We Didn't Agree To This

She wants me

"Linds." Stevie repeated Lindsey's name again, but he didn't budge. Blindly, as it was completely dark in their bedroom, she reached out over to his side of the bed, hoping to hit his chest or a shoulder, she instead hit him in the face, but that surely woke him up. 

"What the hell?" He grumbled.

"Can't you hear the phone ringing? It's the middle of the night, please, answer it, I'm tired and I want to go back to sleep." Stevie complained, already closing her eyes again, when Lindsey rolled out of bed at last.

Stevie had nearly fallen back to sleep, when Lindsey returned to the bedroom, wide awake. "Carol is in labor. I have to go. Now." He quickly grabbed a set of clean clothes from the closet. 

"Wouldn't it be smarter to just call an ambulance?" Stevie now pulled herself up into a sitting position. "It will take you a while until you're there."

"She said, she wants me." Lindsey echoed Carol's words without even thinking, to which Stevie said nothing, although, she was rather close to letting something not overly nice slip out. "I have no idea what's going to happen, so I'll call you as soon as I can. I love you." Lindsey added, giving Stevie a brief kiss, before he fled out of their room, straight to his car.

"So much for going back to sleep." Stevie sighed, getting out of bed. 

When Lindsey arrived at her parents' home and begged her to come back with him, Stevie did. They spent a few days in Phoenix together, then boarded a plane back to California. Lindsey stayed true to his word and spent the majority of time with Stevie rather than Carol. He knew he messed up and he knew he had a lot of making up to do. Lindsey was going to do anything it took if it meant Stevie's forgiveness. He had been given a second chance and he wasn't going to waste it.

However, hearing her husband say that his ex girlfriend, who was about to give birth, wanted him to be by her side... That brought it all back. Stevie instantly remembered all those arguments they had, the growing distance between them, her hurt feelings and how absolutely oblivious he was about it. No, I can't focus on that, Stevie thought to herself. Yes, it wasn't pleasant, no, she didn't want to share Lindsey, but he did stick with his promise; he said, he would go to Carol, when she needed him and well, she definitely needed him now.

It was as if the baby felt Stevie's distress, becoming a lot more active, since she got up and went downstairs, situating herself in front of the TV in the family room, moving around in her belly and then settling in uncomfortable positions. Stevie had to lie down on the couch, paying no attention to what was on the TV anymore, as she placed her hands over her belly, soothing them all over gently, as she then began singing. And it worked, like it always did. Smiling to herself, Stevie closed her, hoping for some rest.

Clearly hours later, Stevie was woken up by the front door shutting loudly, as she then heard Lindsey curse. He followed the sounds from the TV, finding Stevie on the couch, making some space on it for him. He could tell she had been sleeping.

"I woke you up, didn't I?"

"It doesn't matter, I was just going to rest my eyes and it was still dark then." She waved it off, looking at Lindsey, urging him to speak.

"It's a boy." He said. "There were some complications, I'm not sure. They had to do a c-section."

"Oh, no... Are they okay?" Stevie asked, genuinely concerned. 

"Yeah, both of them are fine." Lindsey nodded, obviously very exhausted. 

"Linds, what's the matter?" She could tell something was bothering him.

Shrugging his shoulders, Lindsey sighed. "I don't know. I just... I didn't feel it. I didn't feel anything."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I went to see the boy after everything was over and I just... He's not mine, Steph. I really don't think he is."

"And you're disappointed."

"Not so much as disappointed, but I can't lie and say that I wasn't even a little bit hopeful. Because of that, I feel like shit. I had myself convinced, I was so sure that the baby Carol was carrying was mine as well, that I completely neglected you. It nearly cost me our marriage." He lowered his eyes, clasping his hands together, as his shoulders shrunk.

"Lindsey, it's okay. It's understandable. And you still don't know for sure, maybe that boy is yours. This whole situation is unfortunate and we both could have acted differently in a lot of ways, but despite all of it, Linds, you might have become a father today." Stevie scooted over closer to Lindsey, rubbing his back. 

"The nurse I spoke to said that they'll do the paternity test as soon as possible. I'll be going back to the hospital later today after I get some sleep."

"Would you like something to eat first?" Stevie asked, already standing up.

"No, thanks. Maybe later." Lindsey got up on his feet as well, pulling her closer for a moment, before climbing the stairs up and going to the bedroom.

A part of Stevie was relieved over the fact Lindsey had doubts, but at the same time, he clearly was upset about it. She knew that deep down he wanted to be the father. And after all, that child was innocent in this whole situation, the boy didn't ask to be brought into this world this way and Stevie knew that Lindsey could be a wonderful father to him. Suddenly, she wasn't so sure anymore if she wished that paternity test was negative.