Summer had come along and the forest around their romantic, little timber cottage changed into a beautiful, magical piece of nature. The warm temperatures had caused all the trees to come green and the wild flowers on the lush meadows filled the air with an incredible scent.
By now, Stevie and Lindsey had been at their new home for almost four months and still there were no news regarding their return to LA, not that one of them was complaining about it!
From time to time, Stevie caught Lindsey staring at his children's photos on his mobile phone and she tried her best to comfort him whenever the longing for his kids overwhelmed him and he needed someone to hold him tight. She had tried to talk some sense into Jess to at least give Lindsey permission to call his children but Jess had rejected it. It was too dangerous for both Lindsey and his family. And so he had had content himself with looking at photos.
"Baby, are you okay?", Stevie asked worringly and joined him on the couch, him again looking at his mobile phone.
"Mmmm..", he sighed, shut it off and put it down on the table.
"Are you sure?", she asked softly and stroked his arm.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Steph! Just missing the kids, nothing new.."
"I'm so..-"
"Please don't say you're sorry again, Steph! It's not your fault."
"I know but.. I'm feeling sorry for you, baby. I wish I could do something to help you.."
"But you can't. Really, Steph, you've been wonderful and understanding all this time ever since we came here. And I am very thankful for that. Sometimes, I just need to look at the photos and.. Well, think of them, that's all."
"And I understand that, of course. I just hate to see you so sad, Linds. I love you. I want you to be happy."
"But I am happy here with you.", he said and smiled at her.
"But you miss your children, Linds. You are desperately longing for them and I don't think you'll ever be truly happy without them."
"I won't, that's true. But I don't wanna lose you, either, Steph.."
"You don't lose me.", she said softly.
"Steph, what is going to happen when we return to LA?"
She looked into his eyes and saw how concerned he was. And the truth was, she was too. She had no idea what was going to happen as soon as they had to go back to their old lives and she somehow didn't even want to think about it. Being here with him made her the happiest she had been in a long time and she just wanted to enjoy the moment before it was all over.
"I don't know, Lindsey. I honestly have no idea.. We'll see, okay? Let's not stress out about something we don't even know when it's going to happen.."
"Do you even want to be with me?", he asked and he sounded so fragile and insecure that it nearly broke her.
"Of course, I do, baby. But I don't want us to worry about those things, right now. It can take another few months until we go back.."
"I know, Steph. But what about us? You and me? I don't wanna go back to Kristen and play happy family again."
"But what about your children?"
"I want my children. And I want you. I want you by my side.", he said and took her hand into his.
"Do you really want that?", she asked sheepishly.
"Yes, I do, Steph! I'm tired of wasting my life in a relationship that doesn't work. Never really did, actually. I love you and I want to be with you."
