A Life Completed (Hard Time Series Book 5)

Old Times

STEF POV

FLASHBACK

"This tree is so nice Moms!! Oh my god it's like the biggest one here!" We hear Callie say Lena and I both walk over to her looking at a rather small tree that in Callie's eyes seemed massive. Holding Baby Stef in my arms I gently rub her back as she falls back asleep on my shoulder as my smile grows wider at Callie. "It's really amazing."

"Well it really is honey. Is this the one you want?" Lena says grabbing her hand as her face beams.

"Yes! I mean, no. No I think it's too expensive. We can get something different I was just admiring it." She begins to walk away as I gently grab my free hand pulling her back. Her eyes, those deep brown ones, look right into mine as they are so innocent, so sweet and at the same time so fearful. Gently I push her chin up a bit and smile softly at her.

"Cals, if this is the one you like then this is the one we will get."

"But, it's expensive Mom's."

"Stop worrying about that shit Cals. This is our first Christmas together as a family and if this is the tree you want then this is the fucking tree we will get." I wink at her as her big smile returns but I can see she is conflicted.

"But I can give you money for it too. Especially once I get my first paycheck. I...

"No. That is not happening my love.  Not at all! As I have told you many times me and Mama Lion are here for you sweets and we want to give you an amazing holiday and plan to. Understood my daughter?" I smile at her again.

FLASHBACK ENDS

"Your hot coco. "Lena says passing me the warm chocolate drink and taking a seat beside me on wooden bench. I still loved coming to the Christmas Bazaar with her and probably always would and I was looking forward to when the grandbabies showed up in a few hours.

"Thanks babylove." I wink as she smiles wide at me. 

"You're welcome. Penny for your thoughts?"

"Ahh, just loving the holidays sweets. Love being here with you and doing our thing."

"Me too, but what else? You've been quiet lately and you disappear sometimes." She says softly as I clear my throat and look at her strangely.

"Disappear?"

"Yes. Like when you went to get the stuff at the store you forgot. You were gone for two hours and I was really worried Stef. Where were you?"

I'm not really sure how to answer this as I sip my hot chocolate and look down into the cup for the last thing I wanted to do was tell Lena I had been going to church and Bible study. It just seemed awkward and rather contradictory. Hell I knew she wouldn't just but I just didn't know how to tell her.

"I didn't mean to worry you love, sometimes I just take a drive to the beach and think. You know the spot we use to take the babies when they were little."

"Yes of course. Does it help? I mean does it help you process everything?"

"I think at times it does. Sometimes my brain is just so filled babe that I just need air. Need the ocean and, and when you know when we were in Chow before I met you there were times that, that I'd kill to smell that and be at the beach again. It just seemed to be something that cleared my brain. I guess it's just been alot and I'm worried about Mike. This is a serious allegation Callie has made love. Very serious and this could ruin Mike. Ruin everything he has worked so hard for.

"I understand babe, but you know he didn't do it honey. We all know this."

"Oh I know that love. I just can't believe the level she has stooped too. Is this all because of her illness?" I ask looking at her feeling even more conflicted and upset.

"I think it's that and the drugs. It's unfortunate. And I was hoping we could help one last time Stef. But, I think she's gotten too dangerous for this family. I really do. I mean I will never out Callie, or disown her but....

"But, we can't lock her up or force her to get better in a hotel room. I know.  So we just let her go?" I ask looking at my wife who looks back at me with sadness covering her face for I knew she loved Callie and had formed a special bond with her in Chow especially in regards to teaching her how to read. That all felt like a lifetime ago, all of it and the state of where we were now was killing all of us. "If she's making these false claims against Mike, I can only imagine the ones she will start to make against us. And I agree. She's dangerous and if we let her she will destroy our family."

"She can't. Her allegations have no merit honey, you know this and Mike has a reputation for being a good guy. He will be fine and we all know Chuckie beat her up to make it look like it was Mike. We know this. He's put alot of things in her head and that doesn't help. But she won't break up this family. Not at all."

"But why Len. Is she really that angry with me about Baby Stef? I never once tried to steal her. Ever."

"I know but I think it goes deeper. Maybe initially she had sore feelings about it but it goes deeper honey. And being off meds and being on drugs hasn't helped. You know this babylove."

"I know. I guess no matter how many times we talk about it or I ponder it, it is what it is. Most of all I want a good holiday for all of us." I say feeling her slide her hand into mine. "And I want that baby to be ok."

"I know you do, and we can do that honey. We will always love Callie, but, I don't know what else we can do for her right now. But, like I said earlier she's become dangerous, unfortunately."

"I know babe, I know." I say looking at all the beautiful trees that I knew Callie once loved and wondered if she ever would again. 

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Despite the family troubles with Callie they had been determined to enjoy the rest of the Thanksgiving weekend, which they did. Even with Callie running off with Chuckie Stef and Lena just wanted to focus on their kids and grandkids by picking a tree out, decorating, listening to holiday music and watching movies.

Yes, they were very worried about their unborn grandchild even more now but for the next few days they had to put that on the back burner even if that proved to be rather difficult.

Stef, however, just loved being around everyone and noticed her blood pressure had not spiked up the rest of the weekend since being with all her kids and grandkids. She just relished in her role as she sat besides Olivia who was about to pop any moment. 

Roxy and Peaches also joined the family as Roxy cooked even more food and desserts for the rest of the weekend for she just loved doing it for everyone.  She really did and had even gotten her first client for catering as she was trying out all different kinds of recipes with her family.

Noah had decided to stay the rest of the weekend as well realizing how much he missed his family and would make it a point to visit more often and call. He knew it wasn't right of him to just stop by once everyone few months and call barely once a month. He knew that and apologized for not keeping in touch more.

Baby Stef of course just loved being with her grandmothers and her older sister Frankie who did her nails and hair. Something she always loved as the two stayed up late watching horror movies along with Mariana. It was just nice and to all of them it felt like old times once again.

But as the family was sitting around laughing and enjoying each other Callie was back with Chuckie getting high in the bathroom of a seven eleven without a care in the world. Why she did what she did no one knew but in her eyes she didn't care. She just wanted to hurt Stef and Lena as much as she could for in her eyes they had turned against her in more then one way.

Unfortunately, as the very sick and high girl took another sniff she felt the worst pain in her life coming from her stomach as she screamed out in agonizing pain.