A Life Beyond (Hard Time Series Book 2)

Do You Want To?

LENA POV

With the kids staying with us all week for Christmas break Stef, Callie and I still needed to go to work unfortunately. With my wife working a few overnights still we worked it out so that when  she got home in the morning she would eat breakfast with all of us and Mama Rose would drop me and Callie, come back and watch the babies until Stef woke up about three hours later. It was nice to have that type of support system which we really needed right and that we had someone we trusted so much with our children.

Truthfully, Christmas had been nice for us and we really had gone all out for it. Did we go a little overboard? Maybe. However, I was planning on working some overtime even if my wife was against it. Stef was like that in the fact that she didn't want me to work that much or work as much as her simply for the fact that she said she wanted to spoil me. I got it but she still needed to understand that I had no issue carrying my own weight, helping out and doing things for our family. But Stef being the woman she was saw it different and she wanted to give me everything on her own. Of course I understood but there was no way I was going to let her burn herself out for we had enough on our plates as it was.

"Mama Lion I don't know what to do." Callie said as the two of us sat down in the break room for lunch. 

"About what honey?"

"Well um, Pete. He sort of asked me out." She said rather shyly as I could only smile wide at her.

"Oh my goodness he did? That is great honey. You have been waiting for him to ask you."

"Yeah I know but now I have a stomache. I don't know."

"Well it's ok it's natural to be nervous. I mean it's your first date. So what did you tell him?"

"Um, well I didn't tell him yes or no. I sort of said I needed to think about it." She admitted looking embarrassed. "That was dumb right? That was really stupid. I should have said yes."

"No it wasn't. You can say what you want sweetheart. But the question is do you want to go out with  him?"

"I mean I don't know Mama Lion. He's nice." She blushed.

"Yes he is very nice. But what do you want to do? Are you comfortable because if you are not that is ok. You can always start with something small like going for coffee together. It doesn't have to be anything else."

"Really?"

"Of course not honey. It can be that simple. Infact I suggest that for a first date. You know someplace public. Do you think you might want to do that?"

"I, well I can't. Baby Stef...

"Sweetheart. Mom and I can watch her. It's ok. We want you to enjoy yourself and meet people." Gently I placed my hand on top of hers smiling softly for I wasn't really worried. I knew Pete and he was nice a kid, and I knew very much that he liked Callie a good amount for he asked me nervously a few weeks ago if he could take Callie out. But this was her choice and I did not want to tell her what to do but only encourage her.

"So you think coffee is ok? Should I go up to him and tell him I'd like to go?"

"Well my love he just walked in. So I think you can tell him. Only if you want honey. Remember that. This your choice."

"Ok." Swallowing hard my poor daughter looked so nervous as Pete looked toward us just as nervous as I waved him over. Smiling he slowly walked over speaking politely like he always did.

"Hi Lena. I mean Mrs. Adams Foster. Hi."

"Pete it's ok you can call me Lena. You know this." I smiled as he stuck his hands in his pockets for if he was this nervous talking to me I could only imagine how nervous he was going to be when he met my wife. That would be interesting for sure.