On the day of the recital Stef and Brandon were both complete wrecks. Brandon was nervous about performing for the first time and wanted to get to school early so that he could get his hands on a guitar. Stef was dreading having her father there and wished there was some way she could un-invite him. Lena tried her best to keep them both calm. She kept reminding Brandon that he'd already practiced a lot and the most important of all was to just have fun and for the most part he had calmed down, especially after she'd offered to treat them all to cupcakes after the show.
Stef wasn't so easy to deal with. She apologized to Lena several times for all the things her father might say or do and kept reminding her that regardless of what he thought she loved her and had never been happier. Lena wished she could ease Stef's mind. She could see just how much it hurt Stef to think that the person who was supposed to accept her for exactly who she is, judged her more than anyone else.
"We'll just do quick introductions after the show and get the hell out of there." Stef said again as she helped Brandon do up his tie. "It's a good thing you won't be there before the show actually starts."
Lena couldn't help but laugh at the comment. Yes, she was helping organize and so wouldn't be able to sit in the audience until the show actually began but hearing her girlfriend say she was thankful for it was quite funny.
"It'll be fine babe." Lena said yet again. "It won't be so bad. Even if he doesn't approve of me, it's you that matters."
"Who doesn't approve?" Brandon asked. He had been listening to his mom and Lena all day but couldn't quite understand what they were talking about. He gathered that his mom was afraid to see someone but he didn't know who but Lena didn't seem to be scared.
"No one." Stef said, dismissing the question. She didn't want to put her son in a position to have to choose between his mother and grandfather. So far Frank was still sticking around for Brandon and Stef wasn't about to ruin it for either of them.
"We better make a move on." Lena said, hoping to end this before it became a hot topic for Brandon. She'd learned over the years that telling a child to forget something only made them more curious.
"Yeah. Let's go, let's go." Brandon said as he grabbed his jacket and dashed out the door.
Stef sighed before leaning in to kiss Lena and reluctantly following her son out the door. This was going to happen and she just wished this night would be over and done with.
"Did you see me?" Brandon asked excitedly as he ran up to the small group that had come to see him.
"We sure did bud." Mike said enthusiastically. "You were great."
"You're a real pro kiddo." Sharon added with just as much excitement.
"You were awesome bud." Lena said.
Stef nodded in agreement with everyone though she was more nervous of what was to come.
Sharon, Mike and Frank had all joined Stef in the gym where the recital was being held but Lena has only come to sit with them once the actual event had begun and as a result Stef hadn't had a chance to introduce her to her father yet. But now the show was over and introductions were inevitable.
Stef had a few more minutes to gather herself as she listened to Brandon talk about how he'd been nervous but hadn't made a single mistake and how cool it was that he had the most guests of all the other students. But the time came for the awkward meeting when Brandon innocently stated...
"And the vice-principal of the school was there just to see me." He said proudly as he beamed at Lena.
Lena couldn't help but smile. She had to admit that she was just a little nervous now that Frank was standing in front of her and was happy to remain quiet and in the background but the little boy's statement made her heart clench.
"Absolutely." Lena said. "If it weren't for you they would have made me sit in the back." She added making his smile grow even larger.
"Dad, this is Lena; Lena, my father Frank." Stef finally said.
"Nice to meet you." Lena said, more shyly than Stef had expected.
Frank just nodded in reply. He couldn't really say it was nice to see her when clearly it wasn't. He didn't want to be rude but at the same time he had absolutely no idea what to say to a woman when the only things that came to mind were those of sin and religion. He knew that neither Stef nor Sharon would be too thrilled about either of those topics and so instead he remained silent.
"Well I heard that cupcakes were next on the agenda." Sharon said in an attempt to break the awkward silence that followed.
"Yeah, Lena promised mom." Brandon told his mother, hoping that it wouldn't get cancelled since they hadn't had dinner yet.
"Well if she promised..." Stef smiled at her son and then gratefully at her mother for the distraction.
Before Stef could say bye to her father and ex-husband Brandon was already inviting them to join in.
"Can I ride with grandpa?" Brandon asked innocently. "I haven't seen him in so long."
Another awkward silence filled the group as all eyes turned to Frank wondering if he'd decline the invitation or not.
"Please grandpa." Brandon begged making it even harder for the man to turn him down.
"Sure." Frank finally said and he heard Stef audibly sigh.
Lena gave Stef's hand an encouraging squeeze but Stef quickly pulled away. She was extremely uncomfortable and now she was obviously irritated at having him join them. She wanted a nice celebration with her son, mother and girlfriend but now Frank was coming along to ruin it.
"You say one negative word to him and I will make sure you never see him again." Stef threatened softly before walking towards her own car with her girlfriend and mother in tow.
Unknowingly Stef had hurt Lena when she'd pulled her hand away. Logically Lena knew that it wasn't her and just the situation that Stef was avoiding but just that small act after Frank's clear dislike of her made her feel a little unwelcome at this celebration.
Oddly enough Stef was having similar, yet opposite thoughts. She didn't want Frank there to ruin anything and while she knew that he'd only agreed to keep Brandon happy she still wished he'd declined. Now, all she wanted to do was get this over with and go back home, hold Lena in her arms and pretend this night never happened.
"Maybe you should just drop me home." Lena suggested softly. They were coming close to her street on their way to the bakery across from the station and Lena wasn't really looking forward to the uncomfortable dinner nor the tension that Stef was clearly facing.
"No." Stef said rather forcefully. "He's the one that should be dropped home." She said making Lena smile. She took a second chance and reached across for Stef's hand one more time and this time Stef held on. Stef looked over and realized that Lena needed this just as much as she did and she was more determined now than ever to show her father just what Lena meant to her. The only thing that she was still nervous about was what crap the man was filling in her son's head at that very minute.
