“Lindsey! Have you seen Lily’s dress anywhere?” Stevie called out from their walk-in wardrobe, Lily held on her hip in just her diaper.
Today was the big day. The court date had been set for September 26th and Stevie was just as nervous and excited about it as if it were her actual due date. Although she was certainly a little anxious about it, to just see how excited Lindsey was always helped to calm her nerves.
“It’s hanging on the back of the nursery door!” he replied from the en-suite.
They had asked Margi to design Lily another dress for today, on which Stevie had then embroidered moons and stars by hand, just like she used to do to Lindsey’s jeans in the old days. When she had finished with it, it was a masterpiece.
Stevie lay Lily down on their bed and baby-talked to her while she wrestled her chubby arms into the delicate satin dress.
“Are you smiling at Mommy, Lily-bee? Yes you are! Yes you are!” she laughed at the huge, gummy smile on the baby’s face.
Lily gurgled and blew bubbles up at Stevie in response, kicking her legs out and giggling happily.
Finally dressed, Stevie slipped her hands under Lily’s arms and lifted her up so that she was standing on her tiny, unsteady legs on the bed.
Lindsey gasped emphatically as he made his way into the bedroom from the en-suite and his gaze fell upon Lily in her special dress. He widened his eyes and let his jaw hang open in astonishment, pulling the most ridiculous face imaginable, which had made even Stevie laugh at the sight of it. Lily squealed loudly and clapped her hands together, her new favourite thing to do.
“Your Royal Highness!” Lindsey teased, bowing courteously in front of the pair.
Unable to resist her any longer, Lindsey swooped in and scooped Lily up into the air, holding her high above his head and placing a never-ending string of kisses all over her face. Lily giggled manically and Stevie thought that it was the most precious sight she had ever seen.
Fearing that if he kept it up any longer, Lily would laugh so hard that she would end up being sick all over her new dress, Lindsey planted her on his hip and turned his attention to Stevie, who was quietly folding Lily’s clothes into a pile on the bed.
“How’re you holding up, baby?”
Lindsey snaked his free arm around her waist from behind and rested it on her stomach. He revelled in the feeling of her leaning back into him as she rubbed her hand smoothly over his.
“I’m good,” she nodded and smiled, twisting in his arms and reaching up to press a kiss to his lips.
Lily squealed loudly in their ears, always amused by the sight of her parents kissing each other. They smiled against the other’s lips and then squished Lily’s face between theirs, as they both kissed her rosy cheeks.
“Are you almost ready to go?” Stevie asked, noticing the smoothness of his newly shaven skin.
“Yeah there’s just, one more thing I have to do...”
Lindsey handed the baby to Stevie and rummaged in his pocket, before pulling out a very familiar looking little velvet box. Stevie’s heart fluttered in her chest and she smiled, resting her chin on the top of Lily’s head as she held her in front of her.
“Lily...” Lindsey began, sinking to his knees so that he was down at her level. “My darling Lily, my princess...”
His eyes twinkled as he looked lovingly at the baby, and Stevie had to bite her lip to stop from swooning.
“We have been waiting for you to come into our lives for so, so long... But I think that somehow, we always knew that you would...”
Stevie smiled sadly and blinked back her tears, hanging onto Lily a little tighter.
“Today is the day I finally have the honour of becoming your Daddy, and I wanted you to have something that always reminds you of this day, and of how much we love you...”
Lindsey opened up the little box to reveal the gorgeous, diamond crescent moon necklace that shimmered and sparkled in the light. They both chuckled as Lily kicked her chubby legs out and squealed excitedly in Stevie’s arms at the sight of it. Lindsey undid the clasp and reached up to hang it around her neck, Lily smiling brightly at him as he did.
“I promise to always love you and to protect you, and to do everything in my power to make sure that you are always happy...”
Stevie yelped as the emotion of the moment crashed into her like an all-engulfing wave, and she suddenly turned away from him, her tears coming thick and fast.
“Steph?” he asked worriedly, reaching up and rubbing his hand over her hip. “Steph baby, are you okay?”
He saw her nod her head quickly in response.
“Steph, I’m uh - I’m not quite finished yet...”
Stevie’s shoulders rose and fell as she inhaled deeply, trying to regain some her composure. As she turned around, her breath caught in her throat and she felt like she might pass out in shock.
There, down on one knee, Lindsey smiled up at her with hope in his eyes another small velvet box in his hands, revealing the most breath-taking ring Stevie had ever laid eyes on.
“Lindsey...?” she breathed in disbelief.
