An Imperfect Love Story - Book 8

A Bonfire In Redding

"This should come out good, Jude. I haven't made my homemade chili in ages but it was always to die for," Sharon says as she adds some more  spices to the pot as Jude helps. She really did love the time with all  of her grandchildren as Frankie adds eggs to the cornbread mix.

"Coming along, Nana Dukes!"

"Good. Just add a little bit of milk to it. About half a cup."

"Okay," Frankie smiles as Stefanie walks in getting ready to paint her nails as the woman turns to look at her smiling.

"It's so weird without Callie. I mean I know she goes to her dad's, but she's like in another time zone and on the opposite coast." Stefanie says as Sharon nods her head softly smiling a bit for she understood, as she peeks out the back window to see Corey putting the last bit of the paint on the garage. "Like I never realized how much I'd miss her."

"Callie has a presence. Always has babygirl."  The older woman says as Frankie begins scooping the cornbread batter into the muffin tins for she agreed. She missed Callie a great deal no matter how much she reprimanded her actions and choices at times. The girl knew it came from a good place and that her older sister just had her best interest at heart, but she couldn't help but feel like this was what it was going to be like if Callie went to school in New York. That'd she'd feel an emptiness.

"Doesn't help that Moms are gone too and Uncles. And Uncle Mike too! There's like no one here!" Frankie says opening the oven to put the muffins in and setting the timer.

"And what am I, chopped liver????" Sharon teases as Jude laughs along with Frankie and Stefanie.

"Nooooo!! Nana Dukes! I just mean, you know, it feels like a ghost town," Frankie stands up now, leaning on the counter as she watches her grandmother stir her chili, 70's music playing in the background.

"That's how it felt as my boys began to grow up and leave home. Soon, there was no one left, and even when your Mama Dukes left with your Uncle Mike, my heart was sad. I was used to all the chaos and noise, and well, I'm loving being with you babies," she winks as she wipes her hand on her apron and pulls out the fresh lemonade she had made.

"We love having you here, Nana!" Corey says as he had just come inside to wash up for dinner.

"Thank you my boy!" She smiles as the two girls quickly set the table while little Jude continues to help Sharon add a few more spices into the chili and pouring it into bowls for everyone.

It was a lovely dinner despite how much the kids did miss their Moms along with Callie as they spent the time laughing, talking and bantering like usual. They really were loving their time with Sharon as they soon all help clean up as Jude heads with his grandmother to read his Nancy Drew in her RV and Corey showers.

But Frankie and Stefanie decide that since Callie is out of town as well as their Moms, they could sneak out back behind Stef's shed and relax a bit with their blunts, something they never dared to try at either of the homes yet, not even Lena's. They had never even dared to bring one into the house for the risk of getting caught or Stef finding it was way to high. Tonight, though, they didn't feel a need to worry.

"You think Nana will smell this?" Stefanie whispers as Frankie sits Indian-style on the ground, puffing her blunt while holding an evergreen branch with the other.

"No. I read that if there is an evergreen tree close by, it absorbs the smell." She says as she waves it a little feeling the weed kick in a bit. The girl wasn't a drug head and only smoked occasionally, because if she was honest she really preferred her smokes as did Stefanie. "Plus we will quickly shower and toss these clothes in the wash!"