I Want Her

What did you do?

Although Stevie could have been released from the hospital after only a few days after her surgery, she refused to go, since Ella had to be in the care of nurses and doctors until the initial due date. She cried to Lindsey, saying she'll stay whatever it took, eventually it leading him to discuss it with Stevie's daughter, offering to pay for the room or do whatever else so she wouldn't have to leave.

Stevie had just woken up, when the door to her room opened and the nurse came in, holding Ella, wrapped up in blankets. She was instantly awake, siting up straight, already opening her arms to take over her baby daughter.

"Good morning, Stephanie."

"Good morning to you too, Julie." She replied without looking up, as she pressed a kiss to Ella's forehead. "Hi, baby. Oh I missed you so, sweetheart..."

"Where's Daddy?"

"Daddy's at important meeting, but he should be coming here shortly. My God, you're all grown up now, sweetie." Stevie smiled at her daughter.

"She's like a newborn baby. Well, a newborn baby, who's two months old now."

"Is she really okay, Julie? Do I have to constantly worry that she's different, that she'll have special needs?"

"The scariest part is the premature birth itself. Then it's all in God's hands and the fight in the little ones. Of course some children have problems later on, some don't. We can't tell you that yet. But what we see today is a healthy, beautiful girl, who has the most wonderful loving parents."

"We do, we love her to bits."

Julie left Stevie with Ella alone, saying she can have the baby for as long as she liked. It didn't take long for Lindsey to come visit his girls, a smile on his face as he saw Stevie with their daughter. If things had gone to plan, Ella would have been only a couple of days old.

"Hey you two, pretty ladies." He greeted, kissing each of them. "I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier."

"It's okay, we've got time to bond."

"Can I bond with my beautiful girl now?"

"Of course."

Lindsey took Ella into his arms, pressing kisses on her forehead and cheeks. "You really are a precious angel."

"Isn't she?" Stevie smiled, watching them.

The door opened again and in came the doctor. "So nice to see all of you together!"

"It feels nice that we finally get to be together." Lindsey sat down, as Stevie made some space on the bed.

"Actually, I've got some pretty amazing news."

"Oh? What is it?"

"You can bring Ella home. There's no reason for us to be keeping her here, we've taken enough time from you."

"Oh my God..." Stevie gasped. "You better not be joking, doc!"

"I'm not." The man laughed. "I just need one of you to sign some papers and you're free to go."

"I'll go." Lindsey handed Ella back to Stevie, then kissed her, lingering for a second. "I love you."

"I love you, too, but please, go, sign those papers and let's leave this place!"

The doctor walked out into the hallway, Lindsey following him. When the formal part was done, the doctor turned to Lindsey with this expression, that made him worry.

"What is it?"

"I... During the time we've had Stephanie here, I've noticed some things. I don't mean to worry you, but I think that Ella coming a lot sooner and so unexpectedly, gave a huge shock to her. I wouldn't call it postnatal depression, but I do think she's suffering some type of it. When I go to check on her, she doesn't seem to want to talk, she always seems somewhere else and while it might not be serious, I personally would suggest talking to her about what happened, making her open up about how she feels or even better, turn to a specialist."

"I knew something was wrong... I come to visit and it doesn't seem like Stevie wants me there, but when I ask if I should leave, she says no and asks me to say. She only seems to be happy, that she's herself, when the nurse brings Ella."

"Maybe all she needs is to talk it out, but please, at least do that."

Lindsey nodded, sighing. "I will, absolutely."

He left the doctor's office, taking a moment to collect himself and put a smile on his face, before he walked in to Stevie's room. He approached the side of the bed and hugged her as close as he could without crushing their daughter.

"Linds, are you alright?"

"Mhm, perfect. We can go home, baby. Finally." He gave her another kiss, making her frown as he turned around to start gathering her belongings.

Once out of the hospital and on the road in Lindsey's car, Stevie was taking in her surroundings as they were passing the city by. She had been locked up in that room for two months and all she saw was that garden they had. But they kept driving and she thought to herself, there was no way she forgot how to get to her apartment.

"Where are we going, Lindsey?"

"Home."

"We would have been at the apartment by now."

"Ah, well... I've got a surprise for you."

She looked at him, puzzled. "What did you do?"

"You'll see." He smiled, winking at her through the rear view mirror.

Their drive lasted another fifteen minutes or so, before Lindsey stopped the car in front of a beautiful house, a mansion even. He got out and went around the front to open the door for Stevie, who held Ella in her arms.

"Honey, we're home!" He joked and her jaw dropped.

"No..."

"Yes." He put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. "I figured, our family is getting bigger, we need a place to fit us too."

"But it's... it's huge!"

"And you'll love it. Come!" He walked them to the front door, where he unlocked it and allowed her enter first.

They walked from one from to the other, eventually having explored the whole house, except one room. Lindsey pushed the door open and Stevie's heart just about melted.

"You've done it all by yourself?"

"Well... I had some help, with the whole house, but this room - Ella's nursery, was all mine."

"I... I love it, Linds. It's beautiful!" She looked up at him tearfully. "I love you. Thank you!"

"Only the best for my girls."

"Yeah, shame one of them is sleeping right now."

"Why don't we lay her down?"

Stevie walked to the cream colored crib and lay Ella in it, after they both left kisses on her chubby little cheeks. They stood, hugging each other, Stevie's head on Lindsey's shoulder, as he mindlessly stroked her back, hoping, praying that the doctor was right, that it would only take for Stevie to open up and then they could be a happy little family. In a short period of time they had been one, they had already suffered enough.