Lena
Today is the day and I'm so nervous that everything will go wrong. I mean after all things keeping going wrong for me I find it hard to believe it's going to start going right. I have been in jail for ten days and I'm so ready to go home.
I got there and smiled at Stef she awkwardly smiles back before turning to say something to Mariana. God I have missed her so much. I swear if I have another chance with her I will do better this time.
I sat down next to my lawyer not sure what to expect to happen. By the end of the day I will either be free or I will be living the rest of my days in prison. Yeah nothing to worry about or anything.
Stef was first one up and I smiled at her and she looked at the kids. Even if I get out I still might lose my wife and honestly that's worse than jail.
Stef summarized what she remembers happening that night she was attacked and what happened the night I almost shot her. I can't imagine how she felt that day because I know there is no way it doesn't look bad to her but then she surprised me.
"Professionally, If you don't mind me asking, would you say that situation that night was planned by Lena?" He asked her and I held my breath waiting for an answer.
"No, and if it was not planned well. She was holding a gun like someone who hasn't before" she said and I sighed of relief at least she believes that. Not knowing how to use a gun might save me here.
"So she was holding it wrong?" He asked her.
"Yeah completely wrong and she never turned the safety off as forensics proved if she was planning on shooting me that night you would think she would at least learn to turn the safety off" she said and I find it strangely comforting that even if I had to pull the trigger that day I wouldn't have shot her. Would have been really hard to come back from shooting her.
"You said to David that you closed your eyes so you couldn't see where she was going to shoot you?" He asked and I know no one can testify that I was just going to shoot her in the leg but me and no one is going to believe me.
"Yeah I didn't see that."
"Your relationship with Lena has never turned abusive right?" He asked her. I'm sure she has answered this question many times since this all started.
"No and it never would." She said and I smiled at her. I'm really hoping this is going my way.
Stef
I sat up there trying to avoid her look. I'm not sure how I feel about the whole thing yet. Normally I have at least an idea of how court cases will go but I can honestly say I don't know how this will go down. There is about equal evidence against her as there is that she is being set up, which isn't great odds. Her fate really does come down to how the jury sees her. I'm not really sure what happened and what will happen and honestly I can't deal with it now.
I know she is trying to make eye contact with me and feel out how I feel about all this but right now I just don't know how I feel. I should smile back and give her a bit of hope this will be ok and everything will go back to how it was but will it.
"So Lena Adams Foster to the stand" Candice's lawyer said and she went up the stand.
"So Lena how did the tylenol pm and the tracphone get in your car?" He asked and she sighed.
"I don't know, sir" she said.
"Now technically you are allowed to have tylenol pm without questioning but before anyone protests I would say an open container in your car is a bit of a concern because you shouldn't take that and drive." He said and she shook her head.
"I didn't put that in my car and I didn't take it before driving" she said and he nodded.
"Ok then who did? I mean unless you think your wife or kids are setting you up who else could get in your car without damaging it?" He asked and I rolled my eyes.
"No they wouldn't have but I didn't put them there." She said obviously freaking out.
"Who has access to your keys…"
"Objection we already proved that Monte made copies of both her car and house keys" her lawyer said and the judge nodded and she sighed of relief.
"Move on"
Lena
After me and Stef and Candice and Monte and a few cops all testified it was finally time for jury to vote. I'm not ready for this. I can almost hear them say 'guilty' and me being taken back to jail for life. I can almost see the disappointed look on my family's faces. My mom criticism, my dad disappointed shock, Stef avoiding my look and the kids disappointed/ angry (depends on the kid) look. I can't deal with it.
"How does the jury find…?" The judge asked and the short pause between him and the jury talking was like an eternity
"Jury finds Lena Adams foster innocent…" I felt complete relief wash over me as I didn't hear anything else they said. I wiped the tears away before smiling at me lawyer.
"Thank you" I said and he smiled at me.
"Of are you waiting for go to your family?" He asked and I looked over at them. And here is the second moment of truth. I walked over not sure what to expect.
"Oh thank god, I missed you guys" I said hugging Stef and she awkwardly hugged me back quickly pulling away. I forced a smile before going to hug the kids and my parent's. I didn't even try to hug Brandon or Jesus since they are glaring me down with a look of hatred and I tried to keep myself from crying. I hugged my dad who actually hugged me happily like Mariana and Jude did and then my mom who actually hugged me but whispered to me that she would have killed me if I beat my wife.
"Yeah I know" I said laughing slightly. I pulled away and looked at them.
"So now what?" I asked them awkwardly. It's like being the person that was invited to a party out of guilt more than them actually wanting the person there.
"I don't know about you guys but i'm hungry" Stef said and I laughed. God I missed her. I can't believe I haven't seen her in almost two months ( and the one time I did I was forced to hold her at gunpoint).
We got to a restaurant we go to for special occasions but it doesn't feel that way at all. I should be happy that i'm not living the rest of my days in jail (and I am) but the rejection i'm getting from my family is awful.
"So how has everyone been?" I asked mostly asking Stef but she didn't answer. She just let the kids talk.
The rest of the meal went by slowly. I'm scared Stef isn't going to want to try to fix things.
I got home and my Mom got the kids to go up stairs for a bit so we can talk.
"Do you not want me here?" I asked her afraid for her response.
"No I do, of course I do… There is just so much going on right now…" She said and I nodded.
"Stef I get that everything isn't just going to be ok. Please just let me fight to fix it" I said and she nodded.
"I know that this isn't your fault Lena, I do. I want to get through this too, I do I just need some space first." She said and I nodded.
"Ok… I get that so what do you want to do? I mean I could get a hotel if…" I said and she shook her head.
"No you are staying here. We will figure this out I just don't want to talk about it yet" she said and I nodded.
"Ok whenever you are ready I'm here" I said and she smiled at me.
"I love you" I said.
"I love you too" she said back without hesitation and I sighed of relief that at least she's naturally saying that back. At least she still loves me.
That night I got changed into pajamas really glad to finally sleep in my own bed.
"I missed this bed" I said laying down and she smiled at me.
"I bet"
"I missed sleeping next to you" I said and she started changing. I really missed this. I watched as she took her shirt off and I wanted to pull her into bed and have sex with her right now but I know not to push her.
"Are you checking me out?" She asked me laughing a bit. I was so glad to see my old wife that I haven't seen in awhile.
"You know it… I have missed you" I said and she smiled before pulling her shirt on.
"Alright good night" she said crawling into her side and turning off the light on her bed side table.
"Ok goodnight" I said and turned off my light. I laid down and tried to fall asleep.
Stef
I felt the gun being pushed against my head. I closed my eyes awaiting being shot. I heard it go off and sighed.
He grabbed me pulling me up.
"Let me go" I shouted and he threw me down kicking me.
"Shut up you whore. Have you been screwing him?" He shouted.
"No!" I said getting up to the best of my ability. He slammed the butt of the gun against my head and everything went black.
Lena
I woke up once I finally fell asleep to Stef tossing and turning obviously having a nightmare.
"Hey you ok?" I asked gently shaking her to wake her up. She continued to toss and turn.
"Stef, honey, wake up" I said and she jolted awake practically pushing me off the bed.
"Stefanie, you're ok" I said and pulled back.
"Sorry, I just freaked out… I didn't know it was you." She said and I shook my head.
"No it's ok… are you ok?" I asked and she nodded.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked her but I know she won't be ready for that yet.
"I'm fine. Go back to sleep" she said and I sighed kissing her cheek. I know that she is having nightmares about what happened to her. Hopefully she will soon be ready to talk to me about it and will be better soon.