I Can't

I'm trying to help

The next morning when Lindsey opened his eyes, yawning, he saw the bathroom door ajar with the light on and he heard the water running. He got out of bed and walked the short distance, finding Stevie, rinsing her mouth, her hair messy and droplets of sweat on her forehead. 

"Are you okay?"

"No." She stopped the water, reaching for the towel to dry her face and hands. "Puking your guts out first thing in the morning isn't considered to be the most fun you can have."

"Can I do something to help?"

"You could make me some mint tea, while I get dressed."

"Sure." Lindsey nodded, turning around to head downstairs, but then he stopped. "Why are you getting dressed? Wouldn't it be better for you to stay in bed?"

"There's a meeting at Anna and Daryl's school about some kind of fair."

"I could go instead."

"Right and be surrounded with other twenty mothers, discussing who's going to bake cookies?"

"Steph, I'm trying to help, okay?" He asked in defense, he just wanted to make this easier on her. 

"I know, I know you are." She sighed. "I'm sorry. Thank you, but I have to go myself. Besides, I'm meeting Christine after."

"Oh? What for?"

"I just need to see her, Lindsey. I need to talk to her."

"You can talk to me."

"Yeah, I tried that one last night."

He wasn't liking her attitude at all, but on the other hand, he knew she was probably really torn since she told him about the baby and she definitely received not the kind of answers she thought she would. 

"I'll go make you that tea..."

Stevie came down and joined Lindsey fifteen or so minutes later, sitting down at the table, taking the cup he had set for her in her hand, taking a sip. She watched him as he was reading something in the newspaper, his eyebrows creased. 

She put her cup down, looking into it. "So, are we not going to talk about it anymore?"

"I think it's pretty obvious where we both stand."

"Lindsey, like I said, it's not a thing we're buying. I'm pregnant with your child. I don't understand how you can be so... so cold and indifferent. You never reacted this way when I told you about our other kids. You were always so happy."

"Well, you weren't exactly over the moon yourself, were you?"

"No, because I'm much older this time and I know that complications may occur, I might even miscarry... I'm afraid, that's why I'm not jumping from joy, but I want this baby and I can't understand how you don't. It's not like we're on a budget or we have everyday, 9 to 5 jobs. We have everything to have and raise this child."

"You're so set on this, what I say won't matter." Lindsey folded up the newspaper and got up, on his way out. 

"You are the father! How can you say it won't matter? I don't want to bring a baby into this world, who will have both parents, but not really!"

"I already told you how I feel."

"Lindsey!... LINDSEY!" 

But he didn't listen nor stopped, leaving her by herself.

Stevie didn't have time to chase after him, as she drank the last of her tea and went to put her boots on, grabbing the car keys on her way. It was hard to believe the way he was behaving, she didn't understand it. She knew there was no chance it would be easy, but at least she thought she had a husband who would support her.