Beauty and the Beast

14

January 16

"What the fuck is that?" Lindsey groaned as the light streamed in from the curtain and an incessant 'tap, tap', tap' was coming at the window. 

Stevie slowly sat up holding the blanket up over her chest, as they had spent the night prior engaged in heated heavy sex, and she just brushed her bangs back. 

"I think it's my carrier pigeon." Stevie sighs pointing to the window. 

Lindsey growled but slowly made his way over to the window in all of his naked glory causing Stevie to laugh a little bit. He took the little note from around the bird's ankle and shooed it away before handing Stevie the note. 

"What's it say?" Lindsey asks after a moment when Stevie had finished unwrapping it. 

"It says, Dearest Teedee," She starts.

"Teedee?" Lindsey wrinkles his nose.

"I couldn't say Stephanie when I was little, all I could say was Teedee, I don't know how or why I got that out of Stephanie, but anyway as I grew up it changed to Stevie but my family still calls me Teedee," Stevie explains. 

"Well then, continue." He motions.

"My dearest Teedee, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you this sooner, but back in September Christopher and I welcomed a little girl. We named her Jessica. I had no idea that I was pregnant when you left, but I must have been because she came on September 28, I knew I had been gaining weight but I didn't think anything of it until she kicked sometime in June. But because I had no symptoms, I was worried that something was wrong. Your brother and your father begged me to tell you. I said no, I wanted her to be alive and kicking before I told you. She was born small and fragile at only about four pounds and she was sick for the first couple of months. She's perfect now so I thought it was time to tell you.

"He really gave you his mother's necklace as a Christmas gift, I always thought the king was a heartless bastard who didn't care about anyone. You must have really reached him if he's giving you crown jewels for Christmas gifts. I wish we could meet him, but I know that he doesn't associate with us mere peasants down here. I've tried several times to go up to the castle to see you but Chris has put his foot down. I guess King Buckingham didn't make the best first impression. Anyway back to Jessie, we call her that for short. She's so cute with blonde curls and brown eyes just like you and Christopher. Christopher says she looks like me, but I can see you and Christopher in her. Jess absolutely adores her. He's staying with us and he sold your house. Said it was too big for just him. He was living on his own in the apartment above the bakery but he was getting lonely and Christopher and I had the room so we told him he could move in with us. I know that would make you feel so much better. 

"Don't worry though, all of your stuff is safe in storage. Don Henley's been annoying us nonstop about you, asking when you'd get home and if you'd still want to marry him. But I keep telling him that he's insane and you never wanted to marry him, to begin with. Anyway, the baby is crying and I need to go feed her. I hope to hear from you soon. Love your sister, Lori" Stevie reads.

"I can't believe she didn't tell you, you had a niece." He makes himself comfortable in the bed.

"Well, Lori's mind works differently, she's sneaky and conniving. I'm sure there's more to the story than what she wrote. I'm upset though because I'm never going to see her grow up." Stevie sighs in defeat and falls back into the pillow.

"You know you could. Go down there for a couple of weeks and then come back...if you want to I mean...I don't expect you to come back though." He grabs her hand and draws shapes on her palm. 

"What? You'd actually let me go?" Stevie asks.

"Yeah. I would. I think you deserve to go to meet your niece. I can't hold you back from that." He shakes his head. 

"Oh thank you, Lindsey." She plants her lips to his before springing out of the bed and packing a little makeshift bag that she found in the closet. 

"I promise Lindsey you won't regret this." Stevie cheers as she packs. 

Lindsey watches her and he holds back the tears. Maybe he just screwed himself over, he's not sure. But he knows that Stevie may be happy at the castle but as soon as she read about the baby her saw her face fall and he couldn't bear to keep her from the happiness that he oh so craved. 

Lindsey walks her out to the entryway and they share a sweet kiss as Stevie hops on her horse and the carriage that has become hers. 

"Lindsey, what the hell are you doing?" Mick asks as he watches Stevie ride away. 

"My mother always said that a way to a woman's heart was to make her happy. My mother also said that if you love something you have to let it go. She was happy here Mick, but she got a letter from her family this morning. She has a new baby niece and when she read about her she realized that she was never going to see her niece and it made her upset. I couldn't keep her here anymore." Lindsey sighs wiping away a few tears.

"Well, at least you did the right thing." Mick pats his shoulder.

"But I just feel bad because now you guys have to pay. She's not coming back and we're going to be stuck here for the rest of our lives. And it's my fault, you guys didn't deserve this. I'm sorry." Lindsey shakes his head.

"Lindsey, it doesn't matter. At least we're going to be stuck with our family." Mick tells him.

"Yeah, a family." He huffs before turning away.