Maybe this is where I belong...

Chapter 10.

hi guys-- im so sorry ive taken so long to update, again 😭 , i promise ill do better (not that i have many views but still!!) school has been kicking my butt :) , please leave comments/vote/leave suggestions!

LENA'S POV:

"Hi Stef and Lena! So nice to meet you I'm Laura." Laura introduced herself as she came out of her office to greet us.
"Hi, nice to meet you too." I greeted her back.
"Hi Laura." Stef added.
"Please come in and take a seat." Laura gestures us to come in her office.

We sit and Laura pulls out a folder labeled A.Roberts. The same one that Beth showed Stef when Ami came the first day.

"I'm so sorry, by the way. just for everything that Amelia has been through."
Stef and I nod as a thank you to her comment.
"I think we have a solid case against Patrick," she added. "The pictures of Amelia's bruises don't look self inflicted at all or from 'rough sex', like his lawyers are trying to argue. I'm not going to lie, the trial is going to be a lot to handle. I just need to make sure that she is going to be okay through this."

"Is there a chance that we won't have to go through a trial?" Stef asked.
"I'm going to talk to his lawyers later on today to get more information on where they stand and what he is trying to argue."

I zoned out as Stef and Laura talked about all of this, I thought about the future. I thought about when we finally ask Ami if she is okay with us adopting her and her becoming a part of this family forever. I can't want until all of this is over. I ended up zoning out up until the end of the meeting.

"If you guys have any questions please don't hesitate to call me, okay?" Laura said as she walked us to her office door. "I will be in touch."
"Thank you so much." I said as we left the office.
Stef and I got to the car and I went to the passenger side as she went to the driver's side. I must have had a depressing look on my face so she turned my head to say,
"Honey are you okay? I know that was a lot to hear and handle, and if you don't want to be heavily involved that's completely okay." She stroked the side of my cheek.
"No Stef, no I want to go through this, I want to be here for Amelia."

We rode the whole way home in silence, Stef's hand intertwined in mine.

The kids piled in from the mall chattering and laughing a little after Stef and I came home. Mariana was the first one of our babies to come in the kitchen to greet us. "Hey miss thing!" Stef cheerfully said as Mariana went over to her mom to give her a side hug. "How was the mall? Find anything good?"
"Yup!" Mariana nodded her head, pulling out a cardboard box and opening the lid, revealing a pair of tan wedges. "Opinions?"
"They're cute, love!" I said while cutting raw chicken to soon stir fry for dinner
"Yes they're very cute I agree." Stef added.
"Hey baby can you bring your brothers in here?" Stef questioned.
"Sure." Mariana walked a few steps to the entryway of the kitchen "JESUS! BRANDON! MOM WANTS YOU!"
Stef flinched, "Good god Mariana you're loud. I could have done that."
"Whoopsies," Mariana chuckled, "Sorry." She exited the kitchen as the boys entered.

"Whats up mom?" Jesus said as he sat down on an island stool.
"Mama and I were wondering how Ami did at the mall?"
"Oh she was good!" Brandon answered, "She went to I think American Eagle with Mariana and Callie. I think she bought a dress."
"Oh good!" I smiled, "I'm glad she had fun."
"Did you meet with Amelia's lawyers today?" Jesus wondered.
"Uh yes we did, love." Stef sighed.
"Did.. Everything go okay?"
"It's going to be tough on her, guys. We thought that she wouldn't have to be involved in his case but since he's denying that he actually did," I took a deep breath, "rape her.. his attorneys are going to question her and she's going to be very emotional so we just all need to be there for her, yes?"
Brandon and Jesus all nodded and we stopped talking about everything when Ami entered the kitchen, modeling her new dress she got. She twirled in a circle and smiled,
"You like?"
'We love!!" Stef clapped her hands together, "You look gorgeous Ami baby!"
Amelia blushed and smiled, "T-thank you." She sat down next to Jesus on a stool while Mariana came in and sat down next to Ami. "How was your guy's day?"
"It was busy!" I answered, stir frying the chicken and veggies. The kids were chatting away as my phone beeped. I stopped cooking to grab my phone and Stef got to it first and passed it to me. It was a text message from Laura.

Laura: Hi Lena! If you could call me at any time to talk about the case it would be so much appreciated! Thanks.

I dialed Laura's number and let it ring until she picked up;
"Hi Lena!"
"Hi Laura, what did you want to talk about?" I gave Stef eyes, signaling to send the kids upstairs so this could be private. She sent them upstairs and I put Laura on speaker. "Laura, you're on speaker with Stef and I." I told her.
"Okay! Hi Stef and Lena. So I just got off the phone with Patrick's lawyers. Because this is the old "he said she said" kind of case, it's going to be hard to get hard evidence in her favor."
I interrupted, "What about Ami's bruises on her thighs?"
"You do have a point Lena, but they came back saying it was just rough consensual sex. That is why I told his lawyers that we could try and arrange a plea deal, if you two are for that, and Amelia of course."
I met Stef's eyes, "What would that plea deal be exactly?" Stef cleared her throat.

We heard Laura sigh through the phone, "This is the only option we would have for a deal, without having to go through a trial, but the best scenario would be he would plead guilty to statutory rape. If Amelia doesn't want to go through a trial, this is the best option. It puts him away for some time if they accept the deal."
My eyes well up, "That's the only option?"
"If you all don't want to go through a trial, I'm afraid so. We don't know if they would take the deal, but I'm assuming its pretty likely that they will."
Stef took my hand and held it tight, "We're going to have to think about this and talk to Amelia, can we let you know?"
"Of course take your time, have a good night."
"You too." Stef adds. She hangs up the phone. Stef opens her arms, embracing me in a small cuddle. "When should we tell her?" I asked with my head on my partner's chest.
"The sooner the better." Stef said, kissing my head.

It was roughly about 9pm and dinner was finished and Stef and I were reading our books in our bed.
"Hey love?" Stef asks me.
"Yeah what's up?"
"I think we should get married."