He woke up on his side, with her tucked under his arm, face in the crook of his neck and legs tangled in his. They had fallen asleep on the couch the night before and though it had never been the comfiest, they had somehow made it work a million times.
"You're not getting up, are you?" Her voice was so gentle, eyes still closed as she snuggled in to him a little more.
Looking down at her, his lips turned up with a smile. "Are you comfortable?" He wondered, carefully bringing the same hand that he was holding her with up to her face.
The way he pushed her curls back behind her ear caused the most subtle sigh to escape her. "Very." Stevie whispered with her eyes still closed.
"Then I'm not getting up." He gave her the most gentle squeeze, leaving a couple of kisses on her head.
There was very few things that he loved more than mornings like that. It always reminded him of simpler times and easier days...
She chuckled softly, finally allowing her deep brown eyes to melt into his much lighter ones. "Here I was, telling myself that we wouldn't slip back into this..." Stevie couldn't help but smirk as she scanned over his handsome face.
He was still tried- she could tell by the puffiness in his eyes and the weak grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You are so beautiful." He had told her that a handful of times in the last couple of hours.
With a little giggle, she left a light kiss to his neck. "Oh, stop it." She rolled her eyes playfully, knowing that she looked just as tired as she was feeling.
For a moment he got lost in those deep brown eyes, falling in love for the millionth time in their nearly fifty year relationship. "It's true..." he wasn't always complementary... If he had been, they wouldn't be in that situation.
If he was half as gentle with her as he was there, chances of them being with other people would be slim.
Her soft hand met his cheek as this deep sigh filled the air around them. "This doesn't change anything, Lindsey." Her voice was weak, holding his face gently. "We owe each other this..." she had told herself that more times than she could count- trying her best to rationalize why she was giving this up.
He nodded softly, one hand slipping down to hold onto her waist. "Until then..." he whispered, leaning in one more time to kiss her head. "Can we just enjoy this time?" Lindsey didn't want to worry about things at home and she didn't either, so why do it to themselves?
They still had time together and the last thing they needed to do was taint the memory that house held for them.
Why ruin it now with arguing and sadness?
"You and me..." she whispered, eyes falling closed once more.
"Always."
~~~
Carol called later that morning, which is what caused them both to roll off the couch. She didn't call often, not when they were on the road and not when he was with "the band." But their daughter had a doctors appointment and she was so excited, she had to tell her husband about it, even though she was certain he was preoccupied.
She wasn't stupid.... she knew the truth. She'd known for a long time but after that many years of marriage, some things were better left alone and that was one of them.
Lindsey's relationship with Stevie was not something she cared to discuss or even think about anymore.
"How is she?" Stevie was sitting at the small circle table in the kitchen, chin resting in her hand as she used the other to cradle a cup by the handle.
He trailed through the room, a soft smile on his face as he headed for the coffee pot. "She's having a girl." He announced, which caused Stevie's heart to flutter instantly.
"Oh, that's so exciting." She nodded softly with a little smile. "Is Carol throwing her a baby shower?" Stevie wondered, watching him sip his coffee even though it was still steaming.
He pulled out the chair across from her, taking a seat and putting his cup down on the lace cloth that covered the old wood. "I think some of Ann's friends are." Lindsey shrugged, a chuckle following his words. "And I already that she'd love to have you there." He added in a more gentle tone of voice.
"Well, whenever it is, I'll be there." She assured as her mind drifted back to the afternoon that Ann had called her to tell her that she was pregnant to begin with.
She was kind of surprised to hear from her on a random Friday, but they spoke for two hours and she shared in the thrill of it.
"You and Carol raised wonderful children." Stevie had praised them for that forever...
He paused for a second, never sure how to respond to complaints like that, because thank you didn't seem right. "They love you." Lindsey told her, but that wasn't news to either of them.
Lindsey's kids had always considered her and the twins family, right along with everyone else in the band. But Ann, especially was very close to Stevie.
The year after she graduated high school, Carol let her go on the road with the band for a couple of months the upcoming fall. That was around the time Constance and Becks were traveling with them too, so before and after every show, they all camped out in Stevie's dressing room. They listened to music, laughed for hours and played more cards than anyone could imagine.
And ever since then, Ann had considered Stevie her second mother.
"You are going to be such a good grandpa..." Stevie lingered, a little giggle coming right after.
Chewing on the inside of his cheek, he let out a really soft sigh. "I just feel like I'm experiencing the excitement of this next milestone with the wrong person..." it wasn't just that life event, but it was a thousand others before that.
That hurt, it really did but she wouldn't let him see it. "I'll still be here, right beside you..." her lips turned up into a grin. "Just not in the same way."
