Fighting For Us - Book 4

Dinner With Papa

STEF POV

As we all sit around the table for dinner I can feel my stomach turning as I pull Lena's chair out for her at the head of the table. Affectionatly she grabs my hand squeezing it as I sit beside her hoping this goes okay.

Partly I can feel my walls going up as Stefanie sits beside me, something I didn't expect but I welcome it as I smile and she returns it.  Callie takes the seat beside her as Frankie and Corey sit across from me and my father sits at the other end of the table.

"We are glad you could come, Frank. Please help yourself to everything." Lena graciously addresses him as she has made an amazing dinner consisting of ham, turkey, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, candid yams and a table full of desserts.

"Thanks." He says in a tone I am so familiar with as Lena adds mashed potatoes to my plate and I clear my throat.

"Yes Lena is an amazing cook. So, Daddy, how's everything in Albany?" I ask as Callie hands him the turkey.

"Not bad." He takes a dinner roll and unfolds his napkin before setting it in his lap. It was amazing how much my father had not changed as his habits were exactly the same. He was a man of consistency, stability, order, sternness and ridgeness. And as I think about it I was guilty of being much like that as well. "I didn't realize dinner was so formal tonight. Lena had said casual or I would have worn my nice suit coat and tie." He looks around at all of us as Frankie blurts out.

"No! It's okay! You can wear whatever you want! We don't mind!"

He looks over at her and I watch his gruff face become softer and I had no idea what he thought of her or any of my babies. "I saw you at my son's funeral. You're Lena's daughter?"

Frankie narrows her eyebrows, "Yes. But Stef is my Mama too now."

Frank looks over at her then to Corey as I continue to watch him. "And you?"

"Yep! But Stefanie is like a cousin. She's Mama Duke's goddaughter. She's here because she was sneaking out and her boyfriend beat her!"

"Corey William!" Lena almost jumps up, but I stop her as I look towards him.

"Corey. Now's not the time, young man. Apologize right now. You know better then that, yes?" I say sternly as he looks both embarrassed and remorseful.

"Yes Mom." His ears are now red as he bows his head. "Sorry, Papa Frank. Sorry, Stefanie."

Frank smirks now as his eyes look across the table at me, and my heart races. I wonder what he's thinking. I wish I knew. I wish I could stop the anxiety racing through my body. I need wine and a smoke terribly.

I look towards Lena who pretty much reads my mind as she pours me a glass and I softly smile at her.

"Must get crowed in here at times." My father makes an observation as everyone begins eating.

"It does! I'm surrounded by women!" Corey says which seems to make my father laugh, something I didn't expect to happen as we all chuckled.

"Yeah, I see that. It has it's advantages young man."

"I don't know any yet!" Corey shrugs matter of factly.

"Hush, big mouth!" Frankie grits her teeth at her brother as Lena flashes them a look to behave.

"So are you still working as a cop, Stefanie?" Frank redirects to me and I nod as I swallow my food.

"Yes. Yes I am Daddy."

"She's a bad ass one too! She works the South Bronx." Frankie proudly blurts out as Lena instantly glares but I can't help but smile at her compliment.