A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update.
~
"Are you comfortable?"
"Yes!" she cried, "You've only asked me that about a million times!"
"I can't help it," Chris told her as he brought in more pillows for her to lie on.
"I know," she said, smiling softly.
They had made Stephanie stay in the hospital for three days, just in case she should prematurely go into labor again. Fortunately she had been given a clean bill of health, and was released. Of course that didn't stop Chris from being overly paranoid. She was trying to settle herself in bed, but he kept bringing in more pillows.
"Chris, I think I'm fine," she said from between the mountain of pillows.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive," she said, "Why don't you go play with Regan or something. She's in the playroom."
"I don't wanna leave you alone," he said with obvious apprehension.
"Chris, I'm not going to suddenly implode if you leave the room."
"Ok...I guess."
"If you're so worried bring Regan in here."
"I don't want her to disturb you."
"She won't disturb me," Stephanie said.
Chris nodded, giving in, and left the room. Stephanie took a breath of relief. She loved Chris to death, but he was getting on her nerves. She needed Regan here as a buffer. Chris came into the room with Regan riding piggyback, giggling the entire time. Chris dumped her on the bed where she crawled up to where Stephanie was sitting.
"Mama sick?" she asked.
"Yeah, just a little," she said.
Regan snuggled up to her, "Baby sick too?"
"No, the baby's not sick," she answered kindly.
"Oh," Regan said nodding like she understood, "You had to go to the doctor's?"
"Mommy wasn't feeling well Princess," Chris told her.
"Feel better?"
"Much."
Regan clapped her hands in happiness as Stephanie laughed. Stephanie grabbed Regan and pulled her closer to her. Chris leaned over and kissed Stephanie's cheek. She looked at him and gave him a sweet smile.
"You want something to eat?" he asked.
"I guess," she said.
"You should eat something."
"I said 'I guess,'" she retorted.
"Ok, I'll make you something. Regan do you want dessert?" he asked, since they had finished lunch a bit earlier.
"Ice cream!" she shouted in excitement.
"Ok, so that's one meal for my Stephy, and some ice cream for my Princess."
"Sounds good," Stephanie replied.
Chris smiled and hopped out of bed. He headed down to the kitchen where he started to make Stephanie's food. As he was preparing it, the phone rang. Yelling that he would get it, so as not to disturb Stephanie, he picked up the portable phone off the counter.
"Hello?"
There was nothing on the other line.
"Um, hello?" he repeated.
The next sound he heard was the dial tone.
Chris shrugged, thinking it must've been a wrong number. He got Stephanie's food ready and then got Regan's ice cream. Just as he was about to bring it up to them, the doorbell rang. He jogged to the door and swung it open.
"Chris!"
"Hey Linda, Vince, what brings you here?"
"We wanted to make sure Stephanie was settled in," Vince told him.
"Oh, well she's upstairs resting, but feel free to go on up."
"We will."
Chris watched as Vince and Linda went up the staircase. Stephanie moved Regan's hand so she could feel where the baby was kicking. Regan giggled and smiled up at Stephanie in wonderment. Stephanie leaned down and kissed her forehead. She door opened and she expected to see Chris coming in with the food but saw her mom and dad instead.
"Hi Mom, Daddy," she said, sitting herself up a little.
Regan got up and ran to the edge of the bed, holding her arms out. Vince picked her up and kissed her cheek, "Hi Gampa!"
"Hello my beautiful girl," Vince said.
"What are you guys doing here?" Stephanie asked.
"We wanted to make sure that you were all settled in and everything," Linda explained.
"I'm fine Mom," Stephanie said, "I just need to rest."
"We haven't really gotten to talk to you since that night," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed, "There's so much that we need to say."
"Like what?" Stephanie asked curiously.
"What you said that night, it was true?" Linda asked.
"What did I say Mom?" she asked curiously, thinking back to that night.
"That you had your memory back," Vince said, also sitting on the bed.
