1.3 The one I love
x-o- Stef x-o-
He explained that he did it to recover from drug abuse and to keep away from the gang he was in. I sat next to Lena as he stood talking to us and she held my hand tightly. "I wish there was another way but as you could see, there really wasn't. I know you and Callie will never forgive me but I will die earning it."
"You are an hurtful man, Mike." I whispered as I looked away from him and I heard Lena sigh. "How do you explain raping me twice when I trusted you as my boyfriend then?"
"I guess consent was the issue there.. I didn't ask, I just thought you wanted it and I thought the rough play was apart of it but it was you trying to defend yourself to get out of the situation." He walked over but then kneel down in front of me. "I gave you zero choices and I made you live in that apartment with Callie as I took drugs and I can't even begin to explain how wrong I was."
"I don't think you ever could." Lena whispered and we both looked at her. "This is really confusing and I don't even know how we can begin to explain this to Cal. Or if we even tell her."
"I love Callie and I will do anything to protect her even if she never sees me again." Mike whispered and I held my stomach with my hand feeling nauseous. "It is up to you, Stef. I will do anything you want me to do."
"She has a right to know." I whispered as tears finally rolled down my eyes but I refused to look at Mike. "She has a right to know what really happened that day and to know that it was never me."
"Stef-" Lena begun but I looked at her and interrupted her.
"But what if the truth hurts her more than the lie hurt her?" I whispered as Lena handed me a tissue. "What if this is the breaking point for her.." I stood up throwing the tissue at Mike. "I wish you did die!" I ran out and ran out of the police station then ran as fast as I could to the beach.
-x-o Lena -x-o
I tried to follow Stef but Mike grabbed my arm. "Mike, no!"
"Please, Lena!" He pleaded softly as he let go of my arm. "You have to look after the both of them for me if I can't make up the time that they lost between mother and daughter."
"I can't do that, Mike if Callie does not know the truth." I replied to him as tears formed into his eyes. "I am glad you are okay and you are doing the best you can but.. Stef has lost everything because of you. She lost her relationship with her daughter and the truth? She is hardly coping but she will never quit trying but I am afraid she will fall deeper and deeper if Callie keeps pushing her away. You need to be the one to fix this." I then walked out and out the police station to the car to drive to the beach fully knowing that is where Stef would of ran off too. I saw her sitting with tears rolling down her eyes slowly. I parked then slowly walked myself to her. I sat a bit behind her in silence and knew she was okay for now to be alone.
-x-o- Stef -x-o
I knew Lena was behind me but I wasn't ready to talk.. I wiped my eyes and stared at the photo of Callie and I before anything of this happen. "She isn't going to cope.." I whispered and heard Lena come closer to me. "Lena, she is going to.. She is going to close herself off. I can't break this news to her.."
"She deserves to know the truth and she deserves her Mama." Lena whispered softly as she rubbed my back gently. "Mike is alive.. And you never murdered him. The truth will finally be set free and for the first time, Callie will see you for who you are again." I looked into her eyes.
"The one I love will finally be back in my arms." I whispered softly and she smiled at me through her eyes that were filled with tears. "Maybe not when I tell her but I know she will in time know that I am the same Mama that she had before all this started."
-x-o- Callie -x-o
There was a knock at the door so I went to answer it and there stood my sister? "Callie, has Stef told you yet?"
"Told me what? That you were my sister?" I answered angrily at her and she looked taken back at my anger. "Don't waste your time.."
"Actually, I am just your Aunt." Annie whispered softly then pointed to inside where I was standing. "Mind letting me in?"
"WHAT?"
"Okay, I should explain everything." She answered gently and I gave her an raised eye brow then decided to let her in. "Thanks for letting me explain.." She explained everything up to yesterday when she let it slip.
"Uh. What man are you talking about, Annie?" I questioned and she looked up now red in the face.
"I wasn't meant to tell you that.."
"You just said that a man named Mike came to your house as an police officer and that my Mother was shocked." She took my hand and tried to calm me down.
"Maybe it was a different man."
"So you know why I am freaking out then so it must be my Father then!?" I screamed in her face as I pulled my arm around and she shook her head.
"No, Callie! Just ignore me.. I don't know what I am saying most of the time."
"What the hell is going on?" Stef and Lena walked in, and I looked at Stef. Stef looked at Annie who was staring at me. "Annie May what are you even doing here?" Stef questioned annoyed at the fact that she was here.
"I just wanted to help explain to Callie who I really was.."
"Okay then why are you telling her to ignore you and that you didn't know what you were saying?" Lena whispered as I stood there in complete utter shock. Annie didn't answer Lena and everyone was staring at Annie. "Annie?" Annie looked back at me and I closed my eyes trying to find the strength to speak.
