LENA POV
As we walked down the hall my kids were happier then I could ever imagine them to be despite Jude's father showing up which we would need to deal with later. But part of me was gleaming for I had heard every word that my daughter had said to Jude. Every single one and that was the Callie that I knew. I knew she was still their deep inside. The kindhearted kid that would do anything for anyone and she had truly stepped up the last two days. Big time from the minute I told them Stef had gotten shot Callie had almost taken on Stef's role involuntary. I watched her comfort both Jude and Mariana numerous times and try to protect each of them in different ways. My hopes that she would go down a better path were beginning to resurface as we had gotten to Stef's door and looking behind me they all froze.
"Come on guys." I said as I watched them looked somewhat nervous and bug eyed.
"She probably doesn't want to see me." Mariana said as I let out a sigh.
"Honey you know that's not true. She very much wants to see you. She wanted to see all of you before me." I laughed as her face remained doubtful. "Sweetheart stop. Ok? No one blames you and you have to stop honey." As I gently stroked her cheek I saw Jude grabed her hand and squeeze it.
"Come on lets see our mom." I could only smile at him as the three of them walked in slowly. It was almost as if Stef could sense our presence as we walked further in and I knew the kids really wanted to run into her arms. But she was still very much in pain and we needed to be careful.
"Babies.." a small smile fell across her face as the kids leaned in as close as possible to her but I noticed Mariana had stood behind Callie.
"Hi mom." Jude was the first to speak as he held her hand and leaned in kissing her cheek.
"Hi..baby.." her voice was still very much soft and scratchy for I knew she still had a hard time catching her breath but refused to use her mask at this time.
"It's ok honey don't talk."
"I'm glad you are ok. I missed you." he gently held her hand.
"Me, me too. I'm ok."
Jude nodded his head as I rubbed his back.
"Hi mom." Callie soon spoke next as she placed her hand inside Stef's and I knew the word she said was breaking my partners heart. She had called her that a few times but right now it meant more then anything. I knew that. Watching my daughter she gently stroked Stef's cheek just as Stef had done many times to her.
"Baby...hi."
"I love you and I'm glad you're ok mom." Callie's voice was so sweet more then I could ever imagine as her voice was soft, thoughtful and kind.
Stef nodded her head and smiled once again.
"I, I love you to my girl." she smiled once again as she squeezed our daughter's hand soon trying to see Mariana behind Callie.
"Mariana..come."
Looking to her she looked nervous, she still looked guilty as Callie gently moved her in front of her closer to Stef and I saw the tears falling from her eyes once again. Her eye remained on the ground.
"Princess..." Gently I saw her grab Mariana's hand as she was almost begging the girl to look at her. To let her know it was ok.
"I'm sorry mama. I'm sorry I got you shot. I'm sorry." she apologized crying once again as Callie rubbed her back and I could see Stef shook hear head.
"No. No. Come. Please." Holding her arm out now Mariana finally looked up at her as she laid her head on her chest and my girlfriend gently stroked her hair."
"I'm sorry mama."
"Ssh baby. Mama loves you."
STEF POV
I had been out of the hospital for almost a week and I was losing my mind. Not only was I banned to the apartment but I was banned to the bed as well for my surgery wound was still healing. Fulling admitting to myself only that it hurt like hell I knew I needed to take it easy but it was hard. It was also hard that I had no damm idea who shot me for I tried hard to remember the face but it was just too fuzzy. Infact that entire night was fuzzy and that was frustrating as hell. The only thing I was relieved about was that Mariana was ok despite the tremendous amount of guilt she was holding onto to and her avoiding me to a certain extent since I had gotten home. I knew I would need to continue to try to talk to her as much as I could but I had to be patient. Not only was that weighing on my mind but Mike had shown up at the hospital and he was the last person I would ever expect to see. I was pretty sure someone at work had told him since he still communicated with many of fellow officers. Personally I had no interest in talking to him but I knew it took alot for him to come down even if I wasn't fully sure of the true motive. Deciding once again to get up I took it slow. As slow as I could as I heard my family talking loudly in the kitchen. Grabbing the cane I despised I leaned on it as I walked as carefully as possible into the living room seeing Jude setting the table, and Callie and Mariana putting the serving wear out.
"Mom what are you doing?" Callie said now seeing me and rushing over.
