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“He's an old confused man, who will believe him,” Becky said.
"What did you just say?” Carla exclaimed, puffing her chest.
"What did she just say?” She repeated in disbelief while turning towards Lisa.
“You don't get to say anything about him, he has more honesty in the tip of his hair than you do in your whole body," Carla continued stepping towards Becky.
“If he's so important to you, why'd you lie to him the other day huh? Called him crazy yourself," Becky challenged.
"Oi,” Lisa said, “shut it." She added and glared at Becky who apparently understood to leave it. Becky huffed and was about to say something. She opened her mouth but stopped immediately as Carla shot her a glare. Instead she turned to Lisa, “never knew you'd be into feisty women."
“There's a lot you don't know about me," Lisa barked.
"I'd say there were times when I knew you better than you knew yourself,” Becky shot back.
“Yeah? Even if, those times were gone long before you were," Lisa replied with less force than before and leaned against Carla.
“I think it's time you leave," Carla said in a tone that left little space to argue.
However it seemed Becky took this little space up.
“I don't think that's your decision," she said. Carla left her spot behind the kitchen island and walked closer to Becky towering over her even in her flip-flops despite being only an inch taller.
“Yeah and who's decision do you think that is then? Huh? Lisa made it perfectly clear she doesn't want you here, I have made it perfectly clear you should leave. Hell even Betsy said she needs time. So do all of us a favor and just take the hint," she threatened. Her voice was more of a growl than anything else.
Becky stood up straight, now on eye level with Carla due to her shoes and both women were in the middle of a staring contest when Betsy came running down the stairs.
“Mom?" She asked when she reached the ground floor and all three women turned to her.
“Yeah?" They said in unison and Carla immediately flinched, unsure if she was still included in the circle.
“I meant Carla,” Betsy replied timidly, Carla's grin was a mixture between happiness, relief and smugness.
"Yes, dear?"
"Could you help me with some stuff for college? They want us to provide some designs and I wanted to run them by you,” Betsy replied.
Carla immediately walked over and followed Betsy up the stairs, her last look towards Becky, who fumed.
“Did you tell her to call her that? Carla's not Betsy's Mother,” Becky argued the moment Betsy was out of earshot.
“She has been treating Betsy like her daughter the moment they met. Had been a mother to Betsy long before her and I started dating. And if you really must know it was Betsy's own decision to call Carla Mom,” Lisa shot back. She was tired of having to defend the life, the family they built.
“Yeah, so she just takes on strangers' kids and builds a family around that. I mean I heard Ryan isn't her son yet she treats him like one, Bobby whom she apparently kicked out was the same and now Betsy?! Betsy's our daughter, she does not get to interfere,” Becky raised her voice.
“Ohh no, that's where you are wrong. You are the one who does not get to interfere beyond whatever Betsy lets you," Lisa stated.
"She is my daughter, just as much as yours. So you don't get to make this decision,” Becky replied.
"Yes Becky, I do get to make that decision. You gave away your right to make these decisions when you decided to fake your own death and let us pick up the pieces,” Lisa shot back, fully aware that they were in the middle of a screaming match.
At the same time upstairs
Carla was hunched over the designs Betsy came up with for her assignment. The young blonde all but pressed against her.
“These look amazing, sweetheart," Carla said and reached around Betsy's shoulder to pull her close.
She could hear the voices from downstairs and knew that Betsy could hear them too.
“Hey, talk to me," Carla eventually said as she placed a small kiss on Betsy's hairline.
“What do you think will happen?” Betsy all but whispered.
"I don't know sweetheart, but whatever it is I promise you we'll all be here for you,” Carla replied holding on tightly.
"Becky, Mom, I don't even know what to call her right now, does not want you in my life,” Betsy replied.
“Do you want me in your life?" Carla asked lifting her head to look at Betsy. The young blonde had tears in her eyes and looked at Carla intensely.
“I hate that you even ask. You're as much my Mom as she is,” Betsy replied. Carla felt for the young woman, she had to go through so much more in her young years than many people do in their whole lives.
"Then I'll be in your life. No one can keep me away from you, no matter what bullshit we boomers catapult ourselves into. I want to be your Mom and I will be your Mom for as long as you let me," Betsy buried her head in Carla's neck and let her tears flow. Betsy had pulled back from everyone after finding out about Becky so for her to now open up to Carla meant the world to the brunette.
Carla held Betsy while the young woman cried until she fell asleep against her shoulder. And even after the brunette didn't move, just held Betsy and whispered reassuringly to her.
It wasn't until an hour later that Lisa stomped up the stairs the screaming match finally ended. Lisa opened the door to Betsy’s room but waited for Carla to react before she entered.
Carla nodded softly and lifted her other arm for the blonde to snuggle in.
“She doesn't want you in Betsy's life," Lisa whispered and curled her hand around Carla's shirt above her heart. Carla went stiff but didn't say anything.
"She doesn't understand that you are part of Betsy's life and mine no matter what she wants. She doesn't get to want anything,” Lisa whispered as she balled her fist around Carla's shirt.
“I love you," Lisa whispered.
“I know," Carla replied and kissed Lisa's head,
"I love you too.”
They sat in silence for a bit before Lisa lifted her head to look at Carla.
"I want you… No, I need you to understand that you have nothing to worry about. I will not let her come between us or between you and Betsy. If she can't handle you being in Betsy's life then she has no right to be in our lives," Lisa stated. Carla wanted to believe the blonde so badly but there was a small voice at the back of her neck that kept telling her that she didn't deserve them. Didn't deserve the happiness she felt.
She closed her eyes as she felt the tears sting.
“I'm not sure it's only your choice," she said as she looked down to a sleeping Betsy who stirred slightly.
“What's not Mom's decision?" She asked sleepily, looking up at Carla.
“It's noth…” Lisa started but decided against lying,
"If Becky can't handle Carla being in our lives then we have to reconsider her place in ours,” she whispered softly.
"Agreed," Betsy mumbled before she snuggled deeper in Carla's side.