Secret Love

A week later.

Stevie always hated leaving Maui, she loved it here. It was the perfect escape route, away from the hustle and bustle of LA, away from the producers, management, the press. Just everything, it was a place where she could actually lie down and feel ease and rest.  

As herself, Lori, Karen and Mary were boarding the plane, Stevie looked up and saw a young woman with dark hair holding a baby girl. She couldn't help but feel a little tingle in her heart, causing a grin to widen across her face as she moved to her seat. She was seated next to Lori, coincidentally their seats were placed across from the young woman and her child. Karen sighed '' Crap, I'm glad we're going back home.'' exhausted from her many activities in hawaii. Stevie chuckled, she took off her rose tinted glasses. She was barefaced and unrecognizable with no makeup on , and in her usual black chiffon top and black pants, she let her hair just roam freely down her chest. Stevie looked to the young woman and the baby again. She watched the little baby girl sitting on the chair beside her mother, safety belt on. The baby had very light hair, and big blue eyes! as Stevie was staring at the baby, the mother was on her mobile phone, obviously having a very serious discussion.  

Karen fell asleep, and through the flight Stevie's eyes kept going back to the baby girl. Times like this,when around babies she felt very cluck,  and it brought back a lot of memories.... 

January 1988 

Stevie finished her appointment with the midwife and with Dr Reid. She had complaints about her back, which the midwife and Dr found strange to complain about because it's very normal to have back pain. But Stevie's back pain at times (especially during the night) felt excruciating. The doctor's performed an ultrasound, took baby's measurements and just told Stevie she's a perfectly healthy baby...maybe too healthy. Her little girl is already seven and a half pounds! But they consoled her to slow down her weight gain,she's already gained thirty five pounds, but even more gain could cause baby to get even bigger , quicker than expected. Lori had taken her to the appointment, afterwards Stevie was craving a cheeseburger and would even murder a cow walking down the street just to get one.  

As she and Lori were sitting, eating and talking they brought up the discussion of Nancy and Vincent. '' Are they okay with you being by yourself for the remainder of the pregnancy?'' she questions, Stevie nods '' yeah they are, I mean after all I am the one who's carrying this little munchkin''. Even better their letting her name the baby, '' well have you named her yet'' Stevie smiles '' well I was thinking about names last night. I couldn't pick between Sara or Rhiannon they both have an incredible sound to them. So I just started experimenting, Took the 'Sa' from Sara and the 'Rhi' from Rhiannon. Cut out the 'H' and got Sa-ri'' she smiles and takes a bite of her burger. Lori thinks about the name and says it out loud '' Sari, Sari...that's cute!'' she squeals. Lori however wanted discuss something personal, '' Stevie, I noticed that you're really enjoying her company in their'' Stevie looks down at her belly. A mountain of her own. She does circling motions on the center of her belly '' It's not too late, to back out''. Stevie wanted to avoid the conversation, she had made her decision and that was that! but she was enjoying every passing second with her little princess. The baby had hiccups, Stevie started giggling. She loooved the feeling of baby hiccups, it was an annoying body function for the baby, but it was such a precious feeling to Stevie.  

She grabs Lori's hand and places it where her baby is resting with the hiccups, '' here feel her. Isn't that the sweetest thing you've ever felt! it's like a little bobblehead bobbing up and down inside of you.'' Lori laughs at the movement '' oh so sweet, but poor Sari''. When Stevie heard her Sari's name being said, everything started feel very real..... 

Stevie snaps back into the current day and age. She really cannot resist that gorgeous little baby girl now sitting on the young womans lap. Karen is fast asleep, while Lori and Mary are so lost in their own chatter. So Stevie, goes over and sits beside the young woman looking out the window, '' could I have a little cuddle, is that okay'' she ask with a warm tone. The young woman looks at her in surprise, not noticing Stevie sitting there, she shakes her head and clears her head '' oh sure, she loves meeting new people''. The young lady passes the baby over to Stevie. Stevie grabs a hold of the baby under her arms, so she's standing the baby up on her lap. She smiles, as the baby looks at her with those big blue eyes in her cute little white lacy headband and blue dress. She kisses the baby on the cheek, '' how many months is she?'' Stevie ask, '' five months today''. She looks back to the young woman '' really?'' and looks back at the baby '' oh but you're such a big, girl'' she says in a cute childish but not too high pitched voice. The young woman laughs, Stevie begins to strike up conversation with the young lady '' what's your name?'', '' my name is Julia, and my little  lady is Gemma'' she says in her Australian accent. Noticing her accents, they create talk about how much Stevie loves Australia and went their last december for a ''Holiday''. Stevie bounces the baby girl gently and finally gets a smile and a giggle out of little Gemma.  

