Love Will Keep Us - Book 5

Turkey Day

"Oh joy. They're here again." Frankie says rolling her eyes as Frank and Sharon had pulled up the driveway and she felt her annoyance creep up already. The last thing she wanted was to see this woman again for when they left last night there was a certain tension in the air and she was still very much upset. All the kids had been especially hearing about the possible camp Stef had went to. It had worried Frankie all night if she was honest, for she wondered what happened to her Mama Dukes there? And was it something they might send her to as well if she didn't get herself together? Her physical appearance still even confused herself as she had made sure to straighten her hair even more this morning, but was double thinking her current outfit which consisted of jeans and a soft pink sweater.

In her mind she knew it didn't make sense for her Moms to send her to a camp since they were gay, but the idea of it still scared her very much. But just seeing Sharon again made her angry, and it also made her angry that Frank didn't seem to do anything in regards to what she had been spewing last night. In her eyes, Frank was just as rude and disrespectful.

"Well she is interesting." Stefanie says standing beside the girl now as Callie had gone downstairs to get dressed and both Corey and Stef were on their way back from their walk. "And Uncle Julius. Maybe we should all hide?"

"Fuck her. Serves her dumb ass right for sending Mama Dukes to that stupid ass camp. I should pound her." Frankie folds her arms across her chest as she narrowed her eyes watching the couple in the car for they had not gotten out yet. "Look at her sitting in the car like a dumb ass. Probably praying for her stupid soul in case she catches a disease or something."

"Franks, watch your mouth, okay?" Stefanie warns as the young girl sighs.

"It applies, Stefanie. She's massive jerk, and you know it. Mama Dukes knows it too and so does Mama."

"Who's a massive jerk??? MMMMM?" Julius asks heading towards the girls as Stefanie sighs. "And what are you two divas looking at outside? What is uncle missing?"

"That woman. I swear Mama Dukes was adopted!" Frankie pulls back the curtain again as Stefanie giggles now seeing both Sharon and Frank exit their rental car.

"Oh lordy where, baby?" Peeking out the curtain over her shoulder he is horrified at what he sees. "Good Lord Baby Jesus, Joseph, Mary and the camel! She dresses just like Steffy used to! My goodness grief!" He screeches as Stefanie squeezes in between them to see again even if she knew how she dressed: frumpy, outdated and extremely conservative. She had never seen anything like it as she continued to laugh at Julius' dramatics.

"Do you think she's Amish?" Frankie wonders as Julius steps back and rubs his eyes dramatically.

"Girlllll, you know what? I wouldn't be surprised if she's a studying Mother Nun! Who walks around with a Bible like that and rosary beads? Who does that?"

"I know she was rubbing them at dinner last night when we had pizza. And she was scared to sit next to me because she thinks she will turn black." Stefanie rolls her eyes as Julius shivers his body.

"Yup! She did, Uncle and they sent Mama Dukes to a camp!" Frankie says as the older man looks at her, raising his eyebrow.

"A camp? What on earth are you talking about, honey bunny!? Like a kids' camp?"

"No, like a camp to turn you ungay." Stefanie whispers as Julius face turns rather sad for to him it explained everything about the Stef he met on base. It did and he felt a sudden pang in his heart for the blonde. "They sent her and her brother, Frank Jr. You know the one who passed that Godmom was close to?"

"Oh Jesus Lord. Are you sure?" Julius covers his mouth with his hands as he appears to be in distress, for what else didn't he know? He had no clue whatsoever as Stef had never spoken of it.

"Yes." Stefanie says sadly as they all hear a knock at the door.

"Go, answer the door, Frankie!" Julius hisses as Frankie scowls and shakes her head.

"No way! Forget both of them! Besides, I'd tell them to get lost which they should!!"

"But this is your house," Stefanie hoarsely whispers as Julius shakes his head, agreeing with the girl as a second knock is heard and now the doorbell rings. With both Tess and Lena making a last minute stop at the store for milk it left these three to open the door which clearly was not happening.

"Nope! Not answering. I don't want that woman near me since she thinks we have a disease or something, " Frankie digs in further as Stefanie and Julius look at each other than back at the young girl. "Fuck both of them. You think I'm joking, but I'm not!"

"Well, somebody's gotta answer! Don't be rude, Francesca!" Julius whispers louder as Frankie becomes angry.

"Why don't you!? Or you!? You're the adult, Uncle!" She looks at both of them as the front door swings open and all three stop dead in their tracks as Stef along with Corey are followed by Frank and Sharon.

"I'm sorry no one was around to answer the door," Stef apologizes before seeing the three standing with nervous looks on their faces. "Or they were deaf. I'm not sure which one," she says rather sternly as Stefanie looks to the ground, Julius tries so hard to hold his laugh in at Sharon's outfit and Stef reprimanding them as Frankie shoves her hands in her pockets and mutters.

"I'm out," Frankie says before turning to leave the room, for she just was not dealing with these two right now. No way for if she did, she may kill them.

"Hi, ummm, hi, Papa Frank and Gran," Stefanie blushes as she steps from foot to foot seeing her Godmom eyeball her.

"Well, hello, there, young lady! Happy Thanksgiving!" Frank smiles as Sharon doesn't say a single word but is staring hard at Julius. Corey heads into the kitchen to grab a snack and shoot some hoops in the backyard, for he was thinking hard about his talk with Stef from the morning.

"Mom, I'd like you to meet my best friend, Julius. Julius, this my mother, Sharon Cooper, and you remember my father, Frank." The blonde gestures as she soon grabs Stefanie's hand gently holding it.

"Ohhhhh sooo nice to meet Steffy's mother!!! And such a fancy outfit you have on there, dear. Very stylish!!!" He says even more flamboyantly sticking his hand out as Sharon swallows hard nodding her head. There was no way she was shaking his hand ever, as she rubbed her rosary beads hoping this man didn't get any closer. Were all her daughter's friends gay and black? To her this was even more horrifying than she realized as the door opens once more as Lena and Tess walk in the house, Jerry not far behind.