Fighting For Us - Book 4

The Sunday Before

"I'm not boarding the plane! It's plain and simple! I'm just not! Alby said his parents want me to eat Thanksgiving dinner with them!" Stefanie stands defiantly in the middle of the kitchen popping her bubble gum as Tess and Jerry both stood in front of her frowning. "Besides I am NOT interested in going to some dirty ass New York. I'm busy. There's no one there I want to see those are your friends." She says looking Tess right in the face as the woman could nearly kill her. If anything she wanted to ring her neck so damm badly and she just might. Her popping that gum was enough to make her crazy as well.

"I'm telling you now. You will take your happy chocolate ass out that door and to the taxi! Now! I'm not playing with you anymore! I'm done with this...this persona! Done! Who do you think you are? Huh? Who!" Tess hollered as Jerry placed his hand on his wife's arm to calm her. But she didn't want that, she wanted him to take control of this child once and for all instead of being a damm push over.

"Stefanie...look. I'll let you get your nose pierced. Haven't you been begging? We'll do it. Just...come on. The taxi driver won't wait too much longer. Please, baby girl, do what you mother asks. Ok?" Jerry pleaded with his daughter while Tess was fuming even more. But to be fair, she was more than exhausted. So exhausted, in fact that she didn't even bother to stop Jerry's bribery. What did it matter anyway? Stefanie knew how to work her father, and right now, she'd love nothing more than to get in the taxi and have it take her far, far away from everyone and everything. But that wasn't likely as Stefanie obeyed her father but rolling her eyes as she passed her mother.

As the small family arrived at the airport and checked in their bags, Stefanie was sullen and standoffish. She allowed Jerry to talk to her and even get her some food, but if Tess tried, she spoke to her with so much animosity, Tess was almost sure she was about to yank her by her long braids she had put in just last weekend that she hated with a passion! Her tight jeans didn't help matters and neither did her crop top that exposed half her stomach.

"Stefanie!" Tess caught up to her daughter who was making her way over to the pay phones as they had an hour before the plane would take off. "Stop! Are you deaf, child?"

"I'm not a child, Theresa," Stefanie smirks as she licks her grape sucker and looks right into her mother's eyes.

"I know I'm going deaf. I just know it because no daughter of mine would ever dare to call me by my first name." Tess seethed as she yanked the sucker right out of Stefanie's hand and tossed it in the little trash can nearby.

"Well, you refuse to call ME by my REAL name so payback's a bitch, isn't it THERESA!" Stefanie smarted back as Tess could only see red. She saw nothing but red as she grabbed her daughter's arm and dragged her to the nearby bathroom and began whipping her with her giant purse.

"YOU...WILL...NOT...SPEAK...TO...ME...LIKE...THAT...AGAIN!!!!!!" Tess whipped her wherever her purse would land as Stefanie ducked and shrieked.

"Get off me!!!! Get off me you crazy heifer!"

"You shut your mouth now!! JUST SHUT IT! I AM SO TIRED OF YOU!!!" She screamed yet again as Stefanie was hiding her face as her felt her mothers bag hit her arm.

"Daddy!! She's crazy! Daddy help me!!" Stefanie screams like a spoiled brat as Tess just couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't as the girl ran out of the bathroom crying hysterically.

"Theresa! What, is going on?" Jerry frowns as Stefanie hugged him with fake tears running down her cheek.

"I am done with her! You can deal with her the entire trip because I am NOT! I'm finished!"

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"God! I don't want that heifer to come. I can't freakin stand her!"  Frankie says as her and Callie are cleaning up their bedroom. With Tess and her family arriving soon the girls were helping Stef and Lena pick up the apartment as Corey was dusting and sweeping the floors.

"Maybe it will be ok, Franks. Maybe she will, well have an epiphany." Callie says optimistically as she picks up her clothing and begins to fold it. "I really wanted her to stay over like she did over the summer, Franks. I was hoping she would and we could talk to her and find out what's wrong."

"Who cares what the fuck is wrong with her! All I know is if she's mean to you, Mama, Corey or Mom, especially Mom, she's getting her ass beat! I'm telling you, Cals. She's not disrespecting my family!"

"Ohh I heard you!!!" Corey says peeking his head in the door with broom in his hand. "I heard you drop the F bomb!"

"Shut up, stupid! I'm talking about Stefanie so when it comes to her it's allowed because she's an ass." The girl says flinging her shirt on the bed.

"Why don't you guys like her?" Corey steps into the room and quietly shuts the door.

"I just told you, she's an ass! And she made Mama Dukes cry."

"Really? How?" Corey asks now leaning against the wall with the broom.

"She was rude as fuck to her." Frankie whispers. "And I'm gonna beat her ass."

"Frankie. It's ok, lil sis. Calm down ok?" Callie reassures her as she can see the girl's temper growing.

"What's up, babies?  You finished? MM? And Corey you done sweeping?" Stef asks now opening the door and placing her hand on Corey's shoulder. Thank god she had not heard Frankie's mouth even if she only had herself to blame as the kids looked to her smiling.

"Yup just about done, Mama Dukes!"

"Okay, well, finish up, okay? They should be here in a couple of hours." Stef winks as she heads back out to her own cleaning.

"Franks, I'm with you on that, ok? Ok, lil sis? But...but...but I want you to be calm. Don't jump her as soon as she gets here ok? Let moms handle it?" Callie resumes whispering as soon as her mother left the room and Corey followed close behind her.

"But Cals I..."

"Franks."

"Ugh! Fine. Fine! But I'm not talking to that heffier. No way!" Frankie wipes down their window seal before placing her small plant back on it.

"You don't have to, love. But it takes two to cause issues, and we don't want to...to add fuel to the fire. I'm sure Aunt Tess and Uncle Jerry aren't too happy with her."

"Well she better behave. I swear it."

As all three kids finished up their chores, Stef and Lena were dusting and vacuuming as well. Stef had smoked more than ever that day for her nerves were crazy. They really were as Lena sensed it taking her hand when she saw her start to light another one.

"Babe. Take a break, ok? Your lungs too. It will be ok."

"Break? Ha! That's funny!" Stef laughed as she tried to light her smoke but struggled, and Lena gently took the lighter from her and stroked the side of her cheek.

"Look at me," she whispered as the blonde slowly looked into her eyes. "You have me, okay? Do I break? Am I weak? MM?" She caressed her soft cheek with her thumb as Stef's eyes were filled with so much stress, and Lena knew that look more than anything.

"No. That's not it," Stef snapped in frustration as she turned to grab the feather duster.

Lena sighed as she gently took the duster and grabbed her fiancé's hand. "Come with me." She lead her out to the fire escape and shut the window quietly before gently pushing the blonde against the brick wall. "Hey," she whispered softly as she ran her hands gently up her arms. "What can I do? How can I help? You're freaking out on me, baby. And I'm here for you."

Stef looked into the eyes of the woman whom she loved with all of her heart, and she began to relax a little at a time. "I'm just so scared," she finally whispered.

"About? Talk to me, love." Lena linked their fingers gently as she listened.

"Stefanie. My little girl is gone, and I don't know if I can handle this. I know you get it. You...you struggled with Franks all alone out there, and you had no one. I'm being silly. Never mind," she tried to break away, but Lena wouldn't allow her as she cupped her cheeks and kissed her softly.

"It's not stupid, love,"she whispered softly before she kissed her several more times until she felt Stef relax. "I'm here. I'm here with you and for you. We'll do this together. And, I know that girl means the world to you and I know it's hard to see her behave like this and not speak to you. But we will get to the bottom of it. Ok babe?"

"Ok sweetheart. Ok."