Fighting For Us - Book 4

Why

LENA POV

"Why on earth would you two do this? Why?!" I yell as Stef had called to tell me that both Frankie and Stefanie got busted at school for smoking and that Frankie mouthed off. to Sister Mary, the head nun. I had quickly taken the train back to the apartment, for it seemed as if I needed to go to the school, myself this afternoon. "Do you realize you are suspended, Frankie? Do you realize your godmother and I have to convince them to let you even attend this school, Stefanie? Do either of you?" I raise my voice to a level no one is used to, not even Stef.

"No ma'am." Stefanie says rather quietly as I glance to Stef who is so furious as she hasn't said much of anything. She was beyond pissed, beyond words and so was I...disappointed. "But it was my idea and my cigarettes. I gave them to Frankie." She admits as Frankie looks to her surprised and I glance back at Stef who can't help but laugh in a homicidal tone.

"Try again, young lady! I don't believe you!" I narrow my eyes and fold my arms as Stef says this.

"I did!" She answers defensively. "I gave them to her!"

"Try AGAIN. I get paid to sniff out liars so someone better start telling the truth or both of your asses are mine!" Stef booms.

"They are mine," Frankie steps forward. "I've been doing it for awhile."

"What? What...when did you start smoking? Francesca?" I ask in disbelief as Frankie looks to the ground, guilty.

"MM...I don't know. A few months ago, I guess," she plays with her fingers as I can feel the anger threaten to choke me, for I had only ever been this angry one other time, and it was when I slapped her across the face.

"You have got to be kidding me! Francesca Marie! How are you even buying them? HUH? TELL ME HOW? AND WHY?" I yell, my face now on fire.

"Well, Mom smokes like a chimney, and I see you smoke sometimes, too, Mama! It's not like I wasn't exposed or anything!" She smarts off as Stef stands to her feet and unbuckles her belt faster than any of us can think.

"Get your ass over here, Francesca Marie! You wanna talk to your mother that way? Not on my watch!" She fumes as Frankie bolts from the room.

Stefanie looks wide-eyed as Stef is faster, and I follow close behind for I can't believe my daughter right now. It seems as she tooks ten steps forward only to take them all back as I see that Frankie jumps over coffee table just as Stef catches her on the other side of it.

"I'm not fucking around!" Stef hollers as she has Frankie by the arm and pushes her over the edge of the couch and swats her ass three times with her belt. "You will NEVER. EVER. EVER. SPEAK TO YOUR MOTHER THAT WAY AGAIN IN LIFE!!!!! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?" She gets in Frankie's face as my daughter is crying hard now and shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, okay! I'm sorry!" She sobs as Stef lets go.

"Get the hell out of my face! I don't want to see you right now!" She points to the girls' room as Frankie runs as fast as she can.

I stand by as Stef marches back to the kitchen where Stefanie hasn't moved one inch and she gets in the girl's face. "I'm not done with you, either! You wanna lie? Huh? You wanna lie? And tell stories? Well, you better think fucking fast, for you're going with your Aunt Lena to the school after lunch and you're going to come up with a damn good reason as to why you should be able to attend that school! Because if you don't, your ass is mine! MINE! I'LL PUT YOUR ASS BEHIND BARS IN JUVENILLE HALL!!!!!! You think I'm joking? Do you?"

"No! No, God Mommy! I don't think you're joking!" Stefanie whimpers as tears now run down her face, and she begins to cry.

"Now get out of my face, too! GET!" Stef points to the door as the girl runs out of the room.

I swallow hard as my own anger has subsided some and walk towards Stef as she puts her belt back on and slumps in the nearest kitchen chair, her hands shaking as she grabs a cigarette and lights it. I sit next to her as she hands me one, already having read my mind, and we both smoke in silence. She runs her fingers through her short hair, frustration apparent on her face as I gently reach out to take her hand, but she flinches and pulls away.

"Stef?" I frown, confused.

"Why didn't you fucking tell me?" She asks in a low voice as my heart rate picks back up. What the hell is she talking about?

"I didn't know Frankie was smoking, Stef?" I say clearly confused.

She smokes a bit more before she finishes and puts it out in the ashtray. Her hazel eyes meet mine, and I can see that the anger has not subsided in the least. "About Tess. Why the hell did you keep the fact that you called her and told her to stop contacting me? We're back to this shit again?"

Realization washes over me like a tidal wave as I feel my face turn white. "Stef...it wasn't the right time, and..."

"Wasn't the right time? Wasn't the right time? When would have been the right time, Lena? MM? Tell me! When?"

"I don't know! But I did what I needed for the both of us."

"Oh man that's rich." She says getting up and pouring a glass of gin. "I would have handled it."

"That's just it! You don't handle it."

"Oh bull! I do so!"

"You do not! When will you get off the fence? You know the real deal now. You know it and you didn't handle it so I did!"

"Jesus Christ, woman when are you gonna let this shit go? Huh!"

"Keep your voice down." I say as she lets out a sigh taking another sip of her drink. "I've let it go."

"Oh like hell you have."

"You think it's easy on my end? Huh! Dealing with the fact that she has feelings for you. That she's in love with you all these years. That is not easy on my end."

"I understand that! But you didn't need to tell her to stay away!"

"Why? You need her? You have feelings?"

"You know what. Screw you for that! You don't want to trust me then don't. You can gladly leave." She says with nothing but anger. "Better yet I will!"

"Stef!" I yell after her as she storms out the apartment, and I slam my hand against the counter so hard, I wince as I realize I've just about broken my hand.

Angry tears run down my face as I shakily grab another smoke and lean over the sink. I need to get myself together, for now was not the time for me to fall apart. We have kids...ones who will be watching us and how we handle ourselves, and the last thing they need was to see Stef and I at odds. I can only hope that she comes to her senses, for I wasn't going anywhere.