A Life Completed (Hard Time Series Book 5)

Old Cellmate

CALLIE POV

"Cals come in!!! Shit!"  Tracey says as she invites me into her tiny apartment as I had taken three buses to get here after my group for this morning had been rather exhausting with my daughter whom I was trying to hard to get to know. Even if she let me brush her hair she still proved to be rather difficult afterwards and I was at a lose. I was and the parenting classes I signed up for I was hoping they would help. "How you been! I feel like I haven't seen you forever!"

"I'm good. I'm sorry I didn't call Trac I....

"Girl please. You know can stop by anytime. I've missed you." She says pulling me in for a hug as I notice she looks really good as she has her hair died red, her long nails are back along with her heavy makeup. She looked just like the old Tracey as she pulls away and offers me a seat.  "Sit you want some food? Something to drink?"

"Water maybe. You're place looks really nice Tracey."

"Oh thanks. I'm so happy I can pay for this shit. You know what I'm sayin? It just feels good to be livin and not be some fucking dope head.  I'm just not about it." She takes a seat and lights a smoke as she smiles at me."How you been Cal?"

"Um, I'm ok. Baby Stef started high school today."

"Fuck. That's just some crazy ass shit right there. I mean I remember when I got out Chow and came to the BBQ, she wasn't nothing but a minute. Now she grown as fuck. I seen her the other week when I dropped by Moms. Begging me to do her nails."

"Yeah, she's a girly girly."

"She is. Wanted red hair too." She says as I smile and play with my fingers as she leans over and grabs my hand. "What's wrong? I know you Cal. I known you for more then twelve years. Almost 15. What's the matter? Something wit you and Pete?"

"No. Nothing. We are just me and Pete. Nothing more right now. He's helpful, understanding he's takes good care of Andrew."

"Yeah, he always been but what it is? Mom's?" She says as I avoid her eyes  not saying a word. "You and Mom still kinda strained a bit?"

"We are what we are. It's ok." I lie looking into her piercing green eyes. "It's no big."

"It is. Ya'll were tight, like real close Cal. Do ya'll talk? I mean like you use to? Before she had her stroke?"

"Look, I just wanted to come over and say hi. I had a rough meeting and just didn't wanna go home."

"Ok, that's alright. You can stay over if you want C. I can cook us up some fish and chips, and we can chill, watch some movies. I can drop you later or tomorrow. Whenever."

"Thanks Tracey. Can I ask you something?" I say as she takes another puff and the more I look at her the more she reminds me of Mom.

"What's up?"

"How's it been with you and Nathan?"

"It's good, I mean it's slow, which is ok. He comes over for a few hours and we watch TV, and play games. Or I take him to the park and shit. He's a good kid, but we just still getting to know each other."

"Do you plan on having him live here?"

"Here? With me? I'd love that for real. I would, but he got a good family. I can't gve him the shit he needs. You know he's in special classes and shit, and he goes for anger and he's in special ed.  You know cuz I was drugging when I was pregnant with him. You know? I had him when 18 and he's suffered his whole life cuz of the shit I did to him. Them people he's with, I'm glad he has them. Because I don't know shit about it, nothing. I mean he knows I gave birth to him and all but I know that Karen and Kevin are his parents. That's the shit I gotta accept. You know I'm still recovering, I got HIV you know. I can only do so much. And his visits are supervised."

"Isn't that hard?"

"Yeah. It is. But it would be harder if I had to raise him. I wouldn't be able to. Cal, what's up for real? Come on."

"Nothing, but I'm gonna use the bathroom. Ok?"

"Yeah. I'll start up some dinner." She says as I head to the bathroom feeling my chest beat a million miles a minute as I quickly dig in my bag and pop one of my sons ADHD pills as I look in the mirror ashamed at myself all over again. I was a disaster, I was awful and it was no wonder my daughter didn't love me. 

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LENA POV

Our life has changed so much in the almost fifteen years that Stef and I have been together to the point that I sometimes can't believe how fast the times has gone by. Frankie leaving home for college wasn't only affecting my wife but it was also affecting me in a way I didn't realize for I remember the day I met her back in Chowchilla at family day when she had giant glasses, missing teeth and long curly brown hair. She was sweet at pie and still was and her leaving made the house feel different. It did and for the past few days Stef had been crying in my arms especially at night and a few nights I caught her sleeping in Frankie's bed. 

Sometimes I even forgot how sensitive my wife is,  even if the years out of Chowchilla have mellowed her greatly at times I see it come back. But not as often as I use to.

Noah being off at community college hit us as well knowing he would too would be gone in two years, and in the life I was supposed to have had our cases not gotten appealed both Stef and I would still be in jail and our kids would have had different lives, along with Callie.  Both Stef and I were supposed to spend twenty five years in Chowchilla and my stomach turns just thinking about how that could have been.  That our life could have never happened, that our grandkids could have never happened, none of it.

All of it is so strange, sometimes if I think about it as I look around at our backyard where we hosted so many parties, birthday's, barbecues. We also wiped many tears back here, and had many fights, had many family dinners when we got the patio built after Stef and I could finally afford to make improvements to this home. This home has been our home for more then twelve years and as I glance at the letter again that I received from the University of San Diego wanting to interview me for a teaching position, I'm not sure how I feel about it.

Never, in my life did I ever think an opportunity like this would come up. Ever for in my mind, and in the real world prison killed any change of me being an educator. But apparently this was a different class, it is a class on domestic abuse and how it has lead to many woman committing crimes they may have never committed otherwise. The school wants to interview me and I had not even told my wife yet for I can't uproot our life here, a life we built, a family we made, or leave people behind that clearly still need us and very badly.

Digging another hole for a few more of my flowers I was getting it ready for Mama Rose's big party that Stef was throwing for her. She knew nothing about it but considering she was well into her mid 70s and never had a party it was time. It was and my wife being the woman she is was going all out for it as I glance over to our patio and see her water our plants. I smile at her for at times she still needed to use her cane which she hated but no matter what to me she is the most beautiful person in the entire world and I love her more then life. 

She hates that I call her mellow but she has matured so much in the last decade, she is stronger then ever, and so is our marriage. Yes we went through many, many bad times, and there were times I questioned if we would last, I questioned if we were right for each other, I questioned if she would ever love me again after she had her stroke. But all of my doubts, and some of the doubts we had over the last decade never came to light as we were making plans to renew our vows this year with our family. 

Considering none of them were at our first wedding aside from Callie and Tracey,  we really wanted to do something but kept pushing it to the back burner. Hopefully we would soon as Stef catches my eyes  and I can't help but blow a kiss at her as she winks at me. Mouthing I love you to me I do the same as little Amelia runs outside giggling at her as I smile at the two and they head back inside to finish dinner.

And as I did another hole I can't help but wonder if I should tell her about this job or just forget about it. It was hard to know what to do but Stef and I didn't keep secrets no matter how hard it was for it was something that had gotten us into trouble one to many times and we vowed never to go down that path ever again.