A Chosen Life (Hard Time Series Book 4)

No Ordinary Dinner

With everyone gathering around the dinner table Stef and Lena planned on talking to Callie after everyone ate and went to bed. They knew and Stef was well aware something was amiss as Frankie began to yap as well as Noah about their day at school. The blonde for the past few hours had been looking at old photos of her and Callie and trying to remember even more about their relationship. Yes Lena told her they were very, very close and Stef was trying hard to remember that but it had been hard.

Glancing to the girl whom she knew was rather irritated with her for many reasons she also looked to baby Stef who was quiet and seemed rather upset while she pushed her food around. Usually she was rather upbeat and talkative but tonight she was anything but that.

"He's a freaking moron. Like go away." Frankie said about a guy in her class who asked her on a date. Yes, she was still struggling with her identity and still coming to terms with who she was but after the mistake with Phil she was laying low a bit on relationships even if she was back to talking to Erin again. " I mean he should know I don't like him. Like no."

"Not all do honey. You may need to spell it out for him." Lena said laughing.

"This is true. Men can he slow." Stef said as Noah looked up from his plate completely offended.

"Hey I resent that. I'm definitely not slow." 

"You are correct sweetheart. You mostly certainly are not. But some are. But Frankie you may need to tell him you aren't into him like that." The blonde said to her daughter and winking at Noah who was amused.

"He probably thinks you're slow Frankie and that all that hair dye went to your big head."

"Big head? Says the biggest head of them all. Where's your little girlfriend Noah. Huh?"

"What girlfriend?" Lena asked as her son turned a dark purple and Frankie continued to tease him.

"What's her name again? Lisa?"

"Quiet Frankie." The boy said feeling embarrassed. Stef felt rather amused herself as Lena looked unprepared if not shocked. Sure she knew her son was older and handsome but she still was not ready for any of it as she looked Noah dead in the face.

"Noah who is Lisa? You have a girlfriend?" She soon asked as Stef gently grabbed her hand.

"Who is protective now Mama Lion? MM?" The blonde teased as Lena rolled her eyes.

"Oh does he ever. And she looks just like you mama. Long blonde hair and everything. And super bossy from what I heard."

"Oh really now? Well that is surely interesting. But I'm not bossy."

"What?!" The whole table said looking at Stef as if she was crazy for her memory couldn't be this bad.

"Oh baby you are so bossy. But it's ok we love you for it." Lena said smiling at her wife and letting out a wink. However, she glanced right back to her son who wanted to melt into the floor."But Noah who is this girl please?"

"Mama she's no one. Just a friend. Honest."

"Well if you become more then friends I hope you wrap your dick up." Stef said bluntly.

"Mom!" Noah yelled to the blonde!

"Oh my god!" Frankie said turning red along with Callie as Noah did himself. Lena almost chocked on her food completely unprepared for her wife's comment.

"What? I, I mean we don't want any babies right? So wrap your dick up."

"Mom, she's not my girlfriend. And we aren't doing it."

"I hope not because you are far too young." Lena chimed in as Noah shook his head still utterly embarrassed.

"Mama we aren't and we are only friends. Gee wiz." Feeling more mortified then ever at his mothers Noah continued to eat as Lena couldn't help but smile at her wife but soon noticing baby Stef's odd behavior even more. Both women did as they watched Callie struggle with her.

"Eat the rest ok? Then you can have dessert." Callie said to her daughter.

"I'm not hungry and I don't want it."

"Well honey it's too bad. You need to eat the rest."

"I'm not."

"You don't want to eat your veggies sweetheart?" Stef asked her granddaughter who looked to her shaking her head.

"No? Well do as your mama says ok? Because we have to share ice cream tonight."

"Honey eat them. Because if you keep giving me a hard time you won't get any ice cream." Callie warned.

"I don't care. I don't want any ice cream from you and I'm not fucking living with you either. You can't make me so buzz off!" The little girl screamed as the entire table froze. No one knew what to say that, not one bit for the behavior was completely out of line for the little girl. Also so was her mouth as Callie couldn't believe what she heard. No one could as baby Stef got up almost running off.

"Hey!! You get your little ass back over to this table right now!"

It was the second time the entire table went quiet as all eyes went to Stef who had not raised her voice in this way since before her stroke. Baby Stef turned around out of fear as well and walked over to her grandmother slowly for the last time she ever got yelled at was when she was a baby.

"Have you forgotten what it's like to get your behind whipped? MM?" The blonde asked rather sternly.

"No." The girl said quietly as her eyes glanced right into her grandmothers.

"I think you did. I'm going to tell you something once, and only once. Don't you ever, ever talk that way to your mother ever again. Don't you ever use that language again because if you do I will literally go outside and yank a switch off the tree and beat your butt with it. Is that what you want?"

"No."

"I didn't think so. Because believe me I won't hesitant. Go over there and apologize to your mother right now because I still have every right mind to take my belt off."

"I don't want to."

"You don't have a choice. It's not a choice Stefanie Marie. You go over there and apologize now!"

"No. Because I'm not living with her."

"Honey." Lena said to the little girl. "Apologize to your mama like Yaya said."

"I heard what she said. You want to take me away from here." Baby Stef said yelling at Callie who wasn't even sure what to say for she was so surprised by her daughters behavior. "I don't want to leave. I want to stay with Yaya."

"Baby Stef it's time for you to live with me and your brother and your aunt and Pete. You are almost 12. You can visit Yaya anytime you want. And you are grounded. So go in your room and stay there and you don't come out."

"No! You can't make me and I hate you! I hate you forever!!" She said running off and Stef was now ready to snatch her up.

"Ok enough of this shit you get...." Stef began as Lena grabbed her arm seeing the familiar behavior in her wife return almost instantly.

"I can handle her mom." Callie said getting up.

"I never said you could not Callie."

"Then stop taking over. She's my daughter." Walking off to handle her daughter Stef let out an annoyed sigh glancing at her wife while both Noah and Frankie were surprised by both Callie and baby Stef's behavior.

"What, what the fuck is with her?" Stef asked. 

"Many things. But let her handle her honey.  Let Callie handle her and after we eat we will talk to her." Lena whispered for she was right. It was Callie's job to handle  the little girl even if the blonde had disciplined baby Stef her entire life.

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Yikes