"I wanted to be with you all." I said as she grabbed my arm.
"Well call us next time and one of us will help you."
"I can do it babygirl."
"I know mama but I want to help you."
"Thank you sweetheart." I smiled as I couldn't help but notice the change in Callie since I had been home. Yes she was still attending group, her sessions and the program but her attitude was completely different. Even different from when her mother had gotten in the car accident. Then she was almost like a kid partly because she was so troubled from all that had went on it had caused her to almost crawl up in an angry ball. But now she was far from that. She seemed happier, more confident and seemed to take on a different role in the household as I watched her carefully speak to Jude, affectionately talk to Mariana and treat her mother with more respect then ever. Callie was much more polite, she was much more considerate, helpful and kind. Yes we still had alot of work to do tons but it seemed like the start of something positive. The other thing I noticed was she had not called me Stef since before I had gotten shot only referring to me as mom now. It was sweet and I loved to hear it every time she said it.
"Where do you want to sit mom?"
"Couch is fine love." I smiled again as she led me carefully to the couch and slowly I took a seat rolling my eyes at how slow I was. "This is so pathetic that it takes me like 10 minutes to get from the bedroom to the couch. And another ten to actually sit."
"Mama you were shot. You realize this right? Patience." She said as I held my arm out for her to hug me. Gently I placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Thank you love and I will try to remember that."
"Anytime. Need anything?"
"Um just my phone. It's on the nightstand my love."
"Sure I'll get it." Happily she got up and walked into the bedroom to grab my phone as I saw Mariana walk passed.
"Miss Thang come here baby."
"Um I just need to grab something from my room."
"Love..
But before I could finish she rushed off as I knew very well she wouldn't come out until dinner was ready avoiding me once again.
"Baby, we can eat over there if its easier for you."Lena said poking her head out the kitchen doorway as Callie handed me my phone.
"Thanks babygirl." I winked at her as she let out a wide smile.
"It's fine I'd rather eat at the table." I said unlocking my phone as I now saw a text from Captain Roberts.
Stef I didn't want to disturb you but we have idea of who who shot you. We believe it was Aaaron. He was out on parole.
Looking at the text in shock I quickly wrote back.
Aaron? How is that possible? And what would he be doing there?"
He used the house to pack and sell drugs. Anna Gutierrez bought from him. We believe it was him. He has a vendetta against you and he meant to shoot you Stef.- CR
As my eyes glared to the text message reading it over and over it was still hard for me to comprehend. What in the hell were the odds of this.
"Mom did you here me calling you. Time to eat."
Looking up I saw Jude standing in front of me as I placed the phone back in my pocket.
"Sorry babyboy."
---------------------------------------
"So Jude and I were saying we need to name you guys." Callie said as both Lena and I looked to her confused while we sat around the table enjoying dinner.
"What love?" I asked confused.
"Well you're both moms. And sometimes I call mom, mom and sometimes I call her mama and I do the same with you and so do Jude and Mariana. So it gets confusing I guess. So one of you has to be mama and the other has to be mom."
I could only smile my widest at this conversation as Lena grabbed my hand from under the table. Somewhere in the last few days I had become mom to all of them. Not to just Jude and Mariana.
"Ok and how do we decide this?" I asked looking to Mariana who had not looked up once from her plate.
"Well we aren't sure. Do you guys have a preference?"
"Well Callie you called me mama from a little girl." Lena said.
"And Jude always called me mom." I said now looking to Mariana. "But my baby over there as always called me mama." I said smiling to her as she did anything but continue to look to the floor. "What do you think love?"
"It doesn't matter to me Stef."
If anything broke my heart at that moment it was that for I never hated the sound of my name so much as the table fell silent.
"May I be excused? I have a migraine." she soon asked avoiding my eyes and looking to Lena.
"Maybe your just hungry honey?" Lena said concerned.
"No, I'm feeling light sensitive too. I promise to eat when I get up."
"Ok. We will check on you in an hour. Ok?"
"Ok." she said quickly getting up and walking into the bedroom as I felt Lena squeeze my hand once again. Looking to her I knew she had similar thoughts going through her mind.
"I need to talk to her Lena."
"I know babe."
It was true. I did need to talk to her not just about the shooting but much more then that. Truth was we needed to talk to all of them for many things had changed in the past week.