The three of them sat in comfortable silence around the table in the far corner of the restaurant, scanning over their menus as they waited for Lucy to arrive.
It felt like a moment of déjà vu. Just a few months earlier they were doing the exact same thing- waiting on Lucy, but instead it was for Everleigh to meet her... Things were a little different now.
"I'm so sorry, I'm late." She announced as soon as she caught a glimpse of them.
She was in a green sundress, blonde hair pulled into a clip as she tugged the empty chair out from under the table.
"That's quite okay, dear." Stevie welcomed her with a gentle smile, suddenly feeling slightly bad for her.
Lucy had always been different... Stevie had known that from the moment that she'd met her. They would never be friends, but for some reason, the older woman really did love her.
And maybe it was only because she'd given her Evee, but that was enough for Stevie to hold a soft spot in her heart for that woman.
"Late? I'm surprised you didn't stop traffic in that dress." Lindsey teased, which caused Lucy to giggle in return.
"Very funny." She nodded, still a small smile plastered to her face. "I was actually surprised when you called and wanted to meet..." Lucy lingered, eyes traveling to Ev for a moment.
She was quiet- she'd always been a little shy, but more so when she got nervous.
"Everything okay?" Lucy wondered as her gaze moved to each member of the family and finally landed on the older blonde.
Stevie pursed her lips to one side, hand meeting Lindsey's knee under the table as she stared down at the white table cloth.
"Um..." Evee swallowed hard, nodding her head lightly as her eyes also drifted, finding it impossible to look Lucy in the face. "I really appreciate you coming all the way here and allowing us to come visit you in Chicago," she lingered, not exactly sure what she wanted to say or how she was supposed to say it. "It means a lot to me that you were as interested in a relationship as I was..." she added, finally looking into her deep blue eyes from across the table.
She raised a brow, tears already stinging her eyes. "But...?" Lucy already knew- she could tell what was coming next, even though she really dreaded it.
"But I already have parents." She was blunt, but sometimes that's just how it has to be. "I let my emotions and my feelings get the best of me, and I pushed myself away from something that was great just the way it was." Evee shrugged, more disappointed in herself than she was anything else.
Lindsey's hand met Stevie's, already seeing the tears build up in those sweet brown orbs as well. He gave her hand a soft squeeze, before he started to drawn small hearts on her palm- the same thing she always did to him.
"I don't need another set of parents..." Everleigh continued, shaking her head very softly.
Biting down on her lower lip, Lucy's eyes traveled from Evee, back to Stevie. "This is your doing..." she told the older woman, almost certain of it.
Lindsey scoffed immediately, sitting up in his chair to defend his wife, who wasn't going to say a word.
"No, it's not." Everleigh beat him to it. "It's not her doing, and right there is the problem... you're constantly blaming my mom for your mistakes." she motioned towards her biological mother, even though she'd never felt that way.
Lucy didn't feel motherly, not even around the daughter she was actually raising... There was nothing overly soft, sensitive, gentle or calm about her presence, not like it was with Stevie, at least.
The middle aged woman grew incredibly quiet, shocked but also a little embarrassed... she deserved to be, though.
"You can't speak to her like that." She added, shaking her head in disbelief. "You act like she owes you something..." Evee had been thinking that the entire time, but a part of her was so in denial, she couldn't say anything. "She does not owe you a relationship with the daughter that you abandoned."
"I never said that." Lucy's voice was soft, eyes weak as she tried not to let her tears stream down her cheeks, but it was hard.
She felt like all she did was make mistakes when it came to her relationship with Evee and maybe she did. Maybe she didn't know how to be there for her, even though she really wanted to... or maybe she just wanted to forge a bond that didn't exist, because someone else already held the mother card in Evee's life.
"But you act that way," the younger girl stated, not being mean, but being honest.
Lindsey shifted in his seat, still holding Stevie's hand as they both sat in silence... It was one of those moments that they both wished they could just disappear.
It felt like a conversation that Evee and Lucy should have shared, just the two of them, but that's not what their daughter wanted. She wanted them there, so that's where they were. Right behind her, every step of the way, like always.
"I'm sorry if I've upset you." Lucy creased a brow, being as genuine as possible.
She nodded lightly, biting down on the inside of her cheek subtly. "I'm sorry too." She shrugged. "I'm sorry that I don't want you in my life the way you've been trying to be. I don't want another mother." She repeated. "We can talk, we can visit, we can go out to dinner, and you can even be here for important life moments." The tears lingered in her big blue eyes, but she refused to cry. "But that's it.." she added.
Lucy sank down, that all too familiar feeling washing over her.
It was hard for her, but she'd done this before... She'd lost Evee twice before, so a part of her wasn't totally heartbroken. She could still be there for her daughter, just at a distance.
"I'm so happy that you have your parents." Lucy was so thankful in that moment, believe it or not.
She was thankful that Stevie and Lindsey could be everything Everleigh needed them to be.
They were her mom and dad, which had proven once more.
Evee glanced over at the couple, who at that point, were really leaning on each other. "Me, too." She assured, reaching out to rub her moms arm. "And I'm thankful that you gave up on me, so I could call them mine." She whispered.
"And I'm sorry to you both as well." Lucy's eyes traveled towards them, a faint, yet very sad smile dancing across her pretty face. "You've raised a strong, wonderful, intelligent child, and no one could have done it better." She was totally sure of it... "Especially not Crosby and I."
Stevie paused for a moment, finally looking into her eyes for the first time since they'd gotten there. And without a word, she pushed her chair back, stood up, and trailed around the table.
Lucy stood up as well, a sigh of relief escaping her when Stevie wrapped her in a warm hug. "I love you." Her voice was quiet as she spoke words to her ex- mother- in- law that she'd never said before.
Nodding lightly, the blonde cradled her chin in her hand, watching the tears roll down her red cheeks. "I love you, too." She whispered back. "And you did the right thing."
