Flicker

8

November 12, 1990

Stevie was 25 weeks pregnant and she was lost, lost in her work and head. Plans had changed drastically which had her driving back to Los Angeles. Lindsey had called her the day prior to inform her that his brother had a heart attack and passed away just like their father did in 1974. She drove through the night, against her better judgment but she made it there around two in the morning. She collapsed in bed next to Lindsey and slept until eight when her baby had enough of being sedentary and started using her as a punching bag, saying come on mom, I'm bored let's play. It was around ten when Lindsey woke up and saw that her side of the bed had been crumpled. He found her in her sewing room working on a button when she jabbed herself with the needle.

"Fuck." She hisses bringing it up to her mouth to suck on it.

Lindsey just lets out a breathy laugh and walks up behind her taking her hand in his and kissing where he could see the little pinprick.

"I thought you were numb to poking yourself with a needle." He chuckles.

"I was, am...My skin's just slightly more sensitive during this pregnancy. I've had to stop using my nightly face cream because it caused me to break into a rash." Stevie states.

"I'm sorry, what are you working on?" 

"Oh, Lindsey...I have so much...so much." She stands up grabs the little thing she was sewing on and leads him outside to where her car is parked. She opens the hatch of her SUV and points at a trunk. 

"How the fuck did you get this in your car?" He asks.

"Chris...come on hurry." She cheers as slowly brings it into the living room. Where she opened it up and started handing him little outfits. 

The first one is a purple onesie with a ruffly skirt on it and a pair of navy blue little pants with purple, pink, and yellow flowers on it. The second was a white top with a little pink bow on it and pink, blue, yellow, and grayish-green flowers and leaves on it. It was short-sleeved and it was paired with a pair of pink shorts. There was a white long sleeve with black hearts on it, a pair of black and white striped pants and a little hat. The top of it was the heart pattern and the rim of the hat was the stripes. 

"This little dress is my favorite," Stevie says handing him a white dress with coral flowers on it, it was accompanied by a coral cardigan and a little coral headband. 

"Steph this is a lot of flowers." Lindsey states.

"I know, but I have a reason. See she's going to be born in February and I want to put all of this stuff out in April and May and that's the perfect time for springy stuff. But don't worry it's not all flowers." She shakes her head digging back around in the trunk. 

She hands him a pair of pink pants with ruffles on the butt and a white long sleeve with pink owls on it. A pink onesie with the skirt thing on it accompanied by a black elephant and gray pants with black elephants all over them. 

"And Lindsey I have so many sleepers....so many." She wraps her arms around him. 

He just laughs and kisses her. 

"You've been busy huh?" He asks.

"Well, I've got to do something locked away." Stevie yawns. 

"Oh honey, you must be exhausted. What did you do, drive through the night?" Lindsey asks.

"I did." She nods

"Gee, we have a lot to talk about." He looks down.

"I know, and I got a little bit of sleep when I got here. I crawled in bed with you a quarter after two, she woke me up at eight. I'll be okay, and I can sleep in the car on the way to San Francisco." She replies.

 "Look, I'm sorry for what I did and if I could take it back I would." He replies.

"I know, I understand. I'm okay...I wasn't at first but after thinking about it for a while, I can't be mad at you because you were right. We need to start seeing each other as equals not just sex toys." She shakes her head.

"I never thought about it like that. But yeah, sex toy is a good term." He grins.

"I love you, I really do love you. I know I don't show it that often but I do. I depend on you." She admits.

"You depend on me?" He asks.

"I didn't shower when I got here because there was a spider in there." She replies.

"Oh. So all I'm good for is killing spiders huh?" He chuckles.

"And you make a good pillow." She shrugs as his stomach growls. 

"We should probably eat something before we get on the road." He sighs. 

"Probably. I'm craving egg salad." Stevie nods.

"Alright, egg salad it is, as long as you cook." He smirks

"Yes, I'll make it. Come on though, you're going to hang in the kitchen with me."  

***

Stevie was sitting next to him, drinking iced tea. She had already finished her two sandwiches he was working on his third, and they were simply just catching up. Laughing at things and they hadn't done that in a while. He had just finished eating his meal when he noticed the wince cross Stevie's face.

"What's wrong?" He questions.

"She's swimming." Stevie states. He looks at her stomach and then at his hands and then up at her face. She smiles and takes his hand into hers and places it where her little elbow is hitting her. 

"Steph, I can feel her moving. That's my girl. Swim, swim, swim." Lindsey says to her stomach. 

"You can't wait to teach her to swim can you?" Stevie questions placing her forehead against his.

"Not at all. She's going to be my little olympian." Lindsey says and then closes his eyes as a tear falls. Greg had won a silver medal in 1968

"Oh baby, it's okay...let it out." Stevie sighs pulling him into her for a hug.