"Chris, we have nothing to talk about."
"Like hell we don't."
"Chris, just leave me alone."
"I'm not leaving you alone."
"Why?" she asked, turning to him.
"Why? WHY? Because you ran out on me, you left me!"
"I did what I had to do."
"Can we please go somewhere where we can talk?" he asked.
"I don't want to talk to you."
Chris pulled in close to her face, "You are going to talk to me Stephanie, in case you've forgotten, I'm your husband."
"Fine. We can go upstairs to my room."
"Good."
Stephanie walked in front of him and towards the elevator. Chris followed her, trying to read her facial expressions. She didn't look mad, just upset, and that was maddening to him, to not know how she was really feeling. They got in the elevator, and rode in uncomfortable silence. When they got to the floor, Stephanie once again walked in front of him and he followed until they reached a room and Stephanie let them in. She went to sit on the bed and Chris stood in front of her.
"Stephanie, how could you leave?"
"I told you Chris," she said, looking down at Carter, "I did what I had to do."
"But leave me, do you know how it felt Stephanie? Do you know how it felt to not know if you two were ok? To not know where my son is, or my wife?"
"No," she said quietly.
"God Stephanie, this is the second time someone has run out on me," he said, his voice cracking with emotion.
"Yeah, but the first person who ran away came back," Stephanie said, a hint of bitterness in her voice.
"Yeah, and I didn't want her!"
"It's ok, you don't have to lie."
"Lie!?! What are you talking about Stephanie?"
"You want to be with Jessica, that's fine, be with her, I'm sure you'll do fine without me, you, her and your daughter."
"Stephanie what is the matter with you!?!"
"You want her Chris! I can tell!"
Chris looked at her in disbelief. How could she possibly think that? He didn't even like Jessica, in fact, if he was being honest, he hated her. Hated her with a passion, she was like the constant thorn in his side, who wouldn't go away.
"How?" was his simple response.
"You always said you wanted a family with her, and now you have that. You guys have a daughter--"
"I don't even know if it's mine," Chris protested.
Stephanie ignored him, "And then you invite them to stay in our house."
"Is this what this is about?" Chris asked, the situation becoming more clear to him.
Stephanie didn't answer, and this led him to believe this was just what it was. She actually thought that he willingly invited them to stay, that he wanted Jessica in his house? That was the biggest load of bullshit ever.
Chris went over and kneeled in front of Stephanie and Carter, "Stephanie, is this what this is about?"
"Why did you invite her to stay if you didn't want her to believe her story, if you didn't want that little girl to be yours?" she asked almost inaudibly.
"Oh Steph," he whispered, "I only invited her to stay because I didn't want to kick that child out. I, truthfully, don't know if it's mine, and if it is, and even if it isn't, I can't kick a little toddler out."
Stephanie kept avoiding his eyes, so he kept on talking.
"Stephanie, I don't know what it's going to take for you to believe this, but you are the only woman for me, now and forever. I don't want Jessica. The days after you left, I spent them all sitting on our porch waiting, hoping you would come back. And then after I received the divorce papers, I came searching for you. I searched every day for you, hoping to find you and every night I didn't, it was torture. It was torture not knowing if you or Carter were ok. I was so scared that you had left the state or even the country. Look at me Steph, I look awful when you're not around, I'm not myself without you."
Stephanie looked up slowly, tears in her eyes, "You mean that?"
Chris took her hand and kissed it over and over, "With all of me."
"I thought that you didn't love me, that you really still wanted Jessica and now that you had her and your child that you were finally getting that dream you always wanted, and Carter and I were like your excess baggage. So I decided to dump you before you could dump me."
"Oh Steph, that's not true at all, you and Carter, you're all I want and all I need."
"I love you," she murmured.
"I love you more," he said, "Can I kiss you now?"
"Of course."
Chris came a little bit closer and kissed Stephanie softly. The kissed turned deeper and the two of them got lost in it. Stephanie put her free hand on the back of his neck, pulling him closer. It wasn't until Carter pulled on Chris's hair that they stopped.
