I Think I'm in Trouble {Reimagined}

CXI.

Walking out to the backyard, Stevie spotted her daughter in a bikini with a wrap around her waist sleeping soundly on the chair she had plopped in.

"Stevie, wait up," Damon mentioned, coming to her aid when he realized she was coming towards the pool. "Let me help you."

"It's okay, honey, I won't fall in," she assured with a smile---eyes meeting his for the first time since Christmas Eve.

"Oh, no way," he smiled. "You got your eyes back... That's great!"

"It is," she agreed but then glanced over his shoulder. "Is she alright?" she wondered.

"Yeah, she just drank a lot," he trailed, looking back at her sleeping. "She's upset about her brother and... I don't blame her."

"Is that all she's upset about?" she had to ask, wondering if maybe she said anything to him about what else could have been bothering her.

"It's what she said... You know, she cried a lot the first couple days but since then, she hasn't drank or cried at all again. I think she just needed to break a little... She was also mentally preparing for her aunts before all this so, she just started to early and didn't eat much."

She lifted her brow---sure those genes came straight from her.

"She told me she was going to sleep right there, she's done it before..."

"She has," she rolled her eyes. "Just leave her, and honey, why don't you get acquainted in the bedroom upstairs? I really needed to talk to her about something and I'd rather try waking her..."

"Stevie, she's not gonna budge and I don't feel right leaving her... I can always drag her home with me or take her upstairs, but I already know she's gonna be in a bad mood tomorrow. She's never nice when she is hungover. Believe me, in high school--" he halted, realizing who he was talking to.

She lifted her brow, a smirk marking her lips as she nodded.

"Y'know, never mind---that is not my story to tell," he smiled, reaching back to scratch the back of his neck.

"Pity, I would have loved to hear about some of the outlandish things she got herself into in high school, underage, no less," she crossed her arms. "I mean, there was the incident where she got the car impounded, got a DUI, when her father had to pick her up from a frat party, when she got kicked out of class for lighting a cigarette in class---refusing to put it out and or give up the cigarettes... I had a feeling there were more than just the instances we were called for."

"You are a very intelligent person, I know that she knows that you know... Just don't tell her I slipped..." he begged. 

She lifted her brow again, watching him scramble around what he had done.

She had always been the cool, easy going mom when it came to most things, but they all knew she had a limit and a temper---they weren't stupid enough to really mess with her.

"But just like she always says; not my circus, not my monkey... I'm gonna just take her upstairs and get her to bed and get acquainted like you asked," he smiled and stepped forward, pecking cheeks with her. "I'm really glad you got your sight back," he added sweetly.

"Thank you, sweetheart," she spun around and made her way back inside the house, meeting the rest of her family.

"I'm gonna get this baby to bed, Steph, but I'm so happy for you," Lori stepped forward and hugged her. "Your eyes, your new grandson, all of it."

"I appreciate it," she smiled and made her way to her brother to hug and after, she found her parents. 

"You do look much calmer, Stephanie," Jess mentioned, slipping an arm around her neck in order to barricade her in his arms. Pressing a kiss to her head, "I really hope you stay calm... You really don't need to stress."