Unforgotten Love - Book 2

Bitter Custody

It had been a few months since the California trip as Thanksgiving was approaching in a few weeks for everyone. By this time it was getting rather chilly in New York and Stef was growing worried for Will and Cinnamon. She knew just how much colder it would continue to get as she had begun searching out places for them to stay. Hopefully she would find something soon for both of them but it was not an easy task. Will had made it very clear to her during the last few weeks that he didn't want help and neither did Cinnamon. He said he was content with the life he had now and was making his way the best he could. Stef didn't see that and didn't agree because she knew just how dangerous his life was. She couldn't help but feel sad about it for during the last few weeks they had built a friendship and she too started to share parts of her life with him. He was a pretty nice guy and one of the very few people it seemed she could really talk to. Things seemed to just pour out of her mouth when she was with him including the custody battle, the time in California, her doubts as a mother, and her engagement with Luisa. Will was surprised at the last part for he could sense and see Stef still loved Lena even if he had no idea what transpired between them.

*Flashback*

"So you want to marry Luisa, huh?"

"Well, yeah. I love her. She's my everything, Will." The blonde said sipping on coffee as Will did the same appearing confused. "Why you doubt it like everyone else, huh?"

"No. I don't doubt you love her, Stef. Not at all."

"Then what?" She asked lighting a cigarette as the two sat on egg crates."I mean..."

"Even I know you love, Lena!" Cinnamon called out as she rolled her eyes at the cop. "You just don't seem to want to for some damn reason, but it's SO obvious! I thought you, cops, were so smart!"

"Cin, relax. Don't judge, alright?" Will snapped as the girl rolled her eyes again, inhaling the sandwich Stef brought. "Don't mind her. But ,ummm...I was going to say I'm happy for you, Stef. I think you will be happy with her and Callie."

"But?"

"No buts, Stef. Honestly. You seem happy with Luisa. You really do."

Stef laughed as she looked straight ahead of her. Will was someone who just didn't seem to judge one bit, and this baffled her especially since it felt as if everyone else in her life did.

*Flashback Ends*

Aside from her growing friendship with Will, Stef was due in court in a few days in terms of the custody hearing and it was making her nervous and anxious as hell, even to the point of having small panic attacks, something she tried to hide. Of course she didn't have the money to afford a good lawyer, but she did the absolute best she could and was ready to fight Mike head on. However, the cop was well aware it was going to get really ugly but she had no time to dwell on the negative. None.

Luisa wanted to help her so badly as well but knew there was not much she could do. In fact, the Dominican woman was aware that she and Stef needed to be even more careful since Mike had an idea of what was going on. It was true Callie had spilled the beans about Stef and Luisa holding hands and she had also seen them kiss once without Stef knowing. Unfortunately that was not going to help the cop in family court and neither was the fact that her parents weren't on her side in this or ever. In any case, the blonde still visited Luisa, although less, at the diner and tried to take her out as much as she could even though it was challenging and would get even worse as the days flew by.

*Flashback*

"Be ready next week. You better start packing Callie's stuff." One of Mike's friends said as Stef began putting her things away to head out of work for the day. "You should have listened to him, Stef. And ummm...ya know, maybe stop munching on so many carpets." He laughed along with a few other of Mike's cop friends as the blonde shook her head. "Tell us Stef what makes a woman better than a man! How do you ummm...how do you guys do it? Can we watch?" They joked as she swung her bag around her shoulder looking them dead in the face.