Love Will Keep Us - Book 5

Before Work

LENA POV

Grabbing a glass of water from the kitchen I was happy to be home and shower for it had been a long day of helping our friends move in. Dinner was nice as well but I knew Frankie winning a bake sale along with a ribbon at school and not telling us had upset Stef. I knew that and I knew her feelings were hurt from it. Even if she would flat out deny it deep inside my wife was pure mush and I knew it was the side the kids missed. All of them did but they needed to understand that being an aunt was very different then being a mother. Very, and that their poor actions had consequences.

Hearing her showering now for work since she was on nights now for a few days, I head downstairs to Callie's room and softly knock on the wall since Callie's basement door had been taken off as well.

"Come down." She says as I make my way down seeing Frankie occupy what used to be Stefanie's bed when she lived with us and when she would stay over. It looks as if Frankie is sketching something, but I don't pry.

"Hi, Mama." Callie says combing her hair as I smile and sit beside Frankie as I try nonchalantly to see what she's drawing.

"Hi, loves. Just came down to say goodnight."

"Sure. Goodnight." They both say as I remain seated on the bed.

"Listen, I just wanted to tell you girls that Mom and I love you. We love you and your brother and harsh discipline is not always easy. But it doesn't mean we don't want you to not tell us things. We still want to be a close-knit family, and I want you to know you can tell me and Mom anything."

"FRANKIE DID YOU TAKE MY CHIPS!!" I suddenly hear my son shout from the top of the steps.

"NO, DUMMY! WE JUST ATE, FOOL!"

"Hey! Corey, there is no need to shout! You come down here too because this concerns you as well." Hearing him run down the steps, he l groans as I wave him over. "Over here, young man. Please." Walking over to me he takes a seat on the bean bag that the girls had in the corner of their room.

"I was just saying to your sisters that Mom and I know tough discipline is hard but it doesn't mean you can't talk to us. We both want to know what is going on in your lives regardless. Frankie, we would have loved to have known about the bake sale and that you won a ribbon. And I'm sure Mom would have loved to know too. It's something you two always did together."

"I forgot." She shrugs as she begins shading her piece.

"Yeah, I don't think you did. And can you please put that down for now? I'm trying to have a real conversation with you, kids."

"Course she didn't! She just didn't wanna be screamed at!"Corey laughs as Frankie shoots him daggers with her eyes and sticks out her tongue.

"Guys, Mom does not scream at you 24/7. I think you all know that. You know you can talk to her. You know she wants to know what's going on in your lives. And you definitely know why you each were screamed at."

"We have no lives, Mama." Corey says. "It's easy for you to say cuz she doesn't make you run, bark in your ear and demand you do push-ups if she even thinks you didn't run your best! She's a dictator!"

"Do not call you mother that. It's not nice and I won't have it. And young man what you said about not having a life is not true. You are still allowed one activity school related and you are allowed to work at the bakery. Hanging with new friends at their homes or them coming here will happen shortly. You HAVE lives, even if you think you don't."

"I didn't want her to help me. She's always mad and yes, Corey is right she's always screaming at us. I would have rather have you or Corey help me then Mom now. She's just always in a bad mood. And just this morning, she made me run an extra mile all because I told her I disagreed with her that I didn't run my best!"