"Yeah, I do," she nodded.
She saw her mother's face light up. She guessed that they had thought it was a ploy to get Trish, but no, it was true. Vince grinned at her, and grabbed Linda's hand. Linda came over to hug Stephanie and when she pulled away, she looked into Stephanie's eyes.
"So you know I'm your mother?" Linda said, searching Stephanie's eyes.
"Yes Mom, I know who you are, I know who Daddy is, I know who everyone is."
Linda's eyes glistened with tears, "I just needed to make sure, it was almost too good to be true."
"I'm here Mommy," Stephanie said, "Stephanie, not anyone else."
"We just, we never thought this day would arrive," she said, "We never thought you'd be alive, and we never thought we'd get to see you again, and this is all so overwhelming."
Stephanie hugged her mother again, reassuring her with her presence. She looked over her mother's shoulder to see her father, who, to her complete surprise, had tears in his eyes. This had really affected them, but she was glad that the truth was out, and they could speak to her and know that she knew who she was and where she came from. Not to mention she wouldn't have to listen to stupid stories about herself as they tried to conjure up her memory.
"Hey, I got some food," Chris said, walking in on the scene.
"Good, I'm starving," Stephanie said as he walked over and set the tray down in front of her, "Ooh, grilled cheese, I love when you make me that."
"I know," he said, kissing her forehead and then taking the dish of ice cream and handing it to Regan.
"So what's going on?" Chris asked, noticing the tension in the room.
"Mom and Dad were just asking about my memory," she answered, taking a bite of her sandwich.
"Oh, yeah, we're sorry we kept that from you, but we needed to use it to get to Trish."
"What happened to Trish anyways?" Stephanie asked, looking at her parents and Chris as they shot glances to one another.
"She's gone," Vince said, "She got her last paycheck and we sent her packing."
Stephanie smiled at Chris, "Good."
"Yeah, we thought you'd like that," Chris told her.
"Linda, we better be going, we have that board meeting."
"Ok," Linda said, hugging Stephanie again, "You and Chris bring yourselves and Regan over for dinner soon, ok?"
"I will Mom," she said, hugging back.
"And you take it easy," Vince said, hugging her as well, "We don't want that little baby to come out too soon."
She rolled her eyes, "Yes Daddy."
Her parents left and Chris went back to laying next to her, watching as she and Regan ate their food. Stephanie glanced over at him, giving him weird looks. His expression was so sublime and peaceful; she wanted to laugh. She finished her food and set the tray on the ground and put Regan's ice cream dish on it too. She laid back down and turned on her side, looking at Chris with Regan between them.
"What are you thinking?"
"That it feels good to know Trish is out of the way."
"Yeah, it does," she said grinning, "It only took forever to do."
"Not forever."
"Really?"
"You haven't had the baby have you?"
"No," she laughed, "So I guess it hasn't been forever."
"We don't even have any baby names."
"We've been so busy, we haven't had time," she pointed out.
"I've been thinking about it," he told her.
"You have?"
"Yeah," he said, a little sheepishly, "I mean, I always wondered what I would name my kid if I ever had one again. I didn't think I would, but well, you were gone and, yeah, I've thought about it."
"So lay them on me," she smiled.
"Um, I like Arista for a girl and Bryant for a boy."
Stephanie could tell that he had had those names for a very long time and she knew that he had been thinking about them for years. Years she had been gone. She could picture him thinking of children he'd never have, thinking she was gone. She wanted to make him happy, and thank goodness she liked the names he picked.
"I like them," she said.
"Yeah?" he said hopefully.
"Yeah," she nodded, "They're good names."
"Thanks," he said, leaning over to kiss her.
Chris and Stephanie were mid-kiss when the phone rang. Stephanie groaned and Chris pulled away to grab the phone, which was on the nightstand. He took it and answered it. There was nothing on the other line. What was it with these damn wrong numbers? He hung up again and kissed Stephanie.
"Wrong number?" she asked.
"Seems so."
