An Imperfect Love Story - Book 8

The Next Day

STEF POV

The night had been long. So long that I was rather numb to it, and it's now past 3 in the morning and I pull into our driveway as we see all of the lights out in my house. We had interrogated and reprimanded Corey for what felt like hours until my throat became both dry and horse just trying to make sense of what in the hell was going on in his young mind. Why he would do that, who this Brian was and what on earth he was thinking. I had not even brought up the lies he said about me for I felt that could be addressed later, as painful as his words were to me.

All he did was cry, and beg us not to leave him there in the precinct cell but Lena and I didn't care. Not one bit even if our hearts had broken seeing him behind bars. Corey had to face the consequences for what he had done and Lena and I would need to figure out how we were going ot handle this and him moving forward because he would most likely have a court date and need to pay a fine.

As Lena and I get out of my car, we head inside and immediately go to check in on the kids who are thankfully all sound asleep in Callie and Stefanie's room. We knew what they had seen earlier wasn't an easy pill to swallow and it was something else our family had to face as we both stand in the doorway looking at them.

"You think they are ok?" She whispers to me as I nod and quietly close their door as I motion for her to follow me into the living room and we take a seat beside each other on the couch.

"I...I feel terrible. I didn't think we'd be this fucking late, Stef. They are probably worried sick."

"They are ok, I called my mother not to long ago. I mean they are as ok as they can be for now. But we will talk to them tomorrow. But, I mean arrests can take forever, but um, this...this was just shit," I say sadly as Lena reaches for my hand gently and I shake my head. "It just was. Not an easy thing to see him behind bars like that."

"I know but we can't let him just think he's going to get off easy just because his Mom is a cop and can pull strings. We can't do that."

"I know love. I know." I say running my fingers through my hair as I continue to feel her hand in mine.

"I can stay the night. I...you shouldn't be alone, Stef," she says softly as I look over and search her eyes. "I can sleep on the couch. It's really no issue at all." I stand now heading to the window as I look out and see the lights off in my mothers RV.

"I'm not alone, Len. My mother is in her RV, and the kids are here."

Getting up herself and stepping closer to me now, she places her hand on my hip which causes butterflies to circle around in my stomach for anytime Lena touched me it still did things to me. "You know what I mean, Stef. This is very difficult, and if I am feeling like crap, I know you must be and I don't want you to feel as if you are alone in this. Because you aren't. We are a team no matter what and if you know you are feeling something....or like you don't trust yourself to be alone I can stay."

"I'm ok Lena, really. You don't need to take care of me or worry."

"I don't feel I need to take care of you, Stef, I care about you, and well....I don't know if I can be alone myself if I'm honest." She now admits as my face softens and I turn to look at her as she has moved her hand from my hip and I see her sad eyes for I understood, I didn't want to be alone either. Biting my lower lip now, and feeling like the weight of the world was once again on my shoulders I am beyond exhausted. Beyond and I am unsure if I'll be able to even sleep tonight as I nod my head.

"I don't want you to feel obligated Len."

"I do not feel that way. Not one bit, ok? We are friends and well it's been a long night."