Fool Me Once...

Part 20

"I should probably start buying things for the baby. After Mia, I never thought I'd have to use any of hers again." Stevie said, sitting in the passenger's seat in Lindsey's car. She had a doctor's appointment and Lindsey was more than happy to take her.

"We can stop somewhere now." Lindsey suggested, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel at the red light. 

"You sure about that? It could take a while."

"It's not like I've got anywhere else to be, Steph." Lindsey glanced at her, smiling before focusing on the road ahead.

"Alright, you could help me." Stevie said, placing her hand on his forearm briefly. 

Parking his car in the parking lot of a mall, Lindsey turned off the engine of his car and got out, walking around the front to help Stevie. When she climbed out, she didn't let go of his hand. 

"Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?" Lindsey asked on their way inside the shopping center. 

"Honestly, Linds, I'm just hoping for a healthy baby. I already have one of each, so it doesn't really matter." Stevie joked, adding. "I was thinking of names the other day. I have so many in my head, I can't decide."

"I'm sure, when you see her or him, you'll know." Lindsey said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

It felt nice. It felt natural.

"Let's find a crib today." Stevie decided, entering a baby store. "It's got to be neutral."

"Alright." Lindsey nodded his head once. "What about that one over there." He pointed.

Stevie looked at it for a moment, her head cocked to one side more as she was thinking. Shaking her head, she said. "No, it's just... very plain."

"Yeah, I could probably make one like that myself." Lindsey agreed causing Stevie to start laughing. "What, you don't believe me?"

"I'd love to see you try." She tugged at his hand, pulling him in different direction. "This one is cute." She placed her free hand on the wooden crib. 

"How can a piece of furniture be cute?" Lindsey raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well, just look at it. It's cute!" 

Lindsey rolled his eyes, shaking his head slightly. "You know who's cute?" He leaned in closer. "You."

Stevie smiled, blushing. "This one's nice." She showed to another. It was white, with little moons and stars on it. "Don't you think?"

"Of course, you'd like that one." Lindsey chuckled, then shrugged his shoulders. "But yeah, I guess you could say, it's cute." Stevie nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. "What, your words not mine!" She then suddenly stopped. "What's wrong?"

Grabbing Lindsey's hand, Stevie placed it on her bump, waiting for a few seconds. "... did you feel it?"

"I did." Lindsey grinned, nodding his head. "I did!"

"I haven't felt them before." Stevie was getting slightly emotional. She never thought, she'd experience that again. "I think they like this one, too." 

With the purchase made, Stevie and Lindsey were back in his car, on the way to Stevie's. They didn't talk much, her hand in his most of the drive. However, when Lindsey pulled into her driveway, the serene atmosphere changed. There was a car parked outside her house and she knew exactly who it belonged to.

Opening the car door, Stevie got out and so did Ryan. Closing the short distance between them, Ryan reached for her hands, but Stevie pulled them away. 

"What are you doing here, Ryan?" She sighed. "I think, I made myself perfectly clear."

Instead of answering to Stevie, Ryan looked past her at Lindsey. "Why were you with him?"

"Lindsey took me to my doctor. I had an appointment." 

"I could have taken you." Ryan said, crossing his arms. His attention was now on Lindsey. "This isn't your child."

"Well, I don't see you caring much for them." Lindsey shrugged, standing beside Stevie. "Someone has to."

"That's not fair!" Ryan argued. "Stevie, you don't allow me to get close to you, but him? He's just fine, huh?"

"I never said that I'll keep you from your child, Ryan." Stevie replied calmly. "But since we broke up, you've been more concerned about getting me back."

"You both." Ryan corrected.

"Really? Doesn't feel like it." Looking through her purse, she grabbed her keys. "Just leave, Ryan. Go home."

"So, you can play a happy family with him?"

"Yes, yes that's exactly right." Stevie answered. "At least, Lindsey isn't a cheater, which couldn't be said about you."

"It happened once!" Ryan threw his hands up in the air, frustrated. 

"Yeah, but it happened!" Stevie yelled back at him. "I told you from the very beginning, I will not make the same mistake again. You slept with another woman once, as you say, you can't be sure it won't happen again since you're so easily persuaded."

"I love you. I want to be with you." Ryan blocked Stevie's path to the front door.

"Don't you get it? I don't. You had your chance and you blew it." 

He was angry. He knew it was his fault, but seeing Stevie with Lindsey surely clouded his judgment. "Be careful what you say to me, Stevie."

"Excuse me? Is that a threat?" 

Ryan shrugged, looking down at her. "This is my baby and I am a lawyer. That's all." 

Stevie had nothing. She stared at him wide eyed, in disbelief. Would he actually stoop so low and fight her for custody? And all because of not giving him another chance, when he was the one, who fucked up?