Pushed

Chapter 23

Stef and Lena finished sorting through all the kids clothes and folding them but before they headed to the various rooms to deposit them they just lay in bed talking. Though Stef was glad that Callie was beginning to show significant signs of progress she still felt guilty for not letting her go. "Maybe we can take her out for ice-cream after dinner." Stef said. "I doubt she'd want to go." Lena said. "She wouldn't want to eat more than necessary." "Fine then we'll take her somewhere else." Stef tried to think of something. "Honey, don't feel so guilty. We did the right thing." Lena tried to assure her wife. "I just feel like lately all I do is say no to her." Stef said miserably. "She never asks for much." "You know what I think she'd like, I think she'd love to snuggle up with you on the couch and watch a movie. Something funny that will make her laugh." Lena said gently. "That's still home." Stef said. "I want to do something special." "Honey, sitting cuddled up with you is special." Lena said affectionately. "Trust me, I know." She added playfully. Stef laughed. Only Lena could make her laugh even though she was miserable. "Tell you what, I'll go put these clothes in the kids rooms and make dinner. Why don't the two of you run to the store and pick out a movie." Stef thought about it for a moment before handing Lena the basket of folded clothes. "Deal." She said and made her way out of the room to find her daughter. Lena hadn't even made it out of their bedroom before she heard Stef yell out her name. "LENA." Stef said again as they both made their way into the hall. "What's wrong?" Lena asked. "That girl..." Stef said, too angry to continue, so she just handed Lena the note. "Oh no." Lena mumbled. "Why does she always do this?" Stef said. "It's like she wants to make me mad." Suddenly Stef's eyes went wide with worry. "What's wrong?" Lena asked, noticing the change in her wife's expression. "Sarah said that the time we need to worry is when she's trying to make us mad." Stef said, sort of in shock. "What?" Lena asked confused. But by then Stef was already grabbing her wallet and keys and heading down the stairs. "Stef, what do you mean?" Lena asked as they backed out of the driveway. "Sarah told me that Callie didn't want to hurt herself and the only time we should really worry was when she tried to make me mad at her." Stef explained. "I don't think she'll do anything." Lena said, though she didn't sound a hundred percent sure herself. "I hope you're right Lena but I'm not taking that chance." Stef said as she raced down the street, ignoring the speed limit. "Call her." She instructed as she practically threw her phone at Lena. Stef bit her lip anxiously as she waited for Lena to speak, indicating that Callie had answered but when Lena finally lowered the phone Stef banged her fist against the steering. "Try again." She said. "Keep trying." Lena continued to call Callie until they finally reached the street that Brandon had told them the house was on. From there is wasn't hard to find the house - it was littered with kids all around and loud music blasting from inside. Stef pulled up outside the house and practically grabbed her phone from Lena. Callie hadn't been at the party even twenty minutes when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She knew who was calling even before she pulled it out to look at the screen. Sure enough STEF flashed across the screen and Callie tentatively hovered her thumb over the 'decline' button. She didn't want to go home yet, she wasn't exactly having a good time but this was more about proving herself than having fun and so she decided to ignore the call, knowing that just a few seconds after it stopped it would start again.
And Callie was right, her phone buzzed non-stop about six or seven times before she received a text. She quickly brought the text up and read it Callie, we are right outside. You have exactly two minutes to get out here otherwise I'm coming in to get you. I'm sure your friends wouldn't take too kindly to your police officer mom raiding their party. Get out here now please. Callie was sitting alone in an upstairs bedroom. She had watched Brandon play for a while but eventually needed some space and found her way up to what looked like the guest bedroom and so she walked over to the window and sure enough she saw Stef's black Terrain parked right out front and Stef, impatiently drumming her fingers on the steering wheel, looking intently at the front door of the house. Callie stood there as her two minutes slowly ticked away, waiting to see what Stef would do. But her decision quickly changed when she saw Stef finally unbuckle herself and open her door, ready to get out. Callie, quick as she could ran out the room and down the stairs, trying not to bang into the countless teens laughing and kissing all around her as she made her way to the front door. She definitely didn't want to be the reason that her 'police officer mom raided the party' as Stef had put it. Stef had just reached the front door when it opened in front of her, Callie standing there looking at her, a mixture of fear and guilt written across her face. Stef was livid and Callie could see it in her eyes, but neither of them wanted a scene here so without a word Stef grabbed Callie by the arm and Callie let her lead her back to the car. Stef shoved Callie into the back seat and then climbed into the driver's seat herself and pulled onto the road. None of them said anything for a few minutes until Callie finally broke the silence. "I'm sorry." She said in a small voice. "Yeah right." Stef said angrily and Lena gently placed a hand on her leg, helping her control her anger. Callie felt tears well in her eyes. Once again she had made Stef angry and now all she wanted was to be close to her, feeling those protective arms around her, keeping her safe from the world she had grown to fear. "Why would you go after we told you not to?" Lena asked, trying to understand and giving Callie a chance to explain herself. "I just wanted to prove to you guys that I'd be okay. That you could trust me." Callie said softly. "Doing something that we specifically told you not to do is no way to gain our trust Callie." Stef said