Lena woke up the next morning feeling completely rested. She had never been so doted on. Not even when she was pregnant with Callie had Gretchen taken such good care of her. Even during labor, she had to take a cab and get herself to the hospital and was alone, scared and in pain, for the first 8 hours before Gretchen had shown up.
Lena lightly kissed Stef who was sleeping peacefully and made her way to the bathroom to conduct her morning business. She showered, got dressed and went into Callie's room. She had been surprised at her daughter's docile state yesterday. Callie had never allowed anyone to put her in bed except Lena. Not even Gretchen. But, here she had let Stef give her a bath and went to bed with no fuss.
The two kids looked like they were fighting more than sleeping. Brandon was halfway off the bed so Lena straightened him out and tucked him back in. Callie was sleeping on top of her blanket, upside down from her pillow with her rump in the air. Lena turned her rightside up and tucked her back in.
She went downstairs and cleared up the remains of last night's impromptu slumber party. Everything about this just seemed so natural and right.
She had come to a decision. She and Stef still needed to talk. She had no idea where Stef stood on things yet. If last night was an indication, she felt the same. But, if Stef was in then so was Lena.
Cocococococococco
Stef awoke in a confused state. Then, she remembered and looked over to where Lena should be. She wasn't. Stef was a little disappointed. She thought they would wake up together. She looked at the clock and saw that it was 8. Not only had she slept thought the night, she had overslept. Since being around Lena, the insomnia that had plagued her for the past 10 years had cleared itself up.
She quickly called her Mom and told her that she and Brandon would be home soon. Then, she collected hers and Brandon's things that she had thrown into the washer last night and put them in the dryer.
She walked downstairs looking for Lena. She saw her sitting out on the back porch so she put on the kettle for tea and went outside and sat beside her. At first they just sat and enjoyed the early morning coolness. Then, the kettle whistled so Stef went in and fixed 2 cups of peppermint tea with honey and milk. She brought them back out and handed one to Lena
"So, Love. How are you feeling this morning?" She sat back down and wrapped her arm around Lena.
Lena loved being called love. Right now she felt loved and she did love Stef. But, you can't live on love. She was a realist. Always had a been. And they had too many things to clear up. She pulled out of the embrace and shifted away from Stef.
Stef looked at her puzzled and hurt. "Lena?"
"Stef, we need to talk. Seriously. Before hormones get involved."
"OK" Stef had her eyebrow raised at the hormones part.
"I'm pregnant."
"I'm aware of that."
"But, have you really thought about it? I'm having twins with a woman that a few months ago, I thought was going to be my forever. And you're married. "
"I filed for divorce yesterday." Stef said this quietly.
Lena looked thoughtful. Stef had never told her that. In fact, she knew nothing about that part of her life. "So, what are you going to do about Brandon?"
"I've learned that Brandon's happier when I'm happy. For years, I tried to make things work under the insane notion that as long as everyone else was happy, that was all that was ok. But, it's not." Stef started to cry. Her rock hard strong woman, for Lena it was hard to watch her be vulnerable, but she knew they still had a ways to go. "I matter. And when I'm happy so is everyone else around me. When I'm not, I just drift not really in or apart of anything. I don't want to go back to that. I want you. I want us. I love you."
Lena wanted to throw her arms around her. She dried the tears that were running down her own face and continued. "And?"
"And Brandon loves his Dad. Brandon also loves you. He will have the same visitation schedule that he's had this time. I want full custody of Brandon but, he can have a few hours on Wednesday nights and every other weekend. That seems fair to me."
Lena nodded. "I guess I'll have to speak to Gretchen about something like that too then. But, with her traveling around the country, Callie's too young for that right now. I don't know how things are going to work out with her."
Stef grabbed Lena and pulled her onto her lap. "We'll work it out." She gave her a kiss and wrapped her arms around her.
"There's something else. I don't date closet cases. It's just not worth it. I don't wa-" Lena began.
Stef kissed her silent. "My Mom I'm sure already knows but I will tell her today just to make it clear. My Dad, will never be okay but, that's his deal. He can respect my choices or not be in my life. As for Mike, I just filed for divorce yesterday. He hasn't even gotten the papers yet. Let alone to tell him that I've fallen in love with a woman. Mike's also a police officer and we work in the same station. Things have been hard, for both of us, I guess, because everyone knew we were husband and wife and then everyone knew we've been separated for over a year and now everyone's going to know about the divorce and this too. It's hard when it all comes out like this. That's a lot of changes to absorb inside of an old boy's club that really hasn't changed much and is still barely catching up to women's lib."
