Unexpecting

Part 10 - Pushing buttons

Rushing in and out of the airport, Lindsey was on one path only and that was to Kristen, to witness the birth of their fourth child. It was just that he had been too late, her having a C-section an hour before he landed, him being disappointed as the nurse told him the whole story. He let out a tiny cry and asked to see Kristen, being told that she was asleep, having been on several medications for pain. Lindsey felt like he failed them both, his wife and new born child.

"What happened? Why did she go in to labor so soon and why the Cesarean?"

"The umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck; thankfully with how the body works, it started the labor to inform us of the distress."

"Oh, God..." leaning over to cover his face with his hands.

"It's okay, Mr. Buckingham, the baby and your wife suffered no long term effects. Would you like to see your son?"

He nodded.

The nurse took Lindsey to the nursery, pointing out the little boy with the tiny blue cap on, his tired eyes half open with a smile on his face. What an adorable little boy, looking so much like Will when he was born, memories of first time fatherhood filling him. "That's my boy," speaking to himself as the nurse nodded, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

Being given the chance to meet him, Lindsey was taken in to the nursery with a special hat and gown, being handed his little boy as joy filled his heart. "Hey, little guy," running his finger along the boy's cheek. "I'm sorry that I was not there for you when you were born but I promise to be there for the remainder of your life..." then thinking of his age, would he see this child grow? "Or, I will be here for the remainder of mine."

His thoughts drifted to everything that had been going on, the situation with Kristen then the other with Stevie, now feeling this strange turn of events. His whole soul belonged to Stevie but his heart was overtaken by this little being. There was so much that he had to reconsider or still consider, placing his boy back down as he left the nursery.

Leaning up against the hallway, Lindsey felt faint, finding a spot to sit while thinking of the choices at hand. He'd told Stevie, the only woman that he would ever love, that he would be back for her and that was the truth; Lindsey would come back to her arms and continue their romance but could he leave the baby so soon...?

Stevie kept her mind busy with the tour, worried about Lindsey and the outcome of his child's birth, writing and keeping herself from calling. For some reason she felt that he would call when he was ready or... did he want to call?

She finally got a call the next evening, her voice a bit scratchy from the stress and show, holding the phone close to her ear as she heard her lover speak.

"Oh, Steph, he's an angel - he looks so much like William and we've named him Greg, after my brother."

"I'm so happy for you, Linds, I bet he is the of most precious."

"He is, I missed his arrival by an hour and Kristen had a C-section; the cord was wrapped around his neck. I feared that something would be wrong, that he would be disabled but his tests show everything clear."

"I'm sorry, Lindsey, but so happy to hear that both of them are safe."

"I know," he sighed, "...it caused him to come a month early."

"He must be small."

"Not too small, just a tad, but he's healthy. I'm thankful for that."

"Me, too."

They were both quiet for a moment, Stevie hiding cries as Lindsey hung his head in guilt. He was stuck right in the middle with continuing his family or letting it go to be with the woman that he truly loved. "Baby," Lindsey finally spoke up, "...I still need us but I may need some time, just to really make sure that I end this right..."