Just as I Begin to Fade

Sixty Five. The Future

Hours later at ten o'three p.m., baby Galen Buckingham was born and he was doing rather well at six pounds and eight ounces. He was a tiny thing, but healthy nonetheless.

After the baby was born, Gwen got to hold him and cuddle him, but since it was getting late, she and Bobby decided to head back to the house so they could clean up dinner, then go to bed and return in the morning, however Barbara and Jess stayed.

Coming from seeing the kids off, Lindsey entered the room again, just to see Stevie cooing and gushing over her new son.

She looked up, hearing him come in and she smiled. "Isn't he beautiful?" she calmly stated, gazing down at her infant.

"He is... We did a good job, baby," he walked in further and he sat at the foot of the bed, taking in the way she seemed so docile. "He's stunning."

He'd never seen her more mellow before and it moved him to see her so motherly as she had always been quite cold with her teen.

"Like you..." she smiled happily and then swiped her blonde hair to the side in order to enjoy his baby face.

"Glad you think so..." he bent forward and he kissed his son's head as she had him laying on a pillow.

There soon came a knock.

She looked up and creased her brow, wondering who it was because she had known Karen to leave.

"You up for visitors?" he wondered.

She shrugged her shoulders and just smiled in a beaming matter meantime. "You are the cutest little boy ever," she whispered, pecking gentle kisses to his baby face.

Lindsey opened the door and he was just as surprised to see Jess and Barbara waiting out in the hall. He couldn't exactly stop them from coming in and there was no way he could warn Stevie, so he just moved and didn't say a word.

"Hello, Stephanie," her father stated.

It felt as though her heart had dropped into her stomach and even though she was forcing her eyes to look up, she couldn't. She took a breath in and then found the courage to do so and she made eye contact after looking between the two of them.

"Hello, sweetie," Barbara then greeted, a hint of sympathy behind her words.

Stevie swiped some of her hair behind her ear and she supported her baby's head, bringing him to rest on her shoulder. "You're not here to take my baby away, are you?" she panicked slightly.

Lindsey creased his brow as he watched her barricade their son in her arms.

Barbara and Jess sighed, detaching their hands from one another.

Her mother took a step forward. "We were here visiting and we had dinner with Gwen and she told us you were gonna have the baby. I'm sure this is a surprise, but we wanted to be here and we wanted to meet our new grandson."

The blonde gulped as her eyes fell to Lindsey, knowing he lied about coming from dinner with the kids.

"I didn't tell you when I got here because you were already in pain and I didn't want to stress you out further," he explained.

She kind of sighed.

"We missed you, Tee," her mother once again came forward and she swiped her daughter's hair.

Stevie nearly cringed only because the thought of her parents still frightened her to death.

Barbara moved her hand away immediately.

"Look, I'm sorry, but can you guys leave Lindsey and me alone, please?" was the only thing the blonde had to say.

They obliged.