Please, Remember The Bench (BY: Book 3)

These People

Stef's POV

What the hell is wrong with my mother? She just blurts out in front of this little girl that I was going to come home with her in like two days! How am I going to do that, when I don't know anyone in this house... and now, how am I going to break this child's hope...

"Mother, are you insane? Since when do you speak for me, huh?" I say once all the kids got out, leaving me alone with just my mom and Lena.

I admit that those kids seemed fun and great, I mean they're all beautiful and my Brandon is... I mean it was a shock to see how grown up he is now, but he's so handsome and he seems... so matured and calm, like... at peace in a way...

Also Kamaya... when she called me mommy, I felt... I don't know how I felt... she was just so sweet and beautiful and the look in her eyes when she saw me... I could tell she was a bit scared, but she was also happy and almost relieved to see me...

I could tell she loved me, that she needed me, and I can't say that this doesn't do anything to my heart... All those kids, the look they had on me... it was... I don't even know how to describe it. They were sad, I could tell, but also... resilient it seems, and strong... did I really participate in that?

"Stefanie, I was just saying the truth, I spoke for you because you didn't seem to find the words, I was helping." She says as I stare hard at her.

"Mom, who said that I was going to go there. I don't even know these people!" I exclaimed as I see Lena putting her head down and... and yeah, I feel bad for her, but I feel so uncomfortable around her....

Lena's POV

"Stef... you're being... Look, Lena is your wife, and you live with her, all your stuffs are in you guys' house. I don't live in San Diego and even if I did, you and I would kill each other baby. I love you, but we can't live together honey, besides you will need help to move around and I'm way too old for that..." Sharon says honestly, and I know she just want to help me when she does that, she wants Stef to come home because she knows like me that this is her best chance to remember something.

"Then I'll go live with Mike." Stef says, and that... that was offending, but again I know I can't take it personally.

"Oh honey... Mike is... he's married, he has two little girls now and he... he's not your husband anymore, that is not his role to take care of you, and you... Baby, you saw Kamaya... she needs you to go back home with her and Lena... look at her... you're acting like she doesn't even exist, you talk like she wasn't even here, but she is! I know this is awfully hard for you, my love, I know, but can you imagine how hard this is for her too?" Sharon says as I'm very close to cry again, but I can't, I can't show myself weak right now, because Stef will not take me seriously or respect me if I always cry in front of her.

I have to remember that she doesn't remember me, how I am and everything, so I need her to feel that I'm strong enough to handle her, no matter how bad she doesn't want that to be the case.

"How... I... ma, this is... it's..." Stef stuttered and I know that I have to take things into my hands now, I have to step up, and I know that means face the rejection that I know is going to come, but she's my wife, and if I have to fight her to fight for her, then I will do exactly that, and she's going to lose against me for the strength I have when it's for her that I'm fighting, she has no idea.

"You know Stef, coming home could help you remember. And you'll see, I'm an excellent caregiver. It's true, you even sometime fake that you are sick so that I would take care of you. And well... I know you feel like you don't know us, and that you don't want to live with strangers, you're a private person I know that, but we are your family and even if you don't remember us, you can always learn to know us, and that will be way easier if you stay with us." I say, very confidently for in any case she has no choice, and if I have to throw that exact fact in her face, I will.

"You know I have my own my mind, if I say that I don't want to live with you, I won't." she says glaring hard at me, and that is telling me how difficult she's going to be, and how strong and firm I will need to be because of course I'm fighting to give her what's best for her, but I'm also fighting for Kamaya... she needs Stef to come back home... she needs her mother to come back to be able to get back in her routine at least as much as possible.

"I'm fully aware that you have your own mind, believe me. And I'm sorry to break it to you, but... you don't really have a choice. For now, you need me. You won't be able to move around when they're going to take off your cast, and since your memory stops in 2002, you won't be able to handle the new technology when it comes to administrative paper, to get your own place, or even access your own money. It will be my pleasure to show you all that stuff while you'll be at home, then you will be able to choose where you want to go. But until then, I'm afraid you're stuck with me." I say, again, more serious than I've ever been. She's not going anywhere away from me, at least for now.

"You... oh my God! You can't do that! Who do you think you are? Mom can help me with all that stuff anyway, you're not going to control me lady." she says glaring hard at me, and if look could kill, I'd be dead, but I don't care, I love her more that she can imagine, and I'll love her even when she'll hate me.

"I'm your wife, like it or not. And I'm not controlling you, I'm helping you, against your wished indeed, but I am helping, not even only you, but Kamaya as well. She needs you home. Also, Sharon could indeed help you, but she won't because I'm your wife and I'm asking her not to, because that is my role." I say, giving a look to Sharon, praying that she doesn't find me too hard because I think maybe I am.

"You're wife's the boss, Stefanie." She says, supporting me, and that feels so good, and I'm so grateful because she's just the best mother-in-law.

At that, Stef's glare goes to her, and I can tell she's fuming and want to scream. She must be frustrated as hell, and I hate that, but she will understand why I'm doing this... eventually.

"Don't look at me like that. You're the one who married her, baby." Sharon teases, which was clearly uncalled for, but yeah, she was just being herself.

"I... I can't believe this..." Stef sighs... as if she was resigned as I sigh myself discretely, because I'm so relieved that I'm not going to have to fight more for this. I think the Kamaya argument helped a lot. Stef is stubborn for sure, but when a child is put in the equation, it changes everything for her, and I know it, either it's her child or not, she's just a natural when it comes to motherhood and that will help me a lot.