Unfinished Business

Chapter 10: Family Visit

Lena was sittin' at the kitchen table, enjoyin' a quiet morning when she heard the knock on the door. She wasn't expectin' anyone, but when she opened it, there were her parents, standin' on the porch with wide smiles and bags of groceries in their hands.

"Mama, Daddy! Y'all didn't tell me y'all was comin'!" Lena laughed, stepping aside to let them in.

Her mom, Monica, gave her a warm hug and kissed her on the cheek. "We wanted it to be a surprise. Plus, we brought food. You know how I hate you eatin' all that takeout."

Her dad, Carl, walked in behind her, grinnin' ear to ear. "Yeah, and we missed you, baby girl. You need some family time."

Lena felt a wave of relief wash over her. It had been a minute since she'd seen them, and while Que had been around, it wasn't the same as havin' her parents nearby. They brought a sense of comfort, like things were gonna be alright, no matter what.

Family Time

Monica headed straight to the kitchen, unpackin' the groceries she'd brought along. "How's the baby doin'? You takin' care of yourself?"

Lena nodded, leanin' against the counter. "Yeah, everything's goin' good. I've been keepin' up with my appointments, and Que's been around to help out."

Monica raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything at first. Lena knew her mom had mixed feelings about Que, but she appreciated that she wasn't tryna start anything. Not today.

Her dad, on the other hand, was more straightforward. He sat down at the kitchen table, watchin' Lena with concern in his eyes. "So, you and Que... y'all good?"

Lena sighed, sittin' down next to him. "We're... workin' through it. I don't know, Daddy. It's complicated."

Carl nodded slowly, his face serious. "I get that. But you gotta take care of you first. I know he's the baby's father, but that don't mean you gotta rush into anything."

Lena appreciated his honesty. Her dad had always been the one to give it to her straight, no sugar-coatin'. He wasn't here to make her feel better with false promises—he wanted to make sure she was thinkin' things through.

"I know," she said softly. "I'm just tryna figure it all out. I don't wanna jump back into somethin' if I can't trust him, but I still care about him."

Carl reached across the table and took her hand, his grip firm but gentle. "Baby girl, you can care about somebody and still know they ain't right for you. Ain't no shame in that. But you gotta protect your heart, especially with the baby on the way."

Lena nodded, feelin' a lump form in her throat. "It's just hard, Daddy. We been through so much, and I don't know how to let it all go."

Carl looked her straight in the eyes. "You don't gotta let go right now. But you do gotta take your time. Don't rush nothin'. You got a lot on your plate, and the last thing you need is more stress. Que can be there for the baby without bein' back in your life like that."

The Pep Talk

After a while, her mom and dad joined her at the table, and the conversation shifted to lighter topics—how her dad's job was goin', her mom's new recipe she was excited to try. But Lena could feel the weight of her dad's words stickin' with her.

Later that afternoon, after lunch, Carl pulled Lena aside while Monica was busy cleanin' up. He placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice soft but serious.

"You know I'm proud of you, right? You've handled all this better than most people would've. I know it's been rough, but you're tough. You always been."

Lena smiled, her eyes waterin'. "Thanks, Daddy. I'm tryna do my best."

Carl nodded, squeezin' her shoulder. "And that's all you need to do. You ain't gotta have all the answers right now. Just focus on what's best for you and the baby. The rest will come."

Lena took a deep breath, feelin' a sense of peace wash over her. Her dad was right—she didn't need to have it all figured out just yet. All she needed to do was take it one day at a time, trust herself, and make decisions that were right for her and her baby.

As they hugged, Lena realized how much she needed this visit. Sometimes, all it took was a few words from her parents to remind her that she wasn't alone, that she was capable of gettin' through whatever came her way.

New Resolve

That evening, as her parents left, Lena sat down on the couch, thinkin' about everything her dad had said. He was right—there was no rush. She didn't have to figure out her future with Que right away. For now, it was about her, her health, and her baby.

As the rain started to fall again, Lena felt a small sense of peace. Maybe she didn't have all the answers yet, but she knew one thing for sure—she was gonna be okay, no matter what.