Flicker

26

August 28, 1995

Stevie's baby bump was clearly on display as she slid on her black dress pants and a red box neck tight top. She had her hair pulled back into a french twist and she was running around her kitchen like a madwoman, her black high heel boots clicking on the floors of her house. 

"Come on Aubree!" She calls up the stairs.

"MOMMA WE NEED YOU!" She hears Lindsey yell back. She rolls her eyes and flicks the oatmeal cooking on the stove off and jogs up the stairs to the best of her ability. This baby was bigger and it was evident in the size of her baby bump. 

"What?" She asks stepping into Aubree's room where piles of clothing were thrown everywhere.

"Oh Aubrey, honey..." She trails off.

"I don't know what to wear mommy." She whines.

"Why didn't we just send her to private school, with a uniform?" Lindsey turns to her.

"Because a school uniform won't work for our little fashionista...what are you feeling baby?" She questions.

"Dark Red." She states.

"So like, Maroon or Ruby?" Stevie asks.

"Fall colors." Aubree looks at her mom with her hands on her hips.

"Oh wow, you've taken her to work way too many times..." Lindsey trails off

"Okay, let's look." Stevie sighs. 

She quickly pulls together three outfits for the little girl. The first one is a burgundy tie front top with a pair of jean capris. The second outfit is a maroon top with a lace ruffle along the neckline and up to the sleeves and a jean skirt. The final out is a light pink romper with three quarter length sleeves and maroon flowers on it. 

Aubree points to the romper and she gets dressed while Stevie works on her hair, she leaves the blonde locks down her back and just pins back the front pieces in a braid. 

When they get downstairs Stevie goes back into mom mode and starts fussing around. She scoops out the oatmeal for her kids and lets them eat it as she makes a smoothie for herself but Lindsey shoves a piece of toast down her throat. The couple takes care of their kids, Stevie even manages to snap a couple of first-day pictures and shed a few small tears, and then they make their way to Aubree's school. 

***

Walking up to Aubree's classroom the young girl is burying her head into her mother's stomach.

"It'll be alright baby. School is fun. I used to love school." Stevie sighs rubbing her arm. 

"Daddy did you like school?" Aubree turns to look at Lindsey. Stevie gives him a sharp glare and he clears his throat.

"Yeah, it was fun." He nods. 

"Okay." She sighs.

They exchange pleasantries with her teacher and then the pair move on to their next stop of the day. Stevie's appointment. 

***

They're patiently waiting as the doctor moves the transducer around Stevie's stomach. The soft heart thumping is keeping them sane, but the anticipation of what they're having is what's keeping them on the edge of their seats. 

"Alright, let's see...baby Buckingham number three is...a baby...oh wait," The Doctor teases.

"Oh come on already." Stevie whines.

"It's a boy." The doctor states.

"HOT DAMN!" Lindsey cheers kissing his wife's forehead. 

"I'm going to have to design more clothes. We have so many little girl clothes, we don't have any little boy clothes." She laughs. 

"We're having a boy baby." Lindsey smiles.

"Are you happy baby?" She asks.

"I am out of this world," Lindsey tells her.

***

Stevie's third stop of the day, was a press junket because her latest design was used as the cover of Vogue Magazine. 

"So, before we talk about anything pertaining to the magazine...Stevie, is there something you have to tell us?" The interviewer asks.

"Oh what, this...yeah they'll be here in January." Stevie laughs. 

"Are you worried that the baby will interfere with your work?" She asks,

"No, because it's like this...All the award shows except for a select few take place in January, February, March. The beginning of Award Season though is June and July because that's when people start getting wind of, okay...I've been invited to this award show and I need a dress for it kind of thing. So that's when I'm really needed at work Tenley, my second child. She was born in May, that one did throw me slightly off schedule but Aubree my oldest was born in February and this one is going to be born in January so the only thing I'm really going to miss, is walking the red carpets." Stevie shrugs. 

"Was this baby planned?" 

"None of my children were planned but every time I've gotten pregnant it's brought a lot of great joy to me and my husband so I don't really think about it. And we're fine off financially so we don't necessarily have to plan because we're always going to be able to take care of them." Stevie shrugs.

"So your newest outfit is on the cover of Vogue you've been on vogue several times, but what makes this piece special to you?" 

"Um, none of my pieces are really special to me. But the reason that I chose this one was because my daughter Aubree actually helped me design it in a sense because she picked out all of the colors that are used in it." Stevie smiles. 

"So they reds and pinks?" He asks.

"Yes, the reds and pinks. It was so cute because like today's her first day at school and Lindsey and I, were helping her pick out what to wear, and she goes Fall colors. Then Lindsey's like, you've taken her to work with you way too much." Stevie laughs.

"Is she going to be a fashion designer like momma then?" 

"You never know, but she does have an eye for it," Stevie explains.

***

When Stevie gets home, Aubree greets her at the door, "What's the matter pumpkin?" 

"Momma I had so much fun, look what I made." She holds up the little handprint flower garden. 

"Oh honey, that's gorgeous." Stevie smiles examining it.

"Daddy said that you had to tell us something." Aubree grins.

"We do, come on love bug let's go I want to tell you it with daddy," Stevie states holding out her hand. 

Stevie sat on the couch and Aubree curled right up against her bump and she was rubbing it with her little hand when Lindsey brought Tenley downstairs and joined them. 

"Okay, so what mommy and daddy want to tell you, is that the baby in mommy's tummy...Is going to be a little baby boy." Stevie combs through Aubree's hair.

"A boy!" Aubree gasps.

"Yeah, how do you feel about that?" Stevie questions.

"It's okay...as long as it's not another Tenley." She states.

"You love Tenley though," Lindsey chuckles.

"Yeah, but she steals all my toys and when I try to get them back she cries. A little boy will have his own toys." Aubree replies.

"Okay, yeah...that makes sense." Lindsey laughs.