Love Will Keep Us - Book 5

The Kids

"God, Corey has been such a BUTTT!" Frankie complains as she hops down the basement steps to Stefanie and Callie's room.

The two teens had set up their little pad downstairs as Frankie and Corey had each taken their old rooms, but Frankie spent more time with Callie and Stefanie, one would think she also shared their room, even falling asleep at night in one of their beds.

"What did he do now?" Callie asks as she is looking at some of her photos while Stefanie is munching on almonds while lounging on the couch.

"He's just a butt. And he's super rude and moody! Do boys get their periods or what?" Frankie sits on the floor in front of the couch as she holds out her hand. Stefanie laughs and places a handful of almonds in it.

"Oh my god!" Callie laughs as Stefanie nearly chokes on her food.

"Definitely. He's going through his growth spurt, Franks. Just ignore him."

"It's kinda really fucking hard. Excuse my French!" She holds up her fingers using air quotes. "He comes in my room and just snatches my tapes like they are his. Now he's saying he's gonna go hang out with his buddies and that he doesn't want to go to track practice tomorrow. Like Mama will kill him! That's all he talked about in New York! So, he better stop with his tude before I knock his ass out!"

"Franks!" Callie shuts her photo album before walking over to sit next to the girl on the giant rug. "Just try to ignore him. Honestly, let Moms take care of him. Whenever you try you get yourself in more trouble. Remember last Sunday?"

Frankie rolls her eyes as she grabs some more almonds from Stefanie's bag. "Oh god don't remind me."

FLASHBACK

"Pass the ketchup," Corey snaps at Frankie as the entire family is sitting around the table for Sunday dinner.

Lena had made meatloaf, mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts, and Stef had made homemade apple tarts with cream cheese frosting. As usual, Lena sat at the head of the table, Stef to her right and Stefanie to her left. Callie sat beside Stef with Corey beside her and Frankie across from her brother.

Not hearing Corey, Frankie continues cutting into her meatloaf as she bee-bops in her seat to the Bee-gee's playing in the background.

"I said pass the ketchup, Franks! Are you deaf?"

"Excuse me, asshole?" Frankie glares as she instantly snatches the bottle and holds it above her head.

"Francesca! Corey!" Lena warns as Stef is now glaring at both children, for she had been observing Corey's rotten attitude since he set the table, and she was two seconds from pouncing on him along with Frankie for she was known to antagonize him.

"Why do you have to be like that?" Corey ignores his mother.

"Be like what? A punk like you? Well, I'm over it!" Frankie hollers as she unscrews the bottle before leaning over the table to pour the ketchup over his head.

"Hey!!!!!!" Corey leaps to his feet as Stef jumps to hers.

"ENOUGH!" She raises her voice ten octaves as Stefanie pulls Frankie off the table, and Callie reaches over to take the ketchup bottle.

"Franks!" Stefanie whispers loudly hoping to get the girl to snap out of it, for she knew that once Frankie was fired up, it was hard to bring her back down. She also hated seeing her get into trouble over it.

But the girl doesn't listen as she points to Corey who is freaking out as he frantically wipes at his head with a good kitchen towel. "Haha! That's what your ass gets! You freak!"