Author's note
Thank you all for still reading this story.
I am determined now to finish this before the end of this year, if life doesn't get in the way as it usually does.)
I had half of this chapter written, only to rewrite it almost completely.
Enjoy!
Carlos's POV
The next day
"Did you two get engaged?" Les looks at Steph's ring-less finger, from where he is sitting on the arm of his couch chair. "You didn't even buy her a ring?...it's the least you could have done and if this is about money... hell I buy the thing for you."
"No we didn't get engaged" Steph retorts with an amused smile on her lips. She insisted on telling the guys immediately, but I was able to keep her trapped at her place for the rest of yesterday, only for her to throw me out of bed early this morning.
"You two haven't broken up, have you?" Les's face takes the colour of a white sheet of paper. "I am not having it. We all know you two are better together than apart. I totally ship Stelos….That's it we are having an intervention!"
"You ship what?" Bobby looks at his best friend confused and Tank snorts while trying to have a sip off his coffee, which ends in him having a coughing fit.
"You know Stelos...like Brangelina or Kimye or Bennifer...just to name a few" Les shakes his head. "Have you been living under a rock?"
"I am still confused" Bobby scratches his head and yawns. "I have no idea what you are talking about."
"We didn't break up" I interject before their banter gets out of control and pound Tanks back.
"Then why the hell would you wake us at 8 am on a Sunday morning?" Les glares at us.
"Because this one over here..." I motion with my thumb to Steph, who is bouncing on her feet of excitement. "...couldn't wait."
"So what do you have to tell us then?" Lula questions from her spot on the couch with her sleeping mask still attached to her forehead, which reads 'Fuck Off'. And she is also dressed in a pink dressing gown, which reveals more than it hides.
"You tell them" Steph nudes my arm.
"You are pregnant?" Les questions hopeful and I glare at him for interrupting again.
"Stop with the guessing already" I growl. "I had an idea...a business Idea"
Bobby, always the man interested in business stuff, looks at us now with more interest and says "Go on."
"Remember when Shark told us that he got out of prison without money, nowhere to live and no job prospects to speak off?" I look around and the boys nod. "Well I thought about setting up a Charity which would help people like Shark. People who just got out of prison or will be getting out soon. We would get them in touch with landlords, businesses for potential jobs or other things they may need to keep them of the street."
"So like an Agency for Ex-cons?" Les questions and I only nod.
There is a long silence in the room, during which everybody just stares at me, before everyone starts talking at the same time.
"Told you they would be excited" Steph elbows me in the ribs and I draw her closer.
"You sure did" I kiss her temple and smile.
When everybody quiets down, Tank questions "So we are suing the state?"
"You want to join in?" I ask in return.
"Do you think I want to clean windows for the rest of my life?" my best friend retorts.
"In order to fund this, we would need to sue the state" I nod. "But this can take three years."
"I got savings" Les chimes in and I instantly shake my head. "Before you say anything, I am going to contribute, whether you like it or not."
"You have already done so much…" I start, but this time it is him shaking his head.
"Somos familia (we are family)" is the only thing he replies.
"I am in too" Bobby nods.
"Well I don't have much, but I can volunteer" Lula says, now more alert than a few minutes ago.
"Lo que está ocurriendo?" (What is going on?) All heads turn around to the person standing in the doorway.
"Ohhh when you didn't reply I thought you were still sleeping, so we started without you" Steph announces and rushes over to Hector to envelope him into a hug.
"I did message you that I was coming later" Hector informs her.
"Mhhh...I didn't... "She starts, before looking at her phone. "Oh...I must not have heard it. Well... we have a lot to tell you." She grins and guides him to the couch. "I will get you a coffee, while the others fill you in."
By the time Lula, Steph, Hector and I have to leave for work 2 hours later, they all agree to contribute to the cause and for Tank and I to make an appointment with Mrs O'Hara.
Steph's POV
Monday Morning
"I understand...thank you" Carlos says and hangs up the phone.
"So when is the appointment?" I question and join him and Tank at the table in Les's house.
"Small hick up" Carlos replies. "Mrs O'Hara didn't turn us down directly, but she and the others at her branch just got a big case which could free a lot of innocent people at the same time. But her tone did indicate that she is very busy at the moment."
"Then we have to find another lawyer" Tank says, gets up and grabs Les's laptop from the kitchen counter.
"You google and I will make the calls" Carlos instructs, before pulling me in for a quick kiss.
"I will leave you two to it. See you later at work?" I ask and stand.
"Of course" he nods, already engrossed in what Tank pulls up on the computer.
"So you found a Lawyer?" I ask Carlos when I finally get a few minutes to stop and speak to him. Work has been unusually busy for a Monday evening and I definitely worked off those doughnuts I had for lunch.
"No" He shakes his head, while polishing some glasses. "They either sounded useless or were too expensive."
"Well don't give up. I am sure you will find someone" I encourage him and then run off to the till to run a credit card through for a guest.
Tuesday lunch time
"MOOOOM" I call out when I enter my parents' house.
"AUNTIE STEPH" Mary Alice comes flying down the hallway and throws herself into my arms.
"Heeeyy" I say affectionately and kiss the top of her head, before putting her back to the ground. She is getting too heavy to carry. "What are you doing here?"
"Mom thought we could surprise you" she says while dragging me down the hall and into the kitchen, where Val is feeding the baby and my mother is making pork roast sandwiches.
"Well it is a nice surprise" I tell my niece and kiss my sister and mother on the cheek.
"You staying for lunch?" Mom asks without looking up from her task.
"Yes" I answer and sit down at the table. "Where is Albert?"
"Upstairs on a Conference call with the office. Even on holiday he is working" Val shakes her head.
"Because I love what I do" Albert informs his wife when he too walks into the kitchen. "Hey Steph"
"Hey" I give him finger wave, while I try to steal meat from under my mother's nose.
"Steph" My mother chides, but lets me steal a piece of meat anyways.
"Thank you again for getting Andrew to help us" I tell him again for what feels like the thousands time. I am eternally grateful to Albert and the other lawyer.
"He shared the huge 'Thank you' Basket you sent" Albert smiles. "Everything was delicious."
"I am glad" I smile back.
"He is leaving the firm by the end of this week" Albert informs me. "Said something about realizing what he should be doing with his degree."
"Really?" I raise an eyebrow in question.
"Yeah. Last I heard at the watercooler was that he was setting up his own firm." My brother-in-law tells me and looks hungrily at the Pork Roast Sandwiches my mother just finished.
"All right make some space! Lunch is ready" Mom announces and we all scramble to move everything of the kitchen table. It's been awhile since we have eaten in here instead of the dining room.
"His own firm huh?" I ask and grab plates for all of us out of the cupboard behind me.
"Yupp" Albert nods and bites into a Sandwich so hard, that half of the roast spills out and into his lap. I barely suppress and eye roll, as we all have learned to ignore his inability to eat like the rest of us.
When I leave my parents' house a couple of hours later, I find Andrew's number in my phone and press call.
"Andrew Jackson speaking" the man on the other end says.
"Andrew...its Steph. You have a moment?"
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