favor?"

"Well...you see there was this car accident involving a mother and her daughter."

Lena gasped. Car accidents were horrible, especially nowadays with reckless teenagers and their texting and drinking.

"That's awful."

"Yes, it is. You see, both lived, but the mother is in critical condition and in a coma, and the child really has no other family to take her in and so..."

"Are you asking if Stef and I could take another child? We are already very full with the five we have..." Lena sighed, but couldn't help but feel horrible for the child. Not only did she get in a car accident and lose her mother with no guarantee with her waking up, but also had to be thrown into the system.

"I know Lena I know but she...seems very sheltered and is very wary around people, particularly men...it would just be for a little while. We are trying to contact her father who is shown to have visits with her. He is enlisted in the army, but we aren't aware when he is supposed to come back...I just thought she would feel better being with someone who understood kids as you do..."

Lena paused. "How old is she?"

"Two and a half, according to her birth certificate."

Two? It had been a long time since Stef and she had fostered a child so young...Jesus and Mariana were nearly six when they arrived, and only one other child that was temporary was three and a half. Both Lena and Stef still faced the pain after losing Frankie and stood confused on whether it would be wise or not. Sure, they could somehow make room, and someone would be coming back for her, but could she and Stef bear to have a toddler roaming the house, making them think of what could have been with Frankie? Would the kids be okay with a toddler being in the home?

"Um...let me talk to Stef first."

"Okay, but get back to me soon. I need to know before five, in case I need to place her somewhere else."

Stef answered on the second ring.

"Hello Love, I was just about to call you when you were going to come home."

Lena smiled. "I thought you would...so, Bill called."

A wary silence.

"And?"

"It seems a two and half-year-old girl was in a car accident with her mother...the mom is in a coma and the girl has nowhere to go..."

"Lena, you can't be serious?" The blonde answered, knowing where this was going.

"I know babe I just...thought I would ask. The girl is probably so scared, and we still the crib and some toys from Franki-just forget it. I'll tell Bill we don't have the room." Lena replied.

Stef paused a minute, almost making Lena think her wife had hung up on her. Finally, Stef spoke.

"How long would she stay?"

"It's temporary Bill says. They are tracking her father who has wanted custody for a while, but the mother didn't want him to for reasons unknown. They say she is wary of people, but Bill didn't mention any signs of abuse, other than being very sheltered..." Lena rambled. Lena always had a good heart, wanting to rescue all the children who were unwanted or on the streets, like a pound puppy. Stef kept her grounded, so they didn't end up with a billion kids living in their home. And yet, this little girl could be their way to experience what it would have been like to have raised their daughter. For Lena to experience motherhood or parenthood with a younger child, even if she wasn't a baby.

"Maybe we could talk to the kids first," Stef answered.

"Really Stef? You are considering it? Are you okay?" Stef laughed a little.

"Yeah, I mean I thought you were crazy at first but...I guess I can't help but think of Frankie..."

Lena smiled softly. She and her wife were on the same page.

"Okay... let's talk to the kids."