Finding Forgiveness

He dragged himself away to find his bag. Despite being a fairly trivial matter, it saddened me that I hadn’t been around to be there for him if this had been going on for months. I had been completely unaware of it.

I didn’t have much time to dwell on the subject though before the twins appeared in the doorway.

“Oh girls,” I said noticing what they were wearing. “They’re Mommy and Daddy’s clothes, aren’t they? You can’t go to school like that.”

“Why not?” Marie asked.

“Because you’ll trip on that skirt,” I said looking at the skirt which dragged along the floor behind her. “And Frannie you can’t even see with that hood,” I adding looking at the hoody of Leo’s she was wearing that covered her from head to toe.

At that point Leo came back into the kitchen, looking exasperated from trying to find Cato’s shoes and set his eyes on the twins. He smiled and rolled his eyes.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“Come on you two,” he said picking them up, one in each arm. “It’s not fancy dress day.”

They laughed and giggled as their Dad picked them up into the air and as far as I could hear they didn’t object to changing. What made Leo such a great father was his ability to make anything fun which always led to far fewer tantrums and arguments.

Ten minutes later, six children were lined up in the hall. One didn’t have any shoes on, one had peanut butter all over her face, another had a plastic dinosaur toy in his hand, another was brooding and frowning and the final two were already on their second outfit of the day.

“Cato where are your shoes?” I asked in desperation as I strapped the youngest two Lorens into the stroller.

“I don’t know mama,” he replied.

“Where did you take them off?” Leo asked.

“Oh yeh! I remember!” he shouted before running out of the front door.

I exchanged looks with Leo and sighed.

It rained last night.

Another ten minutes later and we were finally ready. Cato’s shoes left by the heater to dry and on his feet, his only other pair of shoes: his sandals which due to the fact that it was cold outside, he wore with socks.

“Looking good, bambino,” Leo said as we left.

“Grazie, Papa,” he replied with delight.

“Oh shit,” I cursed as Zacharias projectile vomited all over himself from the pram and promptly began to screech. “We’re going to be late.”

I lifted Zacharias out and began rushing upstairs.

“Leo, you’ll have to take them. I’ll stay here with Lili, Zach and Stefano,” I said.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?” he asked.

I nodded, “Come on Lils, you’re staying with Mama.”

“I’ll be back in twenty minutes,” he said before herding the eldest five of the flock out and closing the door.

Since I returned, Leo hadn’t been working much to stay at home with me and make sure I wasn’t having to ever struggle with all the kids alone. We spent more time as a family than we ever had before too including numerous trips to the park, movie nights and baking. The kids were happy again and fortunately didn’t seem too damaged by the fact that I disappeared for months and then when they thought they had me back, I went again. Everything was back to normal and life was good. That evening as we had dinner as a family and watched the kids play afterwards, I didn’t find myself thinking about Andrea once.

Well, that was until there was a thud-like knock on the door and everything came gushing back up to the surface.

“I’ll get it,” Leo said putting Zacharias’s bottle down and venturing to the front door with him still in hand.

I heard the latch click and the door open.

“Leonardo Loren, this is Washington State Police. You are under arrest on suspicion of attempted murder, abduction and involvement with a Mexican drug trafficking operation. Please hand the child to my colleague and put your hands up,” the voice said. “Anything you say can and will be held against you.”

My heart began to pound and I immediately marched from the sofa to the hallway. In the doorway were three cops, both of which with guns and behind them five or six more with bulletproof vests.

Zacharias clung to Leo and began to make whimpery noises as Cato, Mathias and Silas appeared in the hallway too.

“Sir, I will ask you again-” The officer began.

“I’m not giving you my son,” Leo stated. “And what? Attempted murder? Abduction? Who the fuck have I abducted?”

“Everything will be explained at the station. Just hand over the child and put your hands up. Do not make me say it again,” he said holding the gun closer to Leo.

“Leo, hand him to me,” I interjected anxious to get my son away from the gun.

He handed Zacharias to me and four men immediately lurched forward and tackled Leo to the floor.

“Cooperate, Sir and this will be much easier,” one cop demanded.

I didn’t doubt for a second that Leo could fight all of these humans off but he didn’t and allowed them to handcuff him.

They then dragged him out the door and I immediately followed.

“Ella,? call Blair, now,” Leo said to me as he was pushed into a car.

“Why are you letting them take you?” I asked quietly so that only he could hear.

“Because if I don’t, next it will be the swat team and then the army in. The kids don’t need to see that,” he replied with a sigh.

“Miss, please step away from the vehicle,” one of the officers said touching my arm.

I slapped his hand away.

“May I have a moment with my wife, Officer?” Leo asked from the car.

He opened his mouth to say ‘no’ but closed it when he saw Leo’s stern glare and nodded with a gulp before scurrying away.

“Do you think they have evidence?” I asked when he was far enough away.

“I can’t think of a way that they possibly could,” he said looking around to check no one was listening. “But that doesn’t mean they don’t.”

“Don’t you know the sheriff from when your? Dad used to get him to release you when you were arrested as a kid, right?” I asked.

He screwed his eyes up and threw his head back.

“For graffiti and minor theft, Ella, not drug trafficking, abduction and attempted murder. And this will be a federal investigation anyway.”

“Oh fuck. You’re really in deep shit this time, Leo,” I groaned watching all the armed and armoured men in the front drive of my house.

“Stay with the kids, remember to let Blair know and I’ll see you later,” he replied. “I love you.”