Love Will Keep Us - Book 5

His File

STEF POV

The more I look over Jude's file the worse I feel considering it had been weeks since we arrested his mother, and I am just now looking at it. Truth was I couldn't bring myself to look at it before now but I knew I needed to despite the fact that it will break my heart. I know all to well how most of these kids are treated by their drug addict parents,  but after reading that Jude's mother dragged him from state to state and lost custody of him at least five times in his short eight year old life, I am very affected. Neglect was probably the least of this little boys issues as he had probably seen and heard more in his young life then I have in mine.

"Whatcha reading?" Lena walks over to the bed as she applies lotion to her slender arms, and I look over my giant reading glasses at her and half smile.

"Oh just a file, love. I have to go to court in a couple of days with Mike and testify on this arrest we made a few weeks ago. Nothing major," I downplay it.

"Do you do that often?"

"Do what often?" I flip the page I was reading before looking at her again. I'm trying to figure out if in fact, Jude was born in Philly, and if he wasn't, did his mother live there prior?

"Go to court and testify against these criminals," She sits on her side of the bed and looks over her shoulder at me with a worried look.

"It's perfectly fine, love. It's not all of the time, and it does depend on what the person was arrested for. This piece of shit was arrested for possession, threat with a deadly weapon, domestic violence, child endangerment and the distribution of an illegal substance. But I'm perfectly safe, my love."

"But these files? They mess with your head. Do you HAVE to read them?" She sets her lotion down and slides under the covers before laying back on her propped up pillows.

"How do you know they mess with my head?" I laugh awkwardly as I remove my reading glasses now and fully look at her.

"You toss and you turn, Stef. I'm very observant. And you're becoming defensive because you know I'm right."

"Ahhh, I'm fine. Really baby." I slide my glasses back on as I begin to read again, and I hear her sigh as she grabs her own book to read. "How was your day sweetheart? MM?"

"It was ok.  I visited Tess and hung out a bit."

"Yeah? Girl time?"

"In some sense yes." She says softly as I look at her seeing she is annoyed. Putting the file on the dresser I place my glasses down as well and turn to her.

"Don't be upset with me. Please love."

"I'm not."

"No. You are giving me very short answers so I know that means you are in fact annoyed with me. What did I do?" I ask as her eyes look at me.

"You didn't do anything. I know you don't talk about your job much. But I do know it affects you. But it's not something you tell. Or say, even to me."

"Sweetheart, I just process things in my head sometimes before I say them. Yes, some cases get to me more than others. I mean that's always been the case. Just try to be patient with me in terms of what I share and when. I'm not trying to keep things from you or be secretive. Really not."

"I know. You just rarely talk about your job so I don't know how it affects you. It feels like I'm left in the dark."

"Well I don't know. I'm ok most of the time. I have my days. As do you. Do you want to talk about something? MM?" I move in closer to her as I gently kiss her cheek and she turns to smile at me. "What did you and Tess do?"