A Chosen Life (Hard Time Series Book 4)

Deadly

LENA POV

"Who was that?" I sit up now as I flick on my bedside lamp seeing Stef get up and carefully put her sweatpants on. Glancing at the clock it was 2 in the morning and I can hear the rain outside growing rather heavy as I can only wonder who in the hell my wife had just been speaking too.

"Um I need to head to the bus stop. I'll be back babe." She says avoiding my eyes as I get out the bed and walk over to her.

"Who was that? Who needs you to pick them up from a bus stop at 2 in the morning? Was it Tracey or something?" I ask growing worried but now suspicious as she still won't look at me and that instantly sets off alarm bells in my head as she still won't look at me. "Stefanie who was that?"

"It was Tula Lena. "She said softly as my eyes narrow at her for was I hearing right? No I couldn't be hearing right at all for Tula was out our lives for months. And why in the hell would she be calling my wife?

"I'm sorry? What in the hell does she want and why are you going out at 2am to pick her up from a bus stop!"

"Because she doesn't have anywhere else to go tonight Len. Her girlfriend kicked her ass and she needs someplace to stay tonight."

"You are kidding me right? You are really kidding me! After the shit she pulled! You can not be serious! Let her go call one of her friends or family! Why in the hell would she call you? She has some nerve!"

"Lena! I was not her first choice to call ok! She knows the deal she knows she was an asshole! But what could I say huh? You and I both know what it feels like to be in that position and not have anyone to call. No one!" She yells back as I am so furious I can feel my whole body shake. 

"What is it with you and these past girlfriends. Huh?"

"Jesus here we go again! Lena come on!! I never said she was staying but she said she had NO one to call. NO ONE! And I told her she can stay the night and we can find a place fro her tomorrow! I can't just...just what have her roam around at 2 in the morning all fucked up and scared. I can't do that!"

"Fine. Go. Go do what you need to." I say heading back to my bed and waving her off.

"Are you kidding? You don't trust me? Huh? This is not about her being my ex girlfriend. You of all people should know this."

"Stefanie do what you need too. Go rescue everyone. Violet need your help too? Huh while your at it?" I snap back as she looks at me rather coldly for was I being unreasonable?

"You are something else. You wanna be that way! Fine be that way! Go on!"

"Yes go on and rescue all your women! Go ahead!"  I yell back as she slams the door being her and I hear her pull off for I was pissed. I was so pissed at her but did I have every right to be. Fuck if I knew but I was so tired of these women coming back into her life and she just didn't know how to say no to them! No matter what they did and it drove me up a fucking wall. Feeling far too angry to go back to sleep of course I'm worried about her being out there in the pouring rain. Of course I am as I head to the kitchen to make a cup of tea as I turn around seeing Frankie knowing Stef and I woke her up with our screaming which I wasn't proud of.

"Is everything ok Mama Lion? Mama ok?" She says walking into the kitchen with her mother's giant sweatshirt on. 

"Yes honey she just needed to go pick up a friend. She will be back. You ok?"

"Well yeah but I heard you both fighting. She went to pick up Tula? The one from the bowling alley that was getting beat up?" She asks as I take a seat at the table and motion for her to sit beside me. 

"Yes."

"So why are you upset if she's helping her? Because she use to be with Mama?" She asks rather innocently as I gently grab her hand holding it. Shit what in the hell was I supposed to say to that? 

"I'm not upset honey. I...

"Mama Lion I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm almost 18 and Erin and I fought sometimes too.  She use to get real made at me for being all impulsive and shi..I mean and stuff. Because I was always helping people even if they weren't good. She asked me why. She was like Frankie why are you helping Darlene after what she did? Truth was Mama Lion it wasn't that I wanted to help Darlene but it was almost like it was in my instincts."

"What did you help her with baby? You didn't tell me and Mom that."

"I know. She got pregnant by some jackass and I found her in the bathroom crying. Said if her parents found out she would be on the street so I took her to planned parenthood."

"Oh goodness baby. I... when? Why didn't you come to me and Mom?"

"It was ok. I handled it. And Erin was really angry with me but I told her Darlene had no one else at that time. Nobody and yeah I was still pissed at her for all the shit she said and pulled with me and brother years ago but in that moment she was so hurt Mama Lion. Like she was so damm scared that, that I couldn't just leave her in that bathroom like that. And you know I'm like the most loyal person ever to this family. Ever."

"I know babylove. I know you are." I say as I smile softly at her seeing how much she really, really looks like Stef and it is then that I do feel bad for how angry I was with her when she left. I knew how Stef was, I knew she couldn't resist helping people even if they weren't good people. But, I needed to tell her how I felt about it, how it made me worry. It really did for she just didn't know how to think of herself.

"You know Mama loves you hard Mama Lion. She does. And she's not stepping out on you."

"Oh babygirl you are too young to speak of these things to me." I laugh as she smiles wide at me.

"I'm not dumb Mama Lion. I get a little about relationships now.  I know more then you think."She admits as I squeeze her hand harder as we both now hear the door unlock.  As  I turn around I gulp as I see Tula's face and it is horrific. So horrific that even my heart breaks as I make eye contact with my wife nodding my head. We would discuss things later for sure.

"I'll go get some first aid stuff." Frankie says heading to the bathroom as I get up pulling a seat out for Tula.

"Thanks baby. Tula come have a seat."

"Thank you." She says walking over as Stef rests her cane against the wall and I grab her hand. Right now I would push my feelings aside for this woman was in trouble, big trouble as it was so familiar to how Peaches had shown up at our home. Yes it was very hard for me to have sympathy for a woman that tried to come between my marriage more then once but right now I could see how broken she was and torn not to mention fragile as Stef takes a seat at the table herself. "I'm not trying to make problems for either of you. I didn't have anyone else to call. No disrespect Lena and no disrespect Stefanie."

"Tu we can push those things to the side right now. What going on?"  Stef asks as Frankie returns with the first aid kit and taking a seat beside her mother as Tula looks to her.

"You look like your mother. You're a pretty girl. I remember she had your pictures up in her cell when you were little. Always smiling. You should be proud of both your mothers."

"I am thanks." Frankie says softly.

"Babygirl go on back to bed. Ok? We need to speak to Tula privately." Stef says.

"Ok. Night Mama's."

"Good night honey." Both Stef and I say as Frankie obeys heading to her room. Getting some cotton balls ready for Tula's face I glance to Stef as they are both quiet and she now begins to tell us what happened. And it is anything but pretty.