Never feel alone

Chapter 37

Callie

Sophia went back to bed after she told me that she wanted to stay with the Fosters, but after she woke me up, I couldn't fall back asleep. I got out of bed, stepping on the cold floor with my bare feet, and went downstairs to see if anyone else was up and around. Stef was in the kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee and eating a bowl of cereal.

"Good morning, love," she said. "You're up early."

I smiled, hardly able to contain my excitement. "I'm glad you're up. I have some really good news to tell you!"

"You do?" Stef said. "Well, you sit right down and tell me about it."

I pulled out a chair and sat down next to her.

"It must be something pretty great," she said. "You're in the best mood I've ever seen you in in the morning."

I rolled my eyes, still smiling. "Sophia woke me up a little while ago and told me that she decided she doesn't want to live with our dad anymore. So, all we have to do is tell him we want him to sign the papers, and we can get adopted!"
Stef sucked in her breath. "Oh, Callie! That's wonderful, honey!" She pulled me into a quick hug and kissed me on the forehead. "I'm so happy!"

Me too," I nodded, fixing myself a bowl of cereal. "Can we call him today and tell him before she changes her mind?"

Stef gripped her mug thoughtfully. "I don't know that we should spring this on him like that, honey. He'll probably be sleeping when you girls get home from school. I think we should set up a visit with him through Bill."

"Okay," I sighed.

She laughed. "Just be patient, love."

I spooned up a bite of cereal. "I'll try."

"But there's no reason we can't start making plans for the future," she told me. "Things we couldn't really think about before."

I looked up at her. "Like what?"

"Well," she said. "I was thinking maybe we could all take a family vacation this Summer. It's been a while since we've gone anywhere. We go camping every year, but maybe we could fit in another trip besides that?"

"I've never been on vacation," I told her. "That sounds really fun."

"And maybe we could get you your learner's permit, and I could teach you to drive?" she offered. "Would you like that?"

I sat up a little straighter. "That would be awesome! But I'm warning you now, I can barely ride a bike."

Stef laughed out loud. "Don't worry, honey. You'll do fine." She paused, taking a slow sip of her coffee. "We also need to start thinking about your education."

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

She set her mug back down, but still gripped it between her hands. "Do you remember when you first came here, and we were sitting here eating a snack, and I asked you what your goals for the future were? You told me that all you wanted was to turn eighteen and get custody of Sophia, so she wouldn't be in the system anymore."

That day seemed so long ago now, but I did remember it. "Yeah. Sort of."

That made me very sad," she told me. "You're so bright, Callie. I feel like you have so much more to do in life. I'd love to see you go to college after high school."

I shook my head. "No. That's way too much money."

"Not necessarily," she said. "There's financial aid, and student loans, and I'm sure there are scholarships out there. Maybe even scholarships specifically for foster kids? Where there's a will, there's always a way."