Love Will Keep Us - Book 5

Frankie's Heart

LENA POV

With Thanksgiving less then two weeks away I felt their was so much to prepare for especially with Stef's parents coming. Initially I was rather surprised when she told me they were both coming for it was the last thing I expected. Not so much Frank Sr. since I knew him and Stef had successfully repaired their relationship but definitely in terms of Sharon. I could see my wife was rather nervous about her coming and even had doubts she would fly all the way here. I had my doubts too since she failed to show up last Christmas but either way they were both welcome.

Still I was hoping we would have a nice holiday together as I was already preparing my menu and Frankie and Stef were putting together a dessert menu.

"Corey, can you get the door please! I'm washing dishes!" I call out as the doorbell just rang knocking me out of my thoughts. Scrubbing the last of the dishes from dinner tonight I had decided to do the dishes for the kids since they had worked at the bakery earlier and needed showers before homework. I had my moments of weakness plus Stef and I had lessened a bit on the punishments since the kids had done so well in terms of it.

"Mama, Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien are here," Corey walks into the kitchen as I frown.

"Who?"

"They said they're Renee's parents and you know them? Isn't Renee, Frankie's best friend?" Corey grabs a bag of chips from the cabinet as I dry my hands.

"Yes, and we just finished eating dinner. What are you doing?"

"I'm hungry!" Corey protests as I grab the bag from him and put it back.

"Eat an apple or drink some water, please! You haven't even given your food time to digest."

"Ahhh, c'mon!" I hear him complain again as I quickly make my way to the front living room ignoring his protests as I hear the sound of the chip bag again. Seeing the couple standing at the door I had never actually met them but did know Renee was Frankie's new best friend.

"Hi, I'm Lena Adams, please come in. " I smile opening the door as Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien walk in but are not friendly by any means." Please come into the living room and sit. Make yourself at home." I say again but their demeanor continues to be very cold and neither of them crack so much as a smile. "Did something happen? Is Renee okay?" I become worried as Mrs. O'Brian finally speaks.

"Renee is fine. She's in the car actually, and..."

"Renee's here?" Frankie comes into the living room, a towel on her head as she just showered, and I look at her beaming face.

Mrs. O'Brien doesn't look at my daughter but instead at me. "As I was saying, Renee is in the car, and I will have her come in in a minute. She has something she needs to say."

I am even more confused as Frankie steps forward. "Is she...okay, ma'am?"

I hear a bit of panic in my daughter's face. "She most certainly is, but before I go and get her, I need to tell you and your mother that she is no longer allowed to speak to you or talk to you again. Or come into this...this home where she has learned wicked things! And if I get whiff that she has, I will file a restraining order on you."

"Excuse me?" I glare now at this woman who has felt the need to come into my home and threaten my daughter and call our ways wicked. Who in the hell did she think she was?

"Mama, please!" Frankie begins to beg, but I ignore her as I feel her grabbing my hand.

"I don't know who you think you are coming into my home and making threats to my child, but it's not happening! EVER! HOW dare you. SO if you have something to say, say it to me! Say it right to my face honey!" My voice raises as Mrs. O'Brien nods to her husband and he quietly leaves, probably to get Renee as I turn to Frankie.

"Go to your room, Francesca. It's okay." I brush her arm as she has tears rolling down her face.

"Please, Mama. It's okay. I understand..." She tries to reason with me, for she knows I will shake this woman to death if she makes anymore threats.

"She knows what she did, and she ought to be ashamed of herself!" Mrs. O'Brien raises her voice as I now see red but the door opens and in walks Renee. I notice that her eyes are red and puffy as her mother grabs her by the arm and growls at her. "Go on! You know what you need to do!"

"I don't think yanking your daughter around..." My voice raises even more as Mrs. O'Brien cuts me off.

"Either let her talk, or else!" She threatens me and I am two seconds from decking her.

"Please, Mama," Frankie cries now but I step towards the woman that I am ready to kill and once again feel my daughter pulling my arm to hold me back.

"Or else what? Huh? You're gonna stand there and threaten me? Are you?" I shout now as Stef walks in the room and speaks up.

"What's going on here?" I whirl around and see she's finally home from work, and I'm grateful she's in uniform. Maybe these fools will back the hell off.

"These people have lost their ever loving minds coming into our homes and making accusations and threats!" I throw my hands in the air as Frankie is crying harder than ever, and tears are falling down Renee's cheeks. "Saying we are teaching their daughter wicked ways and that they will file a restraining order against our daughter Stef!"

"I think you're being dramatic," Mrs. O'Brien replies as Renee wipes her eyes and steps towards Frankie.

"I'm sorry, Franks!" She cries as Frankie can't even look at her, staring at the floor.

"It's not your fault," she hiccups as Mrs. O'Brien butts in.

"And?"

"And I didn't mean to kiss you back. I felt like I had to. We can't be friends anymore, and I'm sorry for leading you on," Renee spills out as I can feel the blood draining from my face as I look at Stef who is the reddest I've seen her in a very long time. They kissed? What was happening!

"Are you being serious right now? Are you?" Stef steps towards the mother as I can feel tears now burning my eyes. "I suggest you take your daughter and leave. NOW." Her voice is firm and low, and I know she will snap this woman's neck in half if she speaks to her the way she just spoke to me.

"No issue. But keep your fairy daughter away from mine. She's nothing but trouble and she has brought sin into my daughter's life and so have you. Your home is a disgrace and you should be ashamed of yourself. Raising children with two mothers. What an abomination!"

Mrs. O'Brien turns to leave as Stef grabs her by her arm and gets in her face. "You want to take this outside? MM? Because I believe I just heard you threaten and humiliate my entire family, and that's not happening! Not on my watch honey, and I have zero issue taking my uniform off and whipping your ass as well as your husbands!!!!! So you GET THE FUCK OUT!"

"Mama Dukes! Please! Just let them go!" Frankie begins tugging on Stef's arm as she snaps out of it and looks at our daughter who is crying hysterically. I can't help but gently grab Frankie's hand for this was heartbreaking. Was she gay?

"You're lucky!" Stef hollers as the family exits the house, and she follows them. And as she stands in the doorway, she hollers again. "Don't ever step foot on this property again or I will file the fucking restraining order myself! Fucking assholes!" She screams slamming the door as Frankie pulls away from me running to her room. "Francesca don't cry baby!" She yells walking to our daughters room as I follow behind but pull her arm.

"Stef, what is going on? What don't I know?" I ask looking at my wife as she lets out sigh and I can tell by the look on her face that I am in the dark in terms of our daughter.

"What's with those assholes making fun of our family!" Corey says as I rub my forehead feeling a headache come on.