A Life Beyond (Hard Time Series Book 2)

A Change

As Dana Adams stood looking around at the tiny house that her daughter shared with the woman she hated more than anything it was anything but impressive in her eyes. Not impressive at all and it was the first time she ever set foot in it. She could see it was rather small for the amount of people that occupied it as she watched a little girl named Frankie who was no more than six run out the house to go to some chorus rehearsal, another girl who looked no more than 20 run around with a little baby herself getting her dressed, a young boy sitting on the couch watching TV, and her own daughter struggle with her grandson who appeared to not be feeling well. Chaos was the only way she could describe it as she took a seat at the kitchen table wiping the seat off.

Taking in her surroundings of a home she didn't care for she saw family photos hanging on the walls, kid drawings and school projects plastered to the refrigerator door, a chore list and calendar of events in her daughters handwriting. Yes it was clean despite the few toys scattered in the living room and of free of clutter but it was a far cry from what Lena had grown up with. A very far cry for most of the furniture was second hand for none of it really matched, the appliances were older, the fabrics and curtains homemade, the kitchen counters were old and the tiles needed replacing and she could see a few mouse traps in the corners. Maybe her daughter had tried to make it cozy with what she could afford but the older woman considered it to be a rather sad site and nothing to write home about it. Dana could only wonder if any of this was worth it  as she saw Stef walk out of the bedroom and into the kitchen pouring a cup of coffee.

The last time she had seen the blonde was months ago when she showed up at her front steps threatening her but it was fine by her if she never saw her in life. Still she tried so hard to understand what it was her daughter saw in this woman. Why she had been willing to dump their relationship for this woman. Why she married her and wanted her son around her. What was it for she could not see one good thing about her as she took a seat at the table, put her feet up on the chair and lit a cigarette. God would she ever have any class whatsoever. The odds were slim to nothing in her mind as Stef had yet to make eye contact with her whatsoever.

"Jude go help Callie outside with baby Stef."

"Sure ma." The young boy said turning the TV off and heading into the backyard as the blonde puffed on her cigarette and looked Dana right in the face.

"Hey there Dana never expected to see you set foot in this house. What do we owe this visit?"  The older woman could only stare at the blonde as Stef smirked at her sipping on her coffee. Right now she really still could not believe this marriage was still going on and had hoped it would have been annulled by now.

"Lena is my daugher you know."

"Yeah is she? Could have fooled me." Stef said chuckling as the older woman continued to stare.

"What is so funny?"

"Oh nothing Mama Adams. Nothing at all."

"Well she is and I needed to check on her and make sure she is ok."

"Why wouldn't she be ok ? Unless you're implying something. Which is usually your m.o. Because last time I checked you didn't really give a shit about your daughter and in fact told her she wasn't your daughter anymore. That you basically fucking disowned her. Then to mouth off and say you were gonna take our kids away from us and call our parole officers. That wasn't very nice ya know. But tell me Dana, how did that work out for you mm? I mean were you successful?" She asked rather sarcastically knowing the answer as Dana could only continue to stare at her wanting to just smack her.

"I do not like you."

"Well, now I won't be able to sleep tonight that's for sure with knowing you don't like me." The blonde laughed taking another puff.