I Think I'm in Trouble {Reimagined}

XIII.

It went without saying, Stevie didn't sleep not a single ounce that night.

She had hoped after her multiple glasses of red wine that she would knock out soon after, but the idea of Lindsey and Shannon being together had her so occupied that when she felt the least bit sleepy enough to close her eyes, she woke back up again because she was feeling overwhelmed.

When a decent time came around that morning, she got up and she made herself a cup of coffee, started writing in her journal and when some more time went by and Robert was awake, she started breakfast for him and the boys.

Within all of that time, she had been waiting for Shannon to get home; not to question her by any means, but to see how she looked, and she was hoping that she'd come home after her father left because she wasn't in the mood to hear any lectures for the sake of the girl.

Robert's lectures would make the situation all the more real and she didn't want that, she absolutely did not want to believe the man she had been having an affair with was potentially sleeping with her daughter just a couple days after their spat.

"Do you have any plans today?" Robert asked as he watched his wife put a little face makeup on.

"Uh, not too sure... The girls might come over is all, I just want to be ready but I think I'm going to take a nap..." she sighed, the bags under her eyes a bit too prominent for her liking.

"You should, you were tossing and turning all night," he came near, kissing her shoulder and then kissing her cheek. "At least you'll have some quiet time seeing that we'll be gone and Shannon hasn't come home yet," he pumped his brow.

"Doesn't she work today?" she had to ask.

"Yeah, she starts around one or two and it's an eight hour shift tonight," he assured. "I assume if she went out last night, she was prepared to spend the night and just go or she'll be back before she has to head out..."

"That normal?" she wondered. "I mean, I should know and pay attention more, but..."

"Steph, you've been working..." he smirked, rubbing her shoulder before she could beat herself up about it. "Yes, it's normal not to see her during the weekends. She usually hangs out at her friend, Becky's, her co-worker and they grab lunch or dinner before going to the bar to work. Their shifts overlap a little so usually they're at the bar for a good twelve to fourteen hours and they either go to Becky's or Shannon comes home somehow."

She nodded her head, somehow just slightly relieved because he was rather in the know of her schedule and how she operated.

"The only reason she's been around this weekend is because you and Jeff are off," he commented.

Although she wanted a little more reassurance, perhaps to ask him if he thought anything happened between their daughter and Lindsey, she didn't dare ask and set herself in that line of fire.

"Okay?" he nodded. "Me and the boys are gonna head out..." he whispered. "Don't wait up, we're probably gonna be back late, you know how those games go and then to get out of there..."

"Yeah, have fun," she turned her head to face him for a kiss.

He swiped her blonde strands out of her face and he kissed her ever so tenderly.

It was his care and concern for her and their children that he had that made her wonder why she would have started an affair; he didn't deserve to be cheated on and that made her want to beat herself up worse, but in that moment, she was so preoccupied with the thought of Lindsey and his actions that she couldn't totally succumb to her husband's affections.

"Try and get some rest, baby," he added. "I love you..." he swiped her cheek gently.

"I love you too," she whispered back, settling her hand on his wrist.