Never Be the Same

Part 19

It's been a month since Stella talked to her mom, a month since she saw the woman who brought her into this world. It has been a month since her so-called mother told her who supposedly is her biological father. She's been in denial for a month—big-time denial. There was no way she'd ever believe it; he can't be her father; he just can't. She wants to go back and erase those words from her mother's mouth. "Bo's your father." Repeat it in her head daily; she can't escape it. It's like a recurring nightmare, one she can't wake up from but desperately wants to; she wants to forget the names Bo and Sierra. She wants to go back to a time when she didn't think of her family; she wants to clear her mind of everything. And go back to her real life and be happy with her husband, kids, and her firefighter family, which is her real family. The only family that has truly been there for her. The only family that cares, the only family that has never let her down, forced her to do things, or seen things that can't be seen, She's determined to erase her mind of the information she learns: Bo wasn't her father; she never saw her mom; they both don't exist; she is an orphan as far as she sees it; and if anyone asks, she'll tell them she has no parents. Her family is 51; her husband, kids, and puppies are all she needs. She's worked too hard to forget her past, and she is finally happy. Her life is going great, and she's not letting anyone ruin it.

Kelly, on the other hand, was worried about his wife that night after learning about Bo and seeing her mom for the first time in years. She came home and went straight to bed; thankfully, Jennifer had the twins for the night. Kelly tried to get her to talk about what she was feeling or thinking, but she wouldn't. When they went to bed that night, she curled in his arms and cried herself to sleep. He lay there, holding her and worrying about the effects this whole realization would have on her. He figured in the morning she would want to talk about it, but she didn't; she acted like it was any other morning. He asked her if she was okay, and she said she was fine. He didn't believe her, but he didn't want to push her. It was like she just turned off what she was really feeling and thinking.

It's been a month now—a month that he wanted to ask her where her head was in the whole situation. But he kept it to himself; she was happy and back to her normal self. He didn't want to force her into talking about anything she didn't want to talk about. But he was also kind of down about the fact that she was finally opening up to him about her past, something he's been wanting her to do for years, but now she won't talk about it. She's back to pretending like her past doesn't exist. And he has this feeling in his gut that her past isn't going to stay in the past much longer.

Stella walked around the firehouse, looking for Kelly. It's been a long, crazy shift for them all, especially truck 81. She was exhausted and ready to call it a night, but she wanted a kiss goodnight from her husband. But he was nowhere. "Cruz, have you seen Kelly?" She asked as she saw him getting ready to lay down.

"No, I figured he crashed already; he said he was going to."

"He's not in his office."

"Sorry."

"Thanks." She stood there for a moment, thinking about where he could be. Maybe shower. That thought brought a smile to her face. Her man was naked under the hot, steamy water. Damn, she was getting wet now. She walks into the locker room, but nothing. Now that she's disappointed, she pulls her phone out and sends him a message. She waited a few minutes for a reply, but nothing. She walks to her office, and as she calls him, she hears something vibrating. As she turns to walk into her office, she sees her husband sleeping in her bed in her office.

She kicks her shoes off and climbs on top of him. She kisses his cheek, and his arms wrap around her immediately. "I've been looking for you." She tells him.

"I was looking for you too." He opened his eyes. "It's a good thing we found each other." He smiles at her.

"A very good thing." She kisses him softly. And he turns the kiss into a passionate one. "I love you." She whispered as their kiss broke.