~S~
"That is absolutely perfect, honey." I had been sitting at the piano bench, watching carefully as Suzanna worked out unraveling a beautiful blanket.
She had always been great at sewing and knitting. She had a bunch of kids- I can't even remember how many, but she used to tell me, all the time, that she had sewed a lot of their clothes in the 60's, when they were young. And even though her hands had aged and her hair had turned all gray, she still worked hard. She was always making or crafting something... I don't know how she had the patience, but she did.
She always went above and beyond, and that blanket was no exception to that. She had been working on it for months- ever since Lark had called home to tell us what the baby was going to be.
In fact, that same afternoon, Suzanna had picked me up and made me go to the fabric store with her. We ended up walking up and down those aisles forever to look at all the different options and finally, she picked out the most perfect one.... that blanket was made with more love than you can ever imagine.
"I can't believe she's having a baby in a week." Suzanna shook her head, tears already lingering in her eyes as began to fold it back up as nicely as possible.
She had come over early- I think it was only six in the morning, but she wanted to bring me some things to take out East for Lark and the baby. And since Lindsey and I were set to leave in less than half an hour, she was there with gifts in her hands and love in her heart.
She was the best ever.
"I can't believe it either." I watched as she gently set the blanket that she had wrapped up in some gold tissue paper back down on the bench next to me. "But she'll be a great mom." I believed that, because she had already been proving it, even given the complicated circumstances.
There had been a lot going on in the world and after I had gotten home from my short tour, Lark was set on coming back out West as well. She told me that it was too much- she didn't like it out there and with everything going on, she wanted to be home, with her father and I...
I regret it now, I really do, but at the time, I just thought she had really gotten homesick and I talked her out of it.
She wanted to just pack up and leave Austin... She told me that she wasn't sure she wanted to be married and if he didn't want to come back to California, she would leave without him.
I would do anything to turn back the clock and tell her to start packing...
But I was worried that she had just gotten herself worked up. It was always a little more difficult to be away after one of us would visit and I had noticed that almost immediately after she moved.
If we went to see her, or she came back home for a week or two, it was always tears when it was time to go.
She missed home, which I think has a lot to do with why she'd back here now.
Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself... She didn't move home for quite a while.
"How long are you two planning to be gone?" Suzanna was always on the phone with Lark as well, so she knew that it was all her idea for us to go out there... just the two of us.
At first that was hard for me, but the more I thought about it, the more I understood why. Having a child is a very special experience and I think she was so particular about who she wanted there, because she didn't want to take away from that.
And Lindsey and I could do that for her... We could suck it up, make it work for a couple of weeks and be there for our daughter. She wasn't asking us to move mountains- she was asking us to help her adjust to the most important role she would ever play in life.
"Three weeks, I think." I shrugged lightly, trying not to act nearly as nervous as I was.
It had been a long time since we'd all been together like that...
She cracked a grin, standing close as she took my chin in her hand... She was such a mother figure to all of us at times. "It'll be wonderful, sweet girl." Suzanna was promising me that. "You and Lindsey are going to be so happy these next few weeks."
I didn't realize just how right she was.
~~~
I had sat there for about ten minutes, trying to get comfortable in my seat but the awful sound of his snores made it impossible... He was always snoring but at one point, I actually tolerated it.
"Wake up." I leaned over the aisle way of the private plane, snapping my fingers close to his ear.
"What?!" He flinched, looking at me like I was the crazy one when he had been making noises that sounded like someone was trying to start an old lawnmower.
"Wake up or go to the back." I shifted in my seat, looking back down at my journal on the table. "I can't even think straight with you sitting this close." I added, taking my cup of coffee in hand to bring up to my lips.
I had been up for a long time, my mind was racing and I was anxious.
I didn't mean to sound short with him, but...
He let out a sigh, sliding up in his seat and glancing around for a moment. "This is going to be a long couple of weeks if we start out like this." Lindsey was right... Arguing before the plane even landed wasn't going to make anyone happy, especially not Lark, who was really relying on us at that time. "We're gonna be grandparents in a week, Steph..." His voice shifted into a much softer, more relaxed tone as he finally looked over at me.
And I remember thinking about that for a second, trying to decide what he was hinting. We had been a lot of things in life and nothing had ever changed.
At times we were a couple, we were coworkers, we were roommates, we were friends, we were bandmates, we were enemies, we were allies, we were parents... What difference would it make now that we were grandparents?
I didn't really know, but I wanted to find out.
"I'm sorry." I slowly reached out, taking his hand in mine and tangling our fingers together.
"Let's make it work for just a few weeks, please?" His blue eyes were gentle as he left a couple of soft kisses on my knuckles.
Nodding my head, I bit down on my lower lip as my heart began to beat a little faster. "We can do that."
