Love Will Make You Stay

Responding

As the blonde and Mike pulled up to the house with the sirens off which was mandatory for these type of calls Stef could feel her stomach turn. Domestic violence calls were never something she took lightly and neither did Mike for they were usually the most dangerous and unpredictable. More then anything she hated these calls because usually they were from the same residences and their were usually children involved. In this case she knew there were at least two children inside for the dispatcher said the 911 call came from a child who could be no more then 7. That alone infuriated her as the two exited the car heading up to the dark house.

"I hate these fucking calls." Mike sighed.

"You and me both." she groaned as she rang the bell waiting for a response but there was non.

Looking to the window carefully she could see a light on in the hall and rang the bell yet again.

"Maybe go around back?" Mike asked but just as she was about to respond they heard the door unlock and to their surprise as it cracked open it was a little girl. Stef looking down instantly recognizing her as being Callie from the ice cream shop she had bumped into that afternoon and her heart instantly broke in half. Kneeling down and being careful of her surroundings she could see the girl had been crying.

"Hi baby." she said very gently. "My name is Stef I'm a police officer. See?" she said showing her badge unsure if the girl remembered her but as she looked next to her she could see the other little girl from earlier.

"My mama is hurt. I think. She was crying." Callie confessed.

"Ok baby. How about you let me in ok? This is my friend Mike he's a police officer too. We want to help your mama. Is this your sister?"

"Yes. Mariana."

"Hi Mariana." she said as the young girl moved in closer to her sister hiding her face completely terrified as the blonde redirected her questions to Callie.

"Is anyone else home honey?"

"My daddy."

"Ok where is he my love?"

"In the bedroom with mama ."

"Ok baby." Getting up the young girl opened the door wider as her and Mike let out a sigh.

"Maybe we should put them in the car. Since there was never a call for this place before we don't know what's going on." he whispered.

"Yeah I know." she whispered back but turning around they both saw a light switch on in the hall and a man quickly approach.

"What is going on you just open the door to anyone Callie?" he said as the two girls now ran behind the blonde's leg and she could see and feel the fear radiating off of them.

"Sir we are responding to a call. May I ask where your wife is ?" Mike said walking in front of the blonde to shield the girls.

"My wife is asleep. What kind of call? And girls get back in here!" He yelled as they did not budge.

As Mike glanced to his ex wife he knew the deal.

"Sir we need you to relax. Ok. We just want to make sure everyone is ok. Can we speak to your wife?"

"There is nothing to ask. And I don't know who called the police." he said as the blonde now looked behind him seeing the woman from earlier exit the bedroom. She almost gasped at the site for she knew she had tried to clean herself up and Lena instantly recognized the blonde cop as her two girls ran to her. She was embarrassed more then anything at seeing the same officer from earlier and she had to lie to. She had to lie through her teeth.

"See here is my wife everything is fine. Right honey?" Kevin said now holding her hand as the two girls gripped onto Lena's leg as the four adults stood in the hall.

"Yes I am fine. I'm sorry I don't know who called you." she lied as both Stef and Mike could see the bruises on the slim woman's face as well as the fear. She was very well aware of who called the police. Callie.

"Listen we don't want to bother either of you but we need to make a report and just ask a few questions. Nothing more." Mike reassured as he to knew everything was wrong with this situation and had to be careful and try to figure out what was going on. Even if it was evident that the father was the abuser.

"Look I don't know what you two hope to find but ask what you want. Neither of us have anything to hide."

"Fair enough. Can you and I talk in the kitchen sir?"

"Of course. Come this way." As the two men walked in the kitchen Lena directed Stef into the living room as the two girls held onto her. She had to be careful with what she said and what she asked but more then anything she wanted to kill and strangle this woman's husband.

"Have a seat officer." Lena said politely as she struggled to sit Mariana clinging to her and Callie sitting beside her.

"Thank you. I'm Stef." she said smiling more concerned then ever.

"Lena. Callie why don't you take you sister over there to play with your dollhouse. Ok honey?"

Callie nodded as Mariana would not budge nestling her head in Lena's chest.

"Honey it's ok. This nice officer just wants to ask me questions I'm not leaving you."

As the young Latin girl was terrified to leave Stef let out a smile seeing the fear on the two girls faces. Callie she could see was maybe a year or two older as she gently grabbed her sisters hand leading her to the dollhouse in the corner of the room. But they faced in her direction they so they could keep an eye on their mother which did not surprise the cop. This was not a new situation for them.

"I don't know who called the police." Lena whispered.

"Well someone very concerned and worried. Lena I need to ask. Did your husband do this?"

"No. Not at all. How could you even ask that."

"Well I need to ask. I just want you to be aware of your rights and the resource out there that can help you and your children if he is beating you."

"I don't need that. No one hurt me. Ok?"

"Ok then how did you get those bruises?"

"I fell down the steps this morning." she lied looking at her lap. Stef knew all the lies she had heard every single one of them by now more then once. Her eyes shifted to the two young girls who she knew were straining to here it all as she smiled to Callie and the young girl let out a soft smile herself. In most of these calls the mother would not press charges and they would be back in a few days. Some cases ended in death or someone getting servery injured and the kids usually saw the most.

"They are beautiful girls."

"Thank you." Lena said as the cop could see the nervousness in Lena and the agitation and frustration grow. But she knew it was from fear.

"I'm sure they love you alot. It seems that way and seemed that way at the ice cream shop earlier." Stef said softly as Lena looked to her daughters once again. "Listen I understand. I know you don't want to say it. I know your worried he will come after you, hurt you, your kids and that you will have no place to go. I know it. But..

"Listen. I already told you. There is nothing wrong. I have no statement to make nothing. It's been a long night and I need to get my girls up in the morning for school. My husband did not beat me, he has never laid a hand on me or my kids. So please just leave."

With this Stef let out a sigh as Mariana came back running over to her mother hugging her once again.