"Hey there Cart," Chris said.
The baby grinned and babbled happily.
"I missed you," Chris said.
"He missed you too," Stephanie said.
"Good," Chris said, kissing Carter's cheek, "Now, there's a couple more things I need to ask?"
"Go ahead."
"First, can I rip this up?" Chris said, taking the divorce papers out of his back pocket.
"Of course," she said, smiling down at him, "What's the second thing you need to ask?"
"Are you coming back home?"
She grinned, "Only if you want me there."
"I don't want you there, I need you there."
"Then let's go."
Chris grinned at her and stood up, "Where's your stuff?"
"In my car, we were actually going to leave today. I was just about to check out when you found us."
"Well, lucky for me I found you in time," he said, kissing her cheek.
"Lucky for me too."
"Come on, let's go home."
"Let's."
They walked downstairs and Stephanie checked out. They walked out of the hotel and each went to their cars, not without giving each other a little kiss before getting in their cars to drive home. Chris grinned the whole way home, so thankful that he had found the two of them.
They got home and Chris helped Stephanie get all of her things. They walked inside the house and didn't see Jessica or Adriana anywhere. Stephanie set her things down and went and plopped down on the sofa.
"It's so good to be home," she said, smiling.
Chris held Carter close to him, "It's good to have you home."
"Oh, so you found her?" Jessica's voice came from the staircase.
Stephanie looked up at her, "Yeah, he found me, what's it to you Jessica, this mean you can't hone in on my territory anymore?"
"Oh, that hurt Stephanie, real scathing," Jessica said, rolling her eyes.
"Oh, well then, it completed its intended purpose."
"Why couldn't you have stayed gone?"
"Because it was more fun trying to see you squirm. I'm just sorry I didn't have my camera so I could take a picture of you when you saw me," Stephanie said snidely.
Chris sat back and watched the two of them go at it. As good as Jessica was at being snarky, he knew that she was no match for Stephanie. When Stephanie wanted, she would dominate you, and Chris know this was one of those times.
"Steph, baby, did you want me to put Carter down for his nap?"
"That'd be great Chris, thanks," she said, leaning over to kiss him.
"Ok baby," Chris said, knowing this was totally irking Jessica.
He got up and went upstairs, leaving Jessica and Stephanie all alone. He hoped nothing bad happened. Those two alone, it didn't make for a pretty picture.
"So," Stephanie said, standing up, "You're still here."
"Of course, I couldn't let Christopher not get the chance to know his daughter."
"If it's his daughter."
"I don't lie."
"Oh, is that so? How come I find that terribly hard to believe?"
"Believe what you want Stephanie, but let's face it, I'm in your guys lives and I ain't leaving."
"Well, lucky us then, because we so want a bitch in our family."
"Ha ha," Jessica scowled.
"Oh, I'm so glad you find me funny," Stephanie said, in a chipper tone.
"Shut up you bitch, why'd you even come back, you're not wanted here!"
"Oh sweetie, you're so mixed up, YOU'RE not wanted here," Stephanie said.
"Christopher loved me!"
"Yeah, that's all well and nice, but he loves me, as in, he's in love with me."
"But I was here first!" Jessica said petulantly.
"Yeah and then you spread your whorish legs and cheated on Chris, that doesn't sound like you really wanted to be with him."
"Oh, you stupid little bitch!"
"No need to get testy, I mean, come on, just because you're a big whore who doesn't know who your baby's father is, doesn't mean you have to get snippy with me."
"You fucking skank!" Jessica yelled.
Jessica's eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared almost comically. She walked right up to Stephanie and slapped her clear across the face. Stephanie wasn't expecting it and her head was thrown to the side from the blow. She grabbed her cheek instinctively and then straightened up.
Stephanie felt the anger rise up in her to almost a fever pitch. No one, and she meant no one ever slapped Stephanie Irvine. It was like your death wish, and Jessica had just crossed the line. Stephanie pulled her arm back, and punched Jessica with all of her might. The petite blonde was knocked completely down by the blow and lay on her back on the ground.