"I guess I do owe it to him to tell him face to face though. But, the divorce is going to be hard enough on him and I don't want him thinking that it's because I'm a lesbian. There's so many reasons before that that we should never have been married. I guess I've been feeling guilty because he's hurting already. But, don't think for one second that it is anything else. I would never put him above you. Brandon, you, Callie, the babies, all come first. I'm just asking for a little time."
"Just like you need a little time with Gretchen, I see." She said in a low voice with raised eyebrows.
She was right. They both needed time to close up loose ends. Lena was stunned absorbing all that she had heard. Stef was making all of these changes for her. Stef loved her. Stef was a lesbian! She wasn't sure if Stef was aware of how far she had come from the girl her Mom said was crushed after a pray away the gay camp. Lena had heard from friends the kinds of things that went on there. A lot of people killed themselves within a year or so. Most never got over those places.
"I love you." Lena said as she kissed Stef long and deep.
"I love you too." The kiss ended with their heads resting against one another. They sat like that until they started to hear noise from inside, then they took their cups and went in.
"I have to make some phone calls. I have to get an alarm for this house installed before I forget again. Could you check on the kids?"
"Sure." Stef put their cups into the dishwasher and went upstairs.
Lena pulled up web search engine and looked for a local house alarm company that had the best reviews. She called and made an appointment for them to come out tomorrow to check out the house and discuss options. She would make sure her Dad was with her to help her through it.
Stef went upstairs and in usual multiple kids sleeping together fashion, one had woken up the other and they had both proceeded to destroy the room together. "Whoa! What happened here? I didn't hear anything about a hurricane."
Brandon ran over and hugged her, "We were playing Mommy."
"Well, playtime's over. We all have to get dressed and start tending to the day. You all start cleaning this up before Lena sees it. Brandon, our clothes are in the dryer, Mommy will go and get them. Callie, do you want me to help you pick something out."
"No. My Mama does that." Callie said with a little nose in the air attitude. Stef coiled back.
Callie had stopped playing when she saw Stef enter her room. She didn't like what she had seen downstairs last night nor what Brandon had said to her about being her brother and having two Mommies. She had a Mommy and it wasn't Stef. And she didn't like Stef anymore.
"OK. Why don't you help Brandon clean up while I go and get our clothes out the dryer then, please."
Callie said, "humph!" Then pushed past Stef and went downstairs.
"Or not. Let's go and get our clothes B.
Stef took Brandon in Lena's room and dressed him. Then, she told him to go back in Callie's room while she jumped into the shower and got dressed herself. She took the clothes they had just pulled off and anything else she found in the hamper and threw it in the washer. She grabbed Brandon and the both of them went downstairs.
Lena was just hanging up the phone when Callie stomped up to her and screamed,"Mama!"
Lena looked at her with shock. Callie did occasionally have tantrums but this one seemed to come out of nowhere for her. "Callie please don't scream at me. I can hear you perfectly well. What is it, baby?"
"When are they leaving? My Mommy's going to be here soon and there's too many people here?" She pointed to Stef and Brandon as they walked into the kitchen.
Everyone stood there stunned. Stef and Brandon were a little hurt because they thought that Callie liked them. Lena was a little embarrassed but also understood this wasn't normal behavior for Callie so something must be going on with her. She tried to get it out of her.
"Stef is Mama's friend and Brandon is your friend. We don't speak to friends like that. And little girls never talk to their Mama like that."
"They're not my friends and Brandon's not going to be my brother and Stef is not my Mommy. My Mommy's coming for my birthday in," she walked over to the calendar on the board and counted off the days, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 days. My Mommy's coming for my birthday in 7 days! She shouted. Then turned to glare at Stef and Brandon.
Brother? Mommy? The two women looked at one another confused. Brandon looked like he wanted to run or cry or both.
"I think maybe, Brandon and I should get going." Stef said sensing that this was something that needed to happen between mother and child. Actually, she needed to have this talk with Brandon too.
"I'll see you to the door." Lena walked them outside and Stef opened the car for Brandon to get inside. "I'm so sorry. I have no idea where this is coming from. I'll talk with her." She said while looking toward the house and seeing Callie duck when she saw her look that way.
"It's fine love. She's just a little girl. Brandon and I need to talk also." Stef kissed Lena quickly. "Call me later and we can make plans?"
Lena nodded and stepped away so Stef could leave. She waved and walked back into the house.