Magnet and Steel

29

August 11 , 2004

"Hey Steves!" Tom calls as she passes by him in the basement.

"Hmm?" She asks.

"Boy or Girl?" 

"Boy. Lindsey hit the fan when I told him." she smiles cradling her stomach.

"Excitement or anger?" 

"Excitement the day I took the pregnancy test he said it was a boy. What did you need?" 

"I know you said you wanted to reuse the ducts, but the inspector said No, because they keep turning and it's, it's a mess." Tom holds up a blob of metal.

"Right so it's obviously not working. Is this going to cost me a lot or is this going to be absorbed?" She sighs.

"I should talk to you about the baby before I give you bad news all of the time, you handled that well...it'll cost enough." Tom shrugs.

"Great, just great. I'll get the homeowners down here." 

When they get there Stevie adjusts her red teeshirt and looks at them, "Well you're a little overdressed compared to me,"

"So what's up?" Kim questions.

"The plan is to redesign all of these ducts to make you have the most sufficient heating source all fine and good except heat ducts are easy to maneuver and make how you want so I was hoping I could reuse the heat ducts but I can't because they're old and falling part. One of them was being held up by duck-tape so I have to get new ones, there's no question about it." Stevie shakes her head....You've gone so quiet." Stevie sighs.

"I'm waiting for the bad news." Kim winces.

"Right, well I don't consider your mudroom essential it's just a place to walk into the house and store shoes and it would cost about the same as getting new ducts so I can't insulate the mudroom." Stevie sighs.

"I just...shoes at the door." Kim shakes her head.

"I will do a better job of keeping it all contained in one area." Brad tells her.

"We've had that argument several times and you don't..." Kim starts.

"Okay, look Lindsey has that problem too, he kicks his shoes off right at the garage entrance. We literally have a shoe rack right there but he still kicks them off I think it's a husband thing. But by maximizing this space down here it gives you way more storage to be able to actually effectively put shoes away." Stevie explains 

"Okay, I just have to trust you both." She sighs.

"Good, now go enjoy your house tour." Stevie pushes them out of the basement. 

***

August 20, 2004

Lindsey and Stevie were waiting at the house for them and she was feeling really good about this renovation. She really just wanted to rub it in if she won. 

"Come on In." Stevie beams opening the door for them. 

"So the first thing I want to show you is all the way upstairs." Stevie smiles 

She was able to separate the bedrooms of the boys and since that was the only thing she did and then they made their way downstairs where she made a whole bottom level daycare center and then she showed them the new bathroom.

"This is amazing." Kim beams at the new bathroom.

"So, you don't even know the full story here." Stevie smiles.

"I don't?" She asks

"No, I was already designing this bathroom down here, but Brad came to me and said, Kim has always talked about wanting a really nice spa bathroom is there a way that we could make this a spa bathroom and I said...absolutely. So that's what we did. It was his idea and we did it for you, this is a two man tub and a two man shower they are both exactly like mine at home made with the highest quality and that shower head is to die for." Stevie points out.

"It really is wonderful thank you so much." Kim smiles.

"Of course but now sadly,  I have to hand you over to Lindsey." She smiles

"She did good, this is good, but we set out to find a home that would work for the daycare and I did find you one. I found you a house with a basement apartment which allowed for a total daycare. But I have to show you, your new listing We started out at 450,000 dollars and now we're up to 510,000 dollars so I'm hoping this makes it easier for you to decide, in my favor." Lindsey smirks handing them the file and making his way over to Stevie who was waiting in the little bathroom.

"I'm curious as to how you think you have a chance at this one." Lindsey looks at her.

"Really?" Stevie asks."Because this way he can keep all his friends and clients instead of starting over." 

"Yeah but Kim's wanted out of here for a long time and it's good for both of them." 

"But he's going to need more kids to make up the extra money." 

"We can give them our kids."

"Lindsey." She scolds.

"I think they're ready." he points and she nods and they make their way over to them.

"So are you going to say?" Stevie asks.

"Or are you going to go?" 

"We're going to stay." Kim nods. 

"I'm so thrilled. I think you're going to love it here." Stevie smiles hugging them. 

***

"Even though I lost, I was just glad to be back at work." 

"You have to admit though that our long vacation was really nice." Stevie shrugs as they walk into the house. 

"It was nice when you were talking to me." Lindsey smirks.

"I had my reasons." She pouts taking Jaime from Karen and wrapping him tightly into her arms.

"Mama." He coos.

"I know hello my love. Mama missed you so much, so so much." Stevie kisses his cheek 

"When'll you say daddy?" Lindsey asks peering over Stevie's shoulder and caressing Jaime's face. 

"Mama." He giggles causing Stevie to laugh. 

"He just loves me more than you." Stevie kisses his little cheek before running her fingers through the dark brown curls on the top of his head.