Just Between Us

Chapter 5

Stefani's POV

"I'm listeninggg," I sang as I rummaged our cabinets for those mini pop tart treats.

"If you wereeeee you would've heard me say I ate the snacks you're looking for earlier this afternoon," my dad dramatically waved his hands.

"I'll believe it when I see ittttt," There's no way he could finish twelve packs of those things. The man has hid them from me.

"I thought maybe you'd like something to eat," my search gets interrupted as Lillian catches me off guard with a plate of mouthwatering food. I was hesitant... but I took my chances.

I sat down at the counter top to look at the chicken salad that has a drizzle of ranch and Buffalo sauce on mine. Lillian's was just a plain chopped up grilled chicken with pecans and caramelized chopped apples.

Rachel comes wandering, I know she's hungry. Hell, we both are and we have munchies. We were both smart enough to eat edibles instead of sparking.

"Here, I made a plate for you too," Lillian hands an identical plate of food to Rachel and we both sat side by side. She didn't hesitate to dig in, but I took my first bite cautiously.

"She can cook and be a good host, double score," I sarcastically made an enthusiastic statement and ate diligently and my dad groans in irritation.

"What? I'm listening now," I scoffed a laugh.

He gives me one of those signature glares and I brushed him off.

"Stefani, this is your new step mom like it or not, you're gonna have to give me a break and have some common decency to give Lillian a chance. She's here to stay so get comfortable with not waking up alone in the mornings," my dad leans over the counter tops.

Ooooooooh I'm scared. I've just been promoted from neglected daughter to fucking housewife sitter.

Clock work at its finest. As if I haven't heard him recite that same comment like- over a hundred times.

"Just a quick question?" I gave a smug but never cuddly smile.

"Seriously, what did it take? You look like a nurse give or take. Good posture, great skin complexion. What's that- a perfect smile too? Even took the initiative to prepare a meal for someone else's kid that clearly doesn't like you- let alone their guest. Screams nurse. You went from like what? 72hrs a week to zero in what time frame? Oh- since my dad swooned and proposed. Lol I answered my own question-" I nudged Rachel but she's too high off her ass to look at me with a straight face and decided to keep eating and stay out of it. Smart girl.

"Stefani!" My dad warned.

"What? Im not a feministttt. Plus that movement is screwed with its own community because you have one set of fems who bash other women for living traditionally and another set of fems who actually know what the hell they're talking about and it's not bashing men- hello dad, I'm not bashing you, I'm tolerating you. We can all just go on social media right now and see what a good example of 'bashing men' is all about," I rolled my eyes taking another bite of my food. Why the hell does everyone look surprised that I'm not some dumb chick?

"Not to take this family meeting into a controversial topic, but I'm not trying to shame her for choosing to be housewife. Someone has to know every cleaning hack like a lawyer knows their amendments. That must be a courageous choice to put your career on hold for someone else's kid that isn't even yours... I'm just making conversation and trying to get to know your fiancé better," I played the innocent card.

"Kent, it's alright. Just be patient. She needs time. We did meet only yesterday," Lillian softly spoke. My dad gives in and goes to the fridge for a cold bottle of water.

"That's what you think," I waved my fork at her with a cynical laugh And finished up the last bits of my food and grabbed Rachel's plate to put in the sink. My dad can't help but shoot me is 'warning glare' because me and him both looked her engagement ring briefly.

Before leaving the kitchen and going down the hall, my hand lingered on the wall and me and Lillian's eyes were still glued on one another, "but I mean it... food was great," my hand slid off the wall as I walked into my room.

"She has an odd way of liking someone," I heard Lillian's voice laughed vibrantly in the background and I shook my thoughts away.

"So are we gonna talk about it?" Rachel flops on my bed. My mind tuned into my friend's voice.

"How she's gonna be a complete stranger by the end of June, in other words, this month?" I smirked as i flopped beside her and it was her turn to pick show for us to binge watch on the projector.

"No, how hard it was pick who's hotter: the Buffalo sauce on the chicken salad or-"

"Rachel, don't. That's crazy and that's coming from me," I pinched the center of my brows, knowing exactly where this conversation was heading.

"Oh come on, aren't you a lesbian? I'm
bi-curious telling you that woman is drop dead gorgeous. And she's super nice. None of your dad's ex fiancés could cook let alone put up with your shit. She's perfect," Rachel punches my shoulder.

"Yes yes yes, brownie points for feeding your drug addict ass," I shoved her off of me and we both laughed.

"I hear a but," she presses.

"I'll kick yours keep coming up with all these stupid ideas" I laughed but I eventually died down.

"But- the time line isn't about being able to put up with my bullshit attitude-"

"That you purposely project because this is your weird way of protecting these women from far worse things," Rachel butts in.

"Yeah, but... like you said. She fixed me a meal without even asking me if I was hungry and she fixed you something. She does put up with me... but it's only a matter of time that she realizes that my dad has been seeing another woman that is bound to take her place the second she leaves," I shrugged.

"Sucks, because she was the least hated by you," Rachel fluffs a pillow for us be comfortable.

"True that... true that," I finally settled in to binge watch one of Rachel's shows for the remainder of the night.

"Stef?"

"Hmm" my eyes remained glued to whatever supernatural garbage im being nice enough to shut the hell up and watch it anyways because Rachel is my friend and she puts up with me... it's only fair I do the same.

"What if you were to convince her to stay? Not because your dad deserves her- but you do?" Rachel hits me with a nagging question.

"To have a woman believe it's okay mistreated by her husband just so she can care for someone else's kid that isn't even theirs all because I deserve it... head out your ass. Please," I scoffed.

I don't deserve shit that's just gonna get raked over the coals because my dad has commitment issues.