"We rule the defendants not guilty, your Honor," the jury spoke on behalf of Stevie and Lindsey. Both of them cried in relief hearing that they were free to go and the facility would be closed down
Hugging each other they held on tight, not believing it was all over
"I can go home!" Stevie said happily, after being shut up in the cabin for weeks!
"You can! It's been quiet not living with you..." Lindsey said, he had left that last night without a word, feeling it would be easier
Stevie hugged him tightly, "Come visit whenever you'd like."
"I will..." he hugged her back, trying to memorise how she felt
"I'll call after my doctors appointments and keep you updated." Stevie kissed his cheek and let him say goodbye to the kids
Bending down in front of Evie he spoke to her softly
"Bye Eves"
"Bye bye, Lindsey," she said shyly
"Call me daddy hmm?" He asked hopefully
"Daddy..."
"Don't be shy about it, I'd never met you before and you called me daddy, what changed baby?"
"You got mean."
"I still loved you though Evie, I was never mean to you"
Evie wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek
"That's better" he hugged her tight
"Bye, Daddy."
"Bye Evie..." Lindsey stood up, then lifted David
"You are getting so big, you look so much like your mother"
"I think Jen would be proud," Stevie smiled
"Yeah, I think she would to, although not of me so much!" He furrowed his brows and placed David back in his pram
"Bye, Lindsey. Call anytime."
"Yeah, bye Steph" he turned back around so she could leave whilst he wasn't looking
He forgot that he didn't say anything to the baby
"Steph?" He turned around quickly
"Yes?"
He ran up to her and got to his knees, pressing his lips to her stomach
Stevie held the back of his head, trying to hold back her tears
Lindsey wasn't keeping his tears in at all, creating a wet patch on her shirt
"It's okay, Lindsey."
He cried and cried, just holding onto her hips with his face pressed against her belly
"Lindsey, we have to go," Stevie said sadly
He wouldn't let go so she had to force his hands off her, causing him to stumble backwards to the floor
"Lindsey...I'm sorry."
"I'm fine...please just go" he covered his face
Stevie quickly gathered the kids then left, flying back to Phoenix where her parents were waiting
"Tee! I'm so happy you are back!" Barbara hugged her daughter
Stevie hugged her mother tightly, "I've missed you!"
Barbara suddenly felt Stevie's ring
"Oh my god he finally did it! He asked our permission a while back...where is he? I want to thank him for saving my girl..." Barbara looked around for him
"We broke up, Mom..." Stevie said quietly
"What?" Barbara said with an open mouth
"It just wasn't working for us. I left."
"That's ridiculous! Stevie, he gave up everything for you!"
"Mom, please! I know! I don't want to talk about it," Stevie begged
"He gave up being in that band for you guys..."
"What?" Stevie asked puzzled
"What band?" Stevie asked
"Some local band asked him if he would play lead guitar for them, but he said no because he had you three at home"
Stevie closed her eyes and sighed, "Mom, I need to lay down."
"Alright sweetheart" Barbara took Stevie's things and she went for a lay down
Falling into a deep sleep she dreamt of living on her own, providing for her kids independently.
Waking up, she felt a little more sure that she could in fact do this
She changed into a tank top and shorts, returning downstairs to see if Barbara needed help cooking dinner
"I'm good thank you honey, you go and play with the kids, Evie is a little quiet"
Stevie nodded and went into the living room, sitting on the floor with the kids. "Hi, Evie."
"Hi..." she said playing with the doll Lindsey had brought her
"Do you feel alright?" Stevie brushed her hair out of her face
"Yeah" she hugged the doll
"What to go get ice cream after dinner?"
"No...daddy always used to take me there on our bonding days"
"What about a milkshake then? Hmm?"
"I'd rather stay here..."
"We can build a fort then."
"If you want to" Evie had no emotion at all
"Well, what do you want to do?" Stevie shrugged
"Talk to daddy" she looked at Stevie
"We can do that, let's call him after dinner."
"Okay mommy" she suddenly cheered up a bit
"Want to play with your dolls?"
"Yeah okay" they played with her dolls until dinner was ready, then Stevie watched as Evie swallowed her food down as fast as she could
"Baby, slow down. You'll get sick."
"Need to talk to daddy!" She finished her last mouthful then rushed to the phone
Stevie stood and chased after her, dialing the number and handing the phone to Evie.
Evie waited for her father to answer, tapping her foot rapidly
"Hello?" Lindsey sighed
"Hi daddy, it's Evie"
"Evie!" He said happily, "how are you, sweet girl?"
"I'm good, I miss you though..."
"I miss you too! I'm coming to visit in a few weeks!"
"Why weeks?" She said sadly
"Daddy has a big job interview! He's joining a band!"
"A band?" Evie said and Stevie's attention was drawn
"Yes! It's going to be really fun for all of us!" Lindsey gloated
"Doesn't that mean we won't ever see you?"
"You will! When I make more money I will buy a house in Phoenix and we will see each other all of the time!"
"Okay daddy!"
"Plus the manager is super nice, you will like her"
"Okay I'll meet her too!" Stevie's attention was definitely had now
"I love you, Evie and I want you to call me everyday!"
"Okay daddy! I love you!" She handed the phone over to Stevie
"Hello?"
