The tea glass clanked against the saucer as she carefully carried it into the sunroom, where the young blonde was waiting, patiently.
She'd been sitting in silence for a couple of minutes, staring aimlessly around the room at all of the antique lamps, beautiful family photos and luxurious furniture... It was nothing like what she had been accustom to in her life.
"Here you go, dear." The older woman set the cup down on the coffee table in front of her, hands shaking as she glanced back at her husband for a brief moment.
He was standing in the doorway, leaning up against the frame as a blank expression stayed plastered to his face.
"Thank you so much." She lightly took the cup and the plate, cradling them close as she watched the other lady trail back to the accent chair in the corner.
"You're so welcome." She assured, slowly falling into the chair and setting a throw pillow in her lap for comfort. "I think Vivian is such a beautiful name." Stevie announced, a soft, very forced smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
Awkward was an understatement- this was beyond anything any of them had ever experienced... It was strange and almost overwhelming, in a sense.
"Thank you so much." She said once more as she returned the smile.
Stevie's eyes lightly scanned over her face, suddenly seeing a lot of similar features of that of her own children. They had those undeniable blue eyes, little dimples and such curly hair.... There was just no doubt, not an ounce that Vivian was Lindsey's daughter.
She looked just like him.
"I know this is totally crazy," the younger woman repeated the same words that she'd said when she was standing at the front door less twenty minutes earlier. "And thank you again, so much for allowing me in."
She added, deep blue eyes causing Stevie's heart to sink.
This couldn't have been easy for her either, and Stevie had reminded herself of that at least ten times, while she was in the kitchen, collecting her thoughts and tears.
Shifting in her seat, the older woman swallowed hard. "So... uh," she waved a hand lightly, indicating that she really didn't know what else to say.
"I can understand if you don't believe me, but my mother..." she paused for a second, gaze traveling towards Lindsey, and then back to Stevie.
She raised a brow lightly, not trying to let her emotion get the best of her as she sank down. "Carrie?" She wondered after she'd realized that Vivian had lost the words.
Nodding softly, she bit down on the inside of her cheek. "I've just always been so curious and-"
"I want a DNA test." Lindsey cut her off, speaking up for the first time since she'd stepped foot into their home.
Creasing a brow, Stevie couldn't believe how rude he was when he had said that. "Linds..." she shook her head lightly, giving him the look.
He let out a very dry scoff, having already heard enough for the night from both of them. "It was nice of you to stop by," his eyes moved from his wife's, back to the blue orbs across the room as sarcasm filled each word. "But until I know, for a fact that I'm your father, we aren't doing this." Lindsey motioned lazily towards the cups and little cookies on the table... it was almost like they were hosting a tea party, or something. "So we'll go ahead and show you to the door." He concluded, leaving them both stunned.
Silence was immediate, since Stevie didn't know what to say as she watched the woman push herself up, off the sofa with a look of pure embarrassment written across her face.
"I'm really sorry for bothering you..." the look in her eyes broke the older woman's heart.
Shaking her head in disagreement, she stood as well. "We'll get something figured out and..." she was lost too, but for some reason, she was holding it in a little better than Lindsey. "And you didn't bother us." She added, eyes burning into his as she followed Vivian to the front door.
"It was so nice to meet you." Vivian was nervous- it was obvious before, but even more so now.
Holding open the door, she waved lightly. "Drive careful." Stevie didn't know what to say in return, only because "it was nice to meet you, too" just didn't seem very fitting.
She waited there for a long minute, watching Vivian climb into the car that was parked by the fountain and then, eventually disappear down the driveway.
And as she stood there, staring at nothing in particular, she knew that their life was about to change once more... It could never be simple, not for them.
