Everybody Finds Out

Part 26

Stevie wasn't used to being the first one to fall asleep. She'd stay up way after Lindsey's light snoring had filled the silence of the room. She wasn't enjoying a restful sleep, however, twisting and turning in bed, until she lazily opened her eyes and stretched out her arm over to the other side, finding it empty. She reached to turn the bedside lamp on and frowned, now realizing that she was indeed alone.

With her robe over her nightgown, Stevie headed straight to the recording room. She wasn't surprised, when she found Lindsey there, his back facing her. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"I thought, I might find you here." Lindsey covered her hand with his, but didn't say anything in response. "What's going on? Why aren't you in bed?"

"Couldn't sleep." He said, moving his hand away he leaned forward and pretended to suddenly be busy with something.

Pulling up a chair, Stevie took a seat and turned the one Lindsey was sitting on, so he would look at her. "Any particular reason, why?" There was, she knew there was something. The way he avoided eye contact, the tension in his jaw - she just knew him. "What's the problem, Lindsey?"

Cocking his head back, Lindsey exhaled heavily, fighting the urge, to turn away from her again. "It's about earlier."

"Thought so." Stevie moved closer and sandwiched one of his large hands in between her both.

They had been enjoying the last several weeks without a single hitch. They were back together as a couple, which was not a secret among their close friends, just the public. It was nice, having this quiet, peaceful moment in their lives, when nobody asked them questions. The two of them had never truly had such luxury in the past. Lindsey had been doing a great job at keeping Stevie calm, erasing any new fears that might have risen over the past month or so. However, the night before, he told her, he and Kristen were finally going to talk to the kids. She did her best to show her support, but on the inside she was a nervous wreck. She had no way of knowing, how things were going to go, when Lindsey was in his soon to be ex-wife's presence. When he returned, she saw it on his face that it hadn't been easy, so for the most part, Stevie just let him be. Clearly, now she knew that he might be taking it harder than he let it show.

"I just don't think they understood, you know?" Lindsey spoke up after some time. "Leelee definitely didn't, she's just so- so little." The crack in his voice broke Stevie's heart. All she could think of doing was getting up and crawling into his lap. With his arms wrapped firmly around her, Lindsey hid his face in the curve of her neck. "Will sat there, his eyebrows creased. But Daddy is not here now too, he said." Stevie felt a tear drop on her chest and she shut her eyes, combing his hair with her fingers. "How was I supposed to explain to my son, who's the same age as Harry, that his mother and I are getting divorced, because we don't love each other? That I won't be coming back, because I can't stand being around their mother?"

Even if Lindsey had made that decision himself, Stevie couldn't help but still feel guilty. She did feel like she was taking away the father of those two little kids. She felt guilty, because she and Harry were going to have Lindsey all the time, while Will and Leelee were only going to get to spend time with him occasionally. 

"Are..." Stevie paused to clear her throat, which had closed up listening to Lindsey. "Are you having second thoughts?"

He lifted his head off her shoulder. "Steph, no. Of course, I'm not." He cupped her cheek, making sure she looked him straight in the eyes. "It's not about that. I'm happy about us, it's just... it's hard knowing that I'm gonna have to set up meetings in order to see my children until they're old enough to speak for themselves."

A lone tear slipped from her eye as well, she forced a smile. "I couldn't handle it if you-"

"Don't even go there." Lindsey shook his head. "I just know that Kristen's going to make it difficult. This is not exactly a situation with two grown adults involved."

"Well, she doesn't decide, does she." She cast her eyes down and began fidgeting with a button of Lindsey's shirt. "You know, that I love your kids, right?"

"Of course, I do."

"And once we move out of here and in- in our house together, they are always welcome." It felt weird, the thought of her house suddenly becoming theirs.

"I know and I'm not worried about that." Lindsey smiled, brushing the pad of his thumb over her cheek. "It's been a difficult day today, that's all."

"I love you." She said, leaning forward to lock her arms around his neck.

"I love you." He echoed, then hooked one arm under the back of her knees and the other around her back, and hoisted her up with ease as he stood up.

"Are you insane?" Stevie asked, clinging onto him. "You're going to drop me."

"No, I'm not." Lindsey shook his head, managing to steal a quick kiss as well as he carried her up the stairs and into their bedroom.