Torches

12

December 20, 1983

Stevie was sitting on the couch watching Clara play when she felt two hands encompass her shoulders and scrub up and down her bicep. Lips pressing to the back of her head. 

"Hey, how was your staff meeting?" She questions.

"It was a staff meeting." He states.

"You aren't teaching one of my classes next semester are you?" She asks.

"No, but you'll be sitting in on three of mine." He kisses her temple. 

"Yes, Three. Two on Monday and Wednesday and one on Tuesday and Thursday." She tells him.

"And I am so looking forward to it." He smirks.

"Clara wants you to pick her up." Stevie points as the baby starts bouncing in her seated position on the floor. 

"So what are you doing for Christmas?" Lindsey inquires.

"I can't afford to go to Phoenix but my family is going to come up. I feel bad that they have to go to a hotel though but they say that they don't mind." Stevie shrugs.

"My family is coming here too. I'd like you to meet them. They'll be here on the 23rd." He explains.

"Woah, Woah, Woah...you want them to meet me. Lindsey's we've only been together-together for a couple of weeks. I'm your nanny and your maid and your student how is...I..." She states.

"Stevie, you practically live here. Not to mention that you're here cleaning every day and I'd rather have them meet you as my girlfriend, not my help." Lindsey tells her plopping down onto the couch next to Stevie as Clara nuzzles into her father's neck giving him a giant hug. 

"I still feel bad about that you know...I feel bad that I'm not living with Lori and Sharon like we had planned and I feel bad that I practically wormed my way in here." She shrugs.

"You didn't worm your way in here. I invited you here. And if I'm honest Steph...Clara loves you and it's so much easier raising a little girl with another girl in the picture. I miss Diana, really I do. But I can't...I can't keep living in the past. It's time for Clara and me to...look towards the future and I can't see a future without you in it. So I know it's not the most conventional to meet my family after only a few weeks but the sooner they get to know you the happier I'll be." Lindsey tells her.

"Well, she is our baby isn't she?" Stevie smirks holding her hands out and Clara gives a gummy grin and a little giggle as she leaps into Stevie's arms. 

"Alright, with that being said...we're going out tonight," Lindsey smirks.

"What are we doing with Clara?" Stevie questions.

"Clara is coming with us and you,  my love are going to get to try out the baby wrap," Lindsey smirks.

"The what?" She questions.

"The baby wrap. Go get ready." Lindsey demands.

"Oh, but I'm going to make Chicken soup for dinner." She points.

"We're going out to eat," Lindsey informs her.

"Well then, what should I wear?" She questions.

"Preferably something warm. Take her and dress her too." Lindsey points to the little girl.

When Stevie emerges she's wearing a pair of bell-bottoms a cream tank top under a brown knit sweater and a brown skinny scarf. She has Clara dressed in a gray long sleeve onesie with a pair of jeans over top. On her little blonde curls is a knit bunny hat and on her feet are her fuzzy brown boots and in Stevie's hand is her little red and white polka-dotted pea coat.

"So this is the infamous baby wrap." Lindsey holds it up to her and then takes Clara out of her arms. 

He ties it around her hips and then he gets the baby situated and ties her to Stevie completely. 

"Well, where has this been every single time I've had to take her to the grocery store?" Stevie asks.

"In the coat closet. Where you never clean." Lindsey smirks.

"Okay, yeah that makes sense. It's really convenient but we're just going to put her in her car seat so I don't understand why you hooked me up." Stevie shakes her head.

"Just trust me." Lindsey grins leading her out of the house.

***
They ate dinner at some mom and pop diner and Stevie felt dirty simply because she was still working at Big Boy only when called in and on the weekends simply because she would be earning a substantial amount of money working through the college. Then Lindsey pulled up to a very packed building. 

"Lindsey, Holiday Ice Skating Rink...are we going Ice Skating?" She asks.

"We are. Do you know how to skate?" He questions.

"Kind of...not very well but I do know how to skate." Stevie nods.

"Alright, so as long as you don't fall on my baby we'll be good." Lindsey winks as Stevie rolls her eyes and exits the car. 

Lindsey straps Clara to her again and then they make their way towards the ticket line.

"So why do I have to be strapped to her?" Stevie asks as the little girl is playing with her miniature elephant stuffed animal against her chest. 

"Because frankly, you look so hot with her strapped to you and second I've only skated once in my life so if anyone is going to be falling, it's going to be me," Lindsey tells her.

"Oh, so you don't want to hurt your baby yourself. You want me to be the one that hurts her." Stevie replies.

"Our baby." He retorts pulling out his wallet and paying the man. 

"She's a cute baby." The clerk states as Stevie smiles down at the little baby strapped to her chest.

"Yeah, we think so." Stevie coos kissing the baby's little cheek. 

"Enjoy your night!" He lets them in and they go to get their skates. 

They're currently spinning around in circles holding hands with each other and then Stevie peers down at the baby.

"She's out Lindsey." Stevie grins as he gets closer to her and wraps his arms around her waist. 

"I was hoping she would be. Now I can do this." Lindsey smirks pressing their lips together. 

"You kiss me in front of her all of the time," Stevie states after they pull away. 

"I know but this is a special moment. Look up." Lindsey smiles.

She does and she beams at the fairy lights and the crescent moon shining down on them and she takes a mental picture of that moment.