Mama Tiger

Chapter 9.

Chapter 9.

Sharon watched Callie through the screen door. The teenager sat on the steps, playing a slow song on her guitar. She had to admit, she had her doubts when Stef and Lena decided to adopt Callie; she worried about them taking on a high risk child, when they had the other kids to think about. But her daughter and Lena obviously loved Callie, and she had become fond of her too. The girl had spirit. She reminded her so much of Stef at that age.

"You're getting pretty good on that thing, doll" she told Callie, joining her on the porch.

Callie turned and gave her a weak smile. "Thanks. I've been taking lessons."

"I can tell," she nodded. She placed her hand on her granddaughter's back, wanting to say something. Stef's concerns about Callie falling apart had been on her mind all day. "Did you know that I lost my mother when I was just a little older than you?" she asked.

"No," said Callie, giving her a sorry look. "How did she die?"

Sharon looked down, her eyes stinging. "She died from breast cancer."

Callie sighed, turning away in irritation. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"No," Sharon replied. "I just want you to know that I understand what you're going through."

"I have to get ready for work," Callie grunted, trying to stand up.

But Sharon quickly grabbed her hand and wouldn't let go. "I'm not done talking with you yet, honey."

Callie sat back down on the step, her arms stubbornly folded across her chest. "Why are you telling this to me?"

"Because I think there are some things you need to hear. Because I love you," she admitted. She hadn't even realized that she did, in fact, love Callie until she heard herself say it.

Turning, Callie gave her a skeptical look. "I'm listening."

"I was a senior in high school when my mom got sick," Sharon went on. "We were close. She was honestly my best friend. Kind of like you and Stef are." She sighed, looking out at the yard. "Then, suddenly, everything changed. She was weak, and frail, and her beautiful hair was gone. It was really scary."

She glanced over at her granddaughter, who was stone-faced, staring into space. "What I remember most is feeling angry at her. Do you ever feel that way, Cal?"

"No," Callie told her, a little too quickly.

"I was angry because she was too sick to go shopping for a prom dress with me," Sharon went on. "And because I never knew what to expect next; I'd come home from school sometimes and she wouldn't be there, because she had to go to the hospital during the day. And because she couldn't come to my graduation. I was mad that I had to live in fear of losing the person I loved the most."

"That was selfish," Callie snapped, shaking her head. "Your mom didn't ask to get cancer. It wasn't her fault she got sick."

"I thought so too," Sharon nodded, swiping a tear from her cheek. "And I hated myself for feeling that way. But then I realized that the reason I was mad was only because I loved her, and I was afraid of losing her. I was just scared. It's okay to be mad at the people you care about sometimes, kiddo. It doesn't mean you care any less."

She put her hand on Callie's knee. "It's okay if you're feeling angry at Stef," she said quietly. "It's not wrong. It's normal. It means that you love her, and you want her in your life."