Unforgotten Love - Book 2

A Hard Choice

With the custody battle in full swing and only a day let until the first court date things were getting uglier and uglier by the minute. The threats at work were worse for the blonde, Lena had called Mike hoping to pursued him only to have it backfire, Stef needed to explain to her daughter what gay was, her parents were back in town along with three of her brothers to testify against her and to top it off Mike had shown up at the diner threatening Luisa to stay away from his daughter. How anyone could really handle all of this without cracking no one knew and Julius along with Ryan and Tess were trying to get to New York to help the blonde. However with Thanksgiving only a few days away flights were booked to the brim.

As the blonde dropped her daughter at Mariana's for the night so she could work a double she entered the diner completely unaware of what took place that morning. Clueless, as she was already stressed to the brim and wanted nothing more but to see the woman she asked to be her wife. The conversation with Callie had been rather challenging that very morning and all she wanted to do was sit and chill before she headed to work and before she met up with Will. But as she entered something was clearly off with Luisa as the cop took her normal seat at the counter only to find the woman looking at her rather strangely.

"Hey baby. Que pasa?" She whispered as Luisa handed her a napkin walking off. Stef's eyes could only follow the woman who went to take another order as she continued to think how odd her fiance was being. Opening the napkin Stef instantly grew angry as she read what it said.

Mike came in here. He was angry and threatened me saying if I keep seeing you, you won't see Callie ever.

Crushing the napkin Stef felt her blood instantly boil as the Dominican woman came back to the counter with her notepad pretending to take Stef's order.

"When did he come in here? Cuando? What did he say to you? He threaten to hurt you? MM?" Stef inquired only wanting to protect the woman.

"MM around 7 this morning. Él estaba enojado. He was very angry and no he didn't threaten me. Just you and I told him to fuck off."

"Baby. Lo siento. I'm sorry. He had no right coming in here. And he won't ever again.I'll walk you home when your done."

"Stef, I want to be your wife. I want to be with you and Callie. But I don't want to ruin any chance for you. I know how dangerous this can be. Custody and divorce. I know. It can get bad." She says looking down and swallowing hard as if she was speaking from her own experience.

"Yeah it can but no one's going to hurt you ever. Never and Mike can be a shit. But he's fucking harmless. Fuck him. What is it baby? What did he really say to you?Dime." She asked grabbing the woman's hands as Luisa can barely look at her. "What happened to you? What are you not telling me sweetheart? He put his hands on you? What happened?"

"No baby. No. No such thing happened but I don't want to be the reason you loose Callie. I want to help you get her."

"You would never be the reason. Ever. Never. Eres mi esposa para siempre. You are my wife forever. Fuck him."

"Stefanie I have your back in this entire thing. The entire thing. And we do what we need to while this is going on. He knows. He knows baby about us, he knows you're gay."

"Did he threaten to tell your family?"

"In not so many words and I don't care about that baby. He can tell the world if he wants. I care about you and Callie." Stef could only feel her stomach turn as she let out a sigh for she knew if Mike did in fact expose Luisa right now she could loose everything. Yes it was something they spoke about before and the blonde was making plans for that but she didn't figure Mike would go this far. "I'll walk you home baby and we will talk when I get off. Ok?"

"Si. I love you. Mi amour and I'm with you."

"You se. Yo también te quiero."

As the blonde waited for her girlfriend to get off she took her home and was ready to tear into Mike as soon as she could. Fuck him.

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STEF POV

"You don't have to come down every night ya know. Why do you work nights anyway, Stef?"

"Ahhh, it's overtime. Sometimes I see it as a relief."

"From?" Will asks as I sip on my coffee. "Stef, we have become friends, right?"

"We have, yes, Will."

"Then come on. Tell me whats really going on." He says as I let out a heavy sigh feeling rather hesitant. "That difficult to talk about, huh?"

"It's ummm...my custody hearing is tomorrow."

"Yeah? For Callie?"

"Yes," I run my fingers through my short wavy hair as I try to keep it together but am struggling. My chest feels heavy, and I just want to forget that tomorrow I very well may be ripped to shreds in that damn courtroom.

"Man, what he's doing isn't right. Not one bit. But I hate to break it to you. I never did like the man. Too arrogant and he was...well, I felt he was a male chauvinist." 

I laugh as I look at him. "Is that right? A male chauvinist? I'd add pig if I were to describe him!"

"Well, I was trying to be a little nicer, but that, too!" He laughs as I light up a cigarette and hand him one as well.

"You don't have to be nice on account of me. Hell, I was married to the man for over ten years. That's way too long if you ask me!" I laugh as I puff my cigarette. "But I did want to ask you something, if you don't mind."

"What's that?"

"Did you...ummm...do you love Lena?" I ask nervously as I continue to puff my cigarette for dear life and light another.

"I do. Yes. It's not hard to answer that. But I already told you that I'm defective. She deserves better."

"Why do you down yourself so much, Will? I'm confused because since I've gotten to know you, you're pretty level headed and calm. Why do you think you're not good enough for her?"

"I just...look, she didn't love me like that, and I knew it. I feel like she settled, and honestly? We fought so much, and I didn't want our kids to see that. Not at all. They are all better off without me there."

I sigh as I reach in my bag and pull out a picture of Lena, Frankie and Corey that Callie had taken when we were in California. I had snuck it out of her little book earlier with the promise to myself to return it later. "Look. I get you've made up your mind, Will, but I have this picture I want you to see. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to actually be in your kids' lives."

Tears run down Will's face as he reaches out with his half gloves hand and takes the picture. I watch him as he wipes his eyes before taking a look at the picture. I place my hand on his arm as he sniffles and keeps wiping his eyes. "They're so big!" He manages as he wipes his eyes. "And she's more beautiful..."

I can feel the tears burning my throat as I watch his reaction, and I can't help but feel the deep ache in my heart. Lena is more beautiful than ever...that much I know and I did miss her. I missed her and the relationship we never got to have.

"Stef?" I soon hear him say as I glance back in his direction.

"Yeah?"

"You are the love of her life. Her soul mate. The person she has been looking for her entire life. Yes I was her best friend and the father of her children but you...you are it, Stef. Look I know you have your life and all but if any thing happens to me just look after her for me...and my kids. Frankie has always been a challenge." He laughs as I smile.

"Will, nothing will happen to you. Why don't you just call her?"

"Stef, no can do. Just promise me that. Please." He says with so much concern on his face that he leaves me no choice. I can't tell him that Lena and I were no longer friends or speaking. I can't  for the man's heart was already broken.

"Ok."