sharply. Clearly she was not softened by Callie's confession. "I'm sorry." Callie said again, unsure of what else to say. The three were silent for a while and they were almost home before Callie spoke again. "So what's going to happen now?" Callie asked. Stef and Lena both looked at each other for a moment. Callie's consequence hadn't been discussed and this was too big a decision for either one of them to just decide. Stef was too angry to come up with a rational consequence and Lena wasn't willing to rock the boat. "We'll decide that tomorrow." Stef finally said. "For now you're going to eat your dinner and head straight to bed." Callie didn't argue and as they reached the house she got out of the car and headed straight to the kitchen as she was supposed to. She sat down at the table as Stef went about getting a plate of food for her. Lena hadn't gotten around to making anything for dinner so Stef made Callie a turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomato and a glass of mixed fruit juice. She set it on the table in front of Callie wordlessly and sat down next to her. Callie cautiously picked up a piece of her sandwich as Lena went about making two more. She knew that Stef was really too angry to eat but she also knew that if Lena put it in front of her then Stef would eat it, for Lena's sake. Soon the three of them all had their sandwiches in front of them. None of them talking and only Lena really eating quickly. They watched as Callie took her fourth small bite and chewed slowly. She looked miserable and Lena wasn't sure if it was because she was being made to eat or because Stef was angry with her. Lena looked across to Stef who was watching Callie like a hawk but the hard expression on her face was still there. Lena cleared her throat slightly causing Stef to look at her and once Lena had her attention she signaled for Stef to help Callie. Stef knew what Lena was trying to do. She wanted Stef to hold Callie's hand and assure her that everything was fine, but the truth was that everything wasn't fine - Stef was so angry with Callie. She glanced back at the girl and noticed that she was almost done with the first half of her sandwich. She was obviously having a tough time but trying hard to do what she was told. Stef's resolve finally began to fade and she slowly reached across and grabbed a hold of Callie's free hand and squeezed tight. The effect was instantaneous and they both watched Callie visibly relax. Lena gave Stef an approving smile as they all finished their dinner in silence. "Should we check her tonight?" Stef asked. They were getting ready for bed, throwing the countless pillows onto the floor and pulling back the blanket. Callie had finished eating and without a word headed up to her own room. When Stef and Lena went in a while later to say good night to her they found her already ready for bed, quietly reading a book. The twins had returned during dinner but had stuffed up on popcorn and hotdogs and weren't hungry and were now in their own beds as well. "We'll do it tomorrow." Lena answered. "I don't think she did anything." "I don't either." Stef admitted. "She even ate without a fuss." "She feels bad for upsetting you." Lena said. "I just don't get why she always has to push until I get angry before she does what she needs to do." Stef complained. "I'm so tired of it." Lena walked around the bed and wrapped her arms around her wife. Sometimes Stef's tough exterior made Lena forget just how soft she was inside, especially when it came to the kids. "This was different." She said. "She wasn't trying to make you mad." "It was different." Stef agreed. "But I'm still mad." "I know that honey." Lena said. "I can see that." "I was worried." Stef admitted. "I know we're supposed to trust her but that party was full of booze and shots and god knows what else and I was so afraid that if Callie started any of that then all her progress would be erased." "I know." Lena said. "I felt it too." "So what do we do?" Stef asked, referring to Callie's consequence. "Not whatever you're thinking." Lena said lightheartedly. Stef smiled down at her wife. "You don't even know what I'm thinking." She said. "If it lasts longer than two weeks then it's out." Lena said Stef groaned in mock annoyance. "So grounding her till she's thirty isn't going to work?" She asked. Lena laughed. "How about two weeks with no T.V.?" Lena asked."Fine." Stef said, pretending to settle. The two continued to just talk for another hour, snuggled together for another hour or so when Stef noticed movement from under their bedroom door. She watched as a figure fidgeted for a while before receding slowly. "You can come in Callie." Stef said kindly, before the figure disappeared completely. The figure stopped and stood still for a moment before Stef finally saw the door knob turn and the door open and there stood Callie looking nervous. "Need something honey?" Lena asked. Callie looked like she wanted to say something but didn't know how to so she looked down at her hands, wringing them together. "Sweetheart." Stef said lovingly, encouraging Callie to say whatever it was she came to say. Callie looked up at Stef when she spoke, obviously trying to hold back tears. "Can I maybe..." She began but stopped, gathering courage before she continued. "...can I sleep with you tonight?" Stef and Lena watched as Callie waited anxiously for their answer. Callie had slept in their bed more times than they could count in the last three months but this was the first time that she ever asked for it herself. It was something that Stef could finally say yes to and she was more than willing to do so. "Of course love." She said she moved away from Lena, giving Callie room to get in. "Come on in. "The relief on Callie's face was obvious as she crawled into the bed and willingly curled into Stef's open arms. "I love you Callie." Stef said as she pulled Callie close and kissed her head. "Even when I'm angry with you I still love you. You know that yes?" Callie nodded. "I know. I love you too mom." She said snuggling closer to her. Stef's eyes filled with tears as she squeezed Callie as hard as she could. Her eyes met Lena's and Lena smiled lovingly at the sight before her as she turned out the lights.