A Chosen Life (Hard Time Series Book 4)

Downfall

A few months ago

"You are against me Pete! I know you are! And I have proof. Proof you are conspiring against me!" Callie screamed as her and Pete were having yet another fight. Except this one was rather different and one the man didn't understand for it seemed his girlfriend had really lost it and was not making one bit of sense.  She really wasn't and he was not sure what to do anymore for her because it was beyond his control now.

"Callie please keep your voice down. Baby Stef and Andrew are sleeping. Please. And what are you talking about? Conspiring? Who?"

"Don't play dumb Pete. You wanna take my kids. You and Stef and Lena. All of you but I have a plan! I have a big plan and I'm gonna tell everyone my plan.  Yeah you know what my plan is?  I'm gonna take both kids and we are gonna go to Africa. Where none of you can find us! Because I got a ticket. I got one."

"Callie what is wrong? What are you talking about. You are scaring me."

"I'm not!  I know they are here somewhere listening. They are listening!"

Pete had no idea what to do as his girlfriend was tearing the house apart, along with everything in the kitchen as baby Stef came out of her room confused. Confused beyond words for she had seen how strange her mother had been acting for the past few weeks and didn't understand what was going on.  Just the other day she locked her in the closet along with Andrew claiming there were people outside ready to take them. It was all rather upsetting for the young girl and baby Stef also didn't understand why she was not allowed to see her grandmother's or the rest of her family. Sure she snuck phone calls and Stef promised she would see her very soon but none of it made sense to her one bit.

"Mama what are you doing?" The little girl asked as Pete rushed over to Baby Stef trying to shield her from Callie who was still throwing things out of the cabinets.

"Go in the room with your little brother. Ok? Don't come out until I say. Please." He begged the eleven year old who looked scared.

"But what's wrong with mama. Mama what's wrong?"

"Go pack Stefanie Marie. We are moving. Moving  to Africa where no one can find us. No one can listen there. I got straw to make us a house and a boat we can stay on. No one will hear us."

"What?" Baby Stef asked.

"Go in the room. Please. Just listen to me this once ok?" Pete begged.

"I want Yaya. I'm scared."

"I know. You will see Yaya I promise. But go in the bedroom. Please baby Stef."

"Ok." Running into the bedroom to hold her little baby brother she was so sad, so terrified as baby Stef continued to hear things being broken and Pete trying to calm her mother. Being the little girl she was however she immediately called her grandmother who regardless of the restraining order headed over as fast as she could along with Lena and Mike.

When the three entered the home they couldn't believe what they saw. They couldn't at all as Callie was a complete mess, almost unrecognizable along with their home. Stef was almost speechless as she walked over to the girl still with the assistance of her cane and looked her dead in the face.

"I don't care if you hate me, if you don't like me, and you can take out every kind of restraining order there is but you are my daughter, my little girl and you need help. Now."  She said to Callie who by this time looked so spaced out they weren't even sure if she knew where she was. It scared them all, it broke all their hearts as they immediately checked her into a facility and Mike got the restraining orders expunged. Pete was well aware he would never be able to raise both kids alone right now so he willingly handed them both over to Stef and Lena while he looked after Callie. However that job would prove to be very difficult for after only being in the facility for a few days Callie voluntary checked out and ran off. Where to no one knew. 

Why she refused treatment for her bipolar disorder, why she didn't want to get better no one understood and both Stef and Lena tried effortlessly. They did as the blonde  would check her back in the facility but Callie would run off again and again almost forgetting the person she was, the family that loved her and the kids that needed her. What would it take? 

"Yaya what's wrong with her? What's wrong with my mama?" Baby Stef asked crying in the blondes arms. It was hard for Stef to tell the girl what was going on but she believed in being honest with her kids and grandkids. Always.

"She is not well baby. She isn't and needs help and we are going to get it for her. Ok? I promise you that."

"Where did she go?"

"I don't know sweets. I don't but we will find her again. And do everything we can. Ok?"

"Is it my fault? Because I was so bad?" She asked innocently as Stef gently cupped her cheek looking straight into her eyes.

"Never. This has nothing to do with you my love. Nothing. You were not bad, you are not bad. Your mama just needs a little help but it has nothing to do with you. Don't you ever think that. Hear me?"

"Ok but what's going to happen to me and my brother?"

"Hey you do not need to worry about that. Ever. This is your home and me and Nana Lion will take care of you like we always have and your brother. Pete will still be around as well. Ok? But you never have to worry about that. Ever. But I want you to know we all love you and your mama loves you too. Ok my love." Gently kissing the top of the girls head baby Stef let tears fall as she hugged her grandmother not letting go.

"I love you grandma."

"I love you too babygirl. I love you too." She said as the little girl cried her eyes out the rest of the night and both women hugged her close.

It was a sad situation to say the least for the little girl and the entire family as Stef and Lena were able to get full custody of baby Stef a few weeks later.

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PRESENT TIME

Tracey was nervous beyond words and more then she could fathom as she sat at the booth at the diner waiting for Stef to arrive.  The last time she had seen her was when the woman was hooked up to a million machines in the hospital after her stroke. Of course Tracey was going through withdrawal at the time but she knew what she saw. She did and it tore her wide open.

There were a few reasons she was scared to see the woman as her stomach was twisting and turning. First off she wasn't sure what she would be like, what she would remember and Tracey wasn't sure how she would handle it. Yes she had missed her so terribly and knew she waited to long to see her but she wasn't ready. She wasn't ready at all and now she was really having second thoughts once again for she knew she needed to explain herself. Big time. Letting out a sigh and glancing to the front door she spotted the blonde how instantly saw her as well walking over.  Tracey seeing the woman needed a cane to help her walk  the girl got up quickly to help her.

"It's ok I got it love." The blonde said softly smiling and gently cupping the girls cheek. Yes she remembered her, she remembered mostly everything as the girl smiled back a bit but feeling so shy and awkward. "It's nice to see you babe. Why were you avoiding me for so long? MM?"

"I guess I wasn't sure. I'm just glad you are ok."

"I'm ok. But we have alot to talk about my love. Alot."

"I know."

"Well come sit and tell me about Nathan." The blonde said as Tracey instantly looked at her shocked. Shocked beyond words.

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So Callie was not being an asshole on purpose in past chapters. She had something deeper going on and lost her kids as a result.

Well Tracey will have some explaining to do.