Sweet Family Of War - Book 7

Old Patterns (Part One)

LENA POV

"Mama, thank you for getting us! I really love Uncle Julius, but his cat, Archie, kept bothering me all night smacking at my head, and I barely slept anyway!!!! Then today he had me doing everything in the bakery, and waking up at the crack of dawn and I'm just so tired!" Corey chatters to me from the front seat as I had just picked him and Frankie up from the bakery. At first they seemed rather hesitant that they could come back home but I reassured them that it was fine. Truth was I hadn't discussed it with Stef and not much of anything today since I had not spoken to her and it was now going on almost 5pm.

Jenna had tried to make me stay longer again tonight at the story, but I refused and put my foot down, saying I had a family emergency which she couldn't seem to dispute even though I knew she wanted to. It felt good to have her at a loss for words for once, as I hear Frankie in the backseat correcting Corey.

"Puh-lease! You swept and mopped the bakery! Whoopee! That's not hard compared to the giant orders I helped Uncle bake! You act like you were in prison or something! We could be on the street like Dad was..." she drops off as I look in my rear view mirror and see her head down as she quietly wipes her eyes and I wonder if she is crying. I am also shocked she brought up her father because that was something she NEVER did. And she never called him Dad, not once and always referred to Stef as being her father.

"Nah! We were smart to go to Uncle's, but I miss my bed! And my STUFF!" Corey laughs as I reach over and pat his leg which is bouncing up and down. "You think Mama Dukes will let me have my games back????"

"Well, I don't know honey, that is something Mom and I have to discuss but I hope you both learned your lesson," I say firmly and for the first time, I hear silence from Frankie as I keep looking in my rear view mirror and she is crying quietly which breaks my heart into a thousand pieces. I wondered what was wrong, and I so badly wanted to comfort her and talk to her and let her know that we loved her. Not that it coming from me would mean much to her but still, after our fight I just wanted to really talk to her.

"I certainly did. Man, I was terrified to sleep in the weeds then Stefanie gave us the idea of walking to Uncle's," Corey says as I look over at him. "Wait! Are you SUREEEE we are allowed to go back home? Mama Dukes said it's ok??? It's not a trap, right??"

"No honey it's not at trap at all." I can't help but laugh at his worry. "Plus tomorrow is school and your sister is home starting dinner for me with Jude."

"Awesome!!! I'm so starveedddd!" He says as we pull up to the house and I shut the car off.

"Why don't you two go wash up before dinner. It's been a long night and day for you."

"Sure, Mama!" Corey says nearly running out of the car as I exit and quickly gather my things as I walk up the driveway way soon catching up to Frankie who I was very worried about.

"Honey, are you ok? Do you need to talk?" I whisper as her blue eyes find mine looking unsure of how she feels about me.

"I have homework to do." She says walking off and once again my heart is broken and just doesn't know what to do anymore about her. Not one clue.

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"What in the heck did you guys dooo??? Stefanie called me but I wanted to hear it from the both of you." Callie whispers to both Frankie and Corey as the two had snuck down to Callie's room after they heard Lena put Jude to bed and go into her room. Even then they still waited as Frankie saw the light go off in her mother's room from underneath the door as the shower turns on, and then the two snuck down to chat with their older sister.