I Think I'm In Trouble

LXIV.

The next week or so, Stevie and Lindsey would try some tactics to get Nicholas to talk, but at the same time they new it was going to be difficult. With Shannon moving out, a newborn taking over and Jeffrey with his questions and concerns about Kristen- it still put Nicholas on the back burner and that was the last thing Stevie wanted but it's what was happening. She could only do so much at once. Having Lily just made it tougher.

Letting Shannon take her little brother out on the weekend was a good starter. Still, she complained that he wasn't really involved to talk and him and Grace were more into themselves than anything. Shannon was starting to believe he was just going through an isolated time because of his dad and because he has his girlfriend.

"Don't forget to invite Michael over, Shannon," Stevie told her daughter before she departed from the house to go home for the night.

"Yes, mom! I know you've told me eight thousand times," Shannon rolled her eyes as she placed her hand on the front door knob.

"Well, I don't want you trying to get out of it because, I know how you are," her mother placed a hand on her hip.

"How exactly am I?" she questioned also putting her hand to her hip.

"Like me," Stevie's arms dropped and she walked forward to kiss her daughter on the forehead. "Okay?" she asked.

"Yes, we will be here tomorrow," she assured her mother.

"Good," she smiled in return.

After her daughter left, she wandered back upstairs to check on Lindsey with Lily. He was feeding her and they were preparing for sleep. Stevie was so tired with her baby- it took a lot out of her and she was so happy that Lindsey was helping so actively. But he was also excited to have the baby- he was in absolute love.

Now approaching the top of the stairs, Stevie gently pushed the door open and she could see Lindsey already positioning the baby to be burped.

"She finished that fast, didn't she?" she rubbed her baby's back a bit.

"Yeah," he chuckled, "she must have been hungry."

"Mhmm," she smiled, "this one is going to have her first bath tomorrow," she ran the back of her fingers over her cheek.

"Awe, that's going to be cute," he smiled.

"I don't know..." she trailed off. "She may hate it or she may love it. Shannon loved baths," she added.

"How about the boys?" he asked.

"Mm, Jeff and Nick didn't seem to ever mind, but I think they would have preferred not to have them. It really depended on their mood. As they got older they liked them and then they didn't want to come out of the tub."

"They're boys," he shrugged, "boys don't like baths."

"So gross," she shook her head, "and they're the ones who love to play in mud and run around and get sweaty- ugh," she shivered in disgust.

Lindsey laughed at her and handed her the baby.

"Where ya going?" she asked as he was leaving the room.

"Going to take a shower, so you don't get mad at me," he joked, "but I'll be back before you put her down."

"Okay," she then made her way to the rocking chair to sit and continue her small task. As she was patting the baby's back, she was falling asleep. She was doing that a lot in the last week.

Shortly after, Lindsey came back in the room and he could see her in a half sleep and half mothering state as she rubbed Lily's back every so often. He smiled as he got closer to relieve her of the baby. "Come here, precious girl," he barely placed his hand on her back and Stevie jolted awake.