The taxi pulled up to her parents house, Stevie's nerves began to grow, would they turn her away? So many thoughts raced through her mind. Evie slept peacefully against her mother, having cried most of the way.

Carrying Evie out the car she walked up to her childhood home, taking a deep breath she rang the bell.

Barbara answered the door slowly, shocked to find Stevie standing on the other side, "Teedee....?"

"Hi, mama" Stevie broke down in tears, placing a now awake Evie on the floor and hugged her mother. "Teedee!" Barbara held Stevie tightly against her and kissed her all over her face and head, "My baby!"

"I'm so sorry mom!" She cried, Evie staring up at her grandmother. "What do you have to be sorry for? Teedee is she...?" Barbara stared down at Evie. "This is Evie, she's your granddaughter..."

Barbara's eyes welled in tears as she kneeled to Evie's level, "Hello Evie, I'm Grandma."

"Hello..." Evie said shyly then turned to her mother

"I want daddy..."

"Me too, baby. We will call him later." Stevie picked her up and kissed her hair

"Tee, who is her father?"

"Lindsey" There were some things her mother didn't need to know

"I bet the both of you are starving! I was just fixing dinner for your father, he's at a meeting right now," Barbara got the hint that Stevie didn't want to answer questions right then

"Yeah mom, that would be lovely thanks! Come on Evie" They walked into the house and into the kitchen

"Your father won't mind of you two eat now," setting their plates in front of them. Stevie thanked Barbara and tucked into her food, Evie wouldn't touch hers.

"Do you not like it? I can make you something else," Barbara asked Evie, worried that she wasn't eating.

"I want to talk to my daddy" she said with tears in her eyes

"I'll help you do that right now, the phone is right around the corner!" Barbara asked Stevie for the number and dialed it for Evie. Within two rings Lindsey answered

"Daddy?" Evie cried hard, down the phone

"Hey Evie! Are you at Grandma's house?" He tried to sound cheerful

"Yeah...I miss you daddy, I want a cuddle..."

"Baby, don't cry..." he tried hard to keep it together himself

"I want you!" She sobbed, beginning to hiccup

"Sweetie, please don't..." he had started to cry himself now

"I've only just got you back" she wailed

"I'll see you soon! I promise!"

"I love you daddy!"

"I love you, sweet girl!" He blew her a kiss through the phone

She blew one back

"Can you ask mommy if she wants to speak to me?" Lindsey said

"Mommy, do you wanna talk to Daddy?!" She yelled, Stevie looked at Evie for a moment, thinking, "Yeah, just for a moment."

"She's just coming daddy" Lindsey was relieved

"Hey," Stevie said quietly as she picked up the phone

"Hi, baby..." he was so thankful to hear her voice

"You need to come see her. Linds...she's not eating."

He noticed how she ignored his endearment

"I've told her I'm coming soon"

"You better. I can't stand to see her this way."

"Please don't make it sound like that"

"Like what?"

"Like this is all my fault"

"That's not what I'm trying to do."

"It's what it feels like, your talking to me like I'm a stranger..." he said sadly

"I'm not doing this." She replied firmly

"Steph, please don't go..." he begged

"What do you want me to say?"

"Just talk to me like I'm me, like you love me..."

"Like I loved you." She corrected. Lindsey felt his heart shatter into a million pieces

"Steph...do...do you not love me anymore?"

"It's easier this way."

"Easier on who? You just broke my heart..." she could hear him sobbing down the phone

"I have to go," Stevie said blankly and hung up. Lindsey sat and listened to the dial tone...Stevie just admitted she no longer loved him. Why her change of heart so suddenly? What had he done that was so horrific that she didn't love him anymore?

Stevie walked back into the kitchen, delighted to see Evie's eating. Maybe she didn't need Lindsey there after all

"Well done my girl!"

"It's good!"

Stevie smiled and Barbara asked Stevie for a word. "Yea?" Stevie asked as Barbara led her to the hallway

"What's going on with you and Lindsey?"

"Nothing."

"So why did you just tell him you didn't love him?" She questioned her daughter

"Please, I don't want to talk about this right now."

"Stevie! You just told the father of your child you didn't love him! It needs to be spoken about!"

"Between he and I! I came here for comfort, not to be lectured!"

"Yes but you aren't talking about it! You just shut him down"

"I don't have to listen to this," Stevie walked back into the kitchen

Stevie's dad was already in the kitchen when she walked back in there, "Daddy!"

