I Think I'm in Trouble {Reimagined}

LXXXIII.

The next couple weeks would pass them by exceptionally quickly considering Jeffrey's deployment date.

That morning, it was like déjà vu with his parents dropping him off at the airport, his siblings in the backseat, promising his mother he would be back in due time, and then he made his way to where he needed to be for check-in.

Although Damon had left as well, Shannon knew she had to see him off before seeing off her brother for the sake of their mother. It was a hard time yet again.

It was simply a nightmare to relive and of course, everybody's main concern was the singer.

Just after two weeks from rehab, Jeffrey left for deployment and the second time around, it was two weeks after she had given birth. Of course everybody was concerned for her well-being.

Once they arrived back at their house, Nicholas got out of the car first to leave their parents for a split second while he got himself ready for school.

"I'm gonna pack a bag, I told Kristen I would stay with her," Shannon assured, rubbing her mother's shoulder. "I was gonna stay the weekend. We're both kind of going through the same thing, she might need some help too."

They both nodded.

Without another word, she looked at them with sympathy and she got out of the car to make her way inside the house.

"I don't know if I can do this again..." Stevie mumbled the moment they were alone. "Everything has been so chaotic as it is," she brought her hand up to her face, moving her sunglasses in order to rub her tired eyes.

The sun hadn't even come up yet, though after taking care of her infant the last couple of weeks while living in the anticipation of her son leaving, she was exhausted while she'd been crying that morning.

Robert sighed and he settled his hand on her shoulder, rubbing it firmly.

He knew the last time they went through everything, he had gone about things the wrong way with her, considering it led to her affair. But that time, he could be a friend to her instead of a husband and it made it easier for him, but he knew better than to elaborate on anything regarding their son's absence.

As usual, not one of them knew what to expect, but they had to be strong for their kids.

"I don't know what to say, Steph..." he shook his head. "I don't want to say the wrong thing again, not that it matters at this point."

She stayed quiet.

"I've done everything I can do here as far as physical therapy, so I started looking at some places in New York..."

She looked over, creasing her brow.

"With you and Lindsey together now, the new baby... Shannon's obviously living at Damon's, Jeffrey's away..." he sighed. "Instead of working, maybe I should spend some time with my sisters, I barely know my nephews and nieces," he shrugged.

"You're leaving?" she wondered.

"Not indefinitely, but the reality is, this can't go on forever," he added. "You and I are divorced, and all the back and forth shit is bugging me. You and Lindsey should be in one spot for the sake of Lily..."

"What are you saying?" she asked.

She was so discombobulated that morning that nothing was putting itself together for her.

"Stevie, this is your house. I built it for you and my kids, it's in my name, but it's yours. Move Lindsey in with you without feeling weird about it, especially if I'm leaving."

She sighed.

"Staying in the apartment a couple nights out the week together, or going to his place, or you coming here alone isn't how it should be. If you recall, I built this house for us to avoid that when we lived God knows, everywhere, with Lori and Chris living with us off and on," he explained. "All three kids had stability, I'm telling you; you should have Lindsey here with you and the baby, that's all."