You Always Have Me

Part 10

"We're nearly there, sweetie." Lindsey said to Lily, who was unusually fussy in the car seat, trying her best to free herself. "Please, Lily. We're minutes away from seeing your Mommy."

"I don't like not being with Mommy all the time!" 

"I know, honey, I know. It won't be like that forever, we've talked about it, remember?" Looking at the girl through the rear view mirror.

"I want Mommy!"

Sighing, Lindsey shook his head, knowing that saying anything else won't help the matter. He couldn't really be mad at Lily. He'd been driving her from his place to Stevie and back again for the past two weeks now and he knew she was confused with this new arrangement.

Thankfully, they finally arrived and Lindsey tried taking Lily by the hand, but she pushed him away, running up to the front door, shaking the handle. "Lily! Stop this right now!"

Lindsey had never yelled at her before and it finally got her listening, as she lowered her eyes, lip trembling... "I'm sorry, Daddy."

Left speechless, Lindsey wasn't fast enough to come up with something to say, before Stevie opened the door and let the two in. "My sweet girl, I missed you so much!" Hugging Lily tight first, Stevie then let the girl and Lindsey enter the house, Elizabeth coming to say hi as well.

"I'm just out of the shower, give me a bit of time?" Stevie asked, brushing her hair, Lindsey giving a nod and asking her aside, making sure Beth was keeping Lily occupied. "What's up?"

"Lily was throwing a fit on the way here. I... I scolded her and she said she was sorry and then called me Daddy."

After a moment, Stevie just shrug her shoulders. "Does it surprise you? You're the one around her the most now, Linds."

"It did surprise me. I didn't know what to say. While I love her to bits, still, her father is Jeremy and I don't want any problems."

"Well, are you saying you're not comfortable with taking care of her anymore?"

"No, of course not, it just... let's just say I wasn't expecting that."

"There's a bond between you two, Lindsey and I don't wish to break it. It's beautiful." Thinking it, although Stevie wouldn't voice it, that to her it actually felt like she had a child with Lindsey now...

Not much later, Stevie was ready to go, as she, along with Lindsey, Lily and Beth got in the car and Lindsey drove them all to the hospital as he did everyday, then he said goodbye, promising to come and pick Stevie and Beth once the visiting hours were over. It had become a routine.

Hand in hand, Stevie and Beth were walking to Jeremy's room, when his nurse stopped them, grinning from ear to ear. "Wonderful news! Mr. Stanley is awake!"

Stevie gasped, seemingly frozen in one spot, while Beth flung the door open, rushing to her father's side. She instantly started crying, trying to hug him without hurting him, as Jeremy managed a weak smile. Clearly, he remembered his daughter and it was a huge relief, because Dr. Phillips had warned that they were to expect anything.

"Oh, Daddy I'm so happy you're back!" Beth cried, bent over with her head resting on Jeremy's chest, whose eyes were now focused on Stevie, who stood in the doorway. "Stevie, come here!"

Entering the room, Stevie slowly made her way to Jeremy, unshed tears in her eyes, as she leaned in pressing her lips against his dry ones for a moment. "I couldn't be happier, seeing your eyes look back at me." She smiled, grasping his hand, as Beth took a seat, allowing them a moment. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He said, surprising Stevie, because she didn't expect him to be responding so well. 

The doctor came in a little later, explaining the current state Jeremy was in, saying that he was obviously very weak, but he didn't have memory loss and he could talk, which was a lot for someone having had all those injuries and being in a coma for two weeks.

Hours later, Beth said she was going to go down to the cafeteria for something to eat, leaving Stevie alone with Jeremy. Although, what came next, she couldn't have possibly dreamed of in her worst nightmare. 

"I already had some time to think." Jeremy started, talking slowly. "I'm paralyzed, I'm no good to you as a husband anymore, I'm no good to Lily as a father anymore. I know what you're going to say, but I refuse to be a burden, Stevie. I'm not going to ruin your life, because you'll have to spend every waking minute by my side, taking care of me. It hurts me to say, but... I'm filing for divorce."

"Is this some sick joke?" Stevie honestly didn't think he was being serious. "Jeremy, you're in no shape or form fit to be making decisions like this!"

"This is not a joke. You need a man in your life, who is a man and I'm not. I should be taking care of you and not you of me. I don't want you to have to do everything for me, I don't want Lily to see me like this, I don't want Beth to see me like this! I'm useless..."

"Jeremy, I-"

"Stop right there, Steph. I have decided and you won't change my mind."

The familiar feeling of tears stinging her eyes, Stevie swallowed uneasily. "I spent every day by your side, praying to God, asking to bring you back to me. I sat in this freaking chair for hours, holding your hand and talking to you, hoping you'd hear me and know that you're loved, that people - your family  most of all, want you to come back. Jeremy, I love you so much... Don't you love me anymore?"

Allowing himself to cry as well, Jeremy said. "I love you more than anything, that's why I'm doing this."

"Shut up." 

"Stevie, you might think you want to be with me now, but-"

"I said, shut up!"

Giving her hand a squeeze, making her look at him, he continued. "We both know there's someone, who..." Taking a moment. "Who can be so much more to you than I'll ever be able to be. Someone who can be a great husband and a wonderful father. Someone... who loves you more than life itself." Barely seeing her face through his tears, Jeremy added. "I thank you for the time we've spent together, but... but it ends here and now."

Letting go of his hand, Stevie was sobbing, it becoming nearly impossible to breath, as she waited and waited to be woken up from this nightmare.

Only that it wasn't...