Love Will Keep Us - Book 5

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With both women returning back home from their honeymoon, the kids were very excited to see them. They really were, for the stories that Julius and Tess had told brought a whole new light for the kids, and they couldn't wait to chat about it with their Moms.

Tess left almost immediately upon their return, as did Julius, and soon things went back to normal, or near normal for the little family.

Stef was now fixing the leaking sink in the kitchen and Lena was picking out an outfit for her interview. When Julius called and told her Philip could get her an interview at La Jolla High School as the main art teacher, she was so excited she didn't know what to do with herself.

Sure, she had wanted to teach college art, but she would take this in a second as well. But even if this was high school, she was super nervous, if she was honest, and as she came out of the bedroom for the 5th time with another outfit on, Stefanie couldn't help but snicker as she watched from the kitchen table.

"Is this one ok? Is it better then the last one?" Lena asks Stef who has her head under the sink still. "Baby?"

"Love, it's beautiful. Just like the last five you had on."

"You aren't even looking." Lena folds her arms as she frowns at Stef's legs.

"It's really nice, Aunt Lena. Really." Stefanie huts in seeing that her aunt was now getting her feelings hurt. She was doing her nails, and knew that the woman's nerves were on end. "I like this one the most, especially with the colorful scarf."

"Really? And the shoes are ok?" Lena turns to the older teen as she nods.

"Definitely! They show your confidence!"

"Well, thank you for paying attention." She says looking back to her wife who now slides out from under the sink. Getting up, she grabs the woman's hand seeing how nervous she is.

"I am paying attention, baby. You are beautiful and you don't need to be so nervous, love." She says pulling the woman closer to her and wrapping her arms around her waist. "You are smart, talented and very qualified. Over qualified. So you go in there like the confident woman you are and you get that job. Hear me?" She says cupping the woman's cheek as Lena blushes.

"Yes. Thank you."

"Anytime." Stef winks as she leans in and kisses her wife on the lips. "Now let me get back to this sink before it's another night of bailing water."

"Are you sure you don't want me to call someone? I can call someone, Stef."

"Nonsense! I know what I'm doing. Right, Stefanie?" She says looking at the girl who ducks head as she nods.

"Sureeee, Godmommy."

"Oh that was confident. Thanks. But I got it, Len. Trust me."

"Ok, babe." Walking off Lena heads back to change out of her clothes as Stef takes a seat at the table.

She had been partly worried about not hearing back from the police department in terms of her application. It had been two months already and she was growing tired and antsy of waiting around.

"You ok, Godmom?" Stefanie asks taking a break from painting her nails as the blonde snaps out of her thoughts, smiling at the girl.

"Yeah, babe. Why?"

"MM you look deep in thought. What's on your mind?"

"That obvious, babe?" Stef picks up the pretty pink Stefanie had just used and smiles.

"To me. Want me to do your nails?"

"Sure. Just clear."

"Ok." The girl says smiling as she moves closer to the woman and gently holds her hand before applying hand lotion making it softer.

"You have strong hands." Stefanie observes as she watches her god mom's face.

"Meaning?" Stef asks as the girl looks into her hazel eyes smiling. Turning her hand around she runs her finger along her palm lines.

"You have strong lines. Two very strong lines. Meaning you had two paths you could have gone down. But one line is longer then the other. Meaning one of the paths would have ended quickly. Not in a death or morbid kind of way but in a different way. But you are strong, confident, and sometimes self conscious. You love hard and you want the best for people. You are tough and the deep lines indicate also how tough you are and the lighter ones indicate how sensitive you are. You had alot of pain but it's all healing.

"You...you see all that baby?" Stef looks at her goddaughter in disbelief, and for a moment, she doesn't recognize her for she seems so grown up.

"Yeah. I learned how to read palms ages ago. Some people, I can read better then others. Frankie's was similar to yours."

"Yeah?" Stef asks smiling at the girl.

"It was."

"It what way, babe?"

"MM she has strong lines too, and is also very sensitive."

"That she is. And what about yours? MM?"

"Oh, I can't read my own. But the person who read them...nevermind." She glances down at her freshly painted nails.

"No, not nevermind. Talk to me." The blonde says lifting the girls chin up with her hand. "Talk to me. You and I are building our relationship back, right?"

"Yes, but...I don't want to talk about...sad things, god-mommy. Not now. I'm trying to move forward."

"So, you trust me enough to tell me babygirl? Because last I checked, I always listened. MM?" The blonde's hazel eyes are so intense as Stefanie gulps letting out a sigh. "Scoot closer to me. Please." Scooting closer to her godmother Stef wraps her arm around the young teen.

"They said I'd have a few hard years. That I'd split from my family and be angry at the person I loved more than anyone, that my mind wouldn't be clear. But when it was all over and I thought I'd lost it all...you all? I never really did. I had you...you never left. I had, I mean...have this depression thing, but I'm happy I have my family back. I'm so happy, I have you back."

"You always had and have us, baby. Always, and don't be ashamed of what you struggle with. Many of us, well all of us struggle with something. And if we have support, love, family and friends then we can get through it. I promise. Understand me?"

"Yes." The girl says as tears run down her face and Stef leans in kissing her forehead and wiping them.

"Come, lets go take a walk on the boardwalk and get a snow cone."

"Like we used to when I was little? But don't you have to work on the sink for Aunt Lena?" She giggles.

"Yeah. Like when you were little, babe. And she'll understand," Stef winks as she stands to her feet. "C'mon, let's hurry before you have to start your first day of work."

"Sounds good. But I'll pay. I insist. I have some money saved," Stefanie follows her to the back door.

"I pay next time." She winks as Stefanie hugs her tightly and they head out.