I get back to my house and Lindsey and Aria run to greet me. I still have tears coming down my cheeks and Lindsey looks concerned.
"Are you okay? Is it the...?"
"No, she's fine. Just uh, Chris wasn't exactly happy with my news. It was a mess." I say, rubbing my forehead.
"I'm sorry, angel. He will come around. He wasn't nice the last time either."
"No, he wasn't. He said this time he was shocked because of my age and he asked me if I was going to keep her." He presses me into him.
"Don't be upset, Steph. We're happy, aren't we?" I nod. "Do you feel good?"
"Yeah, I feel really good. I just don't know why he acts like that."
"He's just jealous because we make beautiful babies"
"Yes we do but so does he"
"Must be a Nicks thing" he says, kissing me.
"Must be" I say, trying to smile.
"Is there something else, honey?"
"I have a strange feeling about going back to the cabin. Something feels off. I get sick just thinking about it"
"That could just be the morning sickness" he jokes.
"Ha-ha. But that's not what I mean. I'm just nervous. I have a really weird feeling about it"
"What can I do to make it go away? Are you saying you don't want to go back again?"
"No, I would love to go back I'm just....I don't know. So you understand? Do you believe me?"
"Yes, baby. Your feelings are never wrong. I want to protect you and Aria. Maybe I will hire security to come stay with us for a couple days. Does that sound good?" I nod. "Then I will get right on that"
"Thank you."
"Also, did you say we're having another girl? Isn't it too early?
"My mother said we are. You know how all the women in my family are"
"And what do you think?"
"I've felt it even before I knew I was pregnant. Lots of feminine energy around me."
"Wow, another little girl..." Lindsey smiles at me, wrapping his arms around me.
"Are you happy? I know it's not set in stone but..."
"If you feel it, I believe you, angel. I'm very happy."
"I love you"
"I love you too"
-----
A couple days after his show we begin to pack up our life and head back down the road. Aria gathers up all her favorite things by the saguaro cactus outside and tells them all goodbye. She says she will miss them because she can't take them all with her. It was so very cute! I take my little box of polaroids and some other things with us, and head back to California.
"I know Aria is good in the car but I don't know if I can do it, baby" I tell him.
"We can take a lot of breaks and we can stop to eat. I won't let you feel bad. Just tell me when we need to stop. Lay back the seat, sleep. Whatever you want"
"Okay" I say, hoisting myself into the giant SUV. I'm wearing comfortable clothes, comfortable shoes and I have my sunglasses. I packed a couple snacks per Karen's request and ended up having a great drive. We sang songs and joked and it was just like when we took our first trip to the cabin.
When we arrive I can't bring myself to go in. I'm frozen to the spot. He tries to pull me by the hand but I just can't.
"I feel sick" I say. "I told you I didn't feel good about this"
"Don't be silly, Steph, everything will be fine"
Against my better judgment, I follow him inside and I'm shocked when I see the state of my house. The living room alone is trashed. Pictures torn, glass everywhere, our furniture has been knifed and there is batting and stuffing everywhere. Our television is smashed in, our gold records are ripped from the walls, curtains ripped from windows...It's been ransacked. "She's been here, I knew it! I knew it didn't feel right"
"Stay here, I'm going to look at the rest of the house" I'm carrying our sleeping daughter and I really don't want to stay in this room by myself. "Call security"
"Don't leave me behind. I'm coming too" He looks at me, then at Aria.
"Okay, honey. Stay close."
"I will" We continue on up the stairs. Mirrors and more pictures are smashed and there is debris everywhere. It's frightening to know someone could do this, that someone has been in our home when we could have easily been home. Pushing forward we come to our room and my knees buckle with the feeling of dread swirling like a storm in my belly. Lindsey has to grab onto me hard to keep me from doing down, especially since I'm holding Aria.
"Are you sure you're okay to do this?" He asks me and I nod, though not convincing either of us. He pushes open the door and I can't believe it. My bedroom is destroyed, my lingerie is cut to shreds, jewelry and mementos are strewn across the bed and carpeting and I start to cry. "Go check Aria's room. I, I can't do it" He nods and tells me to go down and wait for him. When he returns to me he is as pale as a ghost. "Oh my God" I pass Aria to him and run outside, getting sick immediately in the grass. He goes after me and rubs my back with his free hand. "I have to get out of here" I tell him, desperately. "I can't stay."
"We won't. We will go somewhere else"
"I'm so tired"
"We can stay at a hotel and we will have workers come in and repair the damage. We don't have to stay. We need you to relax for the baby, Steph. I'm sorry about all of this. I'm going to call the police. If you feel up to it, will you put Aria in the car? I will be right out. Keep the doors locked. Be careful" I'm still crying and he kisses me briefly before I leave. I buckle her in and I get into the car quickly. A few minutes later, Lindsey comes out and drives us away from the house. "Everything will be okay" he tells me, squeezing my knee.
He makes a couple phone calls when we get our suite, we order food and tell Karen where to meet us.
"I want this to be over" I say, picking at the food on my plate that was just brought in.
"We will get her. She tampered with medical results, she has trespassed and vandalized our home, black mail, extortion....she has so many things against her, baby" He watches me sit on the bed and he crouches down in front of me. "The police said they will take their pictures when Karen gets there then we can go in tomorrow to give our statements." I just nod, I'm so tired I can barely function. I lay down and fall instantly asleep. He strokes my hair. "I love you" he whispers.
A/N: Thank you all for over 5k reads and over 1k stars/votes! I really didn't think people would be so responsive to this fic! Your support means so much to me!
