Fighting For Us - Book 4

The Day Goes On

LENA POV

As Christmas Eve draws closer, I can't help but feel horribly in regards to Stef's mom and dad, more importantly her dad. Seeing the way she reacted when I showed her that ornament with her sitting on his lap, I know beyond a doubt that she misses them even if she pretends it's okay and a part of life. It really wasn't ok, no way was it for they were her parents at the end of the day and I knew she loved them deeply no matter how much they had hurt her. She even had a photo of them in her nightstand draw along with her brothers that she looked at occasionally when she didn't think I saw. But I did and I knew family was everything to her and always had been and she was hell bent on making sure ours was strong.

If I'm honest with myself I can't imagine having the family that she has, nor the lack of support. For both my dad and my mom were super supportive of not only me, but her and our little family and always had been. What was it like not to have that? Who did Stef talk to when we weren't together during the 70's? Who helped her with Callie when she was a newborn?

I sigh in frustration as I pour the hot water over my tea bag and my heart begins to thud in my chest as I realize that I can just call her parents. She is currently at work with Stefanie, and Callie, Frankie and Corey are at a movie with Mike. Clearly I had plenty of time and no excuse as I quickly hurry to our bedroom and grab the address book out of Stef's bedside table and flip through it until I reach her parents.

I take several gulps of air to steady my breathing as I sit on the side of the bed and pick up our room phone and dial the number. What's the worst thing that could happen? They hang up on me?

"Hello?" I shake myself as a booming male voice answers and I instantly's feel nervous.

"Hi! Is this Frank Foster?"

"Who's this?"

"This is Lena...ummm, Lena Adams...Stef's...I mean I'm a friend of Stef's, your daughter.  Well not really a friend I'm...

"Yes, I know who you are," he answers gruffly.

Awkward silence grows between us as I scramble with what to say next. If I'm honest,I hadn't really thought this through as thoroughly as I should have because I expected a hang up by now. "So, I was wondering if you'd...if you'd like to see Callie for the holiday. I mean, we, all, would be here, but we're having a casual Christmas Eve dinner. It's simple, nothing fancy, and we plan to watch a movie as a family afterwards...at our home actually, and I think...I think Stef would love to see you."

I can hear my heart pounding in my ears as he clears his throat. "Who's that, Frank?" I hear a woman in the background who is most likely her mother.

"Just somebody I know!" He calls back to her before coming back to me. "She would? She never calls...so, how do you figure? I only see my granddaughter when she's with Mike and I never hear from Stefanie."

"Well, you've made it known that you disapprove of her and her so called lifestyle, Frank. Is she supposed to keep subjecting herself to this? I mean, c'mon..."

"Listen here, Lena. I remember you from the base back in '69. Stef wasn't honest with me back then. She let me think she was this certain way, and she just wasn't upfront. You wouldn't understand this, Lena. But she told me everything. And that time, she was able to be up front with me? She wasn't...even when you walked over to us in that parking lot she didn't tell me who you were. But I knew. I knew it."

"Are you serious right now, Frank? You're holding that one thing against her? And have been all of these years? I'm not sure if you hear how petty that sounds right about now. She needed you when her brother died, Frank. And what about testifying against her in court so Mike could get full custody? All because of that?"