It was dark and quiet- a house that hadn't been occupied in months, waiting patiently to be loved once more. Everything was the exact same as it was when she abandon it. Her hair rollers were still on the living room stand, that single coffee cup she had forgotten on the counter and the throw blanket she had used the morning she'd left, still sitting on the piano bench. All of her favorite things as happy to see her as she was to see them.
It was peaceful and calm... Just how she liked it.
"Becks and Silas made it home okay?" She asked as she set her purse down on the kitchen counter.
Nodding her head, Karen flicked on the big light to actually see something. "She texted me and said that all he's asked about since they left was when they'd get to see you and Lindsey again." Karen chuckled softly.
Stevie's lips turned up as she grabbed that cup off the marble top. "They're best buddies." She shook her head a tad, that soft smile still tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Lindsey was great with him- better than his actual grandpa and his father combined. He actually put effort into having a relationship with him, even though he didn't have to... It wasn't his grandson, but he loved Silas as if he were.
Karen paused for a second, leaning into the barstool as she watched the older woman trail aimlessly around the room. "You aren't gonna go, are you?" She asked that as nicely and as sensitively as possible.
She didn't ask questions often, or ever when they had to do with Stevie's relationship with Lindsey, but sometimes she just had to know... They were so unpredictable and confusing.
"I don't know." She shook her head, tossing her hands out to her side lazily.
She wasn't in the mood for that- she didn't want to think about anything, other than changing into some comfortable clothes and going to relax in the sun room.
"I'm going to make some tea." Stevie softened up just a second later, having immediately realized how hostile those words had left her mouth. "Would you like some?" She was going to make enough for her anyway, but she figured she'd ask if she wanted her to pour it, too.
"Please." Karen nodded her head gently, eyes following her through the room, watching her search the cabinet she hadn't seen in months. "Have you spoken to him yet?" She wasn't trying to be nosey- she was just curious if she should be expecting a call from her boyfriend, wondering why Stevie hadn't been answering her phone.
"We're going to dinner tomorrow evening." Stevie never turned around, instead she just focused on filling the kettle with water before setting it on the stove to simmer. "Nothing to worry about." She assured.
They sat in comfortable silence for a couple of minutes after that- Stevie picking a couple of things up around the house, and Karen going over some last minute things to conclude their tour, while the kettle sung in the background.
It was good to be home, because that meant normalcy, or a little, at least... Home also meant that she could pull herself out of that state of being around Lindsey for so long and go back into the life she was comfortable with- the life without him.
But that only ever lasted so long, of course
"Mom?" Constance's voice rang through house, causing both women to flinch lightly.
With a big smile dancing across her face, Stevie quickly finished pouring the hot water into the cups before her eyes traveled to the kitchen doorway.
Constance and Becks weren't identical, even though they were born less then four minutes apart. They had nothing in common, not even their faces.
"Welcome home, rock star." She had two long braids trailing down, rings on every finger, bell bottoms and a boots.
She was a vision- unique and beautiful.
"Hi, party girl." Karen got a hug first- a sweet smile marking her face as well.
"I've missed you." Constance kissed the side of her head before she moved around the counter to her mother.
"You can't possibly have missed us more than we missed you." Stevie's mama heart burst when she wrapped her arms around her daughter.
"But I did." The blonde argued, head falling on Stevie's shoulder to be held. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it the other night." She added with a soft frown.
"No, I get it." She shook her head, giving her girl a subtle squeeze before she slipped away. "Your dad is more important." Stevie was pulling her leg, kind of.
"Oh, stop it." She playfully pushed her arm, a deep laugh escaping both of them. "You know Kim has nothing on you..." Constance was kidding as well- to some certain extent.
Wrapping her girl in her arms once more, pressing her lips to her head, she asked; "You're gonna stay for awhile?"
Chucking softly, she creased a brow. "I'm staying all night."
And that's all it took. Within half an hour, the two women found themselves sitting outside by the pool. Stevie had turned on the fairy lights, brought out cups of hot tea and they got comfortable on the sun beds.
"Why don't you just marry the man you love?" Constance exhaled, letting a thick cloud of smoke fill the air around her as she stared up at the moon.
Stevie nodded lightly, eyes closed as the brisk evening air comforted her in an odd way. "He will never leave her, Constance." She whispered, feeling her daughters eyes burning into her from a couple of feet away.
"If you asked him, he would." She had the most mundane tone of voice. She was always so calm... Becks wasn't. "You're just too stubborn." She added with a soft smile.
"You don't get far if you aren't." She replied.
~~~
Her eyes were hardly open, the bright morning sun beaming through her cream colored curtains as she stumbled down the winding staircase. "Damnit." Stevie almost tripped over Constance's boots before she made it to the front door.
She was still fast asleep in her old bedroom- the same one that had Green Day and Blink- 182 posters hanging on the walls.
"There you are." He had a smirk on his face as he cradled four coffees in a cup carrier. "Beautiful lady." George slipped into the house, wrapping his free arm around the blonde to bring her in for a kiss.
Stevie sank into him instantly, a sigh of relief washing over her as she felt him rub the small of her back. "I've missed you so much." She admitted.
AN:
Starting off a little slow, but I promise we'll get there soon. Thank you all for sticking with me- it won't be too boring for much longer.
