On the Doorstep

Phoenix

Stevie tiptoed down the stairs, slinking into the living room. A smile instantaneously spread over her face at the sight that fell before her – Lindsey sound asleep with Skylar spread across his chest. She pulled a soft blanket over the slumbering pair and walked into the kitchen. As the coffee brewed, she tapped her nail against her chin and ran her fingers through her hair, thinking about how much of a lifesaver Lindsey had been over the last several days. He had changed diapers and given bottles. The man had been right there with her learning how demanding a seven-pound newborn could be. She yawned and pulled two mugs from the cabinet, jumping at the piercing ring of the doorbell. "Shit," she muttered, hurrying out of the kitchen before the noise could wake up the baby.

The door flew open. Stevie squealed in delight as she saw her best friend step into the foyer, crashing into her with a tight hug. "Robin! Finally!"

The brunette returned the embrace. "You act like I've been out of town for a thousand days," she remarked. "What's going on? All the messages on my machine were from-," Robin stopped talking and narrowed her eyes to the dark curly headed man lying on her friend's sofa. "Stevie! What in the hell is he doing here? And is that a baby? What have I missed since I've been on vacation? Have you completely lost your mind?"

"That's why I left so many messages," Stevie answered quietly, hoping not to wake either of the sleeping forms on her couch as she yanked her best friend into the kitchen. "A lot has happened." She'd wait to tell her best friend that Lindsey had slept over a few nights. It wouldn't help the situation at all if she told Robin now.

"Apparently," Robin replied with a smirk. "Tell me everything," she demanded gently and poured herself a cup of coffee.

The news left Robin speechless which didn't happen often. After all, the women had been friends since the age of fifteen. Not much stunned Robin into silence about Stevie's life. Her slender back hit the wood of the dining chair as her nails tapped against the ceramic mug filled with coffee. "You think Kat had a baby?"

Stevie nodded solemnly. "I do. Deep down in my heart...I do. Why wouldn't she come to me?"

Robin shrugged her shoulders. "Stevie, it's Kat. No one ever knows why she does most of the things she does," she responded softly. Robin got along with Katherine but mostly for Stevie's sake. The middle Nicks child was too temperamental for her liking. Kat was too reserved and secretive at times, and other times she was too fun loving and restless in the most extreme sense. Robin never understood the wanderlust or how the woman rarely committed herself to anything.

"She could have come to me. I would have been there for her," Stevie murmured.

"Maybe she was ashamed."

Stevie lifted her head and wrinkled her brows. "Ashamed? Ashamed of what, Robin?"

She sighed heavily, tossing her hair over her shoulder. Robin met her friend's dark eyes. "Stevie, do you honestly think Kat has any idea who the father is?"

"Robin Ann!" Stevie hissed harshly as she hit her friend's arm, shooting an icy glare her way. "You're talking about my little sister!"

The brunette rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I know you have rose colored glasses on when it comes to Kat but be honest. She's not an angel," she finished and sipped her drink. Robin had seen Katherine leaving plenty of hotel suits in the early morning hours.

Stevie lit a cigarette and exhaled the smoke from her lungs, knowing her friend was right. She chewed her bottom lip and bumped the burning cigarette against the ash tray.

"Is the baby healthy?" Robin inquired.

"She is. She's perfect. I took her to the doctor a few days ago. She's almost two weeks old and weighs a little over seven pounds," Stevie gushed. "You should see the nursery. I went overboard, but I couldn't help it." She had fallen in love with Skylar in such a short amount of time. It was scary how the little bundle of pink already had her heart.