Fighting For Us - Book 4

How Dare You!

STEF POV

Is she kidding me?! She applied for a teaching job in the South Bronx?! I have to be hearing wrong because there is no fucking way, just no way in hell Lena would get on to me for working there then apply to teach at a school there! All I can do is lose my mind as I overhear Lena tell her father she applied and heard back from a school in the South Bronx. But there is no way in hell that's happening and there is NO way I am letting her work at a school there. Absolutely not!

Lighting a cigarette I sit on the back porch and take deep breaths trying to steady my nerves that are now on end. I shake my head as I try to absorb this information. It doesn't make sense to me considering she's been busting my chops about the inherent danger I face day in and day out. How can Lena think there wouldn't be danger as a teacher in the South Bronx? They'd eat her alive!

As I lean my head back on the wicker chair, I am brought out of my thoughts as I hear excited yelling. "Uncle Julius!!!!! Where have you been?" Corey screams in the background making me sit up straight and put out my smoke. What the hell?

"My golly have you sprouted up, child! Have you been eating fertilizer or what?" Julius laughs as he sees the boy is now taller than him. All I can do is wonder if my hearing is off as I make my way back in the home seeing Julius hug all the kids.

As I step into the living room where all the commotion is taking place, I lock eyes with Julius and all I can feel is intense anger. I feel more anger then I can even realize as his face softens and he smiles widely at me opening his eyes.

"My girl!! My favorite girl!! Come here!! You, I have missed the most!" He squeals as Lena looks to me and I look back at Julius not breaking a smile. "Hug!!" He squeals again as I turn around and walk off not giving him the damn time of day. "Stef, where you going honey? I came all the way to Maine to surprise you all and I get no hug? Nothing?"

"No! You don't get shit! Fuck off!" I whirl around and snap sharply as everyone looks to me surprised and having no idea what to say. Walking off again I hear Lena's heels as she gently grabs my hand, one I did not want to take, for I was pissed at her too.

"Baby, I know you're mad, I..."

"What? I'm not mad, Lena. What in the hell would I be mad over? MM?"

"Well, Julius showing up like this. I know you're angry at him for..."

"I'm not angry. I don't even give a shit.  Look, just leave me be for a second, okay? Give me a minute."

"No. What is wrong? It can't be just the fact he showed up, or you wouldn't be snapping at me. What is it, baby? Are you angry with me?"

"Why would I be? Do I need to be?" I ask as she looks at me surprised. "MM? Is there something I should know? Something you would like to tell me?"

"Stefffff!!!!! I know you are angry with me, baby but I explained it all in my postcard!! Come on! Don't be an Ice Queen." I hear Julius say as he walks over to me and Lena. "Come on! Let me at least talk to you."

"I'm not interested in talking to you," I spit out. "In fact, why don't you can talk to my soon to be wife since you both have something in common!"

"Stef!" Lena tries to grab my hand again, but I pull away from her.

"What? Just stop, Lena!"

"Oh dear," Julius shakes his head as he looks between the two of us.

"Well! She likes to have job interviews in places she forbids me to work, yet it's ok for her! So you can talk to her! And like I told you before since you're deaf, FUCK off!"

"Stef, don't be so dramatic! Come on; baby girl! You're always shouting at me!" He pushes.

"Dramatic? Really?" I say as Lena looks to the ground and Julius can't help but keep yapping. "I'M dramatic? Mr. I need to get away and go to another land and country to cope and find myself! But I'm the dramatic one here? Do you even hear yourself? Do you get it? Huh???" I am shouting now at a level that must be disturbing because the kids whom I didn't even realize were listening are being whisked away by Dana and Stuart as Dana gives me a warning glare.

"Stef." Lena says as I glance to her annoyed.

"What? What Lena? For God's sake! You certainly love calling me by my name, woman!" I see the hurt in her eyes, but I'm at a level of anger where it doesn't phase me right now. How would she like it if I decided to apply to a job without telling her shit?

"Stef! Come on! I was grieving the loss of my partner like you did with Lena for years!" Julius states the obvious which only annoys me further.

"Yeah? We are talking about you NOT me!  I didn't clear out my house and not tell my family where the FUCK I was going! I didn't do that! Knowing how much we cared, looked after you and worried! How Lena and Tess traveled to places hoping to find you! And even went to see your father! So blow off!" I wave my hand in the air, my face clearly flushed with rage.

"Is that all you do?!?! Why are you such an angry person? I thought being with Lena would soften you and that you would get why I needed to do what I needed to do! And why the hell would you go see my father?" Julius screeches now as he balls his fists by his side. 

"Lena and Tess did! I was here worrying my fucking ass off! That's why! And don't you dare yell at them for it! We thought you were dead! Dead like my brother who was found in a fucking alleyway! That DEAD!!!!!!" I scream now not realizing the tears that are rushing down my face as I sob. "So don't you speak to me again! I don't wanna see you or hear you!!!" Storming off I hear Lena call after me but I ignore her.  I ignore her big time for I just can't talk to her right now. I can't even think straight at the moment, and I know that if I stay to talk to her, I'll end up saying a whole slew of things that I'll later regret, as I walk faster away from the home, towards the tide that is coming into shore.

"Mama!! Mama!!" I hear a familiar voice as I let out a sigh and stop. "Mama! I'll walk with you. Don't go alone." Callie calls after me and as she catches up, she grabs my hand and squeezes it tightly as tears stream down my face. "It's ok Mama. It's ok." Hugging me tightly, I hug her back warmly and for the first time in a long time, I allow my little girl to console me.