For The Love of Callie

A Crack in the Glass

Steph's POV

"Callie, what happened?" I ask trying not to sound like a cop, but a caregiver instead. She looks at me uneasy, and pulls her shirt down. "Umm... I uhh...when I was...." She stutters and avoids direct eye contact.

I bend down to her level "Deep breaths Callie. Did someone hurt you?"

She gets herself together and says "it was in Juvie...one of the girls...it's not important why... but she got me really bad... I didn't know it was that bad though. Not until today..."

"Okay, and nothing about your story is unimportant Callie. Not a single detail." I tell her with so much empathy in my eyes.

She nods "I think something's really wrong Stef." She says trying not to sound scared, but I can see it in her eyes. I'm a cop for gods sake.

"Okay, do you want me to get you an appointment for tomorrow at the family doctor? I'm sure she will see you." I search her eyes for a hint of an answer but before I can read her, she hurls over and throws up again. I place my hand on her back "okay, you're alright."

As she comes back up afterwards, sweat beads form on her fair skin. The paleness in her face, and the small glint of fear in her eyes tell me she needs more than just a doctors visit. She probably needs to visit an Emergency Room.

"Okay, it's okay. I'm going to call Lena and let her know we are going to the emergency room." She lays back on the bed almost in defeat. I feel for the poor girl because even through all of this, a normal person would be nervous, Callie on the other hand, she's kept her cool.

Callie's POV

Anxiety floods my entire body. Nothing has ever felt quite this bad before. It feels like the inside of me is shaking while I'm not physically. My chest hurts like something is wrong with both my lungs, and my stomach, my stomach feels like someone had driven a blade into it and left it there.
Though all of this feels like an emergency situation, I keep my fear to a minimal. I couldn't let my walls down. Not for a second. Not for any reason. I couldn't give these people a reason to see me as weak, no matter the circumstances.
As Stef walks into the kitchen on her phone, I turn away from her view and let out a few tears. The pain is unbearable. The chills rack my body. I'm still so nauseas but throwing up again scares the shit out of me because that last time hurt so bad I almost cried right in front of Stef.
I close my eyes so tears are trapped inside my eyelids. I released enough, now its time to conceal again. For once, this home feels a little more comforting then any others, these people have yet to put a hand on me and I have to hold onto every second of that. One wrong move and either I'm on the street again, or they release the side of them I know has to exist. The side that doesn't give a single shit about another fucked up foster kid.
I put my mind at ease to focus in on the situation at hand. I can get through this. I always get through this. Are my thoughts fading right now? Why does everything feel so fuzzy and weird? And just like that...nothing.

Stef's POV

I finish up on the phone with Lena, she had just finished taking Mariana through Victoria's Secret after spoiling Jesus in the sports store and Brandon in a CD store. He has a thing for collecting old CD's. My famous musician in the making.
Lena plans to meet us at the hospital after she finishes with the kids. I told her not to worry too much as it didn't seem like an emergent situation, just something we needed to handle immediately.

"Alright Callie, why don't we get you ready to go?" I announce coming around the corner in the living room. The girl was once again sound asleep but this time uncovered and facing away.
I walk over to the pull out bed and shake her gently "Callie, you ready to go get checked out?"
Nothing, not even a little movement.
I try again "come on Callie, I know your tired but we gotta see if anything's injured love." Nothing.
Anxiety creeps into the back of my throat like a black cat in the night.
"Callie? Can you wake up for me?" I pat her side but to no avail.
"Shit." I mutter not even realizing I just swore for the first time in the house in years. Lena broke me of that habit long ago.

I dial 911 realizing the girl is not just asleep, she's unconscious.

Lena's POV

Mariana, hurry up with the color selection, we don't have all day." I say sitting in the nail salon chair waiting for my most dramatic daughter to pick a nail polish color. I sent the boys off with $50 each and told them to meet back in a half hour but keep ringers all the way up.

"I know I know... I can't believe you told the boys if they get in trouble their last name is not Adams Foster, it's Johnson." She giggles which I share with her.
"Listen miss thing, I trust them, but I also know them. More Jesus then Brandon but still."
She finally selects a color and takes the seat beside mine. The salon stylists begin in our nails. We definitely needed some quality mom and Mariana time.
"How's things going with Lexie?" I ask realizing it's been a minute since she's come over.
"Good, she's just more interested in Jesus then me at the moment." Mariana rolls her eyes.
"I know, that's probably one of the most annoying things as a girl about having a brother. Your friends find them attractive, and then when they come over it's all weird. I'm sorry girl."
She shrugs "it's bound to happen. I'm not that upset about it, just wish she would spend more time with me."
"Well if it's okay with Mom, you can always see if she wants to come over next weekend for a sleepover. Mom doesn't work and I don't believe we have any set in stone plans."
"I can see if she wants to. Any way we can send Jesus away?" She asks with a bit of the attitude I live for sometimes.
"I don't know about that, but I can plan something to get him out of the house for a little while."
Mariana thinks for a second "okay deal."

As our nails dry under the heater, I get a call from Brandon. "Mama it's me, Jesus got in trouble because some girls dared him to jump in the wish fountain. He's not getting arrested or anything, but he does have to leave the mall."
Seriously? I think in my head. I mean I know he's only 14 but why does he have to do things like this to get attention?
"Okay B, I'll be over with Mariana in a minute, thank you for letting me know."

Mariana and I finish drying our nails and tip the stylist before heading over to find Jesus.
"I can't even be mad about that...that's so funny." Mariana giggles as we walk through the mall to find her delinquent of a brother.
"Just one day. That's all I want. One day of no trouble."
She side eyes me "with three teenagers? Well 4 now...can we keep Callie?"
The question catches me off guard. "Where is this coming from?"
"It's another girl in the house I can gossip with. Someone I can go to parties with later on in life with and talk about boys with..."
I smile at the excitement Mariana has about having this stranger in our house for the mean time.
"Right now, that's not even a thought on our minds. We are still trying to get to know her. She may not even want to stay herself yet. Let's give it some time before we ponder that idea." I wrap my arm around her shoulder.
"Okay...I give you two weeks."
I roll my eyes "you teenagers are so pushy."

After I finally get all three of my teenagers out of the mall without handcuffs, my phone buzzes.
After fishing it out of my pocket, Stef's name beeps across the screen. "Hey love, what's up?"
Stef seems panicked on the other end "I know I said I was taking Callie to the emergency room, but we actually had to ride in and ambulance over."
"Oh my god, it's everything okay? Is she okay? Are YOU okay?" So many thoughts race my mind as the kids try and poke and prod for information on what's going on.
Stef frantically explains to me that Callie went unconscious after another round of throwing up and that she had to call 911 because of it. After gaining all of the information, I'm sick to my own stomach. I hang up the phone and put the car in reverse.

"What's wrong Mama?" Jesus asks from the back seat.
"Callie was just taken back for severe abdominal damage for CT's and tests after an ambulance ride. They think there's something permanently wrong with her stomach..."

Mariana looks to me uncomfortably "is she going to be okay?" Her heart of gold wasn't meant to sustain times like this.
"I don't know yet Mari...I don't know."