Never Going Back Again

14. Shattered

When the couple got home, they slipped through the foyer only for the kids to hop up while Kristen remained on the couch.

"Mommy, are you okay?" Leelee asked, hugging her leg.

"Yes, sweetheart---" she rubbed her back. "I'm perfectly alright and so much better now that I have you two..." she lifted the girl up, knowing she wasn't supposed to.

"Steph," he pressed his hand to the back of Leelee, knowing she shouldn't have been carrying her.

"Stop it," she mumbled easily, upset that he was trying to support the baby in her arms. "I can handle it."

She was near to her twentieth week, half way through the pregnancy and she was really hoping that everything would just be smooth.

He backed away and kind of put his hand up, showing mercy as he tended to Will.

Kristen stood up, clearing her throat---trying not to intervene in their prominent issue however she was trying to break their tension. "If you guys are okay, I guess I better be going..."

"Yes, thank you---" Stevie responded, never making eye contact---only focused on her little girl.

Lindsey gave the governess a sympathy filled smile only because he knew his wife wasn't in the best of moods, especially by that point of her day.

"I'll see you tomorrow," the younger blonde agreed.

"Bye, Kristen!" the children yelled semi in unison.

"Bye, guys---" she waved with a light giggle as she exited their home.

Lindsey went ahead and locked the front door, leaving the kids with their mother. "Steph, you should sit with her... Taking it easy; I don't think you should  be carrying her," he pointed out after because he didn't want her to shoot daggers in front of the governess.

"I'm fine," she set the girl down only because she was already getting tired, but she didn't want to obey him. "Mommy's gonna change and I'll be back," she assured her children. "Why don't you two pick a movie to watch." She easily spun around and made her way up the stairs, but half way through she did start to slow down, her whole body easily becoming tired as she became a little winded.

"How come mommy was at the doctor?" Will asked his father.

"Well, you know how you go and get a check up?" he explained.

Will nodded.

"Mom's gotta take the baby to see the doctor and make sure it's growing big and strong in her tummy, but she goes more often because we can't see the baby like we can see you..."

"Oh," he nodded, understanding that. "Is it a boy or a girl?" he then asked.

"I'm not sure, kiddo---" he smiled. "I think mommy is keeping it a surprise."

"But I wanna know..."

"Me, too," Leelee added.

Lindsey chuckled only because he knew his daughter was never keen on having a baby sibling, but her interest made him laugh because it was Will who was inspiring her.

Soon Stevie made her way down and she entered the living room---wearing a nighty and her black velvet robe. She was barefoot and almost hugging herself because everything about her was feeling vulnerable for one reason or another.

"Did you pick a movie?" she asked them.

"Yeah, here---" Will handed his dad the VHS tape of Beauty and the Beast.

"So, Steph... We're being outnumbered here, they wanna know what the baby is," he assured as he stuck the tape in and rewinded the film.

Smiling at the children who were climbing up the couch to cuddle her, "It's a surprise, my loves... I don't even know what it is."