"Thank you for bringing her home." Stevie was holding open the door, a soft smile on face as she watched her daughter trail into the house.
"Thank you for letting us take her out for the day." Lucy stood right outside, holding out another bag for Stevie to take. "My mom and I really enjoyed it." She added, motioning back towards the rental car, where Tammy was taking up residency in the passenger seat.
She had her sunglasses on over her eyes, though it was still obvious that she was staring at them like a hawk...
Waving lightly, only because she'd made eye contact, the blonde nodded her head. "Good, I'm glad." She assured as she leaned to one side to glance back at her daughter.
"I had a lot of fun, thanks." Evee let off a soft smile, setting her bags down on the foyer floor.
"Anytime, sweetie." She chuckled, eyes traveling from the blue orbs back to Stevie's much darker ones. "We were actually wondering if it would be okay to swing by tomorrow and go to dinner after school?" Lucy had already asked Ev, who seemed to really like that idea... the ball was now in Stevie's court.
She bit down on her lower lip, thinking about it for just a split second before she replied. "That would be totally fine." She shrugged, another really forced smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
She couldn't keep up with everything... it was too much, sometimes. She was trying to save her marriage, save her son, and protect her daughter. It wasn't easy.
"I really appreciate it, Stevie." Lucy did, even though it wasn't totally easy for her, either.
She had a lot on her plate anyway... she was a mom to Eden, so it was hard trying to find a middle ground with Everleigh, who didn't feel like daughter in the slightest. But she was trying- she really was.
"We'll see you tomorrow, sweetheart." Stevie could feel it... she could feel the discomfort radiating off the younger woman.
She didn't know how to be a mom to Ev.
It was just a minute later, after another awkward goodbye and even a little hug when Stevie found herself closing the door behind Lucy.
"I wish it wasn't like this." Evee announced as soon as they were alone.
Sighing softly, Stevie sank down a little. "Me, too." She admitted with a really sad set of brown eyes.
"Sometimes I wish I never would have reached out to her." She hadn't said anything like that before- she hadn't even let on that it was bothering her that much, so to hear that was really surprising to her mom.
"Honey..." shifting all her weight from one foot to the other, Stevie stared at her from across the foyer. "Did something happen today?" Her voice was soft and sympathetic... Something had to have upset her for her say something like that.
Ev grew quiet for a moment, and then, without much hesitation, she shook her head. "No, I just hate this." She lied with a simple shrug. "I want my life back." She wasn't going to admit to Stevie that she felt like she was stuck in the middle of two very families...
It wasn't very obvious at first, but as she spent more time with her grandmother and her biological mom, she started to realize just how different they were compared to the people that had raised her... Her real mom and dad.
Stevie's heart sank into the pit of her stomach as her eyes began to fill with light tears. "You don't have to do this, Everleigh." She whispered, biting down on her lower lip.
"I do now." She shrugged, shaking her head softly as she turned around to head towards the staircase. "I want you to know," she turned around at the railing, a really sad smile trailing across her face. "You're the best mom I could have ever asked for."
~~~
Staring up at the bedroom ceiling, watching the light from the moon dance around, Stevie shifted awkwardly. It was the third night without him and she didn't realize just how entertained he'd kept her.
It was boring without him... and quiet.
She couldn't remember the last time they had been in that sort of predicament... It had been years. The last really bad argument she could remember was the night she'd packed up all three kids and went to her parents for a few days. She couldn't even remember what had fueled that fight- it was probably drinking, or flirting... Two things Lindsey did that never set well with his wife.
But they were younger then, a lot younger, so when they fought it didn't feel as catastrophic... They still had a lot of time together- a lot of time to figure it out, but at seventy- something, time didn't seem like it was on their side.
They didn't have a lifetime left of loving each other, which was really starting to bother her.
Pushing herself up, Stevie reached out to grab her phone off the nightstand, squinting at the bright light from the screen as soon as she turned it on.
"Hello?" Levy's voice filled the phone after the second or third ring.
Creasing a brow, she slowly started to push herself up the headboard. "Hi, sweetie." She replied, "What are you doing?" She could tell almost immediately that something was wrong... Lindsey always answered his phone, especially for her.
"Oh," he lingered for a second- the hesitation in his voice becoming very apparent. "Nothing, really." He added, which didn't set well with his mom.
"Mhmm," she nodded as if he could see her as she pursed her lips to one side. "Where's your father?" She asked, raising a brow lightly as she stared down at the duvet.
The sigh that escaped him was all she needed to know.
"Is he okay?" She asked immediately, slowly pushing herself out of bed completely.
She had been taking care of him for so long, her first instinct was to rush over there and make sure he was alright...
"I finally got him to just chill out," he announced in a low tone. "He's just upset." Levy didn't sugarcoat anything- he would tell her how it was, which she was usually thankful for. "I mean, he just hates that you want to be separated." He added, just to clarify.
"I can come over-"
"No." He cut her off, shaking his head lightly. "Take care of yourself for awhile, please." He knew she needed it... she needed some time to prioritize her own sanity. "He just needed someone to talk to, so we talked and he chilled out, then he passed out on the couch." He added, trying to make her feel better. "It's okay, alright?"
"He's okay?" She asked, needing a little more reassurance.
"He's okay." Levy wouldn't say that unless he meant it. "Now stop worrying." He chuckled softly, hoping to lighten the mood just a little. "Go hang out with your friends, or go to the beach, or get your hair done... Put yourself first for once, mom."
