Twisted

32

November 23, 1988

Stevie shifted uncomfortably on the couch. She had finally sat down for the day, as it was Thanksgiving and she was in charge of the food. Lori had offered to take it from this year, but Stevie stood her ground. 'As long as I'm not in labor I'm cooking. Thanksgiving is my Holiday.' And that was true. Lori had started doing Easter supper when she married Chris.  Barbara had always done Christmas Brunch, Stevie was in charge of Thanksgiving, that's just how it was. 

She had laid out the deviled eggs, the veggie tray, the ham rolls, and the newest addition to the appetizers, Queso and Chips and Stevie was really craving spicy things this pregnancy. 

"You didn't have to cook you know." Lindsey states moving grab her foot to start massaging it. Lindsey was convinced that there was something the doctor wasn't telling them about this pregnancy. She was way bigger than she was at 33 weeks with William. 

"Lindsey...." She warns.

"I know, I know...what can I do?" He asks.

"You can stop rubbing my foot and rub my back." She states shifting on the couch so her back was free. 

He sighed but he got up and situated himself behind her to support her and then he started kneading at her spine. 

William was playing with his toys on the floor and when he saw how his parents were sitting, he wanted to join in the fun so he grabbed his little teddy bear stuffed animal and he crawled up on the couch with his mother.

"Hi peanut. What's the matter?" She asks.

"Mama, we watch movie?" 

"Sure, what movie do you want to watch?" She asks as Lindsey stops rubbing her back and hands her the remote.

"OOdolph." 

"Yeah we can...." It was then that Lori and Chris walked into the living room. "Perfect. Uncle Chris, can you put Rudolph in the VCR?" 

"Yes ma'am...yes I can." He nods. 

"I think Barbara will much rather approve of this Thanksgiving outfit than the one you wore last time you were pregnant." Lori looks her up and down. 

The outfit that she was wearing this year was a silk white peasant blouse with little black dandelion seeds on it paired with a black maternity maxi skirt. 

"I hope so, because even this felt like way too much. I'd much rather be wearing Lindsey's pajamas." She states.

"Stevie, are you sure you're due next year?" She asks.

"Dr. Skye said January." She shrugs.

"Well, Steves, you look like you did when you were full term with William." 

"Trust me I know. She says I have access amniotic fluid. I had to have what she called an amniocentesis. They stuck a giant ass needle in my stomach and like sucked out a pint of amniotic fluid." She rolls her eyes.

"Okay, it wasn't a pint, it was like three vials." Lindsey had stopped rubbing her back and had started rubbing her stomach causing the baby to kick rather hard causing Stevie to shift and wince, but it also caused William to take notice of the baby. 

They hadn't directly told him he was going to be a big brother. He was still too little to understand that, but he was aware that there was a baby in mom's belly and when they arrived, they would be a member of the family. William, now remembering the baby was there had turned around and started whispering to her belly.

"What is he saying?" Lori asks

"I don't know, he talks to them in his own language." Stevie shrugs her hand also caressing her stomach.

"But seriously, the amnio was so uncomfortable it was stupid." 

"I was with her for it, because it's an outpatient surgery and I kid you not Lori, the needle scared me and I wasn't the one on the receiving end of it." Lindsey states.

"I had a tiny hole in my stomach. It's like a little circular scar now." Stevie states. 

"Well as long as you all are healthy." 

"We are. But I think I might end up having a C-section." Stevie bites her lip."Because I think this baby is bigger than William was and I'm not about to naturally give birth to a twelve pound baby." 

"As long as you all are safe that's all that matters." Chris finally joins in the conversation. 

That night while they were laying in bed, Lindsey talking to her stomach-that had become their bedtime ritual-he looked up at her.

"If you have a C-section, they're not going to let me back there for it." 

"No, I'll make sure you're back there. I'm the queen for christ sakes. They have to cater to me." Stevie states. 

"Steph, the one place you aren't in charge of is the hospital." 

"No, but I am in charge of Dr. Skye...I can't do this without you Lindsey. I really can't." She shakes her head.

"I just hope YOU make it out of this okay." Lindsey states.

"I hadn't thought of that." She bites her lip. She was 40 years old. She wasn't necessarily old-old, but in terms of pregnancy, she was old. She was high risk when William was born, but this time she's even more high risk.

"Maybe we should think about that." He shakes his head.

"What's there to think about. You save the baby and then you become William's regent." 

"What's a regent." 

"It means that you have legal claim over the throne and William until he turns eighteen. You'd be the king until June 2nd, 1998. Something like that." 

"Try 2003." Lindsey smirks.

"Right, yeah, Pregnancy brain." She states. 

"But Steph I don't know if I'll be able to choose. And if I choose the baby, people might think I did it so I could become King." 

"Lindsey, people die in childbirth. It's a valid excuse." 

"Yeah, maybe in 1940 but not in 1989." Lindsey shakes his head.

"It'll be okay. I'll be okay. I don't plan on going anywhere soon but if you have to make a choice, there's no question. You save this baby. He or She could cure cancer,  You don't know that. So you save them. Give them that chance." Stevie looks at him.

"Promise me you'll both make it out alive." 

"This isn't a fight I'm willing to lose." Stevie shakes her head.

"Good, I love you Angel."

"I love you too." She kisses him