Nothing To Fear

16. Falling Apart

"I'll be back," Lindsey mumbled to Stevie, but now she really just wanted to push away. "Kristen, please come back," he raced down the steps. "I have to talk to you," he got to the living room to finally meet her.

"What? what is so important? you have to tell me you were sleeping with the nanny?" she crossed her arms.

"No!" he defended himself. "I  ever have."

She stared at him for a second, seeing innocence in his eyes. "Then what?" her expression softened.

"I won't lie. I have been in love with Stevie since she walked through the door for this job. She's been here for almost a year and I really care for her," he paused.

"What about me?" she asked. She asked more small than angry.

"Kristen, I love you and I always will. I just slipped a couple months ago. But when you told me you were finding me a wife. I told you, I wanted to be in love. I am in love."

"Lindsey, why her? why must it be the person who takes care of our children? I can't go the next few months of my life with you in the arms of another woman."

"Then what was the point of the dating game?" he asked.

"For after I was gone. I wanted you to have a friend---someone who could be a friend to you, for you to talk to. I was just hoping that relationship would build later."

"Not gonna lie, your friends a pretty forward. I don't know how you seen them waiting," he kind of chuckled, lightening the mood.

She gave a weak smile as she hugged her husband.

"Look, I'm really sorry," he stated. "I just, I didn't know this was how things were gonna go. But I promise to be by your side for the rest of the time being, okay?" he asked. He knew her time was slim so he was just being docile with her.

"Thank you," she stated. "But please, can you do me the favor of not being with Stevie?"

He felt like a knife was piercing through his heart. He loved his wife and he wanted to make her happy until he couldn't. He couldn't imagine not being with Stevie. That hurt him. "Um, sure..." he kind of paused.

"I'm only saying because, she isn't really your type and I know it'll be weird for the kids if you did date her way later."

"Yeah..." he lingered in a small disbelief.

"If you ended up with Lorraine, they don't know her and they could learn to get to know her," she stated. "Then you wouldn't have to have Stevie around and you could get along."

Lindsey stayed quiet. We wasn't going to argue his sick wife. He didn't exactly know what to say either. He knew this would be a new challenge it itself and he wasn't prepared. He wasn't prepared for any of his futures.

~:~
Months Later...

"Hey?" Lorraine smiled as she entered her friend's bedroom.

"Hi," Kristen replied really weakly as her eyes were blinking heavily. "How are you?" she asked.

"I'm okay," she responded. She didn't want to ask the same think in return because she knew things were only getting worse for her childhood friend. Lorraine had tears filling her eyes as she watched her friend struggle to breathe.

Kristen was staying in her bed and she was now connected to oxygen. Her children were understanding that mommy was sick and other than William, it was hard to tell whether or not the girls knew what was to come. All Lindsey did was stay by his kids sides. He was there for them and Stevie would come around.