A Life Beyond (Hard Time Series Book 2)

Thanksgiving Day

With the family arriving at Miss Rose's home a little late the older woman didn't mind at all. She knew it was a challenge getting all the kids out and was just happy the new family could join hers for their first Thanksgiving. All of Miss Rose's children were arriving as well as her grandchildren who were around Frankie's age whom she knew from chorus. Stef had to warn  and remind her little girl to behave and not run around like a wild woman who had no manners. 

Callie being a tad shy stayed close to her mothers in the  kitchen along with Judy helping Miss Rose prepare more dishes. Her son along with a few of his friends were watching the Thanksgiving Day football game and Jude joined them grateful for the male company. It was something he usually had done with his uncle whom he was missing on this day even if he was happy to spend it with his mother for the first time since he was 8.

"I think he is just happy to be around testosterone." Lena said happily as she sat on her wife's lap helping peel potatoes for the salad as baby Stef and Noah were  playing in the playpen.

"This is true. He needs it about to drive me damm near fucking insane."

"Language." Lena reprimanded as Judy let out a soft smile. "I'm going to start charging you."

"Yeah baby what you gonna charge me huh?" She teased kissing her shoulder as Lena grinned at her.

"Now don't go pissing your wife off honey you know you won't win that battle." Miss Rose joked walking over with another bowl and taking a seat beside the women. Callie could only chuckle as Stef did herself for she knew it was true. Everyone did.

"Yeah damn right I won't."

"Glad you know it." Lena said as she grinned at her wife yet again.

"So Judy we are glad you could join us. We didn't scare you off last night did we?" Miss Rose joked as the tamer would smiled.

"Oh no. Not at all."

"You sure now sister in law? Don't mind hanging out with a bunch of jail birds?" The blonde joked lighting a cigarette as Lena shook her head.

"Baby don't ask her that."

"What? Hey it's an honest question."

"I don't see you like that Stef. Honest I don't see any of you like that and you all did what you had too. It's easy to judge on the outside but you never really know unless you are in that person's shoes so I respect all of you and it could not have been easy."

"It wasn't and jail had it's challenges." Miss Rose began as all the women agreed. "But life is a challenge and we all  manage and hopefully we meet friends and family along the way. Many times we build our own families and sometimes they feel more like our family then our actually family."

"Isn't that the truth." Callie said as both Stef and Lena looked to her smiling.

"Life puts certain people in it for certain reasons. Even if we don't get along with that person initially it just wasn't the time. But if they are meant to be in your life it will happen."

"So you think if we had not met in jail we would have anyway?" Callie asked the older woman.

"I think so and it is very possible we would have. I don't doubt it."

"Isn't that far fetched mama?" The blonde asked puffing on her cigarette.

"I don't think so baby. I think you would have still married Lena. I think Callie would still end up being your daughter and I think we would all be sitting around this table still. Maybe it would be a different year. But I am pretty sure we would still end up in the same place. However, that is just my theory but fate has a way of showing its colors."