"Don't you ever call me that."
"Like hell we don't."
"Chris, just leave me alone."
"I'm not leaving you alone."
"Why?" she asked, turning to him.
"Why? WHY? Because you ran out on me, you left me!"
"I did what I had to do."
"Can we please go somewhere where we can talk?" he asked.
"I don't want to talk to you."
Chris pulled in close to her face, "You are going to talk to me Stephanie, in case you've forgotten, I'm your husband."
"Fine. We can go upstairs to my room."
"Good."
Stephanie walked in front of him and towards the elevator. Chris followed her, trying to read her facial expressions. She didn't look mad, just upset, and that was maddening to him, to not know how she was really feeling. They got in the elevator, and rode in uncomfortable silence. When they got to the floor, Stephanie once again walked in front of him and he followed until they reached a room and Stephanie let them in. She went to sit on the bed and Chris stood in front of her.
"Stephanie, how could you leave?"
"I told you Chris," she said, looking down at Carter, "I did what I had to do."
"But leave me, do you know how it felt Stephanie? Do you know how it felt to not know if you two were ok? To not know where my son is, or my wife?"
"No," she said quietly.
"God Stephanie, this is the second time someone has run out on me," he said, his voice cracking with emotion.
"Yeah, but the first person who ran away came back," Stephanie said, a hint of bitterness in her voice.
"Yeah, and I didn't want her!"
"It's ok, you don't have to lie."
"Lie!?! What are you talking about Stephanie?"
"You want to be with Jessica, that's fine, be with her, I'm sure you'll do fine without me, you, her and your daughter."
"Stephanie what is the matter with you!?!"
"You want her Chris! I can tell!"
Chris looked at her in disbelief. How could she possibly think that? He didn't even like Jessica, in fact, if he was being honest, he hated her. Hated her with a passion, she was like the constant thorn in his side, who wouldn't go away.
"How?" was his simple response.
"You always said you wanted a family with her, and now you have that. You guys have a daughter--"
"I don't even know if it's mine," Chris protested.
Stephanie ignored him, "And then you invite them to stay in our house."
"Is this what this is about?" Chris asked, the situation becoming more clear to him.
Stephanie didn't answer, and this led him to believe this was just what it was. She actually thought that he willingly invited them to stay, that he wanted Jessica in his house? That was the biggest load of bullshit ever.
Chris went over and kneeled in front of Stephanie and Carter, "Stephanie, is this what this is about?"
"Why did you invite her to stay if you didn't want her to believe her story, if you didn't want that little girl to be yours?" she asked almost inaudibly.
"Oh Steph," he whispered, "I only invited her to stay because I didn't want to kick that child out. I, truthfully, don't know if it's mine, and if it is, and even if it isn't, I can't kick a little toddler out."
Stephanie kept avoiding his eyes, so he kept on talking.
"Stephanie, I don't know what it's going to take for you to believe this, but you are the only woman for me, now and forever. I don't want Jessica. The days after you left, I spent them all sitting on our porch waiting, hoping you would come back. And then after I received the divorce papers, I came searching for you. I searched every day for you, hoping to find you and every night I didn't, it was torture. It was torture not knowing if you or Carter were ok. I was so scared that you had left the state or even the country. Look at me Steph, I look awful when you're not around, I'm not myself without you."
Stephanie looked up slowly, tears in her eyes, "You mean that?"
Chris took her hand and kissed it over and over, "With all of me."
"I thought that you didn't love me, that you really still wanted Jessica and now that you had her and your child that you were finally getting that dream you always wanted, and Carter and I were like your excess baggage. So I decided to dump you before you could dump me."
"Oh Steph, that's not true at all, you and Carter, you're all I want and all I need."
"I love you," she murmured.
"I love you more," he said, "Can I kiss you now?"
"Of course."
Chris came a little bit closer and kissed Stephanie softly. The kissed turned deeper and the two of them got lost in it. Stephanie put her free hand on the back of his neck, pulling him closer. It wasn't until Carter pulled on Chris's hair that they stopped.
"Hey there Cart," Chris said.
