Wide Open Spaces

A New Day

Settling back into life in Phoenix was actually very easy. It was almost as if they had never left. Dylan and Callie invited friends over to swim in the pool, play games and watch movies. Stevie and Lindsey secretly loved how hectic their home had become with all the kids over and were a little sad to see them leave. They set their focus on shopping for the nursery and setting it up just in time for their newest Buckingham to join them.

Her due date was fast approaching, only having a few days left and she was suddenly very inspired, churning out many poems and various pieces of art. This afternoon, Stevie was painting in the crystal studio with Callie. She was heavily pregnant and tired most of the time but the sun was shining and she wanted to soak it up a little bit. She wore a crochet halter top that completely exposed her belly, a long skirt and she wore no shoes. Her long blonde wavy hair was like a sheet of gold that shown in the sun. Callie was dressed in a thin strapped tank top and shorts, a couple of thin braided bracelets wrapped around one ankle, a silver ring on the second toe of her left foot and her long brown hair was piled up in a bun on her head.

"Beautiful, Calliope" Stevie tells her daughter, complimenting her work.

"Thank you mama"

"You're welcome darling" Stevie continued to paint, swaying every now and then.

"Mommy, are you okay?" Callie asks, watching her mother for a moment.

"I'm perfectly fine, honey." Stevie says with a small smile.

"How is the baby?"

"The baby is doing fabulous. She's just getting very big and very heavy"

"Oh my gosh it's a girl?"

"Shhh...I wasn't supposed to say anything! Why is it I tell you everything?" she says with a giggle.

Callie shrugs. "I don't know but I swear, I won't tell"

"Are you happy?"

"I wanted a baby sister"

"I'm glad! I'm excited too"

"I might take a break. Are you okay out here?"

"Yeah but um, will you get your daddy for me?"

"Sure, I'll send him out. I'm going to watch a movie"

"Have fun."

"I will" Callie hugs her mother and goes back inside the house, closing the sliding glass door. Stevie had been having those familiar sensations all day. They had been out there for hours and the sun was high. Maybe she just needed a break too?

"Hey, are you hungry? I can make you something"

"I'll come in, in a minute"

"Alright so what did you need? Callie told me you wanted me to come out here."

"I think I'm in labor" Stevie says.

"Should we wait it out or do we need to go?"

"Wait it out. I'm not 100 percent sure yet. It just kind of feels like it's leaning that way."

"Alright"

"You can breathe now, Linds" she says, smiling

He exhales deeply. "Okay. Is there anything I can do?"

"I don't know" she says in a shrill tone, mostly tired of the incessant questions.

"I think it's time, Steves"

"Oh, how do you know?!"

"With the twins, you were just like this. You were getting really whiny, no offense"