12

                                    

                                          
December 23, 1997
                          
Being back home from being on the road was nice and it allowed her to relax to an extent with her pregnancy which she was so grateful for, but it was also slightly stressful because she had been tasked by her management and record label to put together a boxed set and it had been announced but it hadn't been released yet and she had to find a way to get everything situated by March which was causing her strife. 
                          
But besides that, she was planning a coup plain and simple. She had kept her pregnancy so under wraps then when she finally got the all-clear on the twentieth at an ultrasound, it determined she was thirteen weeks pregnant, which was out of miscarriage range, and she was ready to tell people. Lindsey and Stevie were hosting Christmas at their new Brentwood home and both of their families, nieces included were going to be at their house. And she wanted to figure out a way to ambush them with her announcement and tell them but she didn't quite have an idea set in stone yet. 
                          
Right now they were going to pick the Nicks' up at the airport, Christopher would be renting a car, but they wanted to go and greet them at the airport properly. Stevie was camouflaging her bump, which was tiny but noticeable in a long black maxi dress and a white shawl that she had knotted right where the curve of her stomach started. But she was trying and failing at not touching her stomach. Most of her early pregnancy symptoms were gone and she was just ready to tell people.
                          
They were standing at the terminal gate waiting for Stevie's parents when Lindsey got behind her and placed his left hand on her stomach. She tensed slightly hoping he couldn't feel the bump and then he locked his right hand with his left so he was making a fist right in the middle of her stomach which didn't feel good, but she wasn't going to say anything because he didn't know, all she did was lean her head back into him as they waited. 
                          
It was almost like they were a bonafide married couple, even though they weren't. They hadn't talked about children again, not after the night they conceived but neither of them knew about it, so Stevie was a little worried about what was going to happen but she was trying not to get in her head. 
                          
It was clear that Stevie's six-year-old niece was the first one that saw her because she screamed "AUNTIE" so loud that it drew Stevie's attention and she squatted down and Jessica almost knocked her over with how she plowed into her. 
                          
"Hey, munchkin." Stevie stands up with her in her arms and squeezes her tightly, Jessica wrapping her legs around Stevie's waist which was the perfect camouflage. 
                          
The rests of the Nicks' made their way over to the small group and they made their greeting and Jessica still wouldn't let Stevie put her down and when Christopher returned to the group dangling the keys Jessica said, "I wanna ride with Auntie and Uncle," And that made Lindsey's eyes go wide.

                          
"Do you?" Lindsey asks.
                          
"Mhm." She nods.
                          
"Well come see Uncle Lindsey then, you're probably killing Aunt Stevie's back." Lindsey holds his arms out and Jessica easily shifted into his arms. 
                          
***
                          
Stevie, Barbara, Lori, Ruth, and Daryl-Lindsey's sister-in-law-slaved over a prime rib, stuffing, cheesy potatoes, green bean casserole, biscuits, salad, and Christmas treats all day on the twenty-fifth and as they were eating their dinner Ruth cleared her throat.
                          
"So what is everyone looking forward to in 1998." 
                          
"Yeah what is everyone looking forward to? Mom why don't you start it was your idea." Lindsey smiles.
                          
"Oh, I just can't wait to spend some more time with my family. Especially now that my Stevie is apart of it again." Ruth smiles laying her hand on Stevie's wrist, and Stevie blushes slightly. Ruth had been like a second mother to her when she and Lindsey first started going together. 
                          
The next one was Jeff, Lindsey's brother. "I'm looking forward to selling the coffee plant and retiring. It'll be bittersweet because it was dad's but I'm ready, I'm tired." 
                          
Then Daryl. "I'm looking forward to Cory's graduation from High School and her eighteenth birthday." 
                          
"Cory?" Stevie asks popping a cheesy potato into her mouth." 
                          
"Oh, I guess I'm looking forward to going to UCLA in the fall." She smiles.
                          
"So that's where you chose?" Lindsey asks.
                          
"Yeah I'm excited and I mean, my Aunt and Uncle are here so if anything happens I know I can call you." She nods.
                          
"Oh absolutely, and if you ever need a place to study or to get away from your roommates we have more than enough room here." Lindsey smiles.
                          
"That's what I was banking on." She high fives her uncle. 
                          
The next one it came to was Barbara. "I'm on the same page as Ruth, I'm looking forward to spending more time with my family." 
                          
"I'm looking forward to tossing my business onto Chris and also retiring." Jess chimes in.
                          
"But I'm not looking forward to that because I'll be attending night school studying graphic design," Chris adds on.
                          
"I'm just looking forward to watching Jessi grow up." Lori runs her fingers through Jessi's curls.
                          
"I want a puppy." Jessica shoots a look at her father and the table erupts in laughs.
                          
"How do you top that one...I guess I'm looking forward to finally putting out that Solo album I've been working on for two years." Lindsey smiles.
                          
"Teedee?" Barbara asks.
                          
"Um...well, I guess the thing I'm looking forward to the most is um getting to meet...Baby Buck." She shrugs.
                          
"Baby Buck?" Lindsey asks.
                          
'Yeah our baby Buck," She nods.
                          
"Our. We aren't adopting though." Lindsey shakes his head.
                          
"Well no, but Baby Buck is still coming." She shrugs.
                          
"Wait our we...Steph are you? Are we having a baby?" Lindsey asks.
                          
"Yeah, I'm thirteen weeks pregnant." She nods.
                          
"You're kidding?" Lindsey gawks.
                          
"No, I'm not...that's why I was so sick at the end of the tour." Stevie states.
                          
"When did you find out?" Lindsey asks.
                          
"When we were in Nashville. I um, I have pictures if anyone wants to see." Stevie nods.
                          
"You're like ancient." Chris states.
                          
"I know...I didn't think I was, I thought I was starting menopause but I went to the doctor and they ran the tests." She explains.
                          
"Oh, I'm so happy for you." Ruth leans over and wraps her in a hug.
                          
"Thanks," Stevie smiles. 
                          
***
                          
Stevie was doing her nightly face routine when Lindsey walked into the bedroom and he came in and kissed the top of her head. 
                          
"We're pregnant." 
                          
"Yeah," She nods. 
                          
"I'm just like stunned. You were so adamant that it wasn't going to happen." Lindsey states.
                          
"I didn't think it was going to. But look." Stevie stands up and goes to her nightstand where she was keeping the ultrasound pictures and she holds them out to him.
                          
"You've had two ultrasounds and you kept it from me?" He asks.
                          
"It wasn't easy, trust me." She shakes her head laying down on the bed. 
                          
Lindsey smiles and crawls into bed and then he goes down to her stomach. 
                          
"Hey baby, It's me, I'm your daddy. You picked a great mommy you know that." Lindsey kisses her stomach and Stevie rakes her fingers through his hair.