Julia not knowing Stevie curiously ask her '' do you have children?'' Stevie looks at Julia. Sari comes to mind again, no one knows that she ever got pregnant, or had even given birth. There was speculation, but that was for to know only and the family and friends around her to know. The ones she trusted of course. So talking to this girl, she felt the girl had no idea about Stevie, but also felt that she could connect with her. '' Um I did have a baby, a little girl. She's the same age as you. But I had problems so I couldn't keep her, she's with a happy family right now'' Julia apologizes '' oh I'm so sorry I didn't mean too--'' '' no, no, honey it's fine. In fact I've been thinking about meeting her lately. But then a part of me doesn't, because I'll feel guilty looking at her, I wanted to keep her and raise her as my own. But I just couldn't''. Stevie notices little Gemma yawning and starting to moan, she softly hushes her and cradles her against her chest, hoping that will help relax her.  Julia tells Stevie '' Gemma's father abandoned me, so I'm going to LA to meet my sister. But I thought about giving her up, it's just...the moment I saw her, I knew, I knew it! she came from me. And I never felt so much love and affection for anyone else but her. She's changed my life for the better and I cannot imagine my life without her.'' Julia strokes Gemmas cheek as she starts falling asleep in Stevie's arms.  

'' But I know, that if you do decide to meet your daughter. She'll be grateful to you, for giving her a chance at life and giving her what she needed'' Stevie appreciated Julias kind words and thanked her '' thank you Julia, I hope everything works out with you''. Julia hugs Stevie, they both look down at Gemma fast asleep '' I think she's snoring?'' Julia said, Stevie looks to Karen fast asleep'' oh no that's my friend snoring''. Julia snorts a giggle, and stares down at Gemma, '' I should probably hand her back to you'' but Julia can see that Stevie deep down wants to keep a hold of her. '' You know what, you can have her for the remainder of the flight if you want to?'' Stevie smiles, it's true she absolutely adored this little creature in her arms. So for the remainder of the flight, Julia had a little rest, while Lori and Mary came over and adorned over the little baby asleep in Stevie's arms.   

Stevie arrived at her condo with Lori who'll be staying with her for a month or so. She plopped down on her couch '' Oh man, it's so great to be back'', Karen yawns as she brings the rest of the luggage into the condo. '' Sheesh Karen, you're still tired?'' with that Karen puts her sun shades on '' I had a bit too much fun down at the beach bar'' With that she takes everything into Stevie's bedroom. Lori's phone rings, she answers it. It's Lindsey, '' oh hi, no, no she's here sure I'll pass her on'' Lori passes her mobile to Stevie '' it's Lindsey, he says it's urgent.'' Stevie swipes the phone off Lori '' Hello''  

'' Hey Stevie'' 

'' Hey, what have you been up to?'' she ask 

'' A lot, but it's a good a lot. In fact so good, that I need to tell you in person''  

'' What do you mean?''  

'' just trust me, look you doing anything tomorrow? how about lunch?'' 

She smiles '' Lunch sounds great, but could you at least give me a heads up on what's this all about?''  

Lori looks up, sounds serious. Lindsey heavily sighs on the other end, '' I've found her'' Stevie's heart stops and in a heart broken whisper she says '' You're kidding.'' She hears Lindsey's voice break a little '' why the hell would I? I found her, I wanted too. I just wanted to see my baby girl Steph'' Stevie sits back down, listening intently to Lindsey '' I wanted to know that my little girl was safe and happy and healthy? she's my baby so it's natural for me to feel that way''. And what Stevie didn't? Stevie rubs her temple '' how did you find her?'' , '' my own curiosity, the hospital she was born at let me have a look at her records. Then I tracked down where she was living, and where she was working. Saw her and, oh stevie I knew I had found her'' he wipes the tears from his eyes talking to Stevie. Stevie's voice breaks '' what is she like?'', he laughs '' oh she's stunning, absolutely beautiful, a total knockout. She has your beautiful cheekbones, your nose though it looks narrower and straighter no offense'' , '' none taken'' Stevie interrupts. Lindsey continues '' Long beautiful wavy golden light blonde hair, my eyes but hers are more intense and more pigmented, she even has your smile and your laugh. Oh your incredible laugh, Stevie she even burst into fits of giggles like you.''  

Stevie smiles, she wants to hear more but Lindsey thinks that it's better to tell her in person. So they decide to meet at the big boys burger restuarant, the next day. Unaware of the fact that Sari is there with her brothers, and a few friends celebrating Greysons fifteenth birthday.