Flicker

18

December 24, 1993

Christmas is Stevie and Lindsey's holiday. Ever since they got married and moved into their eight-bedroom house they filled it to the brim. The only difference though now is that Claudia takes Greg Junior to her family's for Christmas but she comes and spends New Years with Lindsey and Stevie. Five-year-old Cory and her parents also come, Stevie's parents, and her brother and sister-in-law plus their new addition Jessie who joined the family on September 27th. 

The kids had gone to bed and the adults were still up drinking Christmas beverages; egg-nog, cider, and Hot Cocoa. Stevie had her legs draped over Lindsey's lap on the couch and when a lull in the multiple conversations happened Lindsey cleared his throat.

"So, Stevie and I are adding to our family." 

"Like getting another dog?" Anne asks. 

"No, a little bit more work than a dog." Lindsey shakes his head.

"A bird?" Chris, Stevie's brother chimed in.

"Jesus Christ, I'm pregnant." Stevie blurts. 

Gasps fill the room. "Is it that big of a shock?" Lindsey asks.

"Yes." The whole family choruses.

"Why?" Lindsey rubs Stevie's shins.

"It's simple...my sister used to say hell would have to freeze over for her to have a child...second she's ancient," Chris replies.

"I am not ancient...I'm 44, Lori's older than I am." Stevie crosses her arms.

"Only by a year," Lori pouts. 

"Teedee, never mind him...how far along are you?" Barbara asks.

"Sixteen weeks yesterday." Stevie answers.

"Do you know what you're having yet?" Ruth asks.

"No, we had a scan on Monday but the little bugger wasn't in the right position," Lindsey replies.

"Well, is this pregnancy different or similar to your pregnancy with Aubree?" Barbara asks.

"Why? Are you guys going to cast lots on the gender?" Stevie inquires.

"Yes, now answer the question." Jess places his elbows on his knees. 

"I'm slightly more pukey, slightly more tired but everything else is pretty much the same." Stevie answers.

"It's a girl." Ruth and Barbara say at the same time.

"And why do you think that. It could be a boy." Lindsey sits up straighter.

"Lindsey I had one of each. With Stevie I was as sick as a dog, throwing up constantly I was so tired I couldn't see straight. With Christopher, yes I was still tired but I didn't throw up period." Barbara explained. 

"My pregnancies felt the same with the three of you boys." Ruth smiles.

"Whatever they are, we're going to love them all the same," Stevie explains her hands falling to her stomach. 

"Does Aubree know?" Lori asks.

"I don't know how to answer that because it's like. We've talked about it infront of her but I don't think I want to sit her down and like flat out say that she's going to have a little sibling because I don't think she's fully going to be able to comprehend everything and understand it." Stevie explains.

"Our boys are only a year apart ish, so Morris and I didn't really tell them. We kind of just went to the hospital and brought another one back." Ruth explains. 

"We told Stevie, but it didn't go over well, but Chris is five years younger than her so we were kind of obligated to say something. Explain why my belly was getting bigger and that we'd be bringing a new baby into the house." Barbara says.

"What do you mean it didn't go over well?" Jeff asks.

"It means that Stevie was spoiled rotten and we had another baby to try and stop that...she threw the biggest tantrum in the history of tantrums. She threw her toys at Christopher when we brought him home and I had to physically pin her hands down when Barb brought him closer to meet her. She even threw the kitten that we had at the time. The kitten was okay, but she wouldn't go near Stevie after that." Jess tells them.

"I threw a kitty?" Stevie asks her lip wobbling and tears coming to her eyes.

"I'm sure you didn't mean to, baby." Lindsey takes her into his arms and he rubs her back.

"But seriously the day we brought Chris home from the hospital she really did throw her toys at him. But the one that scared me the most was that she threw a block at his head." Barbara chuckles.

Stevie cracks up laughing at that and then Chris throws the pillow he was sitting with at her. 

"Payback." He spits.

***

The next morning, Stevie woke up on her back and she felt eyes all over her.

"Why are you staring at me?" She asks.

"I'm not staring at you, I'm staring at them," Lindsey replies.

She cracks an eye open and then peers down at her stomach. 

"Well, that explains it." She chuckles.

"Explains what?" Lindsey asks.

"I normally wake up on my stomach, I woke up on my back if I popped last night, it probably didn't feel too good and that's why I flipped." Stevie rests her hands on her belly. 

"I'm glad we told our family last night then." Lindsey leans down and kisses her little bump. 

"Yeah, me too...Now, we just have to tell the world. You're performing at that Rockin' new year thing in New York and I'm not missing it...How is next week going to work?"  Stevie asks.

"Well, I have that interview on the 28th, I'll announce your pregnancy there. My mom is taking Aubree back to San Francisco with her on the 29th, We'll fly to New York on the 29th and just hang out until the first." Lindsey shrugs

"Oh yeah, for that live in concert thingy you did." Stevie nuzzles into his chest.

"Exactly." Lindsey nods. 

***

December 28, 1993

"Lindsey, it's good to have you here, how did your Christmas go. What was the best present you gave, what was the best you received?" The interviewer questions.

"Um, well the best present I got was...I'll start with this, We have a fully functioning recording studio attached to our house, so what Stevie did was she like took a mold of Aubree's hands and she had Aubree write on it To Daddy love Aubree. That was my favorite gift I got. The best present that I gave was I got to tell our families that Stevie and I were going to have another baby." Lindsey smiles.

"Really! Congratulations. I guess that's why Stevie's not really been out in the spotlight recently." He chuckles.

"Yeah, but she's joining me in New York on New Years." Lindsey smiles.

"That's exciting, you're performing at Rockin New Year, but is it true that you're putting out a live concert movie?" 

"Yes, that's why I'm here. I performed at Bass Hall on this tour and we filmed it and it'll be in stores in February-just in time for Valentine's Day, so husbands buy it for your wives...I'm giving one to my wife when it comes out." Lindsey chuckles.