Beauty and the Beast

3

Stevie, Chris, and Lori where all in Stevie and Jess's house biting their nails with worry filling their stomachs. Jess had been gone for a day and a half with no letter telling them everything. 

"Do you think he's alright?" Stevie scrubs her hands on her apron over her black chiffon dress. The skirt and the sleeves were chiffon and the top part of it was velvet. Stevie makes a lot of her clothes and she tends to stick with velvet, chiffon, and bell sleeve outfits. The fabric is a little expensive but she and Jess are always keen on trading for bakery goods for the fabric. 

"I don't know sis. But we can't think anything else. Look I have to go open the bakery. Why don't you call Robin and let her know that you won't be in today and just stay here and wait for him." Chris suggests.

"I'll stay with you. I'll call Millie at the dress shop when you finish with Robin." Lori grabs her shoulder.

"Alright." Stevie nods.

"Hey, it'll all be okay," Lori assures once Chris is gone.

***

She and Lori had been trying to make life go on as normal, so Stevie was sitting on the couch flipping through her book while Lori was busy scrubbing the floors. Normally Stevie would but Lori was going crazy with worry so she had to do something. 

"You know, Steves, maybe you should think about settling down and getting married. I know Don is keen to ask you." She shrugs sitting up from scrubbing the floors.

"I am not, going to marry Don Henley. I swear. I had sex with him once and now everyone is on my tail about marrying the man. I'm not a saint I get it, but just because I had sex with him doesn't mean that I want to spend the rest of my life with him." Stevie explains.

"But think about it Steves, in this town he's your best option and don't you want to have kids. You're 36, not the youngest hen in the hen house." Lori shrugs.

"Okay, you're one to talk to me about kids. You are the same age that I am and you and Chris have been married for five years. When are you guys having a baby." Stevie closes her book and crosses her arms.

"I don't want to talk about me having a baby. We've been trying honestly. It's just nothing is working." Lori huffs.

Stevie goes to say something but then a knock comes at the front door. She climbs off of the couch and walks over and around Lori and her work before making her way to the front door to open it. 

"Oh, you had to mention his name," Stevie whines as Lori smirks. 

"Don, now you're bothering me at my house...how lovely." She rolls her eyes after she opens the door for him. 

"Isn't it. So, Stephanie...this is the day that all of your dreams come true." He pushes his way into the house.

"What do you know about my dreams?" She crosses her arms.

"Picture this a nice mansion will all the best utilities and high-end furniture. My little wife rubbing my back as I bang on the drums. The little ones playing with the dog." He grins picking Lily up who growls at him. "We'll have ten or twelve." 

"Dogs?" She cocks an eyebrow.

"No Stevie...strapping young boys who take after their dad and are just as musical and talented." 

"Wonderful." She rolls her eyes. 

"Do you know who that little wife will be?" He inquires.

"You know, I have no idea but I would think it would be oh...Cherona, or Marilyn, or Amber from the Tavern. I know you've been with each of them a few times." She shrugs.

"No, of course, not...you my beautiful." He grins.

"Oh No, Don I don't know what to say." She shakes her head trying to run away from him.

"Say yes." He states.

"I'm sorry...NO." She grabs him and pushes him out of the house. 

"Oh, can you believe that." Stevie spits looking at Lori. 

"Stevie, it all goes back to what I was saying earlier. You're in your late 30s people are expecting you to start marrying and settling down." Lori stands up and goes to dump her dirty water outside. 

"But Lori can you picture me as Mrs. Don Henley?" She inquires.

"Actually yes I can. He's good looking, you're smoking hot. He has money he can give you a great life." Lori explains.

"But I don't want a great life. I'm fine just the way I am. I mean someone has to take care of daddy. It's certainly not going to be Christopher." Stevie shrugs.

"Well, come on let's go pick the daily intake of vegetables." Lori sighs pulling her over to the little garden on the side of the house. From March until November is the growing season in Evercrest. by the end of May, the crops start growing and people save and collect to get them through the winter and it works out well. 

They were picking beans when they heard loud frantic gallops and whining. Both of the girls whip around to see the horse that Jess had been riding was running up to them. Stevie immediately jumped into action and grabbed the reign calming the spooked mare. 

"Where's daddy?" She asks the horse who just keeps neighing in protest trying to pull her.

"Stevie I think something is wrong." Lori looks to her sister-in-law.

"I think you're right. Lori, run into town and tell Christopher. I'm going to go inside and collect Lily and my coat. I'm going after him." Stevie tells her.

"Shouldn't you wait for Christopher to go with you?" She asks.

"No, Daddy could be hurt or dying somewhere and the sooner I go the quicker I can find him." Stevie runs towards the house as Lori runs towards the town. 

Once Stevie gets inside she takes a moment to cry and then she flings her lightweight coat over her shoulders. She collects Lily in a little basket and then she saddles up on the horse. 

"Alright baby, you need to take me to where my dad is." She says to the horse. 

As if it understands her, it nods it's head and turns to where it came from and starts galloping at a fast pace Stevie's scared she's going to fall off. Chris is exiting the bakery and jumping on his horse when Stevie flies by and he quickly takes off after his sister.