An Imperfect Love Story - Book 8

Meet Me

LENA POV

My heart hammers in my chest, for I had really gone out on a limb sending Stef dinner this evening when I heard she had to work a mid-shift when I called the kids this morning. Of course, I have them tonight, for tomorrow, Stef and I along with Julius and Phil will be heading up to San Bernadino then on to Redding with our friends.

Jogging down my street, it had been forever since I had done something a little special for Stef, and well even if we were friends, I guess part of me still harbored a little hesitation, when I shouldn't because time was showing me things had shifted with her and us in such a positive way.

I had not really allowed myself to process that dinner we had the other night, for yes, I had been very annoyed with her and Denni. But Stef had...she had finished that evening in the way she promised, and for that I was relieved. It was far from an easy dinner or evening, for that matter. In fact not one part of it was easy, but I was grateful for Mike's presence through all of it, and that Stef and I didn't tear each other apart. Of course, she and Denni almost did, and chances were, like Denni told me, they would never like each other. Yet honestly, that wasn't the most surprising thing, and something I'd just have to deal with.

However, today brought on a new issue, and well not even all that new, but I had spent the last several hours with the kids talking about the Tess debacle at the bakery, and I was so angry that she'd just show up like that upsetting all my children, that I couldn't really see straight. It was hard to hide my emotions in regards to this, but I had tried with everything in me. It wasn't about me but my kids, and I needed them to feel my love, understanding and support.

Philip had called me at work, and I was grateful that it had been him as opposed to Julius, because he was much more direct and not dramatic. He let me know Stefanie was okay for the most part and that Sharon had come by to talk to her which was a relief for Stefanie had grown very close to her.

Honestly, though, I was still very heated because Tess was rather bold as fuck to even show up like that considering those fucking ass letters she wrote to all of us, and maybe her dumb ass was fucking delusional. But I actually don't care what her excuse really is, for I wanted nothing more than to fucking smack and beat her dumb ass for the shit she was constantly pulling and putting my family through. I am sick of it and over it, and quite frankly, I want to pretend I never met or knew her, for if I was really honest, her words hurt me to my core.

Before heading out to hopefully meet up with Stef in our little spot, I made sure everything was okay with the kids, and I knew a hundred percent after I told Stef what happened she would be coming by the house. It was bad enough hours had gone by since it happened and I knew she liked to be the first to know anytime something happened regarding our kids. It was just how she was which I understood fully. But I was worried about Stef...very, and I just couldn't get a good read on her tonight.

FLASHBACK

"I actually could care less, Aunt Lena," Stefanie says as she is sitting at the kitchen table, the kids having just got to my house and I pour them all some lemonade that I had made that morning.

"She cried," Jude states as he stands behind her, and I frown for how could this happen? How didn't Julius catch Tess in time to stop her from speaking to my kids? What in the hell were the events that led up to this shit. "And she got angry and yelled very loudly."

"I was okay though, Jude. I was just telling her how I felt. I've needed to do that for a while."

"Are you okay, baby? It's okay if you aren't," I grab her hand as she looks right at me, an annoyed look on her face, as I'm angrier than ever, but I try to hide it. I had been good about not showing Stefanie what a cunt I felt her mother was, and I never would tell her. But this child, she was already a mess, and it broke my heart even more.