Fighting For Us - Book 4

Lifelong Decisions

"Now you be careful. You hear me?" The blonde says to Lena as the two enter their apartment the next morning. It had been a really long and intense night and neither woman had gotten hardly any sleep at the hospital.

Thankfully Lena was cleared of a concussion but her face was pretty swollen, and she would need to rest for a week or so for her knee was swollen as well. The woman was tough, there was no doubt about it but the entire thing had shaken her up a bit and she was continuing to see images of that gun in her mind and dreams...something Stef was very well aware of.

"I'm ok, babe. Really." She smiles as Stef holds her hand unlocking the door and not letting  go for anything. "I just don't want to worry the kids. I must look worse than I feel, and I'm scared too..." She is cut off as Stef opens the apartment door and the kids run to them completely in shock of Lena's appearance but so happy to see her at the same time.

"Oh my god, Mama!" Franks cries out as she flings herself towards Lena, but Stef holds out her arm and catches her.

"Hey, you, guys, let's give Mama some space, okay? She's really tired and needs to take it easy. Let me get her settled in her bed then you may QUIETLY come in and see her."

"But Mama Dukes! We were so worried!" Corey hollers as fresh tears run down his face and Stef gives him a stern look but she relaxes as she sees how distraught he and the kids really are.

"Yes, babies. We, all, were worried, but Mama looks worse than she feels, okay? The doctors have cleared her, but she does need to rest, and flying at her or jumping on her isn't gonna help. Ok, babies?"

"I'm ok sweethearts. I am." She reassures both kids as Frankie and Corey gently hug her, relieved that she is ok. They had hardly gotten any sleep, either and just wanted their Mom to be ok. That's all they wanted and Frankie herself realized just how much she really did love her Mom and really regretted her past actions more then anything right now.

As Lena softly kisses both kids Stefanie and Callie hurry towards Stef and Lena's bedroom as they had all gotten up super early and changed the sheets and had begged Mike to go with them to get flowers for their bed side table. They really wanted to make it look nice and inviting for Lena as Callie added a little bit of water to the vase.

"It was nice of your dad to come stay with us last night." Stefanie says as she smooths out the bedding.

"Yeah it was. I mean he helps where he can."

"That's cool."

"Yeah so how you feeling today?" She asks as the girl shrugs.

Callie had been beyond worried about what Stefanie said in regards to ending herself and when she had a chance she was most certainly going to tell her Mom. This was too serious to keep to herself and her mother had always told her if anyone made any statements like that or if she felt that way to tell her. And that is exactly what she planned to do.

"I'm ok I guess."

"If you wanna talk I'm here."

"I'm fine, Cal. I didn't mean what I said yesterday. I'm not really gonna end myself. I was kidding and having a low day." Stefanie lies as Callie doesn't believe a word she is saying as she looks up seeing her Mom and Lena walking into the room.

"Wow this is nice!" Stef smiles as she carefully assists Lena to the bed. "You babies did this?"

"We thought it would be nice. We got flowers too. Well, Mike got them but we all picked them out this morning." Stefanie says politely. "How are you feeling, Aunt Lena?"

"I'm ok honey. Thanks for asking." Lena says taking a seat on the bed as both girls were saddened by how banged up and bruised her face was.

"Sure. Do you need anything. Water?" Callie reaches for Lena's pillow that had fallen on the ground and handed it to her mom.