The Dance We Shared

22

January 4, 1999

The whole six-hour drive to San Francisco, Stevie stared at her left hand. She was wearing her bigger engagement ring, the one that he gave her on New Year's Eve, and it was accompanied now by a small plain gold band. On Lindsey's left hand was a silver ring and she was just happy, but a sad happy because her now mother-in-law is gone and they were going to plan and attend a funeral. But she was also hiding something. Something that she had yet to confirm and was terrified of confirming. 

"Is he sleeping? He's awful quiet." Lindsey asks his eyes on the road pulling her out of her thoughts.

Stevie turns around in her seat and pulls the sun guard of his car seat carrier thing down"Well Hi baby, No he's wide awake he's just looking around." 

He giggles when he sees his mother's face and she leans over and gently runs her fingers through the brown curls that are on his head. 

When she turned back around in her seat she gulped and had to draw in a deep breath as a wave of nausea overcame her. The secret that she was harboring was the fact that she had taken a pregnancy test that morning and it had come out positive, but she was freaking out because she was going to be fifty-one, and if she was pregnant that would be two children a year and four months apart. 

When Lindsey pulled into his brother's driveway he just sat there breathing heavily. 

"Honey, honey come on. It's okay." Stevie grabs his arm and he just looks at her.

"I hope I die before you because I won't be able to do this Steph." He shakes his head.

"Stop thinking like that. Come on, let's go in. They're probably waiting for us for dinner." Stevie tells him. 

He just gulps and nods and they climb out of the car, Stevie is the one that takes the baby into the house and Lindsey grabs the bags and he sighs as they press into the house. They can smell dinner cooking at Stevie gives a pursed smile and sets the carrier down and takes the baby out.

"I have a couple of bottles made up in there can you grab me one?" She whispers.

He just nods and pulls one out and then he drops the bags and they make their way into the house. There was a rotisserie chicken on the counter and Daryl was at the stove making what looked like Mashed Potatoes. Stevie walks further into the kitchen and she places her hand on Daryl's shoulder. She jumps but then she registers it's Stevie and they wrap their arms around each other baby and all. 

"Hey," Stevie sighs.

"We waited for you for dinner" Daryl states.

"I see that, Thank You," Stevie nods.

"Lindsey, I'm so sorry," Daryl says wrapping her arms around him.

"I know, it's okay," Lindsey says in a painfilled sigh. Almost like he was fighting back tears. 

"Jeff and Cory are in the dining room setting the table." She points.

"Okay." Lindsey nods walking into the dining room. 

When Stevie, Seth, and Daryl walk into the dining room carrying their food Lindsey and Jeff are in a tight embrace both with tears streaming down their face. 

"They just came to the conclusion that they were the only ones left." Cory sighs as Stevie wraps her free arm around her shoulders and kisses her head.

"They are aren't they," Daryl says sadly sinking down into a dining room chair.

"Unless you count us?" Stevie sighs plopping down in her own chair, where she finally starts feeding Seth the formula. 

"Well I mean, me, you're not a Buckingham." Daryl shakes her head.

"I am a Buckingham though." Stevie nods.

"What?" Cory inquires and then Stevie just holds her left hand out to Cory seeing as how Seth could hold his own bottle now. 

"That's a wedding ring...did you two elope! Uncle Lindsey has one too." She gasps.

"About eight hours ago yeah." Stevie nods.

"Eight hours ago..." Daryl gasps.

"Yeah, he proposed on New Year's Eve and we didn't want to wait we wanted to get married. It's why it took us  couple of days to get here." Stevie nods.

"Oh, that's exciting." Daryl beams.

"But yes, the only Buckingham's left are the ones in this room." Stevie nods.

"You're right...Shelia got remarried. She's not a Buckingham anymore." Daryl points.

***

I'm sorry you guys are in the basement, we don't have a lot of room." Daryl sighs.

"Honey, it's perfectly fine, it's a bed." Stevie states.

'It's a pull-out couch though." Daryl shrugs.

"We've slept on worse," Stevie assures.

"Are you sure?" She pokes.

"We are sure...and it'll be an experience because we didn't bring Seth's pack and play so he has to sleep with us. It's perfect." Lindsey expresses.

"Alright. So tomorrow we're going to the funeral home at about ten in the morning. Maybe we could go to brunch afterward." Daryl scratches the back of her neck.

"Daryl, you seem nervous why are you nervous?" Stevie questions.

"It's just you guys are you...and it's the first time you've stayed at our house, you've been here before but you've never stayed and it's not as nice as Ruth's house, and even Ruth's house isn't as nice as yours and I just...I want you to feel comfortable and at home." She shrugs.

"Daryl...you are our family, we love you. The first place we lived on our own, we slept on a full-sized mattress on the floor with springs poking out of it. Everything is comfier than that piece of shirt. And we lived in a garage apartment where it was cold in the winter and hot in the summer. We can sleep anywhere." Stevie tells her.

"I know, I guess it's just been...rough." She shakes her head.

"I know. Let's get some sleep though if we have to get up so early." Stevie rolls her eyes. 

When Daryl leaves and they get settled in the bed, Lindsey sighs. "What is her problem?" 

"Lindsey she just wants everything to be perfect for you, especially because your mother just died. You have to give her the benefit of the doubt." Stevie settles in tucking herself around her sleeping baby.

"It's going to be a long week...I'm sorry we can't consummate our marriage for a while." 

"It's okay, when we get to it'll be just as special. I love you."

"I love you too."