Fool Me Once...

Part 18

Stevie groaned at the sound of the doorbell. She was home alone at the moment, which meant she had to roll out of bed and open the door for whoever was waiting outside. Nobody called prior to coming, she wasn't expecting anyone. But when she saw Lindsey standing in front of her, her face lit up. She stepped over the doorstep and wrapped her arms around his neck, Lindsey hugged her back, a smile on his face. He missed her.

"I know it's still going to be a while, but I brought something." Lindsey said, holding out a teddy bear. "For the little one."

"Aw, Linds..." Stevie lay a hand over her chest, completely taken aback by his gesture. She took the plush toy and showed him to go inside. "Thank you."

They spoke on the phone after Stevie found out about Ryan and Amanda. She was a mess, she needed someone, she needed Lindsey. They spent no less than two hours on the phone, Stevie told him everything. However, they hadn't been in contact for the whole upcoming month, that's why Lindsey's visit surprised Stevie. There was no particular reason why they didn't speak to each other, just that a lot was going on for the both of them. 

"How are you, Stevie?" Lindsey asked, taking a seat at the kitchen table. 

She went to put the kettle on. She reached up for two cups, setting them down on the kitchen counter. "I'm good." She said. "I'm doing okay."

"I'm sorry I disappeared at a time when you clearly needed someone there for you, but..." Lindsey trailed off, scratching the back of his head, before he clasped his hands in front of him. "I'm here now. Whatever you need - I'm here."

Stevie smiled, leaning against the counter. "Things are going well right now. I'm not really doing anything. I've got Mia and Karen, they help out. I mostly lie in bed anyway."

"What about the album?" 

"I quit." Stevie said, shocking Lindsey. "I did. I know the initial plan was to have eighteen songs on the record and there was half of it, when you left already. I found out that I'm pregnant and I realized that I don't need all the negativity and stress right now. I need to take care of myself and the baby." She mindlessly placed her hand on her belly, which just started to round. 

"Mick couldn't have been very pleased." 

"Oh, no. Not at all." Stevie shook her head, bringing a cup of coffee to Lindsey and tea for herself. She sat down on his right. "He threw a fit, he yelled, he cursed, he told me, I shouldn't be having more kids at my age." She shrugged. Surprisingly, Mick's words didn't have much effect on her. "I told him that he can find someone to replace both of us and finish recording all of the eighteen songs if he wants to. I don't care."

"He's not going to." Lindsey said and Stevie agreed. "So, it's kind of the end, huh?" Lindsey wondered aloud, it truly was upsetting, but it couldn't be changed now.

"I guess so, yeah." 

They grew silent for a minute, which Lindsey spent watching her, a glimpse of a smile on his lips. "You're so beautiful, when you're pregnant." 

"I am?" Stevie chuckled, shyly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Funny, I just feel fat."

"Don't say that." His eyes traveled to her bump, then back up to her face, silently asking and Stevie gave a nod of her head. Lindsey placed one of his hands on her bump. "Hey there..."

"They haven't moved yet, it's a bit early I guess." Stevie smiled, covering his hand with hers. "Am I crazy for doing this at my age, Linds?"

"I don't think you are. You've been blessed, Stevie. Not many women get this chance."

She nodded, sighing. "I just didn't think I was going to have to do it alone."

"You're not alone. You have me." Lindsey told her again. "And what about Ryan?"

"He's still beginning me to forgive him. He calls at least once a day, he comes over, but I've been there, Lindsey, I don't want to do it again." Stevie shrugged her shoulders, placing both her hands on the cup of tea. "I'm not going to forbid him from seeing his child, but there's no future for us as a family. I made a decision and I'm going to stand by it." She brought the cup up to her mouth, then put it down again. "Only when I saw a naked woman, his ex girlfriend, in his house, I realized that my feelings may have been deeper for him than I thought." 

Lindsey hated seeing her so sad. He hugged her around the shoulders, drawing her closer he pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Anyway. Enough about me. How you've been?" Stevie asked, trying to sound excited. She wasn't really, she didn't want to hear how Lindsey and Kristen were able to fix their marriage.

"Well..." Now Lindsey sighed, pretending to see something in his coffee. "I signed the divorce papers today."

Stevie's jaw dropped, her eyes wide. "Are you serious?"

"Kristen said, she tried, but she realized it was too late." Lindsey shrugged. "Apparently, I'm not the same man she fell in love with. Honestly, I don't even really know what was so wrong that I did to her. I can't be the only one to fight for our marriage. I didn't expect things to end like this for us, but what else can I do?"

"I'm so sorry." Stevie leaned in, pulling him into her arms. "God, things are peachy for us, aren't they?"

That genuinely made Lindsey laugh. "At least we have each other, right?"

Backing off just a little, Stevie smiled, nodding her head. "We do." 

There it was again, that same pull. It wasn't right, not given everything that was going on in their lives, but they couldn't seem to be strong enough to fight it either. Cupping her cheek, Lindsey leaned in and she met him halfway.