How Could You?

I'll never forgive

Despite what she said at first, Alice changed her mind and didn't want to meet Lindsey alone. She asked Stevie to be there too. Stevie felt like she had to hide her excitement, because Lindsey obviously wanted to have what she had days before, a one on one with Alice. However, much to Stevie's surprise, he didn't get angry or upset, he chose to be rational about it. He was just glad to finally be seeing Alice.

When they arrived, Stevie led the way to where Sheryl and Alice lived. She rang the doorbell and they were welcomed by a smiling Sheryl in no time. 

"Hey, come on in." She opened the door wider, allowing Stevie and Lindsey to enter her home.

While Stevie was very calm and relaxed, Lindsey felt uncomfortable and anxious. He kept thinking, what if Alice didn't like him? What if she only wanted to have a relationship with Stevie? It was him, who made this possible for her...

"Stevie." 

A voice, that didn't belong to Sheryl, reached his ears and Lindsey turned his head to look in front of him. He felt his chest tighten and his eyes sting with tears, causing him to grit his teeth and clench his fists, in hope not to break down right then and there.

"Hey, Alice." Stevie greeted the girl with a warm hug, while Lindsey just stood there in disbelief. They had only met once before, yet it looked like they had never been separated from the day Alice was born. On the other hand, everyone who met Stevie, couldn't help falling in love with her, he thought.

Much like a few days ago, the two didn't know what to do next. Should I introduce them, Stevie wondered to herself, Alice hoping she would.

"This is Lindsey." Stevie spoke up at last, bravely taking him by the hand, so he'd come and stand beside her. She didn't want Alice to know, what was going on behind closed doors. 

"Hi." Alice said, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Hi." Lindsey echoed her, clearing his throat, before adding. "You really do look a lot like your mother. I mean, Stevie..." He already felt like he messed up.

Alice smiled shyly, shrugging her shoulders, not really knowing what to say to that. 

"Why don't we all take a seat, huh?" Sheryl suggested. "I'll go put the kettle on. Would you like something to drink?" She asked, facing Stevie and Lindsey.

"A cup of tea would be nice." Stevie said and Lindsey gave a nod, indicating he'd like the same.

Following after Alice to the living room, the three of them sat down. Stevie hadn't been to Lindsey that close for too long, his leg touching hers. He just... he needed her right now. 

"You could be my father." Alice said out of nowhere, realization hitting her. "I've never had a father..." She looked down, fidgeting with a bracelet on her wrist. "My adoptive father left before I even understood what was going on in the world."

"I'm really sorry to hear that, Alice." Lindsey told her genuinely, his hand seeking out Stevie's, as she glanced at him, lacing her fingers through his. "I would love nothing more than to be your Dad."

"Did... did you not want me? Where you with my mother, when she was expecting me?" Alice wasn't shy about wanting to know certain things.

Lindsey was left a little speechless. He looked at Stevie and she gave him a look, encouraging him to say what he wanted to say. "I didn't know she was expecting you. I wish I did. Stevie is... I fell in love with her a very very long time ago and I still feel as strongly today. We used to talk about starting a family one day, when the time was right and..." He shrugged, shaking his head slightly. "The time was never right. We weren't exactly together at the time, we weren't really... anything. We reconciled about when you were a year old, I guess, and I had no idea she had you. We tried to have a baby, but we couldn't and... now knowing you might be ours, it hurts me so badly. It hurts that I might have had a daughter this whole time and I only found out about her like a week ago. So, yes Alice, I wanted you with all of my heart."

Tears were rolling down Stevie's face, as she tried to hide from both Lindsey and Alice. She let go of Lindsey's hand and excused herself from the room, needing a moment to herself. 

"It's been hard, seeing other kids with their parents. I only ever had my Mom to do things with and I think she did a great job in raising me, but she has always worked a lot. I've mostly been by myself ever since I was about five. I used to dream a lot. I still do. I imagined I was living in this big beautiful castle." Alice smiled sadly as she spoke. "My Dad was The King and my Mom was The Queen and I was their only child, who they loved immensely. We were always together, always. The weird thing is..." Alice trailed off, unsure if she should continue with what was next on her mind. "The weird thing is that  The Queen didn't look like my Mom, Sheryl. I never knew why.But I do now, because The King was you and The Queen was Stevie. I guess, somewhere deep in my heart I knew my parents were other people."

Lindsey's lower lip trembled, having heard all that and he wasn't ashamed to cry. It completely broke his heart. He hoped he wouldn't get rejected, when he got up from his seat and approached Alice, embracing her tightly in his arms. 

Stevie wasn't much better either if not worse. She was sobbing her heart out, while Sheryl held her, saying it was okay, that it all was going to be okay. Eventually she pulled away and returned to Alice and Lindsey, cocking her head back to prevent any more tears.

"I'm so sorry." She said to both of them. "I am so incredibly sorry that I separated all of us. It was my choice to ruin what might have been... I want you both to know that I will never forgive myself for that. You're my baby, Alice and I... I..." She couldn't go on and Lindsey came to comfort her. She held onto him for a few long minutes, crying in his chest, wetting his shirt, but he didn't care one bit. 

Another pair of arms wrapped around her and Stevie managed a smile, putting one arm around Alice, pulling her closer.