There Is Enough To Go Around

Chapter 18

So, I am thinking maybe two or three chapters left...

Stef laid in bed, as her wife slept beside her. She was nervous. Call it mother's instinct, but something did not feel right to Stef as she let her baby girl stay another night with her father. Maybe it was just a flashback of when Brandon was little, he around seven, when her oldest baby called in the night, saying his father had left him home by himself for more than three hours. No doubt in both of their minds that Mike had casually walked into the bar for a "few minutes." Brandon too had changed in his attitude when he started staying at Mike's house alone, and Mike's alcohol problem was out of control. Brandon begged to stay with his father longer, but acted miserable afterwards. When the mother's found out, he explained, (as best as a seven -year old could) that he thought he needed to take care of his father. Could the same idea be based in Mila's situation? Buddy always looked a little scruffy, but she never noticed any drugs or alcohol in his house. Not to mention, Mila is only three. Doesn't her being a toddler, make it almost impossible for her to keep secrets? Obviously they knew something was wrong, but she never answered, no matter how patient or kind they were. The kids were also not getting any information from the child.

2:32; and Stef heard the unforgettable 'the middle of the night, something is wrong' phonecall. She immediately picked it up, as the hospital number glared on the screen. It almost felt expected to Stef, her instinct still going strong. Though she really wanted to be wrong.

"Hello?"

"Hey Stef, it's Carol from the station." Stef furrowed her brows, confused on why Carol was calling from the hospital. Maybe this had nothing to do with any of her family, but something work related.

"What is going on Carol? It is two-thirty in the morning."

"We got a 911 call this morning from a little girl, saying her daddy was hurt. When we came by, I recognized it was Mila." Stef's heart pounded, as she placed her hand to her head. She immediately sprung up from the bed, and did her best to step into her shoes.

"Is Mila okay? Her father?"

"Mila is scared and in shock, but physically is seems to be alright. Stef..."

By this time, Lena had been woken up, and glared confused at her wife but also nervous. Last time this happened, Jude had snuck out and landed at the hospital.

"I will be there as soon as I can. You can give me the details when I get there. Tell Mila that Mommy is coming to get her. Okay, bye."

"What is going on Stef?" Lena raised her voice, as she attempted to put on her robe and slippers. But Stef stopped her.

"Something has happened with Buddy. I am going to go pick up our once again traumatized daughter...I knew we should have taken her home Lena..."Stef mumbled. She really didn't have the time to argue, but her emotions were spiked. She did tell Lena that they should have dragged their daughter home that night. Something was wrong. Their daughter should have been brought home when she was supposed to. And she had let her wife talk her out of her mothering instinct.

"Well I am sorry Stef that I am not as great as a mother as you. You know what I saw yesterday? A girl who needed her father. I saw our daughter who wanted to stay with him, and would shut us out if we took her away..." Both woman paused, unsure what to say. It was so unimportant at the moment. Mila needed them.

"I need to go get Mila." Stef said, grabbing her jacket from the coat rack, but Lena was right on her tail.

"Don't think you are going alone. She needs me too."

"Lena, our other children need you too. What are we going to do, leave a note for them in the morning telling them we are at the hospital? Or wake them up, and have them worry all night? I will go get her. I will bring her home safe, I promise." Stef told her wife, taking her hands in her own.