“I have loved you from the moment I first saw you when I was just sixteen years old...”
Stevie covered her mouth with her hand in shock; she could not believe that after all these years, it was finally happening.
“We have been through so much together already, and there is no one in this world I’d rather spend the rest of my life with...”
He smiled up at her with such love in his eyes that she felt her knees go weak beneath her.
“Stephanie Lynn Nicks...”
“Yes...?”
“Would you do me the honour of making me the happiest man on earth and becoming my wife?”
Lindsey held his breath as he waited for her response, unable to tear his eyes away from hers. As the seconds ticked by, the past twenty years they had spent together flashed through his mind and he knew that this had always been written in the stars. This was the way it was meant to happen.
Just as Stevie went to speak, Lily kicked her legs out excitedly and squealed loudly, causing them both to break out laughing.
“Yes, Lindsey! Yes! Of course I will!” she breathed ecstatically, holding her hand out and gasping as he slipped the ring onto her finger with ease.
Stevie caught his soft lips in hers as he lunged forwards and took her face between his hands. They pulled away and rested their foreheads together, looking down and smiling at Lily who was beaming up at them happily.
“Come on,” Lindsey whispered softly. “Let’s go and make Lily our daughter.”
They had decided to keep it an intimate affair and so when they arrived at the family court, they were only met by an emotional-looking Karen.
“Ohhh, look at you, sweet pea!” Karen fussed over Lily in her new dress, tickling her cheek as she hung from Stevie’s arms. “You look absolutely gorge-OH MY GOODNESS...!”
Karen gasped in shock as she caught sight of the impressive diamond ring placed on Stevie’s left hand. She searched their faces for answers and her jaw dropped in astonishment when she saw a couple of knowing smiles dance across their lips.
“I don’t believe it!” she said, her eyes full of disbelief. “I am so, so happy for you two! You three!”
“Thank you Karen,” Lindsey smiled, embracing her warmly.
Karen pulled away and smirked at Stevie who looked genuinely happier than Karen could ever remember.
“You deserve this,” she whispered into her ear, feeling Stevie hug her a little tighter at the words.
Brenda and Stevie’s solicitor soon turned up and after a quick brief about what they should expect, the little family-to-be entered the courtroom and took their seats on the pews.
Lindsey slipped his hand into Stevie’s and squeezed it encouragingly, knowing that the last time she had been there, things had not gone as smoothly as she would have hoped.
“The court calls the case of Stephanie Lynn Nicks and Lindsey Adams Buckingham.”
With a deep breath and their fingers intertwined, Stevie and Lindsey followed their solicitor up to the bench. It was the same judge that had conducted Stevie’s first hearing, but something about his demeanour had changed. He welcomed them both to the bench with a smile and outstretched hands.
“Welcome!” he exclaimed, gesturing for them to step forward.
Lily, who had just started to drift off to sleep against Stevie’s shoulder, was suddenly jolted awake by the judge’s booming voice; Stevie bounced and shushed her a little before things began to escalate.
“It is my understanding that you are here for the custody of Baby A, date of birth June 6th 1990. Is that correct?”
“Yes your honour,” they proclaimed in unison, squeezing each other’s hands anxiously.
“Well, everything seems to be in order here, so we’ll just get right to it!”
His cheerful attitude did wonders for their nerves and they both instantly relaxed in front of him.
“Do you both understand the responsibilities you have to the child from this day forth?”
“We do,” they smiled down at Lily.
“And do you understand that the promise you make today is legally binding and irrevocable?”
“We do,” they nodded.
“And what is the name you have chosen for the child?”
“Lillian Rebecca Buckingham,” Stevie chimed in without missing a beat.
Lindsey’s eyes widened in surprise and he looked down to Stevie who was beaming up at him happily. His heart leapt into his throat and he had to swallow the emotion to stop from bursting into tears then and there.
“By the court of law and the state of California, I here grant Stephanie Lynn Nicks and Lindsey Adams Buckingham full custody of their new daughter, Lillian Rebecca Buckingham. Congratulations to you all!”
When the gavel hit the block and they looked into each other’s eyes, it was almost as if it had been the very first time. For after so many years of love and heartbreak, Stevie and Lindsey were finally as they were always destined to be.
A beautiful family.
END.
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A/N: And that's a wrap folks! Thank you so much to everyone who has stuck with this, it blows my mind to know that people enjoy my writing! As always I'd love to hear your feedback and I may be persuaded to write more/sequel if there's the interest. All my love to you!