"I don't want to get up..." Stevie whispered, eyes still closed as she felt him snuggle into her a little more.
They were on the living room floor, wrapped up in throw blankets with the fireplace lit right in front of them. They had been there all night- not worried about anything else, besides one another.
It had been a long time since they'd found themselves in such a romantic setting- the two of them, cuddled up and enjoying one another's company...
"Let's stay here, baby." Lindsey had his arm wrapped around her from behind, leaving the softest kisses on her shoulder.
She let out a little chuckle, tilting her head to the side to see him out of the corner of her eye. "I'm so warm..." she added, feeling him give her a subtle squeeze.
"Do you know what this reminds me of?" He brought his hand up, swiping some of her blonde hair back to kiss her face.
Biting down on her lower lip, she carefully pushed herself up on her elbow and rolled over to see him. "Colorado in the 70's...?" She lingered as her brown eyes met those two blue storms.
He nodded his head, leaning in to kiss her lips one more time. "Exactly." Lindsey chuckled when her head met his chest, arm wrapped around his waist to be as close as possible. "You're the most gorgeous woman." He had told her that three or four times that night... He was always extra sentimental in moments like that.
She smiled softly, tears in her eyes as she pressed her lips to his neck. "Do you still want a divorce?" She wondered, heart beating a mile a minute.
She knew they had been falling back into a safe place with one another, but she wasn't sure that had changed his mind. She was worried that after the New Year, he would up and leave, telling her that he'd done what he was supposed to and it was time that she did what she'd agreed upon... After all, they weren't supposed to fall in love all over agin.
He paused for a moment, hand lost in her hair as he closed his eyes lightly. "I want you." That was his way of way telling her that getting a divorce was the last thing on his mind... He didn't want that anymore and he hoped that she didn't either.
She let out a little giggle, even though she still had tears lingering in the brims of her eyes. "I want you, too."
~~~
"Mama?" Lyric shouted as soon as she stepped into the house with her brother and Christy right behind her.
Even though they had a lot of fun at their sleepover, Lyric was still up and ready to go before eight that morning. She had such a good time watching movies, eating popcorn, painting nails and playing board games, but she was worried about Stevie being all alone at home... She didn't like being away from her.
"Lyric?" Her voice trailed through the room, causing the little girl to grin. "Is that my girl?" Stevie wondered, a little smile on her face as she lingered in the doorway that separated the living room from the foyer.
"Mommy!" She dropped her bag on the chair, holding out her arms as she raced through the room.
"I have missed you, oh so much." She bent down, swooping her up off the floor the moment she could.
"Mom, guess what?" Pierce was close behind, giving her a toothless smile as he hugged her.
"What?" She had a voice of enthusiasm as she cradled her sons face with her free hand.
"Miss Christy let us watch Jaws!" He was so excited, it caused all three girls to giggle.
"Oh, boy!" She raised a brow, patting his shoulder gently. "Was it scary?" She wondered, feeling Lyric's head fall on her chest.
"No, it was so cool!" He assured in a loud tone as he began to hurry upstairs to put his bags away.
Christy gave her boss a funny look as she set her bags down on the accent table. "I told those boys not to watch that movie." She said, referring to Pierce and her husband, who was practically a grandfather to those two kids.
Stevie tossed her head back, letting out a soft chuckle as she led the way into the kitchen. "Thank you for keeping them last night." She had Lyric on her hip, carrying her towards the counter.
"Of course, Stephanie." Christy waved a hand softly. "You know how much we adore our time with them." She said that honestly.
They're grandchildren were all in New York, along with their three daughters. So it was always nice to have young people running around their world, even Stevie was a light in their lives.
"Guess what I taught Lindsey to make?" Stevie carefully set her daughter in one of the chairs at the island.
She pursed her lips to the side, giving her mom a silly look. "Raspberry muffins...?" She could smell them as soon as she walked in, but she was going to go along with it.
"You smart girl." Stevie shook her head lightly, pulling the pan out of the oven to get Lyric and Christy one.
"Is Lindsey here?" She wondered, watching her mom set the napkin down in front of her. "Thank you, mommy." She mentioned before the older woman got the chance to reply.
"Lindsey is here," she nodded, leaning into the counter. "He's in the living room, asleep on the couch." She added, smiling softly as her eyes stayed locked with the brown orbs across from her.
They had been speaking to one another just through the use of their orbs forever... It was like they could read each others minds.
"Can we call him dad?" She wondered in such a quiet tone of voice, even Christy didn't catch it.
Stevie bit down on her lower lip, a deep sigh escaping her as she thought about that for a moment. "Lyric..." she lingered, not sure what to tell her.
It was complicated- the entire situation seemed so complicated.
What if that was too much for him? She didn't want him to freak out and run again, but she also knew how confusing it had to be for her children.
"Can I ask him?" She creased a brow, knowing full and well that her mom was at a loss for words. "And if he wants to still be called Lindsey, that's okay." Lyric shrugged as she looked down at the pastry in front of her.
Stevie chuckled, tears welling up as she nodded. "I am so proud of you." She told her daughter as she lightly pinched her nose.
~~~
"Make sure you have your hat on." Lindsey reminded her with a gentle smile as he watched Lyric work on getting her pink snow boots on.
He was sitting on the sofa, already bundled up to go outside with a cup of hot chocolate in hand and her gloves in the other.
They were all going out to make snow angels- Stevie's idea and of course, both kids got so excited... it wasn't often that their mother agreed to venture into the winter air.
"Will you help me put my hat on?" She wondered, holding it out for him to take.
Nodding his head, he gave her a smile as he took the hat with two bunny ears. "Are you warm?" Lindsey just wanted to make sure the million layers Stevie put on her were enough.
She smiled lightly. "Thank you, dad." She said in a gentle tone of voice, a little nervous to call him that but also not, in some ways.
He stared at her for a moment, heart sinking into the pit of his stomach as his eyes began to sting a little. "Anything for you, sweetie." Lindsey assured, tears rolling down his cheeks when his daughter wrapped her arm around his shoulders to give him a hug.
"We won't leave you again, dad."