"Hey, Steph," Lindsey soothed
"Who's this woman?" She asked defensively
"Christine, she's in the band I'm joining. I think you'll like her."
"Is she pretty?"
"She's married."
"That doesn't matter..."
"Stevie, I'm not with her."
"Okay..." she tried to calm herself down
"I'm joining a band, Fleetwood Mac. I think I can make it big with them."
"What about us?"
"I'm getting to that part...I'm going to see if they will take you too."
"What...are you serious?"
"If it's alright with you..."
"Of course! But I'm four months pregnant"
"Maybe they'll take you after they're here?"
"I don't want to mess them about"
"Well I won't join if you can't."
"Linds, mom told me you already said no because of us"
"They really want me, Steph. They've asked me again and I've accepted...but if they won't take you then I will quit."
"You would do that for me?"
"Of course, we're a package deal, remember?"
"But we aren't together anymore baby"
"I still wouldn't betray you like that."
"I don't deserve you..."
"You always have."
"I wish you were closer, I know I said I wouldn't, but I need you right now..."
"Honey, I can't. I have a huge meeting tomorrow with the band."
"I know...doesn't stop me wanting you"
"I'm sorry, Stevie."
"Can't we do what we did on the phone before?"
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"Lindsey..."
"Stevie...it's over with, remember?"
"I can't stand it!" She screamed
"Stevie, call down."
"I can't! I love you!" She sobbed
"Stevie, calm down! Think about the baby."
All he could hear was her crying down the phone
Jess came in and carried her up to her bedroom.
"Stevie what's going on?"
"Lindsey!"
"What about him?"
"He doesn't love me!"
"I'm sure that's not true Tee!"
"I want him here with me!"
"You left him Stevie, he needs to move on"
"I can't let him go!"
"You need too! Let him move on, get married, have a family" Jess said harshly
"He has one with me!" She held her stomach
"Stop dreaming Stephanie! If he wanted this family, he would be here!"
Stevie laid down on the bed and sobbed, completely giving up
Lindsey phoned back, needed to see that she was okay
Barbara answered the phone
"Mom! What's going on with Stevie?"
"She's not well, Lindsey. I think it's best for everyone if you'd just stay away unless it concerns Evie.
"Why...? What have you said to her?" He asked
"Its not healthy, Lindsey."
"She ended this! I didn't want this!"
"Lindsey, I'm sorry. I'll call you if something happens with the baby."
"Barbara please?"
He then heard the dial tone
Hanging up the phone he wasn't sure what just happen
Barbara finished making dinner then went upstairs to make sure that Stevie was alright.
"Have you heard from Lindsey?" Stevie rushed to ask
"No, baby. I haven't."
Stevie looked disappointed, she was sure he'd ring to see what was going on
"Hey, honey. Dinner is ready, why don't you come eat something?"
"I don't want to, she turned over"
"The baby needs to eat," Barbara said
"I don't care..." she cried
"Teedee, your baby needs you to look out for them."
"I need Lindsey to look out for me"
"Honey, your father and I are going to take care of you."
"Why are you keeping Lindsey away from me!"
"We aren't, honey."
Stevie said no more as she went downstairs to eat, picking at her food
"Mommy, David won't stop crying," Evie complained
Stevie walked over to David, picking him up
He instantly stopped, placing his head in her neck
"Shhh, mommy has you"
David wrapped his hand in her hair for comfort
"Mm, me too sweetheart" she placed her cheek to his face
Evie began to pull at Stevie's skirt, wanting attention from her mother
"What baby?"
"Up," Stevie reached for her
"I'm holding David right now"
"Okay..." Evie said sadly
Stevie felt bad but she knew that if she put David down he would cry again
Jess came in, "Tee, I'd like to talk to you."
Walking over to her father she asked what
He led her into the living room, "Honey, I think it's time that you got your own place."
"What? Are you kicking me out?"
"No, absolutely not. I will help you rent an apartment but I think that it will do you good to be out on your own."
"You really think me, of all people, should be left alone?"
"Honey, what do you plan on doing with your life?"
"Lindsey said he's going to ask the band if I can join"
"And if that fails?"
"We will still be together"
Jess sighed, "Okay..."
Jess thought she was living in a fantasy world, worried she was going to get hurt
They both returned to the kitchen, Barbara in a chair giving David his bottle
"No! I want to do that!" Stevie rushing over to her
Stevie snatched the baby from her
"Tee, what are you playing at?" Barbara asked
"I have to feed him!"
"I was doing that! It's not like you have to breast feed him!"
"I can't breastfeed him anymore! I have to bottle feed him so he will love me!"
"Stevie, he's your son! He will love you anyway"
"Let me feed him."
"Fine!" Barbara got up and walked out
Stevie sat and held David close as he ate
"Stephanie, I'm telling you now, if you ever speak to your mother like that again, you are out, you get that?" Jess said sternly
"He's my son."
"And she is your mother...by blood!"
"How dare you!"
"Well am I lying?"
Stevie stayed silent
"Exactly!" Jess said
"Daddy, I want Lindsey," she cried
"Well he isn't here!"
"I can't go on like this...."
"Yes you can, you don't need him!"
"I do..."