A Chosen Life (Hard Time Series Book 4)

Bakery Talks

STEF POV

"Sample this shit, tell me it ain't bomb! Go on sister girl!"

"It would help if you didn't call it shit heffer." I say tasting her seasoned meat pastry and can't help but notice how damm good it is. Roxy really did have a knack for baking and cooking and I could see how passionate she was about it. For weeks she had been asking me to come to the bakery she works at and for weeks I put it off. Yeah, since she had found Callie our relationship had gotten better but it still wasn't anywhere near what it once was. I was trying my best to have faith in how much she had changed and I  could see it. I could see the old Roxy I grew up with and parts of this new Roxy that was allowing her to stay on this straight path. But was it truthful?

"Well???? How is it?"

"It's alright." I joke as she rolls her eyes at me.

"Just alright?? Bitch you better take another bite! That shit just as good as pussy and you should know." She says as I can only bust out laughing.

"I'm fucking with you. It's real good. You come up with this yourself?"

"Hell yeah!!! I come up with all my shit. Bout to write a recipe book. Hey you think Lena would help? You know with the grammer and shit. Gotta write a bio and all this crap. I don't know where to start with that."

"You can ask her. I'm sure she would."

"Cool. So for real you like it?"

"Yeah. It's good. I swear it."

"Took me weeks to get that shit right. Got a few others you can try. If you got time?"

"Yeah I'm good. I'll try em. So you work here everyday?"

"Just about. Here at 3AM to start preparing shit. They let me try my own shit on the side. See how it sells."

"MM that's cool."

"Yeah and it's fucking legal. Imagine that shit." She says laughing as I crack a smile taking another bite.

"Yeah the world is full of legal jobs. We just didn't do em. Back in the day I mean. Hell maybe life had been different if we had. Ya know?"

"Yeah. But you know shit goes how it's gonna go. All that shit that happened was supposed to happen. Even if it was shit. The good and the bad."

"We lost alot of time in jail Rox. Sometimes I think back at it and the people we were. Hell I look at my own daughter."

"Frankie?"

"Yeah. It affected her the most. Far more then Jude.  I think so anyway."

"Why? She ain't no criminal. She's just a mini you. You gotta remember I knew you back in the day. She's you minus the other stuff. She's tough, but a good kid. She will find her way. Believe you me. Don't stress that shit. I mean some kids are just a lost fucking cause."

"MM you think we were?"

"A lost cause?"

"Yeah. You think we ever stood a chance?"

"Maybe if we had different parents but  you know we didn't."

"But what about Mike? He was raised how we were."

"Yeah but he was never into that shit. He just knew to leave well enough alone sister girl. I mean speaking of which I ain't rushing shit or anything and I know it's going to take however long it takes but you and me...I mean are we cool enough to have drinks once in a while and shit? Or are we not there yet?" She treads lightly as I finish my pastry now looking at her. Truth was I really wasn't fucking sure and I would be honest like I always was. "Again I ain't rushing shit and I should be happy that you came here to sample my stuff.  I don't step foot in your place or your territory without you telling me or asking me over."

"Yeah I know you don't. I noticed that."

"I know we can't squash everything yet."

"Look, life is short alright? I've come to learn that. And I gotta look out for my family more then anything. Which I'm sure you get."

"For sure I get that shit."

"And I gotta look out for my wife and my kids and grand kids. And I'm trying with you Roxanne and I know we had good words at the hosptial but I don't 100 percent trust you just yet. I know your working on yourself and I commend you for that shit. I really fucking do but is this the real deal? MM? Is this the real you?"

"Yes. I fucking swear it Stef. I swear to God. Look the last few decades I've been to hell and back. Especially this last few years and I never want that to be me again.  I'm still getting help for my shit. I still live with the pain of what I did to Peaches and this entire family Stef. I do. And maybe I'll never fucking redeem myself but I'll try. Everyday.  Look, I know Lou is out there with a bounty over my fucking head and it is what it is. She might take me out at anytime."

"Fuck her Rox.  She can go to fucking hell."

"I'm with you on that. I fucking am."

"Here's my question. You had a chance to get her ass off your back. By you know getting me involved I her shit. Instead you are looking over your shoulder."

"Stef, I wasn't about it. In jail yeah I wanted nothing to do with you ever again. Even when I got out a bit I just wanted to fight you, you know take what you have. Maybe fuck up your life a bit."

"So what changed that?"

"Honestly? Your stroke. But even before that. But that really sealed shit for me. I said a lot of shit over the years and may have said I wanted to hurt you myself but when you almost died, I don't know. There ain't no coming back from that shit. Then to see how tore up everyone was, and now Callie and I don't know Stef. Life is short as fuck. For real. I don't know I just wanna raise this little family with Peaches and really do right by her and everyone. I want a real life Stef. Maybe that shit sounds dumb as fuck."

"Nah it doesn't. I get what you're saying. But I'm gonna tell you one thing. Hear me?"

"Yeah."

"You ever fuck up like you did last time, ever, I mean one little fuck up and I will personally slit your throat, rip t out  and throw you into the ocean myself. You got me?" I say bitting on another pastry as she looks deal at me nodding her head. 

"I got you. For real."

"Alright. Now make me a bunch of these to take for my wife."

"You got it sister girl! You got it!"