If It Happens

21

October 3, 1994

It was Lindsey's 44th birthday, and Stevie was driving out to Tom's Encino home. They finally had most of the building done, so Stevie was driving out there with her design materials. She had Kinzey with her and though the three-year-old liked to help her mom do the decorating, she had fallen asleep on the car ride. It was an unusually hot day so there was no way she was going to leave her in the car, but she didn't want to wake her up either. She groaned when she pulled up to the mansion because at 20 weeks pregnant with the twins she was about as big as she was when she was 30 weeks with Kinzey and she wasn't looking forward to carrying her. She climbed out of the car and an idea popped up in her head. She straightened out her black and white striped tight maxi dress that showed off her bump and then she grabbed the black cardigan she started the day out in. She tied the cardigan around her hips under her bump and then collected her child into her arms. 

Kinzey was a heavy sleeper so she wasn't budging and after Stevie got her arms wrapped around her neck, she stuck her daughter's feet between her body and the cardigan to stop them from dangling and making her movement even more compromised. 

"Hey Ray, can you go in my hatch and grab out the samples?" She asks.

"Yes, ma'am. Tom's in the kitchen talking to some guy her brought, I think it's like a bandmate or an assistant or something. Where do you want the samples?" He asks.

"In the kitchen is fine." She smiles walking into the house. 

When she enters the area that's going to be the kitchen she smiles as Tom waves. 

"Hey Steves, your supposed to have samples for me." Tom grins.

"I do, Ray's carrying them in. Who's your friend?" She asks.

"Oh, my bad. Mike Campbell this is the designer Stevie Buckingham. Her daughter Kinzey and her two other kids, unnamed as of right now." Tom places one hand on her back and the other on her stomach.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you." Mike smiles. 

"Here Stevie.' Ray sets them out on the floor. 

"Thanks, Ray, will one of you get down there, and separate them. They're laid out in their schemes." Stevie points. 

Mike does as he's told and then Tom looks at them. "I like all of them where can I fit all of them?" He asks.

"Well. You said Manly and Rustic so I took Lindsey shopping and the two of us put our heads together. The first one with the brown shaker cabinets and the black countertops could be for in here. That metal strip would be your backsplash. Just straight like that right above the extra-large stove you requested." She points with her fingers the best she can. She goes to start on the second pile when Lindsey appears. 

"Jesus Steph, give her here." Lindsey takes Kinzey out of her arms.

"I didn't know where you were and it's about 100 degrees outside, I wasn't going to leave her in the car." She stretches out her back when Kinzey is safely tucked in her father's arms. 

"I would've offered but I didn't know if that'd be okay with you." Tom shrugs.

"Oh, you're fine...as I was saying. Then this Granite and Dark wood would be for the master bathroom. The other bathrooms in the house would have this cream cabinet and the tan quartz. The marble and the light brown would go in your bar." Stevie explains. 

"See Mike, that's why I hire these people. He's looking at building a house out here too so I was showing him around." Tom explains.

"Do you have a business card or something that I can bring back for my wife?" Mike asks.

"Steph there's one in my wallet," Lindsey tells her. 

She sticks her hand in his back right pocket and digs in his wallet pulling out a business card. After she hands it to Mike, she goes to close it and then she stops and pops one hip to the side as she stares at him.

"What?" He asks.

"Now I have to know." Tom crosses his arms.

She makes a face and turns the wallet around to show him the picture in the license slot. It was from when she was in the hospital after birth with Kinzey. It was taken from the side, but it was far enough away to see Stevie's messy bun and her slowly deflating stomach covered by the hospital blanket. Kinzey's face was clear as day but it was Stevie's profile and she could tell that she was staring at her with a smile on her face. 

"Well, that's going to have to be replaced in about four months." Tom pats Lindsey's shoulder.

"Oh, the picture. No, I won't replace it but I'll stick another one in behind it." Lindsey shakes his head. 

"It's really a great picture." Mike smiles.

"Thanks," Stevie looks down and rubs her stomach. 

"The look on your face Stevie is the best part about it." Lindsey kisses her head.

"Well, I waited 18 years for her." Stevie brushes a strand of her daughter's hair out of her face. 

"Wait you guys have been married for 18 years?" Tom gasps.

"22 actually." Stevie nods.

"You don't look that old Stevie. Lindsey, no offense, you do like you're in your forties but Stevie you don't." Tom states.

"I know, and you're right." Lindsey nods.

"I am 44 actually, Today Lindsey turns 44." Stevie crosses her arms and looks at her husband.

"It's not my birthday, is it?" He asks genuinely surprised.

"It's October 3rd dear. Yes, it is your birthday." Stevie nods.

"Damn, that didn't even cross my mind." He laughs.

"So that cake I was about to go buy doesn't need to be bought then." Stevie looks at him.

"Oh no, I'll always eat cake." 

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Anyway, I should be going. It was nice meeting, you Mike. Nice seeing you Tom." Stevie smiles putting Lindsey's wallet back into his pocket and pushing him towards the door.