An Imperfect Love Story - Book 8

Come On Over!

STEF POV

It had probably been the longest week of my life if I was honest. And with the kids now at Lena's I had picked up a few overtime shifts partly to prevent myself from being in the damn quiet house alone with my own thoughts which sometimes shifted back to just taking one sip of gin and letting myself go numb over everything.

But I wasn't about to do that, I just couldn't because I knew it would prevent me from being the mother I needed to be to these kids, and it would do no good in terms of getting myself together. It was bad enough Frankie was pissed at me and was now giving me one word answers with everything. Hell, I understood why she was upset. She made a few valid points, but there were consequences to her poor choices, ones that she had no choice but to deal with now.

Stefanie wasn't off the hook either, for I'd have a long talk with her when she came back from Lena's about everything including what she planned on doing in the fall, what school she wanted to go to and what in the world this tattoo thing was as well as who this Petey was. Of course I really felt her parents, well Jerry, should know what in the hell was going on and I had tried multiple times to reach out to him but had no such luck.

Tess, I had even left her messages, but her answering machine was now full and to be honest I was very close to showing up again to tell her to get a fucking grip and snap back into reality in terms of Stefanie. She really did need her parents, and Lena, along with my mother and I were trying our hardest to help her and get her on a right track but it was a challenge, a very big one because this child hid things VERY well to the point that it got past me which was unnerving. I also knew and had a gut feeling she was hiding more, and I'd just have to find out what the hell it was.

Jude, goodness, he had spent the last few days not saying a word. Well, only a small amount, nothing like he had said at the family meeting, and well Lena and I weren't sure what to really do about it. Leave him be and let him talk when he wanted or push him? Either way we were speaking with a child therapist, and I had mentioned to Lena maybe we should call up Daniel and Bess since we still had not gotten around to it considering all that transpired and still was transpiring in our lives. But our son needed help, and we had to get it for him. But, damn he had some brain and vocabulary, and I was still processing everything he had said to us because man, he had said a mouthful.

And Lena, well that was another story because if I thought too much about the entire thing I'd be at the store in the liquor aisle scooping up as much as I could carry. I had already cried my damn eyes out that night when I had gotten caught up in things and almost kissed her. She had every right to push me away the way she did, but it didn't mean it didn't hurt because she had admitted she was with, well, the gallery woman. And what could I really do? Nothing, but try my hardest to accept this fate and move on.

Pulling up to my little home, I see a car parked out front that I don't recognize. I shrug it off wanting to just have a few smokes and put my feet up to decompress from the OT Mike and I worked as I open my front door which is unlocked. Stepping inside I hear laughing and I wonder who in the hell my mother has invited over and why they were in my damn kitchen and not her fucking RV. I knew she had made some friends from doing her business, but shit it didn't mean I wanted them over here as I walk into the kitchen and I am shocked to see RJ at the table with my mother. Fuck!

"AND there's my little ray of sunshine! Stefanie Marie!" My mother says smiling as I glare VERY hard at her and look over at RJ who is smiling at me.

My face softens a bit but I feel rather embarrassed since I had blown her off the last few weeks yet again after we went surfing, and I ran like a fucking moron. I was hoping she'd forget about me but evidently not and I wondered how in the hell she knew where I lived as well as why the fuck she was here in MY house, but I feel as if it's not even her fault. I feel and know my mother is playing match maker which does NOT make me happy.