~
"Are you comfortable?"
"Yes!" she cried, "You've only asked me that about a million times!"
"I can't help it," Chris told her as he brought in more pillows for her to lie on.
"I know," she said, smiling softly.
They had made Stephanie stay in the hospital for three days, just in case she should prematurely go into labor again. Fortunately she had been given a clean bill of health, and was released. Of course that didn't stop Chris from being overly paranoid. She was trying to settle herself in bed, but he kept bringing in more pillows.
"Chris, I think I'm fine," she said from between the mountain of pillows.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive," she said, "Why don't you go play with Regan or something. She's in the playroom."
"I don't wanna leave you alone," he said with obvious apprehension.
"Chris, I'm not going to suddenly implode if you leave the room."
"Ok...I guess."
"If you're so worried bring Regan in here."
"I don't want her to disturb you."
"She won't disturb me," Stephanie said.
Chris nodded, giving in, and left the room. Stephanie took a breath of relief. She loved Chris to death, but he was getting on her nerves. She needed Regan here as a buffer. Chris came into the room with Regan riding piggyback, giggling the entire time. Chris dumped her on the bed where she crawled up to where Stephanie was sitting.
"Mama sick?" she asked.
"Yeah, just a little," she said.
Regan snuggled up to her, "Baby sick too?"
"No, the baby's not sick," she answered kindly.
"Oh," Regan said nodding like she understood, "You had to go to the doctor's?"
"Mommy wasn't feeling well Princess," Chris told her.
"Feel better?"
"Much."
Regan clapped her hands in happiness as Stephanie laughed. Stephanie grabbed Regan and pulled her closer to her. Chris leaned over and kissed Stephanie's cheek. She looked at him and gave him a sweet smile.
"You want something to eat?" he asked.
"I guess," she said.
"You should eat something."
"I said 'I guess,'" she retorted.
"Ok, I'll make you something. Regan do you want dessert?" he asked, since they had finished lunch a bit earlier.
"Ice cream!" she shouted in excitement.
"Ok, so that's one meal for my Stephy, and some ice cream for my Princess."
"Sounds good," Stephanie replied.
Chris smiled and hopped out of bed. He headed down to the kitchen where he started to make Stephanie's food. As he was preparing it, the phone rang. Yelling that he would get it, so as not to disturb Stephanie, he picked up the portable phone off the counter.
"Hello?"
There was nothing on the other line.
"Um, hello?" he repeated.
The next sound he heard was the dial tone.
Chris shrugged, thinking it must've been a wrong number. He got Stephanie's food ready and then got Regan's ice cream. Just as he was about to bring it up to them, the doorbell rang. He jogged to the door and swung it open.
"Chris!"
"Hey Linda, Vince, what brings you here?"
"We wanted to make sure Stephanie was settled in," Vince told him.
"Oh, well she's upstairs resting, but feel free to go on up."
"We will."
Chris watched as Vince and Linda went up the staircase. Stephanie moved Regan's hand so she could feel where the baby was kicking. Regan giggled and smiled up at Stephanie in wonderment. Stephanie leaned down and kissed her forehead. She door opened and she expected to see Chris coming in with the food but saw her mom and dad instead.
"Hi Mom, Daddy," she said, sitting herself up a little.
Regan got up and ran to the edge of the bed, holding her arms out. Vince picked her up and kissed her cheek, "Hi Gampa!"
"Hello my beautiful girl," Vince said.
"What are you guys doing here?" Stephanie asked.
"We wanted to make sure that you were all settled in and everything," Linda explained.
"I'm fine Mom," Stephanie said, "I just need to rest."
"We haven't really gotten to talk to you since that night," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed, "There's so much that we need to say."
"Like what?" Stephanie asked curiously.
"What you said that night, it was true?" Linda asked.
"What did I say Mom?" she asked curiously, thinking back to that night.
"That you had your memory back," Vince said, also sitting on the bed.
