Love Will Keep Us - Book 5

Hurt Feelings

STEF POV

"If you babies want me to stay home, I can today. I have no issues doing that." I say to the girls as we all crowd around the breakfast table and I'm sipping my steaming hot coffee.

None of us really got much sleep last night, for Frankie had crawled into bed with us and so had Callie and Stefanie. That wasn't the cause, but we all continued to toss and turn and they were certainly feeling some PSTD from the fire. Callie had cried in her sleep, and Frankie was sweet and held on to her until she calmed. My heart is broken from all of this as I look around the table.

Corey had been up extra early making the breakfast to mine and Lena's surprise. But actually we weren't really surprised for we knew the guilt was eating him alive. Big time. "I know Mama is here but I can be here too if you all need both of us." Gently resting my hand on Stefanie's, she looks up at me, smiling. Callie as well as Frankie sat on the other side of me and I continued to hold her hand tightly. "You babies tell me what you need."

"We are ok, Mom. Really." Callie reassures. "Mama is here and we don't want you missing any days of you job. We will be fine"

"I don't care about missing days. Understood? You all come first to me. All of you."

"More coffee, Mama Dukes? Pancakes and bacon I made? Callie, Stefanie, Franks? Mama? I even made them with strawberries. Anything you want." Corey stands by the table wearing Lena's apron and holding a spatula.

"We are ok Corey and it was very nice of you to make all of this." Lena says as I eyeball Corey as he looks at me rather uncomfortably. He damn sure knew I was on top him but I was gonna let him keep sweating it out which he already was doing.

"Yeah it's really nice. It's not like you to be so interested in cooking for everyone and being so attentive. Almost as if you are making up for something? MM?" I stare him down as he is more than uncomfortable.

"Oh no...I just feel bad about what happened yesterday!" He smiles awkwardly as he clears his throat, his tell tale sign as his ears once more become red.

"Why? You weren't in the bakery anyway so what do you need to even feel bad for?" Frankie scowls. "I mean where were you anyway? Certainly not watching the rolls like you were supposed to now were you!" Frankie yells as I gently grab her hand nodding my head as she looks to me.

"I was!! I had to get sugar!"

"Sure. Whatever. And we risked our asses looking for you! Now Uncle's bakery is destroyed because of your dumb ass!"

"Francesca, honey. Calm down, ok?" Lena says as I look over at Frankie once again and back at Callie and Stefanie who remain quiet.

"Your dumb ass burnt it down! It was you not doing what you are supposed to because you don't care and only care about your dumb ass self! You're a selfish prick who is rude to Moms and us! We could have died because of you! You shouldn't have come back! I don't want your dumb breakfast anyway!" Frankie yells even louder, giant tears in her eyes.

"Love..." I begin as she now stands and Corey looks as if he will cry.

"I didn't! I was watching, Frankie, and I do care!! I do!" Corey looks at her, devastated.

"No! You weren't! We screamed for you! I thought you were burning, and you weren't even there! I hate you!" She lunges at him as I stand to my feet and grab her.

"Francesca," I say in a low voice as her small shoulders are shaking as she sobs.

"May I...may I be excused?" She cries as I turn her to look at me.

"Me too," Callie stands as she takes Frankie's hand, and I nod as I let go, and they both leave the room clinging to each other.

Stefanie sits at the table, a sad look on her face as Corey wipes his eyes. "I guess you hate me too. I guess everyone hates me. But I didn't do anything wrong. I didn't." He looks dejected as I watch Stefanie quickly wipe her eyes and pull out the chair next to her.

"You should sit and eat what you made, Cores," she says softly as he looks at her with sad eyes.

"You...you sure?"

"I am. Here. I can't eat all of this anyway," she fills a plate with food as he sits beside her and I look over at Lena as she looks at me. Corey is one tough cookie, but I can only hope with time, he will crack.

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LENA POV

"She was sooo rude!! Blaming me, and I have zero, zitch, nothing to say to her! NOTHING. Stefanie Marie crossed a line this time with me, baby!" Julius hollers into the phone, and I pull back the receiver. The girls are in the living room resting, and Corey is in his room as I had decided to call our friend since Stef had been trying to get ahold of him now for over three days.

"Julius, we were all upset. She did not mean to accuse of you what happened. She didn't and if you would pick up her calls and if you would stop hanging up on her when I give the phone to her, you could hear what she has to say."

"Not interested, Mocha! None! She implied it was my fault! That the kids got hurt because of me! Because of me! I love those kids, Lena! I have always loved all of them and that hurt me to my core, Mama!!!! It really did!"

"I know, honey but she is sorry! She wants to tell you herself! Just let her tell you!" I say to Julius as I pass the phone to Stef who hesitantly takes it from me.

"Julius, it's Stef.." She says now before handing it back to me. "He hung up again."

"What the hell?" I groan as I dial his number again.

"Hello?"

"Jules, we are planning a end of the summer bbq, and I was wondering if you wanted to help with the menu," I try a different tactic as I hear him sigh.

"The menu? Why don't you and Stef plan it?"

"She's working longer hours, and you're good at stuff like that." I hand the phone to Stef again, and she tries once more.

"Jules, we can..." She cusses under her breath as she slams the phone on the hook and turns to me. "He doesn't want to talk, Lena. I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to do!"

"Let me try again," I pick up the phone and dial him.

"I don't want to talk to you, Stefanie Marie!" He screeches into he phone as I sigh.

"Julius! What the hell is wrong with you! This isn't like you to hold such a damn grudge!" I cuss as Stef laughs softly and takes the phone.

"Julius, it's Stef..." She slams the phone down once more and throws her hands up. "That's it! Enough! He knows where we live! He can come over, send a carrier pigeon, I don't give a fuck, but I'm not playing these petty ass games with him. Now, I love you for trying, my love, but I am tired!" She walks over to grab her pack of cigarettes before heading out to the back porch leaving me to sigh as I wish with all of my heart that Julius would get over his hurt feelings, for he knew we loved him.