FULL CIRCLE

Hoping for Second Chances

Lauren had left the hospital room where her father was currently sleeping, waving goodbye to her siblings, ushering her mother to take her home, where she knew her team was already on their way to meet her.

The two women drove home in a rush, both feeling peaceful in each other's presence for the first time in a very long time. Old wounds were truly mending, and it was about time.

When they finally arrived, Lauren smiled when she saw her team's cars in the drive way, and waited anxiously for her mother to bring her wheel chair around to help her out of the car. Still incredibly injured, she was throbbing in pain from forgetting to take her medication, but her mind was too focused on helping her father to care.

Clara noticing her daughters face pale more than normal, cursed herself for forgetting her medication. She sighed, knowing her daughter was too busy trying to think of ways to stop her fathers transfer to care. She pushed her daughter through the Cabello house, and was relieved to see Camila stepping out of the kitchen with a glass of water in one hand, and Lauren's medication in another.

The mother noticed the affectionate look the two women were sharing, and smiled to herself. It looked like she would be gaining a daughter in-law someday after all.

Once Lauren had taken her medication, Camila ushered her into the kitchen, where the others and a hearty breakfast were waiting.

They walked into the kitchen, and noticed Alexa, Vero and Lucy hard at work with papers spread across the table. Camila moved a chair out of the way, and Clara wheeled Lauren to the empty space, grateful that there was a plate of food waiting for Lauren.

Lauren started to eat eagerly, and looked expectantly towards Alexa, waiting to informed of everything that was being done.

"For the past week we've been filing paperwork for your dad's release until the trial. Austin's lawyer will try and say that the attack on Brad was a scheme between you both, but we have the evidence and witness statements from various family members to back that up. It seems that many in the Jauregui family are more than aware of the bad blood between you and Mike, and none of them believe for a second that you both suddenly decided to kill Brad after almost fifteen years of not speaking. We also can verify that throughout the many years we have known you, you never once made contact with him while being in California. So we have a hearing tomorrow morning to ask for bail on your father's behalf, and have stopped the transfer until the judge's ruling." Alexa explained, handing the file to Lauren to look through.

"Wonderful..." Lauren mumbled with her mouthful, jumping when Camila and Clara scolded her, "Don't talk with food in your mouth!"

Glaring at the two women, Lauren's annoyed expression left her face when they both gave her the motherly stink eye. She swallowed her food quickly, whispering, "Sorry."

Lucy and Vero chuckled, while Alexa just smirked in pleasure at seeing her boss reprimanded like a teenager.

Lauren shot them a glare, and asked, "What terms are you offering?"

Lucy cleared her throat, sitting up as she fought the smile on her face as she dug through the paper work. "We're offering house arrest, and for Mike to stay with a family member instead of living alone, since he would need a lot of care anyway, it would also help to monitor him. So far we have no takers. His parents are refusing to help him unless he changes his mind about your sexuality. His brothers have not answered our calls, and his sister said she couldn't, mainly because the senior Jauregui's are threatening to fire her from their company if she show Mike any support. She's a single mom with three kids, so she can't do a thing. She would help if she wasn't stuck financially. She even lives a couple miles from here. But she's the youngest, and only about five years older than Lauren. She doesn't know Mike that much, but that is mostly because her parents were strict in cutting him from her life. She has a low position in their company, and can't afford to rock the boat with one of her kids in college. She is silently pro-gay, and a lot more reasonable than the other members of the family. It seems she's the black sheep, second only to your dad. Her youngest son is in middle school and is very gay, and she is worried that her parents will find out and cut her off. She is basically unable to help at all, but really wishes she could."