A Life Completed (Hard Time Series Book 5)

Trouble (Part I)

STEF POV

"You all don't need to stay and help clean up you know. Mama Lion and I got it." I say to Roxy, Tracey, Peaches, Olivia, and Jude  who all are helping pack up the party and food leftovers while all the little babies had fallen asleep inside.

My brother and Judy had stopped by earlier as well but left a bit ago and I was happy to see them back together and working things out. I really was.  The best part about today was everyone really enjoyed ourselves and it had been something we just needed as a family as Mama Rose and Stuart grab a few plates from the table and I didn't want them cleaning either. 

"Mama you shouldn't be cleaning up your own party, ya know?" I say to her as she  grabs another plate clearly ignoring me and heading inside along with Lena's father. "I mean we didn't invite you to help clean the fuck up. Especially not you my love." I look at Olivia who smiles at me and tosses a bit of pasta salad in a Ziplock.

"I don't mind Mama Stef. Really not. Besides I need to move around since I feel so giant. I feel like I'm eating for ten people you know? And I ate far too much tonight. This little girl loves food and it's like she's a bottomless pit!" She says as I grab her hand and squeeze it softly.

"Well ,you eat as much as you like my  love. That babygirl inside you is just hungry is all."

"I just hate to think of how much weight I need to loose. I barely gained anything with Amelia but his time...I'm scared. I mean I'm gonna be such a hippo, I'm already a hippo." She says this as she stuffs more pasta salad in her mouth and I can't help but laugh as Jude comes around the table and slides his hands around her waist.

"Liv, you are beautiful no matter what. Stop worrying about that. You really are beautiful and it's alot of work to make a baby and carry her. Just focus on being ok. You look fine, sweetheart." I watch Jude as he softly kisses Olivias lips as the sight is just so sweet to me. They really are a sweet couple and I am happy that my son is such a gentleman. It was something still such a shock to my system that he was married, had a three year old and another girl on the way, and well that he was a cop. Everything I wanted for him had happened but of course I wanted more for his, his wife and my grandchildren.

"Ok." She sniffs. "I'm sorry I'm such a hot mess everyone. I like cry over everything, if I'm not stuffing my face."

"Oh it's ok honey you have nothing to apologize about. You are pregnant honey." Lena says consolidating another tin of pasta salad as I nod my head.

"She's right babe. It's ok we have all been there. I gained forty pounds with Jude and with Frankie forget it. All she wanted was McDonald's." Everyone busts out laughing as I shake my head at the memory for it was true that was the only thing I could get down with Frankie. 

"Oh goodness. All Noah wanted was pizza." Lena says as I wink at her and she blushes as Tracey opens a few more Ziplock bags and I pour some macaroni salad inside of it.

"I remember Nathan he just wanted hot dogs." She says as it's the first time Tracey had ever mentioned anything about being pregnant with him as we all look at her. "I mean it had to be Nathans too. So that's where I got his name. Stupid right?" She shrugs as I gently grab her hand.

"No babe it's not. It's sweet." I smile at her as Roxy grabs the tray from me. "I fucking got it Rox." I snap as she walks around the table ignoring me.

"Yeah me too. I know you like to be in control and all but shit, let us do fucking something. It's too much shit for you and Mama Lion to drag inside anyway. God forbid you let someone else do something for once."  She smarts back as I glare at her. "And don't be glaring at me, this part of MY JOB. I clean up the food and bag it up and everything. So let me  what I'm doing."