One More Time

Part 17

Staring at Stevie for a moment, David then sighed, smiling weakly at her. "I wish you haven't said that." Pulling away from her, David leaned forward in his seat, facing away. "I want to kiss you and I want to make love to you, but..." He stood up and made some distance. "It would be a huge mistake and you'd regret it."

"You don't know that." Stevie shook her head, suddenly feeling embarrassed. 

"Yes, I do. I believe that I know you, Stevie." He said walking over to the window, he leaned against the windowsill and lifted his eyes up to look at her. "It hurts me to think about it, to talk about it, but I know it's him. It's always been him. You love Lindsey, you're in love with him and you've always been. When you and I got married, you were in love with him." David cocked his head back and sighed heavily. "Us together right now might seem like a quick fix to your problems, but it's not. I listened to everything you told me and I get it. I know you're in pain and you're afraid of how your relationship with Lindsey is going to change, or maybe it won't, but you still are going to choose him over me." Approaching her again, David knelt in front of Stevie, placing his hands over hers. "You've got the biggest heart of everyone I know. I know what's it like losing a baby, it destroyed us, but Steph, I know you'll fall in love with that boy as soon as you see him for the very first time." He didn't expect to get emotional, but tears were swimming in his eyes as David spoke. Bringing a hand up, he lay it over her heart. "There's a place for that child in here."

Stevie remained quiet. She wanted to disagree, she wanted to say no to everything he'd just said to her, but at the same time she couldn't, because all of it was true.

"If I didn't love you nearly as much as I do, we wouldn't be talking right now. Our clothes would be on the floor and we'd be in bed, but because I do still love you, I'm not going to let that happen. I won't let you throw it all away for a moment of weakness." He shook his head slowly. Rising to his feet, David tugged at Stevie's hand, asking her to stand up as well. Once they were face to face, he enveloped her in his arms and kissed her hair. "Don't risk it, sweetheart. I know you're scared, but you should go home." He pressed his lips to her forehead, then pulled back. "I'll come for my things another time." He said and turned to leave. "You might doubt it, but you know what you have to do." With that he was gone.

Stevie was left speechless. David was right, it would have just been a quick escape if he'd kissed her. And it would have been wrong. She had most likely done enough damage by running away, adding a kiss with her ex husband or possibly even more to the list, would have only made things a lot worse.

Without hesitation, Stevie called herself a car. She gathered what little things she'd brought with her and was out the door. Getting into the cab, she told the address of her and Lindsey's home, the whole time her heart was beating out of her chest. Then it skipped a beat, when she saw Lindsey's car in the driveway. Doubts filled her mind, a part of her wanted to tell the driver to take her back where he'd taken her from. 

"Miss?"

"Sorry." Stevie apologized, coming back to the present moment. She handed the driver enough money for the ride, then opened the back door and climbed out. 

Stevie didn't know what to expect as she made her way to the front door. Lindsey was probably going to be mad at her or he could be too busy with his son. Our son, Stevie. Ours. She corrected herself. It wasn't easy still, calling the boy theirs, but maybe David was right about it too, maybe all it was going to take her, was to look at him and hold him in her arms. 

"Linds?" Stevie called his name, but received no answer. She heard the TV on in the living room and she followed the sound, taking a deep breath, before she faced Lindsey. 

She found him sound asleep on the couch, with the remote in his hand, his mouth slightly agape, a half eaten meal on the coffee table. He looked tired, but so very adorable too. Stevie picked the blanket up that he'd kicked off and pulled it up to his chin. She carefully took the remote from his hand and turned the TV off. She was going to leave the room and let him rest, but Lindsey grasped her hand before she could.

"You came back." Lindsey said, his eyes still closed.

"And I'm so sorry I'd left." Stevie replied.

Lindsey brought her hand to his lips and Stevie smiled. Never had she ever been so relieved.