You Always Have Me

Part 26

"Say goodbye to Mommy, darling." Christine said to Lily, standing on her doorstep with the girl beside her. 

"Bye, Mommy!" Lily waved, smiling big at Stevie, who still wasn't so sure about this...

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm going to miss you so much." Stevie hugged her daughter once more, before Lindsey wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"We've got to go, Steph. It's going to be fine." He assured, kissing her temple. "Lily's in good hands."

"I know. I know that, but... I love you, baby. I'll see you tomorrow." Stevie smiled, kneeling in front of Lily, kissing her on both cheeks. 

"I love you, too, Mommy and Daddy!" Lily wrapped herself around Lindsey for a moment as well, once Stevie let go of her. 

Lindsey took Stevie's hand in his and tugged gently, she waved goodbye, then turned to walk towards the car. This was the very first time Stevie would be separated from Lily overnight and this was extremely hard for her, but the girl took an instant liking to Christine, so she wasn't against staying with Aunty Chris at all, and like Lindsey said, Lily was in good hands. Stevie trusted Chris with her life, she doubted she would have left her baby with anyone else.

The truth was that Stevie was beyond exhausted and stressed out after everything that happened and Lindsey wanted to take her out on a date at least; just for them to be together and not have to worry about anything. Also, judging by her demeanor and how the night progressed, he might also surprise her with something more than that...

"Steph, please stop." Lindsey asked, placing his hand over hers across the table. "Baby, everything's okay. Lily is with Christine, they'll be alright."

"I know, Linds, I do. Just..." Sighing, she shook her head, then looked back up at him, smiling. "Okay, that's it. We're out on a date and I'm going to be thinking about you and nothing else."

"Good. I'd like that." He smiled back at her and returned to reading the menu, having just sat down at the table he had booked for them the day before.

The waiter came back to their table, bringing the bottle of wine they had ordered. Stevie took a sip and closed her eyes for a moment, thinking that it's been far too long, since she could relax and enjoy herself. 

"Thank you."

"For what?" Lindsey asked, slightly surprised. 

"For everything, Linds. You've been wonderful to me these past few months. You've been the friend I so desperately needed and so much more than that. You were going through a massive change in your life, but you were still strong for me, too and I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate it. Most of all, you're the most incredible father to my daughter." Tearing up, Stevie added, then corrected herself. "Our daughter."

"I want to be her father, legally."

"You... you do?" 

"Stevie, of course. You know how much I love Lily. It's just all really complicated, so I thought we could wait that one more month until she's legally yours and then we'd start the process, so I could be her father, too. I want her to be a Buckingham." Lindsey smiled, saying. "I want you to be a Buckingham as well." 

Stevie sat with her mouth slightly agape, her eyebrows furrowed. "You what? Linds, what are you saying exactly?"

He chuckled to himself, thinking, so much for waiting to see how the night progresses... For some reason, Lindsey felt... shy all of a sudden, drawing an invisible pattern on the table, until Stevie put her hand on his to stop him, causing him to lift his eyes up.