Taking Chances

15. Marriage of Convenience

After five days in the hospital, Barbara would finally be allowed to come home; Wednesday afternoon to be exact.

Stevie and Lindsey would take care of her and make sure she got the rest she needed and during that time, he would wait till it was time to pick up the kids while his wife started some work for the first time in a while.

Not having had the time to catch up since her mother had been admitted into the hospital, Stevie was behind on her latest reports and even though she was excused in a way, she still had to get it done; luckily for her, her brain worked fast enough to keep up with deadlines. She would manage to get one done within an hour, though she prepared to send it to a co-worker, just to get it proofread for the sake of her just not wanting to since she was prepared to move right to the next.

Getting up from off the couch, Lindsey made his way into the kitchen, where he would pass his wife on the way whom was typing away. As he did walk by, he glanced at what she was doing and he pulled down a glass to fill with water. Filling from the tap, he pulled it away and he immediately starting gulping it back.

Stevie's eyes roamed over and she furrowed her brows mostly because he was drinking so fast, as if he had never drunk water before. "You okay?" she had to ask.

Bringing the glass down, he turned the faucet on again and he looked over. "What?"

"You seem dehydrated---are you okay?"

"Sort of," he shrugged. "All that time drinking, I didn't drink a lot of water and now with the sugar cravings---it helps."

She nodded gently. "I think you should make an appointment to get you checked out," she took her glasses off. "Even if you stopped drinking, I don't think eating sugar and flushing it with water is good enough. Maybe you need a detox of some sort or maybe to be on a diet just so you can get control of whatever is wrong."

"Stevie," he shook his head.

"Lindsey, I'm worried. This is something we could prevent if it gets worse. You should see a doctor just to get an opinion. I'll go with you."

"You wouldn't have even noticed if I wouldn't have told you," he claimed.

"I would have noticed, but you just pointed out early. Can you not be stubborn and just go as I ask?"

"I'm not a kid, Stevie," he nearly rolled his eyes with a sigh as he brought his glass to his lips and began trailing to get back to the couch.

Watching him walk away, she pushed her chair from the table and she stood up to follow him. Forcing the door to open out, "I think this is serious and you're acting like a little kid by not accepting help."

Laying along the couch, he shut his eyes, barely taking her in.

Arms crossed, she had her weight on one leg and she held an arched brow at him as she watched him lounge. "This isn't normal," she gestured. "You've done nothing today other than take the kids to school and help me bring mom home. There's obviously a reason you're so taxed unless you're just being lazy."

"Can you give it a rest? I'm fine," he nearly yelled.

"Why is this subject bothering you so much?" she came near to sit at the edge of the couch, beside him. "Are you worried?" she asked softly.

Opening his eyes, he noticed how soft and serene she was---how much she truly cared. "Yes," he mumbled.

"Do you think there's something wrong?" she placed her hand on his chest, smoothing his shirt gently.

"I would like to believe otherwise, but I know there is... I've totally fucked myself and my body. I don't even know what could happen."

Giving a sympathy filled expression, "If there is something wrong, Lindsey, I'm gonna take care of you."