***NSFW unless your self employed 😉***
Stevie's nervous, in truth so am I. it's the day after New Years, well afternoon really, we've gathered around the Nicks' Television to watch a variety show as we nervously sip iced tea. Chris takes another handful of pretzels laughing as the comic on screen tries to juggle two pies. Jess chuckles squeezing Barbra's hand. She looks up from her magazine and shakes her head. Me and Stevie look at each other, I kiss her cheek for support holding her hand as she speaks up. "Mom...Dad?" Jess laughs as one of the pies hits the comedian.
She tries again a little louder "Mom, Dad!" Jess turns still chuckling "What is it TeeDee?" Chris leans back on the couch his attention on his big sister. All eyes are on us, and I gulp almost chickening out on the spot. But the look on Stevie's face keeps me from doing so. "I-have something to tell you both. And Chris too." Jess scrunches his eyebrows, but he turns the television volume down, they look on expectantly and I grab her hand placing it in my lap.
"I'm-I'm not going to San Jose. I want to stay here with Lindsey until he graduates, after that we're moving to L.A. to live in the condo." Jess looks gob smacked, Barbra is harder to read. She closes her eyes slowly then re-opens them "I've talked this over with Lindsey, and I don't want to be away from him. His epilepsy caught us by surprise, and I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't been here to help him." Jess appraises me rubbing his jaw, he's thinking mulling. Chris smiles "So you'll be here until summer, instead of leaving and then coming back?" Stevie, looks at her brother smiling.
"That's right, you'll have your annoying big sister around for a little while longer" he tosses a football he's been holding in the air "Cool". Well at least one person is okay with this decision. Jess clears his throat "Chris, would you mind giving the four of us some privacy?" he jumps off the couch kissing Stevie's head on the way to his room "No problem, if you guys are gonna yell let me know my window's open.".
"I know Stevie going to college is important, and I promise once we have our career settled-" Barbra turns to me "Lindsey, please. TeeDee, we agreed that the two of you could get married on the condition that you go to school. Didn't we?" Stevie averts her eyes, I hold her to me "Barbra, we talked about it-" Barbra Nicks stops me again "Lindsey, I know you're sticking up for Stephanie but please. She can speak for herself" Stevie squeezes my hand her eyes tearful, she takes in a breath looking at her parents "We agreed I'd go to school Mom. I can still go maybe not now but when I'm older, when I have time-" Jess pipes up "TeeDee you have time now. You're a bright eighteen year old with nothing but life and time ahead of you. An education will last you a lifetime, it will give you something to fall back on"
I cringe, the unspoken sentiment being "Something to fall back on in case you end up leaving Lindsey". Fidgeting with the hem of her blouse Stevie nods acknowledging Jess' words "I know Daddy, but it's been hard enough to be apart during the week. If I go away for a semester I won't know if I'll get to see him maybe for weeks at a time. What if something happens? What if he has another seizure? I can't take that risk."
"Stephanie I understand why you want to stay, you're young and in love and newly married. But, part of being married is responsibility and your responsibility to others. You made your father and I a promise, a promise I expect you to keep." Every syllable causes Barbra's voice to quiver a bit more, I can tell she's not used to chastising her daughter. Either of them. "Or was it just a lie so you could get married?" Stevie shakes her head adamantly "No, Mommy I wouldn't lie to you or Daddy." She wipes tears from her face straightening her back
"I just think, based on the way things are going with our music and with Lindsey's health...Shouldn't I be allowed to re-evaluate my priorities. That's something adults have to do right? Circumstances change, people change. I couldn't have imagined four months ago that we'd be here, that we'd have this much progress in our careers." Jess clasps his hands together, Barbra keeps her eyes trained on Stevie.
