A more Steve/Shannon based chapter here. Past chapters have been quite soppy but don't worry, i'll be harshly rocking the Swill/Libby boat soon :)
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Café et fraises
Chapter Twenty One
Making Choices
Shannon waited patiently in Steve's front room, Ben sleeping against her chest. She was wearing a smart black dress that hugged her waist, her hair sleek, falling down her back.
Ben whined in his sleep, sucking his thumb. Her heart thudded nervously in her chest before she cleared her throat, the front door opening, letting the oldest Dunham in.
'Shannon,' he greeted. He had a clean shave, his blue eyes brighter than they had been the day she returned.
'Steve.' She got to her feet, shifted Ben to her hip. He walked forward, hands outstretched and slowly, she handed to the tot over.
It was for the best.
Shannon was giving up Ben.
Steve held Ben close to him as the blonde boy wrinkled his nose before burying his head in the front of his suit and Steve beamed, combing Ben's hair to the side, kissing the top of his head.
'You sure about this?' he asked her, looking up at the woman in front of him who had tears in her eyes. Shannon gave a sniff and smiled.
'Yes, I'm… I'm sure.' She picked up her bag and pulled it over her shoulder before gesturing to the three bags on the floor. 'They're all his things,' she said, looking at Ben again before heading towards the door. Her hand touched the cold handle.
'Shannon.' His voice echoed around the bare room and she paused, before turning partly to look at him, raising an eyebrow. 'Thanks,' he said, with a small smile. She returned it before disappearing out the door. Steve wanted to call after her, but he stopped short. This was for the best. He had his son back, what more could he ask for?
'None of this even happening would 'ave been nice,' he thought glumly before moving towards the stairs. Ben looked tired and there was a good cot up there waiting to be used.
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'She gave up Ben?' frowned Pete as he and Steve watched the small child play on the mat, stuffing his soothing ring in his mouth before chucking it across the floor.
'Yeah,' Steve said, a smile on his face. He had been smiling for days since Shannon had given Ben back. But sometimes, when Pete looked closer there was another look in his eyes that said different; he was worried about something or was angry or was sad. Pete couldn't put his finger on it; it was forever changing.
'What're you thinking about?' he asked his older brother on a cold Saturday morning, Ben playing with his small plastic train on Pete's living room floor.
'Nothing,' said Steve a little too brightly.
'Go on, mate,' urged Pete.
'Really, it's nothing important-'
'Mam. Maaam.' The two men froze, their gazes turning to Ben at exactly the same time.
'Did he just… did he just fucking say something?'
'His first word,' murmured Steve, shifting to kneel on the floor and lifting the boy up. 'What was that?' he asked. Ben blew a raspberry before shaking his toy train in his dad's face.
'He say mum!' grinned Pete.
'Nah, he said Mam. Then Maaam.'
'Same thing,' shook off Pete with a laugh. Ben kicked his little legs, wanting Steve to set him back on his feet where he waddled to his toy pile and picked up his old, battered teddy.
'My little boy,' said Steve proudly. He only wished there was someone else here to share it with. He couldn't deny it any longer. He was missing Shannon. She was his wife for Christ sakes and Ben's mother and she wasn't here to share this ecstatic moment with him. 'I should ring 'er,' he said quietly.
'Who, Luce?'
'No, Shannon.'
'Why?' Pete frowned. 'Does it matter if she knows?'
'Yes, Pete, it does,' Steve snapped, glaring forcefully at the younger man. 'She's still his mum at the end of the day.'
'Alright, jeez…' he muttered. 'It's just she did go AWOL and then give him up. I didn't think she'd deserve to know.
'Well she does. She's my wife, Pete.' The blonde muttered something under his breath before getting to his feet and moving into the kitchen to get a beer.
Steve had spent a couple of days at his house with Ben. He'd been tidying up a little when he found the home movie collection at the back of the cupboard. He paused, before pulling one out. Putting it in the DVD Player, he seated Ben on his knee before pressing play. It was just after Ben's birth. They were at home and the month old Movie Ben was asleep in his cot with Movie Shannon leaning over him.
'Hello, gorgeous,' said the Movie Steve, panning in on her face as she looked up. Movie Shannon blushed and grinned.
'Hey,' she said softly, drifting towards him as Movie Steve panned out on Ben's cot. Then it showed Movie Shannon, her lips on Movie Steve's before she broke away and said she'd put tea on. Movie Steve winked at the camera before it turned off. Steve flicked off the TV. It hurt even to watch that little clip.
So he did what he thought was right.
'Pete, I've been thinking,' he began as his younger brother returned with two beers, handing one to Steve.
'Go on,' he said in a wary voice.
'I… I've been thinking about Shannon… a lot. I was thinking of taking her back.'
'I'd ask you how much you've drunk but you aint opened your can yet.'
'I'm serious, Pete.'
'So am I,' the blonde replied. 'Did you 'ave anything to drink before you came 'ere?'
'For fuck sakes Pete, it's a simple yes or no question. Should I take 'er back?'
'No.'
'Okay, that's all I wanted to know. Where's Luce?'
'In bed,' Pete replied, taking a sip of his can.
'Right, look after Ben,' he said, before going through into Pete's bedroom. The lights were off; room practically black due to the heavy curtains even though it was midday. He went to the edge of the bed and shook Lucy's shoulders.
'Go 'way,' she mumbled, rolling over and snoring lightly.
'I need to ask you something.'
'Steve?' she groaned, rolling onto her back and opening her eyes. 'Whadda ya want?'
'It's about Shannon.'
'What's she done now?' the blonde girl asked, eyes falling shut again.
'Nothing. But...' he sighed. 'I really miss 'er. I can't stop thinking about 'er.'
'I think she misses you too,' Lucy said sleepily.
'Pete don't think I should take 'er back. Lucy, tell me what I should do!' His voice was pleading and she opened her blue eyes to stare back at him.
'Take her back,' she said slowly. 'But only if you know it's the right time to do it. Don't jump into this.' He nodded and kissed her forehead. Getting to his feet, she grabbed his wrist. 'Don't do anything you'll regret,' she warned. Steve nodded as she let his wrist go, shutting the door carefully behind him.
'I think Ben needs a potty or summing,' said Pete, staring down at the toddler with his nose wrinkled.
So it was decided. He was going to let Shannon move back in; the only thing left to do was to tell her.
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They were taking things slow; they'd decided it would be best that way. Things were a little awkward between Steve and Shannon around the house; they acted like a new couple rather than a married one that had been together almost ten years.
But things were steady and they were working it out. Ben settled easily back into the old routine and had happily added 'Cat' and 'Do' to his vocabulary.
Steve glanced at Shannon as they sat on the sofa, watching TV, a smile on his lips. Shannon looked at him and smiled back.
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