Unforgotten Love - Book 2

California Dreaming

STEF POV

"The palm trees Mama!! Look!! Look at them!!" Callie yes running to the giant windows of the airport  as we all had just landed in San Diego.  Of course I was a little familiar with the California landscape but my poor baby had never been out of New York City and neither had my girlfriend. Of course I had strong reservations about this trip but after that call from Tess that the bakery had been vandalized there was no way in hell I wasn't going. No way and yeah Mike nearly screamed at me when I told him I was taking Callie for a week but I could care less for the kid deserved that and I owed her so many birthday presents it was unreal. Luisa of course had reservations about the trip too solely because of Lena and Julius but I assured her it was fine. Hell she was my girlfriend and Julius would have to get over it.  Plus Lena had her own place so it wasn't like we would see her 24/7. And she has a boyfriend.

"Yeah baby! I see em. And you are going to see alot more. Wait until you see the beach." I yell back as she barely hears me for she was so immersed there was no way she was taking her eyes off anything.

"Gracias." I hear Luisa say as I look to her beautiful eyes and smile.

"For?"

"SIlly. For asking me to come. This is supposed to be your trip with your baby and to see your friends. I'm kinda the outcast."

"My love, you are not an outcast. Stop that. You are apart of our life and you are not and never will be some outcast. Entender? Don't ever feel that way. Ever."

"Ok."

As the smile grows wider on her face and I want to so badly kiss her. Instead I settle on squeezing her hand as she looks surprised. "It's ok no one knows us here and Callie is much too involved in the scenery. I whisper. "Besides I have not touched you in hours and I might die fucking die."

"Ha. Eres gracioso mi amor." She teases as I quickly peck her cheek and wink at her.

"Yes I'm known to be quit the comedian and much more if your nice."

"Oh I'll be plenty nice. Wait till you see my bikini." She flirts as all I can do is bite my lower lip

"MMm well...that just put a nice fucking image in my head. If I had a dick I'd have a hard on just by that thought alone."

"OH my god! Stefanie! Ay Dios mio! Your mouth since hanging with those cops! So bad mama!!"

"Ha you love it!"

"Mama!! Are you going now!!" Callie nearly scares the shit out of me as she runs over wide eyed. "Are you excited too Luisa!"

"MM say that again dulce niña."

"MM...Estás emocionado?"

"Muy bien! And si I am very excited."

I could only smile at these two as Callie grabbed my girlfriends hand and we headed out of the airport. My only hope was that it would be a nice escape from home, despite what happened at the bakery that I fully intended to investigate myself. But I was hoping Lena and I would get along if she came by.

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"Corey! Get off that counter now! Oh my god, child! Are you impatient or what? I said I would get your juice!" Julius was beside himself as he was trying to clean the house with the help of the kids. Lena had taught both Corey and Frankie to help clean up as well as Tess taught Stefanie, and it was their job to help their Uncle Julius as company was coming and soon.

"I got it, Uncle Julius! See!!!!" Corey tipped over the gallon of apple juice and it splashed all over the counter, down the cabinets and onto the freshly mopped floor.

"Corey! I just cleaned that!" Stefanie ran to yank the gallon away from him and it splashed all over her face, down her clean shirt and new shorts.

"It's mine!" Corey hollered as Frankie who was dusting the living room furniture came running to see what was going on between Stefanie and her brother.

"Look what you did, you idiot!" Frankie angrily punched her brother in the arm as Stefanie stood there devastated.

"Oh my LORD! What is happening in here? This is NOT A ZOO, children! Do I look like I'm raising wild cheetahs? Are you on the safari chasing antelope? Get off that counter now, Corey William, before I tan your hide! And Frankie! We don't call names! Did you not learn the last time you had to eat soap?" Julius' face is red with anger as he sees the disaster before him.

Tears filled Stefanie's eyes as she was timid and shy still, and sometimes Frankie and Corey's fights were too much for her because she loved them both like siblings. "Can I go change? Please, Uncle Julius?" She wiped the tears that were now streaming down her face.

"Oh, baby! Don't cry! Corey will re-mop this mess! Look what you did, you, two! You made your cousin cry! You should be so ashamed of your asses!" Julius yelled at Frankie and Corey who stood there looking remorseful.

"I'm sorry, Stefanie," Frankie looked down as she was upset now she had reacted how she did.

"Sorry, Steffy! I'll clean it!" Corey climbed down and gave the older girl a hug.

"It's okay," Stefanie hugged him back as Frankie took her hand to help her step over the spilled juice.

"I'll wash it for you! I know how!" Frankie whispered as she lead her cousin down to her room. She pulled out a large T-shirt that used to be her fathers and threw it to Stefanie. "Here, put that on, and I'll go put your new outfit in the washing machine."

"But do you know how to work it, Frankie?" Stefanie looked at her, wide eyed as she changed.

"Sure! I see Mommy and Uncle Julius using it all the time! Can't be that hard! Plus, you got it to meet Callie and Stef, right?"

"Yes," Stefanie sat on the girl's bed. "I hope they like it."

"They will. Now give it," Frankie held out her hand, and Stefanie handed over her new jean shorts and rainbow tank top. Frankie kissed her cheek, "Now, you can stay down here and read my magazines, and I'll finish your chores and wash this, okay? I'm sorry I made you cry, Stefanie."

"Thank you, Frankie, but maybe I should help..."

"Nonsense! I got it!"

With that, Frankie ran up the steps and snuck over to the laundry room where she proceeded to pour almost the entire bottle of detergent in the washing machine and turned on the highest setting. She then ran to help Corey finish mopping and proceeded to finish her own chores as well as Stefanie's as promised. By the time she was done, she felt rather proud of herself as Julius praised her and Corey for their hard work and repentant heart from earlier.

"Where's Stefanie?" Julius asked the two as he cut their grilled cheese sandwiches.

"I'll go get her!" Frankie yelled as she hopped off the kitchen chair right as the doorbell rang. "I got it!"

She ran towards the front door and swung it open as she stood face to face with a familiar looking blonde, a dark haired woman and a smiling girl her age. "Are you Callie?" Frankie smiled as she looked at all three

"Yes! Where's Uncle Julius and Queen Mocha?"

"Queen Mocha?" Frankie looked confused.

"Baby, maybe we have the wrong house," the blonde looks to the young girl confused. Who was this child? She looked familiar, but her nerves and memory were shot at the moment for some reason. Was this Lena's daughter, Frankie? What's she doing here?

A familiar voice sounded loud and clear in the background as all four looked towards it as Julius could be heard hollering like he'd lost his ever loving mind, "FRANCESCA MARIE!!!!!!! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE???????"