The Sweetest Devotion (The Affair Series Book 2)

Francine Foster

Sharon Foster was never a good person. Ever. Infact she had been the same cruel, racist, and ignorant person since her childhood taking after her own mother Louise. Never did she do a single thing for anyone without wanting something in return mainly money. Her heart, if she had one, was made for personal gain only. How she could benefit, what was in it for her. Never did she put anyone's feelings before hers aside from the many men she had been with during her life. That she always made room for and nothing else. Nothing.

Promiscuity had been one of her many vices as well as drinking, smoking, and gambling. Married men were her specialty  sleeping with more than a handful of them and she never cared for children. Seeing them as a nuisance, and useless to society she treated them as such. Espeically her daugther and younger sister, Francine Foster.

With only a five years between them Sharon never liked Fran, not even from day one for many reasons we can guess. For starters the two looked nothing alike even if they shared the same parents. Sharon was a short red head and could have been attractive if she dressed more her age and reframed from wearing cheap makeup, clothes and from dying her hair bleach blonde just like her mother. Francine was taller, with intense hazel eyes, a curvy body, and long blonde hair that often had boys chasing after her which of course did nothing for her. Her smile was radiant which her niece inherited from her and she was kind, she was sweet and affectionate making her nothing like her mother or her sister.  Sharon was jealous to say the least and it drove her insane how kind her sister was for she just didn't get it and she didn't get her. In fact it was possible she never wanted to. 

The two sisters grew up poor living solely with their mother as their father had been absent one would think the girls would comfort one another. Especially when their mother came home drunk and beating on whomever she saw first, or whomever got her in her way. Usually it was Sharon but Fran would often beg the woman to stop pleading with her to hit her instead of her sister. The woman would only laugh and head into her bedroom as Francine tried her hardest to comfort her older sister. But Sharon would push her away aggressively and telling her to buzz off. Sure it hurt Fran and the older she got the more she realized her sister would never change. She would never like her.

A few times Fran wold ask Sharon why she disliked her so much and the red head would only roll her eyes staying it was because she was an annoying goody two shoes since the young girl always gave them a hard time when it came to stealing from stores and taking part in their schemes. What they didn't understand was Fran didn't want that, she didn't want a life of lying and stealing and she knew many of the things her sister and mother parktook in were wrong.

Moving both girls from one city to another almost monthly to escape the cops, social services and the many men she slept with,  Louise never cared much for either of her daughters and never once had she expressed any kind of love, affection or kindness. One may ask how in the world Fran dodged that bullet  and turned into such a wonderful person for there was not one single bad bone in her body not one . But it was just the way she naturally was, and never would she ever be anything like her mother. 

Working hard during her teen years and early adult life  she pushed herself through school by working three jobs and earned an honest living allowing her to move out by the time she was close to 17. Renting a room by the week on what little she made at one point she tried to convince Sharon to join her. Maybe just maybe she would change however the red head refused saying she was fine where she was so Fran left her alone and a few months later met the love of her life, Debbie Bryan.

Debbie was like no other to Fran, no other person ever and there love grew fast and strong almost like it had always been present. At the time it wasn't easy to admit to the world that your were gay but it was something Fran always knew about herself for she had avoided boys like the plague only dating one which turned into a disaster. But she was happy, she was beyond in love and the only other love that could come close was the love she had for her newborn niece, Stefanie Foster. 

From the beginning she loved the little girl as if she was her own and she could have been judging by her looks. Stef was born with a full head of light blonde hair and an amazing set of hazel eyes. If nothing infuriated Sharon more it was the resemblence her daugher had to her sister only adding gas to the fire.  Their bond was instant and Stefanie loved Fran like no other. She clung to her like glue, she adored her and more importantly she wanted Fran to so desperately save her from Sharon. The blonde had tried with the help of Debbie but  the justice system had failed them and Stef. It was unfortunate that Sharon was able to file a restraining order against the two with a series of bogus charges but what was even more unfortunate was the horrible lie she had told her daughter.  The lie she knew would get her to stop asking for her aunt, to stop trying to call her or write her letters. A lie she knew would crush the girl. A lie that her aunt  and Debbie were dead.

The truth was that Fran and Debbie were alive and well still residing in the same Michigan home for the last thirty years hoping Stef would one day find her way home. They were now married and had been for quit some time as Fran was a retired cop by now and Debbie a retired nurse. Never had the blonde stopped looking for her niece but Sharon made it difficult by using fake names and social security numbers throughout her life and Stef's. However, in Fran's eyes that was no excuse for she had been a cop, she had hired private detectives, she had spent a ton of money  to find her little niece who was now not so little and in her 40s. There was no excuse for not being able to find her but Sharon was not only sneaky she was smart for each time Fran got to close at finding them, Sharon would move again leaving the cop to start from square one. It was almost like she had a six sense that served her throughout her life.

"Coffe baby?" Debbie asked as she got up early like she always did and handed a mug to Fran taking a seat beside her on the porch.  Smiling at her Fran had not changed much in the last 30 years. Yes she was older, and had more wrinkles being they were both close to 60 but Debbie loved her more than life itself and was still proud to be Deborah Foster. That she would not trade for anything.

"Sure, thanks babe."

"Of course. You know my darling we can stay you know. We don't have to move."

"No honey. No. We need to. We need something else. We need sunshine and ...

"And it's ok if you want to keep waiting." Debbie said running her hands through Fran's blonde hair that she had cut short a few years ago.

"It's been more than thirty years. It's time to go. I will keep looking but it's time to go baby. As hard as it is it's something we need to do. You have been really patient."

"Of course. I love her too. And when we do find her she will know it."

"I hope so baby."

"I know so. And if you change your mind it's ok Fran we can stay here for a few more years or however long you want. But just so you know you are not a failure and you have never been one. Ever. And no one can ever accuse you of not trying your best to look for her. No one."

Turning to look at her wife Fran could only let out a smile as she slid her hand inside Debbies.

"I love you honey."

"I love you too Francine Foster. I love you too."

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They are alive :) Oh Sharon and man how is Stef going to feel!