A Life Completed (Hard Time Series Book 5)

The Battle

LENA POV 

"These pants should be ok." I say to Callie as I spent the last ten minutes looking for a pair of pants that were semi clean. What also didn't help was the fact that I could barely see anything for the lighting was so dim and I couldn't find one working light bulb. I ended up finding a working one that was shoved under her bed thankfully among a ton of other crap under there.

The bedroom was horrendous worse then then living room if that was at all possible and I tried to clean it up even a little bit. Her clothes littered the floor and bed, there were empty food wrappers all over the place, uneaten food, half empty water bottles, and used cigarettes. This was not what Stef and I ever wanted for our daughter, ever and it was so very hard not to be angry with her.  

Of course we felt for Callie, but at the same time my sympathy had run out when she started to speak to my wife the way she was. Calling her names, cursing at her, ok maybe it was the drugs but at the same time it wasn't anything I could tolerate and it was holding me back from being the affectionate and loving mother that I normally was to all our children.

But all I knew was there was no way in hell she could and would come home with us and there was no way we would let her near Baby Stef or Andrew.  Callie was very much still on drugs, even if she was taking her bipolar meds according to her, she was still a wreck, unstable, and not to be trusted, at all. Hell, I didn't even want her around Stef for I couldn't watch her continue to break my wife's heart one more time, I just couldn't because if she did I knew I would not be able to hold back my feelings or thoughts this time no matter what issues our daughter was facing.

 "If they are too tight we can cut the waistband." I hand them to her as I clear a small space on the bed for both of us. Not that I wanted to sit on it for it was rather disgusting, and one of the worst parts of this room including the broken crib in the corner that had piles of dirty clothes in it.

"Ok." She says rather calmly as she slides on the leggings and I try to find a few thing we can take with us. 

"We should pack a few things. Do you have a bag?"

"No." She sniffles and plops on the bed as I see her scratch up and down her arm avoiding my eyes. " I have like a shopping bag in the kitchen, plastic one I think or a garbage bag."

"Ok. We can use that. We will get you a toothbrush and stuff. Where are your shoes?"  I ask rather coldly as she now looks into my eyes hers being very hard to read. They are cold, but hurt, but at the same time confused and it is not something I fall for. Ever.

"Um..in the other room I think. So, you must fucking hate me. Right?"

"None of us hate you Callie. We just want to help." I say as I try not to let my my anger take over as she plays with her dirty fingernails. Her stomach has gotten even larger since she showed up at the party but she looks like even more of a mess. The bruises on her face break my heart of course, but at the same time I am not one to cave to her anymore longer. "You don't have to live like this Callie. You don't." 

"I've been taking my meds I have." She says continuing to look at me as I nod my head wanting so much to believe her but, I can't. I don't even know how much of this situation I really believe either. "The last like few weeks or so. And I haven't used any drugs."

"Ok, so does that mean you want help? " I ask as she remains quiet and continues to play with her fingers.  "You can't do it alone, and I think you want to be healthy for your baby."

She lets out a heavy sigh as I see her hands shaking a bit as she scratches her arm again.

"Callie, all Mom and I, and this family want to do is help you. But you have to want it. Because there is only so much we can do. It's up to you in the end." She fails to look at me as her head is down and I avoid reaching for her hand.