A Chosen Life (Hard Time Series Book 4)

Digging Back

FLASHBACK

Once again Stef was woken up by her parents arguing and the sounds of her mother screaming. It was typical in their home as she opened her door a bit and stood looking downstairs where she could see her father dragging her mother across the room. Sharon was begging for her life as young Stef was numb to it. She really was as she turned to see her brother running out his bedroom.

"Stef go in my room and stay put. You don't need to see this. Go." He ordered as Mike put her in his bedroom and closed the door. Being the curious little girl she was she opened the door once again and looked down to see Mike trying to help their mother.  At this time Stef was nearly nine and she had grown up seeing this. She was used to her mother being covered in bruises, and she was use to seeing her with black eyes and cuts.  It angered her the older she got and she didn't understand why her mother took it. Why couldn't she just stand up for herself. Even her brother took a beating at times as she saw her father push him and Mike fell onto the coffee table. Seeing this little Stef ran downstairs.

"Daddy no!" She yelled.

"Stef get back upstairs girl this doesn't concern you! Get!" Her father yelled as she looked to her hurt brother on the floor and her mother. 

"No. Leave my brother alone and leave mom alone."

"Girl get upstairs if you don't want any. Get!"

"I ain't scared of you!" The girl yelled.

"Stef get upstairs. Go on sis I'm ok." Mike said as Sharon helped him get up.

"No! I'll kick your ass myself." She sassed her father as he now laughed. Was this little girl serious he thought as he grabbed her by her shirt and lifted her up in the air. But Stef didn't shed a tear at all and he wondered why and how.

"Frank let her go please. Please." Sharon begged as Stef continued to stare into his eyes not blinking.

"I can kick your ass myself. I'm not scared of you. I'm not scared of anyone." Stef sassed once again.

"Not scared huh? You should be little girl. You dare talk to me like that? I'll fling your skinny ass body into that fucking wall. You watch and see they will need to put you on a respirator."

"Frank put her down! I'll sell and pack the fucking drugs. Just leave her be! Leave her and Mike alone!"

"Shut the fuck up!" He yelled putting Stef down. "This is what it comes to! Huh! You should have done what I asked you from the beginning!" Of course Stef had no idea what they were talking about but Mike being older was privy and was aware their parents were doing illegal things. He also knew his father was forcing his mother, or was he?

Grabbing his sister to prevent her from getting hurt Mike hurried her upstairs and closed the door once again.

"Stef stay away from dad ok? He's no good. He's dangerous."

"I'm not scared of him Mikey?"

"Yeah I know but I don't want you getting hurt."

"He's not hurting me ever. Or you.  Why does mom let him do that? Why?"

"I don't know Stef. Just do me a favor and stay out of his way."

Of course Stef went head to head with her father especially once Sharon left and it was another reason he knew she was tougher then her brother. Regardless the blonde would never forgive Sharon for leaving and starting a life with a new family. Ever for she never even said goodbye.

FLASHBACK ENDS

As the blonde drove home from her brothers and dropped off her grandson she had to dig far back in her brain to remember things from when her mother was around. In her eyes she remembered her father beating her ass up and she always thought Sharon was weak especially since she left her and Mike as kids. But the more she thought back the more she remembered there were certain times she wasn't. Maybe being weak was the impression she gave off. Possibly especially if she was in Chowchilla.

"I told you all I need 10 packs this is not enough. Do I have to put a fucking bullet in your heads?" Stef overheard her mother say as she was outside playing barbies with Roxy.

"No ma'am we just thought....

"Thought what? Did I fucking ask you what you thought? No. Get my shit or you won't ever walk again in life. Got it? Now I need it before that asshole husband of mine gets here. I don't want him seeing none of this."

Continuing to overhear her mother the girl got up and looked in the screen door seeing guns and powder on the table with more money then she could ever count as Roxy sat on the front steps combing her own barbies hair.

"Stef? What's wrong? You ok? I thought we were playing?"

"Yeah I'm good Rox." She mumbled as the overweight girl now stood beside her looking in the home too. 

"Damm is that money?"

"Yup. Alot."

"How much do you think?"

"More then you could ever imagine. More then either of us could ever imagine.

"Cool. Where did she get it?"

"I don't know. Come lets go around the back we can see better."

"Ok."

All the blonde knew was that she didn't need this shit or this woman in her life ever and she rarely if ever had thought about her. Hell if Mike wanted to invite her into his life she wasn't interested and would most certainly tell her. But for the life of her she could not remember her in Chowchilla. Not for anything and it drove her fucking insane. Shaking all that shit out of her head she just wanted to see her wife and push all this shit to the side. But as she pulled up to her home she saw Peaches at the door with Jesus and Stef could only sigh. However it wasn't their only problem that day.