Strings

A Run

STEF POV

"Three more laps Foster! Three more! Hurry up time is ticking and you are barely breaking your record!" Cap yelled at Callie as she trailed ahead of us slowly barley running one lap. The three of us had made it a normal routine to run laps at the local park each morning before the sun would even rise sometimes.  However, I could clearly see it was a struggle for my daughter each and every day as it had been for me as well when I first moved in with Cap.  Callie needed the structure and the tough love something Dr. Sanchez suggested. In addition to filing at the precinct everyday  she would be starting 7th grade in a week at Anchor Beach to my relief.  For someone that had missed a good amount of school and jumped around as much as she did Lena said her scores were very well, in fact they were impressive and I was proud of her.  The two of us continued the twice a week therapy like clockwork but we had not made much progress since our conversation in the kitchen almost two weeks ago. She spoke occasionally to me but with the same hostile tone she had in the beginning. To be honest it was heartbreaking and disconcerning to say the least especially since I had found cigarettes in her room.

FLASHBACK

"Is this serious? Are you serious right now! What you didn't think I'd smell it or what?"

"What's the big deal!" She said rolling her eyes as I found the pack of cigarettes in her bed and saw more then a handful missing.

"What's the big deal? The big deal is that you are 12. You are 12 years old Callie and this unacceptable!"

"Please like you didn't do worse." She said rolling her eyes and walking away from me.

"Hey, don't you walk away from me. Don't you dare. Get back over here. Now!" I yelled once again. Slowly  she turned around but failed to move closer to me as I tried my hardest to control my temper.

"I said over here. Now!"

"Why you're screaming at me loud enough for everyone to hear me anyway."

"Get over here now Callie." Rolling her eyes once again the defiance was so apparent on her face that it was unbelievable. At times she could be so innocent looking but at other times it was like she did a complete 180 and turned into someone that was more difficult then words. Walking as slowly as humanly possible towards me she stared deep into my eyes with nothing but anger.

"Where did you get these?"

"Why?"

"Because I want to know. I asked you a question and I want an answer. A real answer."

"A friend."

"A friend. Really? What friend?"

"What does it matter Stefanie."

Shaking my head from frustration this kid was going to make me insane.

"What friend?" I asked again moving in closer to her.

"I don't remember." she lied shrugging her shoulders.

"Well it's obvious I need to search you and your room isn't it?"

"What? You can't do that." She barked back crossing her arms.

"Yeah I can. And I will young lady."

"You're so fucking annoying."

"Well that makes two of us now doesn't it!! Because I gotta say for someone who doesn't want to be like me, Callie you are just like me!"

"No I'm not! No way!"

"Oh yeah you are.  Down to that dirty mouth of yours that I have told you time and time to watch! I knew every trick in the book and I still do because I've played all of them. And you are playing the same ones I did. So even if you choose not to tell me where you got this crap I'll find out anyway. I'll find out who gave them to you, if you have more and whatever else you are hiding. Believe me. Now you can make this easy by admitting where you got them or you can make it harder  where I find out myself!"