The baby grinned and babbled happily.
"I missed you," Chris said.
"He missed you too," Stephanie said.
"Good," Chris said, kissing Carter's cheek, "Now, there's a couple more things I need to ask?"
"Go ahead."
"First, can I rip this up?" Chris said, taking the divorce papers out of his back pocket.
"Of course," she said, smiling down at him, "What's the second thing you need to ask?"
"Are you coming back home?"
She grinned, "Only if you want me there."
"I don't want you there, I need you there."
"Then let's go."
Chris grinned at her and stood up, "Where's your stuff?"
"In my car, we were actually going to leave today. I was just about to check out when you found us."
"Well, lucky for me I found you in time," he said, kissing her cheek.
"Lucky for me too."
"Come on, let's go home."
"Let's."
They walked downstairs and Stephanie checked out. They walked out of the hotel and each went to their cars, not without giving each other a little kiss before getting in their cars to drive home. Chris grinned the whole way home, so thankful that he had found the two of them.
They got home and Chris helped Stephanie get all of her things. They walked inside the house and didn't see Jessica or Adriana anywhere. Stephanie set her things down and went and plopped down on the sofa.
"It's so good to be home," she said, smiling.
Chris held Carter close to him, "It's good to have you home."
"Oh, so you found her?" Jessica's voice came from the staircase.
Stephanie looked up at her, "Yeah, he found me, what's it to you Jessica, this mean you can't hone in on my territory anymore?"
"Oh, that hurt Stephanie, real scathing," Jessica said, rolling her eyes.
"Oh, well then, it completed its intended purpose."
"Why couldn't you have stayed gone?"
"Because it was more fun trying to see you squirm. I'm just sorry I didn't have my camera so I could take a picture of you when you saw me," Stephanie said snidely.
Chris sat back and watched the two of them go at it. As good as Jessica was at being snarky, he knew that she was no match for Stephanie. When Stephanie wanted, she would dominate you, and Chris know this was one of those times.
"Steph, baby, did you want me to put Carter down for his nap?"
"That'd be great Chris, thanks," she said, leaning over to kiss him.
"Ok baby," Chris said, knowing this was totally irking Jessica.
He got up and went upstairs, leaving Jessica and Stephanie all alone. He hoped nothing bad happened. Those two alone, it didn't make for a pretty picture.
"So," Stephanie said, standing up, "You're still here."
"Of course, I couldn't let Christopher not get the chance to know his daughter."
"If it's his daughter."
"I don't lie."
"Oh, is that so? How come I find that terribly hard to believe?"
"Believe what you want Stephanie, but let's face it, I'm in your guys lives and I ain't leaving."
"Well, lucky us then, because we so want a bitch in our family."
"Ha ha," Jessica scowled.
"Oh, I'm so glad you find me funny," Stephanie said, in a chipper tone.
"Shut up you bitch, why'd you even come back, you're not wanted here!"
"Oh sweetie, you're so mixed up, YOU'RE not wanted here," Stephanie said.
"Christopher loved me!"
"Yeah, that's all well and nice, but he loves me, as in, he's in love with me."
"But I was here first!" Jessica said petulantly.
"Yeah and then you spread your whorish legs and cheated on Chris, that doesn't sound like you really wanted to be with him."
"Oh, you stupid little bitch!"
"No need to get testy, I mean, come on, just because you're a big whore who doesn't know who your baby's father is, doesn't mean you have to get snippy with me."
"You fucking skank!" Jessica yelled.
Jessica's eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared almost comically. She walked right up to Stephanie and slapped her clear across the face. Stephanie wasn't expecting it and her head was thrown to the side from the blow. She grabbed her cheek instinctively and then straightened up.
Stephanie felt the anger rise up in her to almost a fever pitch. No one, and she meant no one ever slapped Stephanie Irvine. It was like your death wish, and Jessica had just crossed the line. Stephanie pulled her arm back, and punched Jessica with all of her might. The petite blonde was knocked completely down by the blow and lay on her back on the ground.
"Don't you ever call me that."