"Yeah, I do," she nodded.
She saw her mother's face light up. She guessed that they had thought it was a ploy to get Trish, but no, it was true. Vince grinned at her, and grabbed Linda's hand. Linda came over to hug Stephanie and when she pulled away, she looked into Stephanie's eyes.
"So you know I'm your mother?" Linda said, searching Stephanie's eyes.
"Yes Mom, I know who you are, I know who Daddy is, I know who everyone is."
Linda's eyes glistened with tears, "I just needed to make sure, it was almost too good to be true."
"I'm here Mommy," Stephanie said, "Stephanie, not anyone else."
"We just, we never thought this day would arrive," she said, "We never thought you'd be alive, and we never thought we'd get to see you again, and this is all so overwhelming."
Stephanie hugged her mother again, reassuring her with her presence. She looked over her mother's shoulder to see her father, who, to her complete surprise, had tears in his eyes. This had really affected them, but she was glad that the truth was out, and they could speak to her and know that she knew who she was and where she came from. Not to mention she wouldn't have to listen to stupid stories about herself as they tried to conjure up her memory.
"Hey, I got some food," Chris said, walking in on the scene.
"Good, I'm starving," Stephanie said as he walked over and set the tray down in front of her, "Ooh, grilled cheese, I love when you make me that."
"I know," he said, kissing her forehead and then taking the dish of ice cream and handing it to Regan.
"So what's going on?" Chris asked, noticing the tension in the room.
"Mom and Dad were just asking about my memory," she answered, taking a bite of her sandwich.
"Oh, yeah, we're sorry we kept that from you, but we needed to use it to get to Trish."
"What happened to Trish anyways?" Stephanie asked, looking at her parents and Chris as they shot glances to one another.
"She's gone," Vince said, "She got her last paycheck and we sent her packing."
Stephanie smiled at Chris, "Good."
"Yeah, we thought you'd like that," Chris told her.
"Linda, we better be going, we have that board meeting."
"Ok," Linda said, hugging Stephanie again, "You and Chris bring yourselves and Regan over for dinner soon, ok?"
"I will Mom," she said, hugging back.
"And you take it easy," Vince said, hugging her as well, "We don't want that little baby to come out too soon."
She rolled her eyes, "Yes Daddy."
Her parents left and Chris went back to laying next to her, watching as she and Regan ate their food. Stephanie glanced over at him, giving him weird looks. His expression was so sublime and peaceful; she wanted to laugh. She finished her food and set the tray on the ground and put Regan's ice cream dish on it too. She laid back down and turned on her side, looking at Chris with Regan between them.
"What are you thinking?"
"That it feels good to know Trish is out of the way."
"Yeah, it does," she said grinning, "It only took forever to do."
"Not forever."
"Really?"
"You haven't had the baby have you?"
"No," she laughed, "So I guess it hasn't been forever."
"We don't even have any baby names."
"We've been so busy, we haven't had time," she pointed out.
"I've been thinking about it," he told her.
"You have?"
"Yeah," he said, a little sheepishly, "I mean, I always wondered what I would name my kid if I ever had one again. I didn't think I would, but well, you were gone and, yeah, I've thought about it."
"So lay them on me," she smiled.
"Um, I like Arista for a girl and Bryant for a boy."
Stephanie could tell that he had had those names for a very long time and she knew that he had been thinking about them for years. Years she had been gone. She could picture him thinking of children he'd never have, thinking she was gone. She wanted to make him happy, and thank goodness she liked the names he picked.
"I like them," she said.
"Yeah?" he said hopefully.
"Yeah," she nodded, "They're good names."
"Thanks," he said, leaning over to kiss her.
Chris and Stephanie were mid-kiss when the phone rang. Stephanie groaned and Chris pulled away to grab the phone, which was on the nightstand. He took it and answered it. There was nothing on the other line. What was it with these damn wrong numbers? He hung up again and kissed Stephanie.
"Wrong number?" she asked.
"Seems so."