Goodbye Baby

Secrets

He took a deep breath.
"And where did you hear that?" He already knew this wasn't going to go well.

"I'd rather not tell, is that where you've been?" Kristen asked quietly

He gritted his teeth. "No-"
"Don't lie to me." She snapped at him and he really did not expect that. "Yes."

"Okay, that's what I needed to know," she calmed back down

"Why?" Lindsey furrowed his brow. "I'm not blind Lindsey, I know that something is going on. I know you love her and that's okay-I just want our son to have a proper family," Kristen rubbed her stomach gently, still very sore from the surgery.

"Well.... What are you saying?"

"Nothing-just come sit with me please, this morning has been rough," she held out her hand. "I'll call for the nurse to come and I'll ask about Stevie's condition." Even though that was highly against hospital rules. He slowly approached her bedside and held her hands in his. "I'm sorry.... But somethings not right-she wouldn't just be here.. I just wanted to make sure nothing was wrong."

"I understand-I'm just asking you to be here a little bit with me," she squeezed his hand. He had been gone for hours when he supposedly went home to take a shower.

"Okay.. You feeling okay?" She nodded. "Just tired.. A little sore."

"Do you want anything?" He asked. "I want you to love me." His breath hitched in his throat. "I do love you, Kristen," he answered softly.

"Are you sure? Because if you loved me then Stevie's condition wouldn't have pulled you away from me and our son."

"I've known Stevie since I was sixteen years old. I promised myself and her parents that I would take cared her and so far I haven't been doing that. I guess I'm still trying to fulfill that promise. I'm sorry that I wasn't here; I should have been." He told her. She nodded. "Well, you're here now. That's all that matters."

"Right," he smiled and nodded

Meanwhile, Stevie was eating dinner in her room with Chris and Barbra.

"Mama?" Stevie looked up at her. "Yes sweetie?" Barbra stopped eating.
"....Can I have some of your sandwich? This food isn't what I'm used to...it's not very good," she gestured towards the tray of hospital food. "Oh of course honey! In fact I'll go get you your own if you'd like?"

"That'd be great," Stevie smiled thankfully. Stevie rolled the table away from her bed and looked over at Chris. "Have you talked to Lori and Jessie today?"

"Not yet but I did yesterday" she nodded. "How are they?" She asked

"They're alright. Jess misses me a lot but she's more concerned about her favorite aunt. Plus she's still little, it's not too hard for Lori to distract her." He laughed a little.

"If you need to go home that's alright, but they are more than welcome to come stay at the house when I get home," Stevie offered.

He shook his head. "No, that won't be necessary. Thank you though. I'm afraid that once you get back settled in I'll have to head back home. I don't know about mom but Lori does need some help."

"I understand, I was just worried about putting too much stress on mom," Stevie explained.

"Don't be. Although she may not look it all the time-she's doing good lately. She's doing good. And she LOVES taking care of you."