A Life Beyond (Hard Time Series Book 2)

Devasted

The day before Thanksgiving Eve while Stef was getting ready to make her last delivery and Lena and Callie had just started their shift at Walmart a few things happened. Yes the women were fully prepared for their first holiday as a family and Lena had baked a few pies to bring over Miss Roses and her father would join them as well along with Noah.  Sandra of course would be bringing baby Stef but unfortunately, Mike was still being difficult in terms of allowing his sister to see Frankie and Jude. However,  that was about to change and by someone no one expected. Not even Mike himself.

From the time Judy Foster first started to date Mike and get to know the kids she wasn't sure of her place in the family.  Mike had not said too much about his childhood only telling her bits and pieces. She could see it was rather painful when he did open up about his father and especially his sister. A handful of times he brought out photos of them as kids even showing some of Stef as a baby with their mother. As time went on and their relationship became more serious he revealed more and more about this sister, why she ended up and jail and the kind of life she lead as a result of their father. Judy tried not to judge her, or say anything negative around her children for she knew that would not be fair or right. 

Being she was in such an awkward position when she eventually moved in with Mike and the kids Judy wasn't exactly sure how to parent them or if she should. Mike told her it was fine and the two married trying to raise the kids the best they could. Of course Judy adored both of them and noticed the prison visits to see their mom took a toll. It took a toll every time so her and Mike decided it would be best not to take them as often. That decision proved not to be best for it only led to Frankie crying more and Jude becoming so depressed and withdrawn that he tried to kill himself. At times the job of raising them was not always easy and  they tried to take them on little family trips, put them in the best schools and do what they could to ensure they were happy. Despite their efforts both kids still yearned and grieved hard for their mother. Ironically even if Frankie had not been raised by her mother the visits since she was just one years old, the letters and phone calls allowed her to build a tiny attachment. Jude helped as well for he constantly talked about his mother to the little girl as often as he could without crying himself.

Judy of course listened to what the boy told his sister and to the many things Mike had said about Stef as well. Truth was she had no idea what the woman was really like and when she met her for the first time she was terrified. Stef in her eyes was an aggressive bully and if given the chance would beat her ass or break her in half if she could. She did not like her of course and thought she was rude, uneducated, and manipulative. Judy for the sake of the kids tried to be as polite as possible to her but at the time she too believed the blonde was a terrible influence and not a good mother. 

After Stef spit in her face one would think her opinion would be worse. However it changed and was starting to change for the better and during the last few days Judy had driven more then once to the blondes home only to turn back around. She even got so far as the front door but her fear got the best of her and she quickly got back in her car and turned around.  The woman knew she needed to do this, she knew she needed to talk to Stef and get Mike to somehow call off all his efforts in terms of adopting the kids. It wasn't right in her eyes anymore and  there was no way Frankie could love Stef as much as she did if she was such a bad person.  Yes her life had been questionable but what if she really was making an effort now? What if her and Lena were good people despite being criminals even if it was in self defense. Maybe she had judged too soon or too harshly? Maybe she needed to hear their side of things and really listen to what Frankie and Jude said about their weekend visits. 

Right now all Judy saw day in and day out were tears, a withdrawn little girl, and an angry teen boy who retreated. Everyday and her husband was just too blinded by his own issues to really see what was going on. However it was almost as if life had taken over for her for around 11AM she had gotten a call from the school saying Frankie had been crying for the past two hours. It was usual for her to cry and the girl was ok once she got to school but this time was different.  It was very different and Frankie was nearly making herself sick What did she want and who was the only person that could really help? Her mother.

After getting the call from the school and not being able to reach Mike the fearful woman called the one person she never thought she would. Sure she thought calling Lena maybe easier but she knew the only person Frankie wanted to see was her mother. Luckily the blonde was still on her smoke break when she got the call and almost fell over when she heard who it was. Of course she didn't hang up on her even if it was tempting but she knew something must be really wrong if Judy called her for the woman never did. Ever. She listened to the woman and how worried her voice was and Stef instantly drove halfway across town to Frankie's school.  Meeting Judy at the front entrance of the fancy private school the fearful woman put her fears to the side and Stef put her hatred to the side for the only thing that mattered at this point was Frankie. That was all.

"She's been crying for three hours Stef and no one can get her to stop. Usually she cries for about 15 minutes and she's ok but today, today was different. I knew something was wrong at breakfast this morning and when I put her on the bus. I knew it but ....I just..she is making herself sick and..." Judy said rambling as the two made it up the school steps to the kindergarten classroom. "Stef I just...I was wrong. And I'm sorry."

Stef at this point wasn't really sure what to say at that. Not at all as she nodded her head and the two women could hear Frankie crying. The blonde knew that cry anywhere she did as she stood in the doorway of the little girls classroom seeing the teacher trying so hard to comfort Frankie. Judy was right the little girl was inconsolable as the blonde walked in closer.

"Babygirl. Love?" She said walking closer as Frankie sniffed one last sniffle and turned around her face instantly lit up.

"Mama! Mama! Mama!" She yelled so happily as she ran faster then ever to the blonde. Stef could only pick her up in her arms as she hugged the little girl tight a wide smile forming on her face as well. Three weeks had been too long  almost feeling like years as she too felt tears in her eyes. They rolled down her face as she hugged Frankie harder.

"Sweetheart. I missed you. Mama missed you so much and it's ok. It's ok don't cry. I'm here. I'm right here my love." She said kissing her cheek for what seemed like a million times as Frankie did the same. "Aww those tears my sweetheart. Look at those tears. What's the matter mm? What happened."

"I missed you. I miss you and Mama Lion, and Callie, and baby Stef and Noah. I miss my family, my room and my house. I missed you."

"Aww love I missed you too. You have no idea and they all miss you very much. We all do." Gently wiping the girls tears Stef could only kiss her little cheek once again.

"I'm not letting go ever again. Ever."  Frankie said huggin her mother once again as the blonde held her back equally tighter.

"It's ok baby you hold onto me as long as you need. I'm right here. Mama is right here." Kissing her the side of the girls face and holding her close Stef could only look to Judy who smiled as the two decided they were long overdo for a real talk. 

"I love you mommy."

"I love you too Francesca. I love you too."

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So Judy called Stef and they will talk?