***Lindsey's POV***
I'm not sure exactly how long I lay with them, perfectly content with my sleeping son beside me. I just studied the features on his face as he napped peacefully. I could have lay here for hours. Stevie eventually fell asleep, her breathing deep and rhythmic. Lane stirred before she did, blinking his little eyes at me a few times before rolling over into her, his mother's arm instinctively moving to his back. He lay still for another moment, waking up slowly from his slumber. He looked over at me and I could tell he was getting antsy but I wanted to let Stevie sleep as long as she was able.
"Shhh," I told him, bringing my index finger to my lips to show him to be quiet. "Let Mom sleep, let's go out there, okay?"
He was hesitant, that was for sure. I slowly got up, trying to be careful and not disturb Stevie and he eventually followed suit, climbing down off the backwards. I grabbed my crutches and made my way to the door, though he zoomed past me and reached for the handle, looking back for my approval, which I gave him. Once we were in the living room I let our s sigh of relief, closing the doors to my bedroom and knowing it was mostly soundproof.
"What do you want to do now," I asked him, suddenly realizing I hadn't thought very far ahead.
"Snacks?" He asked, shooting me a look I immediately realized I wouldn't be able to say no to. Yes, he certainly had Stevie's eyes.
We wandered into the kitchen and I opened a few cabinets and the door of the fridge, rooting around the drawers while balancing on one foot. "Um, let's see what Mama brought us..." I narrated as Lane peered in beside me. "Okay, so our choices appear to be carrots or raisins," I told him, none too amused with the options myself.
"Ewwie," he scrunched his face. "I want a cookie."
I looked down at the healthy options in my hand and nodded my head. "Yeah, good call," I told him, tossing the carrots back into the fridge haphazardly. There had to be cookies around here somewhere, I thought.
"In there," Lane pointed at the highest shelf. I was skeptical but I tried none the less, thoroughly amused when I realized he was right. "Is she hiding them from us, buddy?" I joked, taking down the cookies and pouring two small glasses of milk.
"Do you know how to dunk," I asked, looking down at him, cookies and milk at the ready.
He nodded his head yes, eagerly standing on his tip toes to try and reach the counter. I isn't have a step stool around so I decided to just let him sit on the countertop while we ate. I leaned my crutches to the side and bent over, popping him up onto the counter.
"Oh, God. Shit," I said as soon as I had him safely sitting. My incision was on fire. I lightly touched my chest at my wound. "Fuck!" I shouted. I was bleeding through my shirt already.
Lane immediately began to cry as I doubled over in pain in front of him, trying to keep a hand on him so he wouldn't fall.
"It's okay, buddy," I told him through searing pain. "I'm sorry I yelled. And don't repeat those words," I told him.
He confined to cry. "Please calm down, Lane. Please." It didn't help. My shirt was becoming increasingly red as Stevie slept on the other side of my bedroom door. "Close your eyes, have no fear. Your daddy's here."
"Stevie!" I called, trying not to yell and upset Lane any further. "Stevie!" I increased my volume. I leaned on the counter a bit keeping one hand protectively on Lane and applied pressure to my wound, causing my other hand to become bloody and Lane to get more upset.
"STEPHANIE!!" I shouted with all my might. I needed her out here now. And I probably needed to get to the ER.
My scream sent Lane into a panic, causing him to let out a horrified wail. Only a second after, she flew out of the bedroom, disoriented and frantic to see what was wrong.
She walked over, immediately cradling Lane's face with her palms to capture his attention. "Everything's okay, little Buck. You're fine." She kissed him on the forehead and placed him on the floor. "Why don't you go get a toy to play with so you can show me how airplanes fly," she explained calmly but with enough excitement in her voice to convince him to go into the other room.
As soon as he stepped away she grabbed me, pulling a chair out and siting me down, lifting my shirt. "Your incision split. We need to get you to the hospital, Linds. How are you feeling?" She was kneeling before me, the look of deep concern on her face as she grabbed me a towel and held it to my bleeding laceration. She was so beautiful. Genuinely caring for me, her kind soul comforting me. "Lindsey?" She asked again. "Are you okay? I'll call an ambulance."
"No," I shook myself from my thoughts, clearing my throat. "We can just take the car. I don't want to upset him."
"How am I going to get you down to the car? You're not going to be able to use your crutches. Can you even stand?"
She had a point. Damnit. "No. But please, don't call an ambulance. My private physicians number is in the book in the top drawer. Call him. Is Lane okay?"
"He will be fine," she muttered. "He adores you, Lindsey. Already." She did as I asked and since the bleeding has slowed drastically we waited at the house for Dr. Keller's quick arrival. He was able to quickly examine me and replace the popped stitches, avoiding a trip to the emergency room.
Once he left Stevie popped in, not saying much but helping me clean up and then handing me a fresh shirt. She was so gentle and warm with me, and even though it had only been a few short hours I was even more in love with her watching her mother my child- if that was even possible. I couldn't fight it anymore. It may not have been the picture perfect time or place but none of that mattered to me anymore. I was so in love with her.
I leaned in and kissed her, our lips grazing slightly and then interlocking more passionately. She reciprocated, but just as quickly as she drew into me she pulled away, wiping her lips slowly and staring at the floor, starting to walk away. I wasn't sure if she was shocked, horrified or elated. It was the first time in many years I couldn't read her.
I grabbed her wrist as she began to walk into the other room. "Talk to me," I told her. She shook her head no. I sighed. "You can't avoid this, Stevie, not forever. I won't fight with you in front of him but you can't keep avoiding what we have. I won't let you. Will you at least bring Lane in? I promised our beautiful boy pizza and toys, and I need talk to him about this afternoon."
"Lindsey," she began, "I don't know if this is going to work out. I mean, we've only been here a few hours and-"
"And nothing," I interrupted her. "A stitch popped, Stevie. It's not the end of the world. I was spending time with you and my son and that's what I intend to do the rest of the evening. And I kissed you. I'm your sons father, and I've made it clear how I feel about you. I know you're fighting this- you're fighting it with everything you have but you can't just continue to deny it! Every day in every way, it's getting better and better."
She shook her head, almost ignoring the point all together. "All I'm saying is that maybe we should plan this better. Make it a more gradual transition, you know? I feel like I should have planned things better."
I shook my head. "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." I kissed her palm, an act that was not lost on her. "We have a long way to go and a hard row to hoe, but Stevie, today was perfect. Maybe the best day of my life. And I can't tell you what to do but I'm begging you- please don't leave. Please don't take him away from me."
She nodded her head somberly, looking the other way. I knew she was crying and when she let go of my hand and walked away from me I decided to give her the space I knew she needed.
