Torches

3

July 25, 1983.

"Stevie, what are you doing here, I thought you had work tonight?" Lindsey questions walking into the house where Stevie is banging around with some pots and pans. 

"I went into work after I dropped Clara off. 10:30-4:30. I work nine to three-thirty tomorrow but then I have to go get my books for my classes. I came back to make you dinner and so we could sit down and work out my schedule for the fall semester." Stevie tells him. 

"Oh, well...I appreciate it. What are you making?" He asks.

"Chicken Alfredo Manicotti. It's my own recipe made with alfredo sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and Chicken." She explains. 

"Sounds good. How much longer?" He questions. He had a well-baby appointment for Clara causing him to get home late and in all honesty, he was just going to heat up a frozen pizza so the prospect of a homecooked meal was making him salivate. 

"About thirty minutes. Here's um...Here's my schedule." Stevie digs in her purse and hands him the opened envelope. 

His eyes scanned over it and he had to stop himself from outwardly reacting. He had just been assigned Capstone Childhood Psychology that morning. 

M/W  1:00-3:00 Capstone Childhood Psychology-Staff

T/R 11:00-1:00 Capstone Communication in Classrooms-Professor Wendy Cunningham

T/R 2:00-3:00 Patterns of Speech-Anthony Dame

T/R 3:45-4:45-Crisis Communication-Jackie Bartlett

"So what are you going to do on Tuesday's with Big Boy?" He questions. 

"I've already spoken to my boss and I'm not. I'm going to be working Monday 4-9 it's five hours and I'm not going to get lunch but at least it's something. Tuesdays and Thursdays I'm not going to work at Big Boy. Friday I'm working from noon to close. I'll have two fifteen minute breaks on Friday and Saturday and Sunday it's going to be my normal closing shift." She shrugs. 

"How about on Monday's you start your day here. I have to be at the campus at nine so say get here around eight as you've normally been. Clara still has to go into daycare at 10 clean and hang out with her then drop her off and get ready for class. And I'm assuming you've seen your schedule." He sighs. 

"Yeah, Tuesdays I can spend the day here when I'm not in class. I can clean in the morning and then I can get your groceries after class. I can pick Clara up and then come back and make you dinner and Could I...could I do my homework here? My roommates aren't conducive to studying." She shrugs. 

"Alright how about this. You've been working with me for about a month now. I like you, you're nice and you're sweet and I trust you. What if I just gave you a room here? I know I'm a professor, I know it's weird and it could slightly be unprofessional but people have live-in nannies all of the time. If the school questions it, we can tell them that you started working with me before I became your professor. It's a legitimate reason and that's all that matters. I'm not saying that you have to live with me full time. But when you're doing your homework here if it gets late, I don't want you to necessarily drive home. Because when you're tired you risk getting in a car accident." Lindsey states.

"Oh, um...thank you. I'll have to think about it though." Stevie shrugs taking Clara into her arms and cuddling her closely. 

In the past month, she's been getting awful close with the baby and she's developed a soft spot for her. She feels bad that the little girl is going to grow up never knowing her mother. But Stevie's going to be there as long as she can because she feels for the little girl and she wants to be the best influence that she can on little Clara while she's still in the picture. She doesn't know how long she's going to stay on Lindsey's payroll but she's hoping it's going to be for a while. She likes him. He's funny, and he's nice and he's played guitar for her and she really thoroughly loves it. She's starting to like him. With his gorgeous blue denim eyes and sexy lean and tone body. His hands are firm but gentle, granted he's only shook her hand a couple of times and he's placed his hand on her upper back to lead her somewhere in the house but there's something there. She's trying to hold off though because she knows that he's a professor and that could cause a problem if they aren't careful. 

"Do, think about it, now come eat dinner with me and Clara." Lindsey smiles. 

"Oh, can I feed her, her bottle?" Stevie questions.

"Sure..." Lindsey nods as she shifts the four-month-old onto her shoulder and starts prepping the formula bottle. 

Lindsey leaves the baby's water-he refuses to give her tap water so he buys an expensive gallon of water solely for the baby-on the counter. Stevie fills the bottle and dumps the two scoops of formula into the water before shaking it gently. Lindsey dishes out the plates and brings everything over to the table and Stevie smiles and stares down at the baby as she suckles on the bottle. 

"How many kids do you want?" Lindsey asks.

"Oh, um...maybe two or three. Four max. I would prefer all little girls but I'll feel bad if I can't give my husband a son to carry on the family name." Stevie shrugs.

"It's not important to some men. I could care less if I have a son or not. Hell, I'll be fine if it's just me and Clara for the rest of my life. I'm sure it won't go over well when she's a teenager." Lindsey laughs. 

"No, I suppose not...but I'm sure you'll find another special someone. Right now though, I think you just need to grieve your wife and try to get into a normal routine." Stevie shrugs.

"Oh, you definitely have studied psychology." He laughs.

"I got my Bachelors from San Jose State, I started my master's program there and then we moved up here and I transferred into USC. Now, I'm getting my doctorate from there. But I'm never going to be a professor. You guys are your own breed. I think I just want to be in a high school." Stevie shrugs. 

"Well, they need plenty of school psychologists. I don't think you'll have a problem getting a job." Lindsey laughs. "Thank you again for Dinner." 

"My pleasure." She smiles at him.