Everybody Finds Out

Part 16

Lindsey fought against the sunlight flooding his room as he kept his eyes closed, wishing for just a few more minutes of sleep. Those minutes passed by quickly, making him realize that his wish, no matter how simple, wasn't going to come true. Inhaling deeply, he opened his eyed and rolled onto his back stretching his arms, yawning. He suddenly stopped his movements, seeing Stevie sound asleep next to him. He must have slept like a log, because he didn't hear her coming in or felt her lying beside him.

Taking a moment to admire her, Lindsey smiled to himself. No matter what was going on between them, no matter whose fault it was, they still seemed to find peace in each other. Wondering for a second if he should wake Stevie up, Lindsey decided to let her sleep a while longer. He got out of the bed and went to the bathroom. After a quick shower, he got comfortable under the sheets again and pressed himself against Stevie, who seemingly hadn't moved while he was out.

Despite being married for just two short years, Lindsey had thought about divorce more than once during the time. Even walking down that stupid aisle in Hawaii, he was having second thoughts. The final push to say, I do, was the constant nagging thought in the back of his mind that Stevie had moved on. And Lindsey had always imagined himself settling down, albeit with the wrong woman. The reason that had kept him from filing for divorce were Will and Leelee. Since the day they were born, they had both of their parents under the same roof. How do you explain to a small child the change that was tempting Lindsey more often than not? There of course was Stevie herself. If he even mention that word, she'd push him away, he knew that. She wasn't that selfish to take Lindsey away from his children, her happiness didn't matter, when it came to those kids. What about what I want, Lindsey thought, his face buried in Stevie's golden locks. He knew exactly, what he wanted, he was holding her in his arms as the thought crossed his mind.

"Lindsey, I'm going to combust if you don't loosen your grip on me." 

He grinned, kissing the back of her head. "Good morning to you, too." He said and pulled away slightly. "When did you get in here?"

Turning onto her other side to face him, Stevie looked at Lindsey, her eyes barely open. "I don't know. Some time later after you walked out of my room." She shrugged, pulling the sheets up to cover her mouth as she yawned. "I hope you don't mind."

"Of course, not." Lindsey shook his head, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face. "I was a bit surprised, that's all." 

"I lay in my bed and it just..." She looked away, somewhere past his shoulder. "It didn't feel right."

"How are you?" Lindsey asked, having their conversation from last night in mind.

"Better, to be honest. It feels as if a huge weight has been lifted off my chest." She replied, blindly searching for his hand under the covers.

"It wasn't easy, hearing you say all of those things, but I'm glad you shared them with me. I do understand better what a huge asshole I was back then, still am." Lindsey added with a shrug.

"You're not, Linds." Stevie shook her head, moving closer to him. "I didn't want to make you feel that way by talking to you, I wanted to talk to you, so you'd get why I'm a little guarded, a little standoffish with you sometimes."

"That's what I've always wanted from you, Steph, to be honest with me." He kissed her on the forehead, holding her pressed against him. "I sincerely hope that last night is going to help us start a healing process."

Before Stevie could agree, there was a knock on the door. They frowned, looking at each other, then slightly relaxed, when Mick's voice reached them from the other side. "Are you decent?"

"Now's not a very good time, Mick." Lindsey told him. 

"Yeah, it's gonna have to be. Can I come in?"

"Seriously?" Lindsey sighed and Stevie was about to hide under the covers. 

"I know, okay. I'm not about to lecture you about that." Mick said, hoping to be understood.

"Yeah, you can come in." Lindsey gave in, sitting up straight. 

Stepping into the room, Mick quickly shut the door behind him. "The missus is here."

"Excuse me?" 

"I went down for a cup of coffee and the doorbell rang, she stood there with the kids, all smiles." Mick rolled his eyes. "I told her, you're probably still asleep. She wanted to come check herself, but Leelee ran off and she did so too after the little firecracker."

 "Thanks." Lindsey said, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. 

Mick left the two alone with that. Instead of rushing to his wife, Lindsey had to make sure Stevie was fine, knowing that his wife had come unannounced once again.

"I didn't know."

"It's fine." Stevie said, picking up her robe off the floor. 

"Steph-"

"Lindsey." She cut him off, placing her hands on his shoulders. "I'm fine." She repeated and smiled, seemingly sincerely. 

"She's doing this on purpose. She's not that young, infatuated girl, Stevie." Lindsey shook his head, referencing what she had said the night before. 

"Go to your kids, Linds. I'll be fine." Stevie insisted once more, pecking him on the lips on her way out.