"I might of accidentally... Told her about.."
"My Daddy." I croaked out still leaving my eyes closed and heard gasps in the room. My world was spinning way to fast and I felt like I was going to collapse.
"Cal.." Lena whispered softly as I felt her warm body against mine and I knew Stef was still in the same spot. "Baby, let's get you some water okay?" I heard someone walk around and heard the tap go on then off after a few seconds as Lena helped me to sit as I still had my eyes close. I knew Stef put the glass of water in my hand in silence. I slowly placed the cup in front of me on the bench without taking a sip and stayed quiet.
"I think you should go, Annie May." Stef's voice spoke out and sounded angry but kind of soft. It was hard to explain. I heard soft footsteps head to the front door and the door closed gently. "Callie, there is a lot that I need to explain to you." I still hadn't opened my eyes or moved. I knew that Lena was next to me and had start rubbing my back and Stef was in front of me but I knew she wasn't sitting.
"Do you want.. Do you mind if we called him?" Lena whispered gently and I finally opened my eyes to look at Lena. I wrapped my arms around her and tried to not see Stef. I wasn't ready. "We only just found out ourselves too, bug."
"Oh baby." I heard Stef whisper and I sighed.
"Bed." I got out of the hug and signed to Lena who remembered the sign instantly.
"Okay, I will give you time to think for a while." Lena whispered and looked over at Stef as I looked away from her. Lena let me go and I ran upstairs to hop in to bed.
-x-o- Stef -x-o
"When did she learn sign language?" I questioned softly and Lena turned her attention to me.
"It was one of the ways she could talk to her counselor when the words couldn't form in her mouth." Lena explained softly then turned to me in her chair. "She is in shock."
"I know.." Then the door bell rang and I went to answer it.
"Stef."
"Mike." I greeted him and let him in but directed him quickly to the kitchen where Lena was. "What are you doing here?"
"I needed to fix this.." Mike explained then I heard soft footsteps coming down the stairs and we all couldn't hide Mike. Callie came in and looked at her father. "Callie.." Callie looked at Lena and signed something to her.
"Callie, I know this must be hard but this is going to be okay." Lena whispered as Callie then looked at Mike again.
"I am very, very sorry sweetie." I whispered to Callie who now stared at me with her big brown eyes. She walked over to Mike and stared at him. Mike couldn't form any words because he wasn't really prepared for what happened next. Callie's hand went up in the air and she slapped him.
"Callie!" Both Lena and I exclaimed in shock as Mike's hand touched his cheek. Mike looked at our daughter and looked very guilty. Callie then looked at me with a different look.
"I don't know who you are anymore." She stated as she stepped back at Mike but was staring at me. "I thought you were a murderer but now.. You aren't." I walked quickly around the bench to her.
"Baby, I am your Mama." I whispered softly as I tried to grab her hand but she pulled away. "The same person I was 10 years ago. Just a little older and probably not as fit."
"You aren't my Mama!" She cried out as tears formed in her eyes. "I don't know who Mama is anymore."
"It's been a long time so I can't blame you." I agreed softly and her eyes gazed to mine. "I love you, my sweet sweet little Callie." I slowly grabbed her hand and this time she let me hold it. "We do have a lot to fix between us and I am not willing to give up on us." Callie looked at Mike with shock though.
"How.." She whispered to him as I looked over at him too. "Could you put her into jail?" His eyes shown so much remorse.
"That was the only way.."
"You screwed our lives up." Callie spat out and I looked at her face as she let go of my hand again. "You screwed my relationship with my own mother and I still can't even look at her." My heart broke. "And I just don't know if I can ever look at her the same." She looked back at me. "I need to go.." She covered her mouth and ran out as fast as she could.
"Callie!" Lena and I screamed as I tried to follow her but my feet wouldn't move. I looked at Mike who looked broken.
"I don't know if I can ever see you again, Mike." I whispered then pointed to the door. "Please just get out of our lives."
"Stef, please." Mike pleaded softly with me but I refused.
"I mean it, Mike." I narrowed my eyes at him and his face crumbled. "You have caused too much pain that probably will never be healed by what you have done. Just get the hell out of our lives so I can have a chance to fix this without you reminding Callie what the last 10 years has been like for her." He nodded but took something out of his pocket and placed his business card on the table.
"Give me a chance one day to make it up to the both of you."
"Nothing will be what it will be used to be." I whispered as I walked him to the front door. "I am not making the same mistake I did when I was pregnant with Callie. I am not naive." I slammed the door once he walked out sadly.