"Is he excited?" Tom wondered, eyes growing soft as he stared across at the woman that he had always loved more than anything... She wasn't easy and their marriage wasn't a walk in the park, but he always adored her, even at her worst.
She giggled lightly, shrugging her shoulders softly. "I'm only a few weeks along and I just found out a couple of days ago, so until he's back from out West, I'm not going to say anything." She admitted, even though she could hardly wait.
Stevie wanted to tell Lindsey immediately, she really did, but she was worried that if she had announced that kind of news right before he left, he would feel worse about leaving and she didn't want that. She wanted him to go back to California, be with his kids and celebrate their wonderful accomplishments without constantly thinking about what was going on with her.
She didn't want to take him away from Mallory and Laura, not in the slightest.
"I want to make it really special when I tell him..." she lingered, very clearly excited about this next chapter of her life... This was a first for her.
She had never been pregnant before, so it was exciting and nerve wracking... She was scared but thrilled. She knew it would all work out, whether it was traditional or not.
And yes, it was really soon, but that didn't matter, not to her.
Tom nodded his head lightly, cracking a gentle grin a moment later. "You deserve the world, Stevie." He told her in the most sincere way possible.
He believed that, even though he had always had a weird way of expressing it... She was a good woman, a good mother, a good person and if she found someone else that allowed those characteristics to shine a little brighter, who was Tom to even try and hold her back?
"And I'm sorry that I couldn't be the man you needed." He added, even though it really pained him to do so.
No one ever wants to admit when they're wrong, especially in situations like that, but he was wrong and he knew that.
"I wasn't always the most perfect wife to you either." She reminded him, shaking her head lightly.
He had made his fair share of mistakes, but to let him take all the blame for their issues would have been totally unfair... She knew that she had never been a total saint.
"But to dwell on things we can't change would ruin too much for us now." She gave him the most gentle, encouraging smile as the tears continued to fill her big brown eyes. "We have so much to be proud of." Stevie really did believe that. "We raised two really incredible humans and we pushed one another through some of the most difficult challenges in life, and guess what?" She still had his hand in hers so she gave it the most subtle squeeze. "I still think we can be friends in the end." It was wishful thinking, but it was worth it to hope for the best.
After all, they had known each other for more than half of their lives... Why end on bad terms when neither of them were happy anymore?
Tom could go on to have another very success twenty year or more marriage and so could she.
"I'm really glad that you got what you have always wanted." Tom was, even though he never wanted to be the one to give it to her.
He was six years old than Stevie, so for him, their entire marriage, he just figured he was over with that part of his life. He had kids and so did she, even if they weren't biologically hers... He never wanted to start over in that sense. And as much as she loved and adored their two kids, she always felt like there was something missing from her life... someone was missing and she fully believed that it was the person she was growing.
"You will find someone that makes you so happy, Tom." She was convinced of it. "And all of this- all the good, all the bad and everything in between," she waved her free hand lightly. "It will just be a memory." She was beyond optimistic and she wanted him to feel the same way.
Nodding his head, he let out a soft laugh. "I will always be thankful for you." Tom never said things like that, but he figured this was his last chance to tell her... He knew that after that meal, the next time they would hear from one another would be through their divorce lawyers.
"I feel the same way about you."
~~~
When Stevie arrived back home, she slipped out of her boots, set her coat and purse down on the accent chair and then headed into the kitchen with a stack of mail in hand. And the first thing she noticed was a voicemail lighting up the phone, so she listened with a soft smile on her face as Lindsey's voice flowed through the speakers.
He had already called her when he landed, but on his voicemail he was telling her all about Mallory's recital and then told her that he hoped she was having a good day... He was already missing her a whole bunch.
Still smirking, she picked up the phone off the cradle and immediately started to dial the number, really excited to talk to him.
"Hello?" Mallory was the closest to the landline, so without even looking to see who was calling, she picked it up.
Smiling lightly, Stevie bit down on her bottom lip. "Hi, sweetie." She wasn't sure what made her so nervous, but she was.
She knew that the girls were aware of her presence in their fathers life but she knew it couldn't have been that easy for them.
Cracking a light grin, Mallory leaned into the kitchen counter as her eyes moved towards her father, who was sitting at the island, not even paying attention. "Hey, Stevie." She said, which caused Lindsey to glance up from the plate in front of him.
Chuckling softly, Stevie felt that shy feeling slowly start to fade. "How was your performance?" She knew she was talking to his youngest daughter- she could tell by the difference in the girls voice.
She was more soft and gentle... a little bit shy, herself.
Holding up her free hand, Mallory stopped Lindsey from trying to take the phone away from her. "It was really good, but we all would have loved for you to have been here."
