A Life Deserved (Hard Time Series Book 3)

Uh Oh (Part 1)

LENA POV

It was nearly 10PM and had been one hell of a day in terms of work and coming home to our crazy kids. Unfortunately my wife had gotten held up at the facility on the one night I needed her to be here for we both needed to talk to Frankie. Our daughter  had been begging and pleading with me not to tell Stef about what happened with Darlene but my wife and I didn't keep secrets from each other. Especially when it came to the kids. To be honest it wasn't the fact that I caught Frankie kissing Darlene for that wasn't really a surprise at all.  I was very much aware and had seen the signs that she liked Darlene because she was just like her mother even at 12. Caring, sensitive, affectionate, helpful, and loving. On a few occasions I had caught the two holding hands while watching a movie on our couch but that didn't really have to mean anything. However I knew it did.  Never did I really mention it to Stef for she was having a hard enough time with Frankie growing up as it was. To some extent she wore protective blinders that she would need to take off. Especially after tonight. What really bothered me was the fact that Frankie lied about missing choir amoung a few other things. It wasn't like her at all and as I grilled her I could see she was a horrible liar.

FLASHBACK

"Mama Lion please, please don't tell mama. Please. I'm really sorry."

"Frankie you were supposed to be at choir rehearsal. So not only did you skip that but you lied and came home unsupervised with Darlene. You know me and mama do not like you having friends over if we are not home. What if something happened huh? This is very unlike you."

"I know and I'm really sorry. It won't happen again. We just wanted to hang out that's all."

"No that's not all. You lied to Nana Rose, you lied to me and to your mama. Then I come home and find you two kissing. Is there anything else that went on?"

"No! I swear it. Nothing. And I won't do it again. But do you have to tell mama? Do you Mama Lion? Please. She's going to kill me."

"Frankie your mother and I do not keep secrets from one another. That is something we don't do. You are grounded and you are to call Nana Rose up and apologize for lying. We do not tolerate that Francesca and you know it. And when your mother gets home we will talk about this. You are not off the hook young lady. Believe that."

"Yes ma'am." She said quietly and looking defeated.

FLASHBACK ENDS

Truth was I hated yelling at her for she was a good kid but we couldn't let her get away with lying and not telling us where she really was. That was just not possible.

Aside from that baby Stef had acted up at dinner along with Noah and I had put both of them in time out and I was exhausted. Very. To me it really seemed that whenever my wife wasn't around the kids went crazy since they knew she wasn't here to scare the absolute shit out of them. Sure I had my moments but I was never able to really instill the same type of fear. 

Finally taking a seat on the couch I poured a glass of wine as I put my feet up on our new coffee table. With our new jobs Stef and I had been able to do a good amount of work in the home and get new furniture over the years. It was nice to be able to afford nice things and was a far cry from the hand me down things we had donated when we first moved in. 

5678 Oakland Road had really meant something to us and I think it always would. The kids loved our home even when it wasn't as nice as it is now because it was just that. It was or home. Sometimes early memories still flashed in my mind of when Jude would sleep on the air mattress and watch movies well into the morning while we all crowded on the couch snuggled together. Other times I laughed when we had the mouse problem and Frankie's little friend Jackson was killed by Stef. My wife was so furious I couldn't help but laugh now even if at the time it was not funny. Regardless every inch of this little home had a story in it as I looked to Callie's favorite chair where she often read full length novels in one day, the corner where the kids always played with their toys and where Frankie's dollhouse use to sit.  It all meant so much to us and with Callie and baby Stef moving out soon apart of our hearts would ache.

Each one of them growing up wasn't easy but it was happening and happening quickly. As I took a sip of my wine I glanced to our coffee table where I had set up a few photos of us including one of my mom with Noah. In the next few days I was supposed to have lunch with her and she had been saying she was going to come by for the last few years. She had not so far and my wife was even willing to speak to her civilly. If that would happen I didn't know but the both of us really wanted her to be apart of Noah's life and to show her we weren't the failure she kept hoping us to be. Whether she believed it or not I wasn't sure but I still only wanted the best for her just like my father who was so incredibly happy with Mama Rose. 

Letting my eyes close a bit and soon drifting off to sleep I didn't even realize I had passed out until I felt my wife kiss my lips.

"Hey sleepyhead." She said smiling as I opened my eyes to her see her beautiful face.

"Hey baby. What time is it?"

"2."

"In the morning?"

"Yup." She said grabbing a beer from the fridge and taking a sip.

"What, where were you. At the center all this time?"

"Nope. In the emergency room." She said nonchalantly as I soon stood up noticing her upper arm covered in a bandage. 

"What! What? How? Why didn't you call me or tell me!"

"Babe it's ok I'm alright. No big deal. Don't wake the babies."

"No big deal. What happened? How?"

"MM. Alice stabbed me with a homemade weapon." She said laughing and taking a seat on the couch.

"What?"

"Yup. I really pissed that girl off. Let me tell you. Tried to have me jumped."

"Jesus. Are you ok?" Taking a seat beside her Stef didn't look phased at all.

"I'm fine baby. Got a few stitches. I'm fine love." Softly kissing my lips  I slid my hand into hers as she squeezed it tightly.

"That girl is dangerous. I'm worried."

"Don't be babe. She's locked up for two days then I get to scare her ass again. I got plans for her and trust me I know how to handle her ass. But tell me how was your day love? How are the babies they ok?"

"Um..

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Poor Stef! She's gonna love the news lol

Sorry for the short chapter. LONG DAY!