Stevie returned home from the diner later than usual, not surprised to find a joint still smoking in the ashtray and beer bottles littering their apartment. None of that bothered her at the moment, she had bigger issues to worry about.
"Stephanie, is that you?" Lindsey called from their small bedroom.
"Yeah, sorry I'm so late. We were busy tonight," Stevie replied, kicking off her shoes as she entered the bedroom. "Don't worry baby, I was a little worried that's all, its a lot later than you normally are" he took a look at her, she looked different somehow
"Yeah, well as I said we were really busy..." sitting down on the foot of the bed, resting her head in her smalls hands
"Steph? What's wrong?" Lindsey scooted to her and placed his arm around her front, pulling her back a little and placing a kiss the back of her head.
"Not right now, I'm tired-let's get some sleep," Stevie stripped down to her underwear and climbed in bed, pulling the blankets over her head.
Lindsey didn't try to push her, laying beside her he looked over at her covered head. What was the problem?
Decided he wanted to make her smile he moved over to her pulling the blanket down under her chin.
"Boo!" Stevie just stared at him and tried to pull the blanket back up, but he pulled it back down
"Hey...why are you hiding from me? Am I that frightening?" He smiled and kissed the top of her nose, once he pulled back he saw his girlfriend's eyes swimming with unshed tears.
"Not now Linds," she turned away from him, silently wiping away her tears. "Go to sleep."
Lindsey furrowed his brow, what was her problem? "Talk to me, baby. Tell me what's wrong. I'll make it better," Lindsey said softly, drawing delicate circles on her shoulder.
"Lindsey! For God sake, for once can you just do what I ask! If you can't go and sleep on the couch!" Stevie shouted, shocking Lindsey
"I just want to know what's wrong honey! I've never seen you like this before..."
"Maybe I'm just tired of having to work and clean up after your lazy ass every single day!"
"I told you that I would get a job! You told me to keep working on our music!" Lindsey defended himself.
"You could at least clean up after yourself!" Stevie threw his pillow at him, indicating that he needed to move to the couch.
"Baby, I'm sorry, I was writing and time ran away from me" he tried to put his pillow back down but she pushed it away once more
"You mean the pot more like!"
"It helps me concentrate! Don't make me sleep on the couch...please" he begged
"Why? It's not like your back is in pain from working all ours of damn the day!"
"Stephanie! I'm sorry! I don't know what else I can say! I'll go find a job in the morning!" Lindsey threw his hands up.
"Well make sure you do! We're gonna need it!" She stopped herself before she said to much
"What do you mean?" Lindsey hadn't missed the last bit like she'd hoped
"Nothing, it doesn't matter."
"Stevie, what do you mean?" He repeated, more sternly this time.
"Lindsey, not now! Go to sleep!" She screamed at him, becoming increasingly fierce.
"What is the matter with you?" Lindsey screamed back, he grabbed each side of her face with his hands to make her look at him
"Let go of me!" She tried to struggle but he held her still
"Stephanie! Tell me what you meant right now!"
"God damn you, Lindsey, I can't!" She slapped at his arms, pushing against him with her legs.
"Why? I'm your boyfriend for god sake! I've known you since I was 16!"
"Lindsey please!"
"TELL ME!" he screamed
"I'M PREGNANT!"
Lindsey plopped down on the bed in shock, "Pregnant?" He said quietly, more to himself than her. Lindsey looked up at her tearfully, "A baby?"
Stevie played with her fingers nervously, twisting the ring Lindsey had brought her for her eightieth birthday round and round
Nodding to him she watched his face light up
"I'm going to be a daddy?"
"No...you're not," she shook her head as her voice trembled.
"What do you mean?" Lindsey asked, clearly confused, then his face fell, "You didn't..."
"Please don't hate me!" Stevie began to cry
"Stevie, tell me you haven't slept with someone else...Please say your joking..." Lindsey felt sick
"I am so sorry Lindsey!" She tried to walk to him but he put his hands up and stepped backwards
"No," he shook his head, running his hand through his disheveled curls. "Lindsey? Please say something," Stevie pled, once more trying to reach for him.
"Who was it?" Lindsey asked ignoring her plea to touch him
"It doesn't matter, it's over"
"The hell it doesn't! Some other man has got my girlfriend pregnant, I think I have a right to know don't you?"
"Jimmy, he's the cook at the diner," Stevie bit her lip, "Lindsey, I never wanted to hurt you, I just felt so lonely and stuck-like I couldn't breath. He was the first person to pay any attention to me!"
"Do you realise how sick that sounds? I'm sure there's times when your dad hasn't paid attention to your mom, but you think he would ever go and screw someone else?" Stevie looked at the floor at his question, and simply shook her head
"I'm so sorry! Please believe me, I mean it when I said I never meant to hurt you!" Stevie was crying now
"How the hell could you possibly think this wouldn't hurt me?"
"I wasn't planning on a baby! When I told him he said he didn't want it! What am I supposed to do?!" Stevie sobbed.
Lindsey stood there and shook his head, "I can't do this."
"Do what?"
"I can't raise that bastard child," he grabbed a duffle bag and walked toward the closet.
"Lindsey what are you doing?" Stevie panicked
"I'm leaving, I can't do this...tell me, what would you have done if he said he wanted it? Answer me with brutal honesty right now"
"I-I," she stuttered, unable to answer.
"That's what I thought," Lindsey resumed packing, wiping away tears continuously. Ever object Lindsey would put in, Stevie would take back out.
"Stephanie, stop!"
"Don't leave me! Please I'm begging you! I need you to help me...we can raise this baby together I know we can" taking his hand and placing it on her flat stomach
"You could learn to love them, your a kind man, i know you would!" Lindsey looked up to the ceiling, tears blinding his vision
"No, Steph. I can't." He sounded completely defeated. He zipped his bag and walked toward the door. Stevie was pulling at his arm to get him to stop. "Lindsey, please!" She sobbed, "I'll get rid of it! "Please stay!"
"You won't get rid of it, I know you! Your to sensitive...and honestly I wouldn't ask you too" Lindsey tilted his head in sympathy
"But you were so excited when I first told you..." Stevie realised Lindsey hadn't pulled his hand away from hers
"This baby isn't mine. I can't love them," Lindsey said sadly, but with much finality. Stevie's hand fell back at her side as she felt him give her one more kiss... and then he was gone.
