May 1998
Stevie was now five months pregnant, even though she felt more like she was twenty five months pregnant. She knew she wasn't as big as she felt and she could still manage to cover up her expanding belly for the moment. She was trying to keep this pregnancy under wraps until she knew what exactly to tell the world. Regardless of how she felt about Lindsey, not even she could deny that it may not look great for his reputation if everyone found out he had two women pregnant at the same time.
Today was the day Stevie was headed over to Lindsey's to officially meet Kristen. She wasn't quite sure how to feel about it. She hated that Lindsey had gotten another woman pregnant; but then again, what could she say? They were dating at the time and accidents happen. Perhaps it was more that irresponsible adults like Lindsey Buckingham happened.
Stevie got out of the car when she got to their house. She walked up and knocked on the door. Lindsey answered right away and smiled at her as he ushered her inside.
"Hey," he says, "how are you?"
She nods a little, "we're good."
"Good. That's good."
She couldn't help but laugh a little, "go on, say hello. Your hands are twitching."
Lindsey eagerly rested his hands on her stomach and leaned down to talk to their baby, "hey monkey. I miss you. I have your picture in my wallet and I look at it everyday. Do you know how much I love you?"
"Oh! I think so. Little monkey is moving around in there," Stevie says, a bright smile on her face. It was the first time Lindsey had noticed that she was glowing. She was going to be the perfect mother.
"I wish I could feel it," Lindsey says with a sigh.
"It shouldn't be too much longer," Stevie reassures him.
"Is she here?" Kristen asks as she makes her way downstairs. Lindsey stands up and goes to help her down the last few steps and Stevie has to glance away.
"Yeah, she's here. Come meet her," Lindsey kisses Kristen on the forehead before leading her over to Stevie.
Stevie takes a deep breath, holding back tears and putting on a smile, "hi! It's so nice to finally meet you!"
Kristen grins and goes to hug her. Both women laugh as their bellies get in the way.
"It's nice to meet you too. God, you look gorgeous," Kristen says, leading her to the living room. Lindsey follows behind them.
Stevie sits down on the love seat, while Lindsey takes a seat next to Kristen on the couch.
"Well, thank you. I don't feel gorgeous. I feel like a whale," Stevie laughs.
"Just wait until you get to seven months. I want this kid out." Kristen pauses and glances at Lindsey, "did you ask her if she wants anything?"
"Uh....no," he says sheepishly.
"You're such a bad host," Kristen glances at Stevie, "do you need something? Are you hungry or thirsty?"
Stevie smiles, "no thank you. I'm alright."
For a while, Stevie and Kristen spend time chatting and swapping pregnancy stories. Stevie notices Lindsey's eyes on her the whole time. Kristen excuses herself to go to the bathroom and grab her calendar so she can make sure none of her appointments overlap with Stevie's.
Stevie pulls her planner out of her purse and finally looks at Lindsey, "stop it."
"Stop what? I didn't do anything," he replies.
"Stop looking at me," she hisses at him.
"First you won't let me touch you and now I can't even look at you?"
"You've been staring at me the entire time your girlfriend has been in the room."
Lindsey runs his hand through his hair and speaks quietly, "I can't help it, okay? You look beautiful and you can't stop smiling when you talk about the baby. I just wish things were the other way around."
"I wish a lot of things, Lindsey, but this is how things are," Stevie replies, looking over her planner instead of at him.
He moves over on the couch so he can be closer to her, "please let me come home."
She looks at him like he's insane, "don't be ridiculous. You are home. This is your home now."
"I can't do this anymore. I want to be with you and our baby."
"We're doing fine," she says as Kristen enters the room again. Lindsey moves back to his seat and Kristen kisses him when she sits back down. Stevie glances away once again and then the girls go over their appointment schedules.
Once they're done, Stevie glances at Lindsey, "have you figured out what you're going to tell the media? I can't hide this baby for much longer."
Lindsey shrugs, "to be honest, I hadn't really thought about it."
Kristen rolls her eyes, "Jesus, Lindsey. You're about to have two children two months apart. People are going to have questions."
"No one has to know you're the father of my baby," Stevie suggests.
Lindsey glares at her, "why would you even suggest that?"
"Because I also have an image to uphold and it certainly doesn't look good on me that Kristen is pregnant and then I'm having your baby two months after her. It looks like you cheated on her with me," Stevie tries to explain.
Kristen nods, "she's right. We don't want you to look like a cheater, baby."
Lindsey sighs, hating this idea but knowing they're both right, "okay then. What will you tell them?"
Stevie thinks about it for a moment, "I could just say I got pregnant on my own. I'll tell them I wanted a baby and that I did in vitro."
"I suppose that works," Lindsey gives in. It was a better idea than her lying and saying that another man was the father.
Kristen nods, "that's a good idea. People are doing that all the time now."
Stevie looks down at her hands for a moment, giving into her thoughts and her emotions. She lets herself feel the pain of not being able to share with the world that she is finally carrying Lindsey's baby. She gains her composure and looks back up with a smile, "good, I'm glad we've gotten all that straightened out."
She gets up and gathers her things, "I'm sorry. I have a meeting to get to. I'm so glad we finally got to meet and talk."
Kristen stands up and gives her a hug, "me too. Why don't you come back with Lindsey after your appointment next week? I'll make dinner and you can tell me if this little one is a boy or a girl."
Stevie smiles, "I'd love to. I'll see you then."
Lindsey gets up to walk Stevie out. He waits on the porch with her for the car to come back and pick her up, "I hate this."
"What?" She asks, turning to look at him.
He rests his hands on her stomach, "having to lie about our baby."
"Me too, but you know it's for the best," she says, as she actually places one of her hands over his and rubs the back of it gently with her thumb.
He doesn't say anything for a moment. He closes his eyes and lets himself enjoy her touch, even if it is only on the back of his hand.
"I know," he says, and then pauses again before he speaks, "I would really love to kiss you right now."
Stevie moves her hand away from his and shakes her head, "no. You've got a beautiful, nice, young girlfriend in there you can kiss. Maybe if I would've been more like her, you'd have stayed with me."
The car pulls up in the driveway and Stevie doesn't let him speak before she walks away and quickly gets in the car.
As soon as she's seated she wipes the tears from her eyes and doesn't look back. She knows if she does she might just have the driver turn back around so she can go give Lindsey that kiss.
