Sweet Family Of War - Book 7

An Old Issue

STEF POV

Even if things were going to be very different with me and Tess now it did not mean things would be different with me and Stefanie. I loved that little girl more than anything and I knew something was wrong and off. She had blown me off a handful of times now and I had not seen her in weeks much less spoken to her for we had come a long way from our issues in New York. A very long way and to me it felt as if the same ones she had then were creeping up again for despite the issues Lena and I were having it had never stopped her from coming over. Even when Tess had forbid it.

Like I told Lena early this afternoon when we had our talk on the pier, I had not spoken to Tess since we kissed but she had always given me permission to take Stefanie out and never let any issues we had come between the two of us again. This little girl had always trusted me, had always confided in me and I was so happy that we had started to rekindle what we had.

Hell, I don't know maybe she was uncomfortable but that was not the vibe I was getting and every time I called the phone she had in her room, it would just ring.

As I pull up to her school and get out I wait by my car at the front entrance as I hear the bell ring. Seeing all the kids run out as if their life depended on it and the giggles and chatters of teenage girls with their friends,  I see my goddaughter walk out of the building alone as she has her headphones on and a ton of makeup which is unusual for her for I could have sworn she stopped that shit.

My stomach turns as she now spots me and she stops walking and looks rather surprised. I let out a soft smile but I can already see how off she is, big time and I was wondering what she knew and if she overheard anything about what happened between me and her mother, for I had not seen that look on her face in a very long time.

"Hey, love." I say as she pulls her headphones off but doesn't look at me which was a far cry from the usual greeting I got from her where she'd wrap her arms around me and hug me harder then anything. This instead was filled with hurt, maybe confusion and anger. But why is what I needed to know.

"Hi."

"Haven't heard or seen you in a while, honey. Is everything okay?" I pry as she looks at me with her heavy ass dark mascara that I just wanted to wipe off, then past me and all around which is sounding alarm bells in my mind.

"Yeah. Just um, really busy with school and looking at colleges and stuff. I have a project now and have to meet some classmates at the library." She starts to move past me, but I walk beside her not allowing her to get away.

"Yeah? I can drop you off, or I can walk with you."

"We are supposed to walk together."  She says now looking at me as I stare hard and her eyes dark to the ground again as I step closer to her and clear my throat.

"I'm not mad love, but I think you and I should talk. No? You're avoiding me, and I'd love to know why? Mm?" I reach for her hand and squeeze it as she looks nervous and almost like she is trying to find something to say.

"About what?"

"Well, you tell me, honey. The last time you sounded and acted like this you read your mom's journal. So I think we should talk, babygirl." I lift her chin so she has to look at me. "Are you upset with me?"

"Godmom I know things are hard at home and stuff with Aunt Lena and everything so..." She begins as I grab her hand again as I tug softly forcing her to keep looking at me for every inch of her body language tells me she is lying. Terribly.

"No. Don't make up excuses for me. That has nothing to do with you, baby. None of it and it has nothing to do with you and I. Even if you don't wanna tell me I'll get it out of you somehow. We were okay, honey, what happened?"