I Do Not Own CSI
"Sara?"
"Laura?"
"Sara, you know this woman," Marie asked, turning towards Sara to see her face pale.
"Honey, are you ok?"
"Where's James," she asked, looking for her older brother.
"James is here, too," Laura asked with a smirk.
"Sara, who is this woman," Marie asked again, touching Sara's arm to get her attention.
"That woman is my mother."
"Really," Marie asked, turning around.
"James," Sara called, waving her hand.
"James, Sara's calling. She looks a little freaked," Jeremy said, pulling on James hand to look to where Sara sat.
"Who's that woman with Sara and Marie?"
"I don't know, but Sara looks like she needs help," James said as the two collected their chips and made their way over to Sara and Marie.
"Sara," James asked.
"Help me up, please. I want to go home," she said as James took her hand and helped pull her up.
"You're pregnant," Laura asked shocked, getting James' attention.
"Laura?"
"Call me, Mom."
"You haven't been a mother to us in a long time. Come on Sara, Jeremy, Marie, let's go home."
"You live in Vegas," Laura asked.
"Goodbye, Laura," James said, wrapping his arm around Sara's waist, knowing Sara needed a shoulder.
"What was that all about? That was your mother," Marie asked as they made it back to the car.
"She's only our mother by blood. She hasn't been a mother to us in a very long time," Sara said through clenched teeth as James helped her into the front seat; Jeremy signing for Marie.
"I don't understand, Sara. She's your mother."
"Can you take me home, please," Sara asked.
"Do you want me to call Gil, Sara?"
"No, he's probably handing out assignments right about now. I just want to go home and curl up with Bruno."
"Want some company?"
"That's sweet, but this is Jeremy's first night in Vegas."
"We could make it a slumber party, Sara, make some popcorn," Jeremy quipped from the backseat.
"Well, I want in, too," Marie said. She had been following Jeremy's lips.
"Sara?"
"Ok, but I am in need of some chocolate."
"I think we can make a stop."
"I never thought I would see her again," Sara said, breaking the silence as the four of them sat around her living room on couches and chairs.
"Me either."
"Sara, I know you told me you two were in foster care when you were young, and I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but…"
"You want to know why we were put there," James finished.
"You don't have to talk ab-"
"It's ok, Gil knows and I'm sure Jeremy knows," Sara said as Jeremy nodded the affirmative.
"We didn't have a pleasant childhood," James started.
"That's the understatement of the year," Sara scoffed.
"When our father wasn't hitting my mother or us, he was laid out drunk. And when our mother wasn't yelling at him, she was screaming at us. Calling us names, ordering us around like we were slaves, being all around cruel," Sara said with tears in her eyes.
"One night, after a big fight, our mother had gotten hit, hard, and for once she fought back," James said as Marie grabbed Sara's hand.
"James was at a sleepover that night. I was home in my room listening to them fight, and then all of the sudden there was silence, dead silence and I got curious."
"I got out of bed and tiptoed outside my bedroom, only to see my mother stabbing my father over and over again. Thirty seven times, that's how many stab wounds he had."
"Oh god," Marie said, squeezing her hand harder.
"She never saw me from where she was, so I grabbed the phone and called 911 and then hid in my room.
"I didn't know he was dead when I called 911. I just saw all that blood and ran back to my room.
"Anyway, the police came. I remember seeing an officer puking his guts out on our front lawn, and the social worker who never let go of my hand and I never let go of hers."
"The cops came and got me from my friend's house not long after. I got there in time to see Laura screaming bloody murder, saying how she was abused and she was saving us from being beaten," James said and Jeremy held his hand.
"She wasn't, really. She never raised her hand to us but the verbal scars are still there. She would tell us how we weren't good enough, smart enough. She'd snap at us when the laundry wasn't done or the dusting and vacuuming wasn't completed."
"She left as many scars as our father did," Sara finished.
"You know what's funny," She asked.
"What," Marie answered.
"In the years that I have known you, you have been more of a mother to me than Laura ever was in the nine years I was with her. You cooked me chicken noodle soup when I was sick, listened to me when I have a problem and have just been there for me, like a mother's supposed to. If I can be half the mother to these two that you were to Gil…"
"Sara, you will be a wonderful mother. You love with all your heart and I know that these two babies will be loved wholeheartedly. Don't ever doubt that, ok," Marie said, making sure the words sunk in Sara's head.
"Can I ask you two a question," Jeremy asked.
"Sure"
"Do you want to see her? Lay your past to rest, once and for all?"
TBC
So not the greatest of reunions, stay tuned for more, laura hasn't left the picture yet!
thanks for all the wonderful reviews!
katie:)