The next couple of days went by quite similar. Stevie wasn't very enthused with much of anything, not even the morning she went back to the restaurant, or the night Lindsey took her out for cocktails and a nice dinner... She wasn't happy, and she made it obvious.
She hardly said three words to anyone, even her husband wasn't exactly sure what was going through her head more often than not. She was just quiet and edgy- everything had begun to irritate her... everything.
And at Levy's apartment, things weren't much different. None of them were getting the hang of having a baby around- not even Lucy. They couldn't make her happy, no matter how hard they all tried, she just didn't seem to settle down for anything.
Everleigh cried all the time, nonstop. She didn't take naps, she hardly slept at all during the night and she never, ever wanted anyone of them to put her down, but she also didn't really like when they held her either.
It had been a long couple of days for everyone, which was why Elise figured that inviting the entire family over for dinner at her house was the perfect way to get them all in one place... Lucy could have a little break, and Stevie could get to see the little girl she had fallen totally in love with. It seemed like a great idea.
"There's my pretty girl." Lindsey was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, one hand in his pants pocket as the other rested on the railing.
"I look awful." Stevie mumbled, smoothing down her loose flowing shirt as her eyes stayed glued on him.
Self conscious was an understatement- she could hardly look at herself in the mirror at that point.
Letting out a soft sigh, he watched her trail past him to get through the foyer. "You do not, Stevie." He was trying- he really was, but it was hard to sympathize with her when she was just so hard on herself. "That body has done amazing things." He repeated the same thing he had said a hundred times over since they'd gotten home.
She had given life to four humans- that was amazing... She was amazing. And he wished, more than anything that she could see herself through his eyes. She was incredible and even more so for everything she'd done in the last nine months.
"You're just saying that because you sleep with me at night." She slouched down into the accent chair to slip into her shoes.
He just ignored that- he didn't want to fight with her, not right before they went to see the baby. "What sweater do you want to wear?" Lindsey pulled open the closest door, changing the subject as best he could.
"What if I don't want to wear one?" She had been like that all week long- a little pushy, rude, sarcastic... He was used to it by then.
Shrugging his shoulders, Lindsey closed the door and rolled his eyes. "Then get sick, Stevie." He could be harsh right back- he wasn't afraid to push her buttons, he'd been doing it for almost four decades. "Shit." He mumbled, tossing his jacket over his shoulders as he left her to head out to the car.
He felt bad for her, he really did. He knew how much she loved Everleigh... Hell, he had adored that sweet girl from the moment he met her too, but there wasn't much they could do. That wasn't their baby and even though he really wanted to fight to see her- he knew that they weren't entitled to anything.
He was trying to understand Stevie's feelings, but the constant attitude was getting kind of old.
He wanted his wife back, yet each time he looked into those deep brown eyes, he saw a completely different woman. She was sad- so, so sad and it wrecked him.
~
Stevie and Lindsey bickered all the way Kash and Elise's home. It started when Lindsey was backing out of the driveway and accidentally hit the mailbox, and then Stevie lost it when they were in traffic, because they were going to be late... She didn't want to be the last ones there and she made that very clear before they even left the house.
Luckily, with just a pinch of sanity left, Lindsey pulled down their driveway, where Stevie jumped out of the car before he was even able to put it in park.
Once they got inside, things were already pretty hectic. Everleigh's loud cry filled the entire house as all six of the kids took turns trying to calm her down, even Janie was strolling around the backyard, bouncing her up and down gently... It didn't help.
"Oh, thank God." Levy let out a deep sigh when he saw his parents step into the house. "We need you, mom." He wrapped his arm around her neck, kissing the top of her head before he allowed her to move further through the living room.
Biting down on her lower lip, Stevie couldn't help but smile... first smile Lindsey had seen in days. But that really made her feel better- sometimes she just needed to be reminded that they still needed her occasional. It made her mama heart burst. "Does Elise need some help in the kitchen?" She questioned, almost certain that was Levy's big concern- dinner, of course.
Shaking his head, he creased a brow gently as he motioned to the sliding glass door, where Janie was rocking a very upset Everleigh. "I've never met such an angry child." He wasn't kidding, not in the slightest.
Stevie glanced over at her husband, eyes weak and heart pounding. "Where's Lu-" she was going to ask where Lucy was, only because she didn't want to get in her way, but before she got the words out, she was cut off.
"Maybe you can go out and sing to her?" Her daughter- in- law was lingering in the doorway that separated the living room from the kitchen. "The boys told me how much they used to love it." Lucy gave Stevie a soft shrug... she looked miserable- tired, stressed and even a little scared.
"They did." Stevie nodded her head gently in agreement, patting Levy's arm as she headed towards the back door.
Levy's eyes followed her, and as soon as she slipped outside, he threw his attention back towards his father. "She looks upset." He didn't understand why everything was such a huge deal- if he had a baby, he would have depended on his mother for advice, wisdom, help... he wasn't sure why Lucy just fought it all the time.
"It hasn't been good, buddy." Lindsey admitted before he went into the kitchen to find himself a stiff drink.
~
"Hi, Everleigh." Stevie whispered as Janie gently handed the baby over to her. "So upset." She added, a very deep, content sigh escaping her the moment she felt the girl snuggle into her arms safely. "Let's sit down." Stevie's voice was soft and quiet as she took a seat at the patio table, so she could look at the baby a little better.
It was magic- that baby was pure magic and the second Stevie's eyes met hers, silence washed over the backyard. Instead of crying, Everleigh just stared up at her grandmother with puffy eyes and red cheeks. She let out little coos ever so slightly as she wrapped her tiny hand around Stevie's index finger.
"I've got sunshine on a cloudy day," She sang, tears filling her eyes as she scanned over Everleighs little face. "You're my girl."