"Teedee!" He engulfed her in his arms and kissed the top of her head, "What are you doing here?"

"I just need some time away" she continued to hold him

"I've already met my granddaughter" he smiled brightly

"She's the light of my life," Stevie smiled down at Evie

"She looks just like you! Apart from she has curls!" He chuckled

"Thank you," She ran her hands through Evie's ringlets

"Evie want to go see your room?" Jess asked. "Yes!" She smiled happily

Evie and Stevie went to get settled into their room, Stevie was just unpacking when the phone went again, she didn't think about it and just picked it up

"Stephanie..."

"Lindsey, please don't call here unless Evie wants to speak with you. It's too hard," Stevie sighed

"Stevie please...you didn't leave any milk for David..."

"I know, you said you could handle it, and I didn't have a way to pump for him."

"I know, but I gave you my last two pay checks..." he said

"What do you want me to do?" She sounded exhausted

"I...nothing, it doesn't matter, I'm sorry to bother you, you won't hear from me again if it's what you want" he said tearfully hoping she would tell him he was wrong

"I don't want David to go hungry. Figure out something and call me later. Mom and Dad could give you money to come down here."

"Alright, I'll maybe call you later" he hung up

But he never did call again that day...

Stevie laid awake all night, thinking about Lindsey, imagining David crying out in hunger. Reaching for the phone at the side of the bed she dialed his number, but he didn't pick up. Worry immediately hit her as she tried the number again

Still he didn't answer, she sat up in bed not knowing what to do , she tried the number one last time in hopes he would answer the time

"What?" He answered, slurring his words lightly

"Lindsey, I've been trying to phone you!" She said worried

"I'm fine, it's the middle of the night! I just got David to sleep!"

"Did you feed him?" She asked

"Yeah."

"Are you lying to me?"

"No, Stephanie. I'm not lying."

"Where did you get his food from?"

"The cabinet," he said simply

"You fed him the weaning food?" She asked

"What else what I going to do?"

"Linds, please..." she felt terrible

"He had to eat."

"I know..."

"I can quite happily say this is the worst decision I've ever made in my life..." he said

"What is, Lindsey?"

"This whole thing, I've lost my daughter, I've lost my girlfriend..."

"Why didn't you come with us like I wanted you to?"

"Because I wanted to keep and eye on Jimmy, as long as I could see him I knew he wasn't after you, but it all backfired and now you hate me..." he cried

"I don't hate you, Lindsey."

"But you don't love me"

"I'm trying to tell myself that....it makes it easier."

"Then you won't hear from me again, after this phone call, because I love you, I'll grant you that wish..." he sounded so done

"Lindsey, please." She whimpered, "What if I find the money to send you down here in a couple of months?"

"Steph, you can't tell me you don't love me, and then want to bring me back months later"

"I do love you...I don't know why I said what I did."

"It's in there somewhere though baby, and I love you enough to let you go" he told her with a broken heart

"Lindsey.....please," she cried softly

"Baby, don't cry..." he'd told his daughter that just hours before hand

"Please come to me," She sobbed

"I need a few weeks"

"Please hurry."

"Stevie...I need you so much...I love you" it had only been a day and he ached for her

"I need you too. I feel like my heart is missing."

"It is...it's with me, as mine is with you" he said

"I love you so much."

"God, I love you, too..."

"Please come to us soon."

"I'll try! It's only been one day and I miss your touch, baby" he told her

"I want you so bad. I can't sleep."

"I know the feeling, so much..."

"I love you, Lindsey. Please hurry," she cried, "can you come just for a day? One day soon?" She hiccuped

"Baby...Calm down...listen to my voice" he soothed

"Come to me, please."

"I have no money to get to you"

"I'll send some," she snuggled

"You don't have any either...and I won't take it from your parents"

"Lindsey," she wailed, almost waking up the whole house

"Shit! Baby, baby, stop!" He told her down the phone

"Please! I have something to tell you."

"What? What's the matter?" He asked worried

"I need to tell you in person," Stevie sniffled

"Are you sick?" He panicked

"No, nothing like that."

"Okay, as long as you are sure! Can you sleep or do you need me to help?"  He asked her after a minuet

"I need you to help me."

"How Steph? Tell me how honey"

"Sing to me."

Lindsey started to gently sing California Dreamin' to her, it soothing her automatically

"Thank you," Stevie said groggily

"Now sleep, my darling"

"I love you."

"I love you too" and he hung up, Stevie suddenly feeling very alone

Stevie walked into the guest room and snuggled into bed with Evie