Unforgotten Love - Book 2

"I Don't Get It!"

LENA POV

"Ouch! You're hurting me!" Frankie hollers as she lifts herself halfway off the floor as I try to braid her hair.

"Stay still, Francesca!"

"You're hurting me!" She yells again, and I take the brush to her rear.

"I said sit still! I'm not playing with you!"

She bursts into hysterical tears now at the top of her lungs, and Corey comes running into the room. "What's wrong, Frankie?" He looks concerned.

"Shut up, butthead!" She lashes out, and I let go of her braid and march her right to her shared room.

"You sit your butt on this bed until I tell you to move! Do I make myself clear?"

"I hate you!" She dramatically cries, and I stand to my feet.

"I'm not too fond of you right now, either, child."

"I'm telling Uncle Julius!" She yells after me, but I ignore her as I rub my forehead. Today is not going to plan at all. My alarm went off later than I anticipated, and to top it off, the hot water went out when I was showering. My hair is a disaster, so I decide to pull it up before I head to the kitchen to make breakfast before taking the kids to their new school to enroll them.

I had found Anchor Beach after last years incident of both Frankie and Corey being bullied in their public school. I couldn't believe this was happening to my kids as I had never once experienced such foolishness until I came to Oakland. I wasn't going to have it, and Julius and Ryan and I looked high and low for this school.

"Mama, can I watch Winnie the Pooh?" Corey runs into the kitchen with mismatched clothes, and I sigh. I had set out the exact outfit for him to put on, and he didn't listen.

"After you go change into what I told you to wear, Corey."

"But I like THIS shirt!" He juts out his lower lip as I slide bread in the toaster.

"Just do it," I snap, and he glares at me. I'm at my whit's end with these two, and I'm about to scream. "Corey William! NOW!"

"Fine, Mama!" He runs off to his room, and I lean my head against the cool refrigerator. I'm truly beside myself. Just yesterday, I had received a letter in the mail from the Army stating that all of the checks being sent to a certain Philadelphia address were being sent back, each and every one of them and had been for over several years. The letter went on to state that the Purple Heart Will had "lost" was also mailed back and a reply was required as to his whereabouts. I wanted to scream and cry if I were honest. It seemed as if I couldn't seem to catch a break in regards to Will. Where he was, I had no clue. But I wish I could find him so that I would stop hearing about him and stop worrying as well.

"Can I come out now?" Frankie was now standing by the stove, and I look over at her red eyes as she sniffles. She's holding her favorite pink stuffed bear close to her cheek, and I know she's just having a bad morning same as me.

"Come here, Love," I motion her over.

"I'm sorry, Mama," she whimpers, and I pull her into my arms and rub her back.

"I forgive you, baby. Should we try this again? Hmmm?" I pull back and wipe her cheeks and she looks in my eyes.

"I miss Daddy," she whispers, and my heart breaks into a thousand pieces. She has pieces of memories of Will, and I keep his pictures all over the house for hers and Corey's sake.