Understanding Me, Understanding You

Chapter 11. Overwhelmed

"Okay, talk soon." Lindsey then hung up and he rolled his eyes again.

Stevie decided not to say anything, but she knew the look on his face told him that he was bothered by Charles' comment about being overwhelming.

She really had no idea where that would have come from because she never actually complained about Lindsey to anybody but Lindsey. It was odd.

"Well, I guess there's no sense in losing daylight... We gotta try and figure out how to fix this, right?" he pushed her frame out of bed and walked right passed her.

"Yeah..." she mumbled in response.

Lindsey was gonna go straight to the bathroom, just to wash up like normal when he realized who he was; he needed makeup to play the part, he needed clothes and maybe for her to brush her own hair.

"Uh, Steph? You're gonna have to help me...",

She turned and looked back just to see utter confusion on where to begin.

"I'm coming..." she got up next and followed him to the bathroom to help out.

•••

Drusilla decided to make her way to her father's house since she had already gotten word about the weird conversation her mother and Charles had had earlier in in the day.

Allowing herself in, she entered to utter silence, hoping to actually find her parents making out or something they weren't supposed to be doing.

"Mom? Dad?" she yelled, wandering through the house.

From the studio, Lindsey had heard her and he looked down at his appearance, realizing it was his middle child.

"Dru?" he got up in order to greet her, but of course the rasp to his voice came out a little sing-songy as Stevie's normally would have.

"Oh, hi, mom..." she walked over and pecked cheeks with her.

"What's going on, honey? Where's James? Are you okay?"

"Mom, relax... You know James and I are perfect," she smirked. "But you were just the person I was needed and you didn't answer when I called."

"Oh, sorry about that, sweetheart. I left my phone upstairs. I was listening to some of his demos and he's taking a nap."

He knew Stevie was up in the room, but he didn't actually know what she was doing.

"Oh, good... I didn't really want to tell dad anyway," she assured, her voice in a whisper.

"Oh?" he arched his brow, wondering where she was about to take their conversation. "Well, what couldn't wait till before the rehearsal dinner tonight?"

"Well, everybody will be there and in and out and around and I just don't want dad to freak out because he's so protective of me. I don't want Melinda to know either because she's a busy body as it is..."

"Well, what's going on?"

"I'm not completely positive, but there's a big possibility that I may or may not be pregnant..."

It was as though his heart had stopped.

"Mom, I know it's kind of scary to think about and I don't think I am, I just knew I could come to you. What should I do?" she began panicking a tad since her mother was so blank and unlike her normal self.

"Look, have you taken a... test?" he asked, unsure of how to choke out the sentence.

He had genuinely wished he wouldn't have heard that sentence leave his daughter's mouth.

"I couldn't get one since I've been glued to James' side. I didn't want him to know that it's even crossed my mind. I just need to be sure before I worry everybody. I know I promised we've been safe, but ya never know..."

"Right, it's good to be cautious..." he mumbled.

Drusilla sighed, "Mom, you're not mad, are you?"

"Mad about what?" Stevie asked, the sound of Lindsey's voice filling the living room snd foyer easily.

The teen's eyes went wide, "Nothing, daddy, don't worry about it..."

Only a mother knew the look of fear in her child so well and she arched her brow at her.

"Y'know..." Lindsey trailed. "Between the three of us, we're all close and best friends. Why don't you tell your father what's going on, Dru?" he nearly begged his daughter.

Realistically, Lindsey was going to tell Stevie, he was just shocked.

The teen sighed. "You're right... Dad, please promise you won't be upset? And please don't tell anybody till we know what's going on for sure?"

"Of course, honey," Stevie replied.

"I kind of think that I need to take a pregnancy test... Just in case, just to be cautious and I need to do it discreetly... I wanted to tell mom before the swarm that rolls with Melinda swooped by tonight..."

"Okay, sweetie, calm down, okay?" she assured through the voice of her husband. "Go sit down and take a breath. Stevie, come with me..." she widened his blue eyes at herself, hinting for him to follow.

Drusilla took a seat on the couch and sighed heavily, actually relieved that her parents knew what was going on.

Lindsey followed Stevie to the kitchen and he grumbled. "I hate this... How are you so calm? Our daughter could be pregnant..." he whispered harshly.

"Would you be quiet?" she whispered. "I have this under control, go take her some tea and tell her that there are pregnancy tests in under my bathroom sink."

"I'm sorry, what?" he rose his brows. "What the hell has been going on? My little girl has her whole life ahead of her and you're dusting off the fact that she could be pregnant like it means nothing..." he mumbled.

"Lindsey, act normal or more like me. Go take her some tea and tell her to take a test. They're under my bathroom sink. Tell her we'll be there for her tonight and we'll talk about it, okay?"

He took the cup.

"Okay?" she paused. "She needs both her parents to be supportive. She's an adult and you know perfectly well that if she were pregnant, she'd handle it with ease."

"Yeah, but would James?" he wondered.

"He's a good boy, but even if he didn't, we'd take care of her. Now go reassure her..."

"Okay..." he sighed and trailed back to the living room to meet his child.

Stevie hung back in the kitchen, knowing whatever was happening had to be a challenge that has something to do with switching them back to their normal selves.