Growing Up Won't Bring Us Down

“Do you want something to eat?” Stevie asked sweetly. Johnny kept his back to her, refusing to answer. She sighed and left his room, shutting the door behind herself. She walked across the hall and knocked on Marco’s door. She peeked her head in and smiled at the teen who sat cross legged on her bed. “Hungry?”

“No,” Marco said quickly. She put her headphones in her ears, lying on her side with her back to the door. Stevie sighed and also shut the door. As she walked down the stairs she let out a loud groan with a toss of her arms over her head.

Zacky walked out of the kitchen with a concerned frown. “What’s wrong?”

“Both of them are as stubborn as mules!” Stevie exclaimed. Zacky smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders which pulled her into his side.

“Last time I checked, so are you.”

“Which makes me wonder how you can deal with me. I would have killed me years ago if I were in your shoes!” Zacky smiled bigger and gave her lips a quick peck.

Emily had told Papa Gates that they should have Marco and Johnny in their own home again. But, as a precaution, someone should stay with them so nothing could happen. Zacky and Stevie were the first to offer to. The groups would change every week so nobody would go stir crazy or something. Just then Ichabod and Majesty ran into the hall whining. Stevie leaned down, hands resting on her knees.

“You two gotta go?” In reply they barked. She laughed, heading to the backdoor with the two scrambling after her. “Guess I’ll be back.”

“Okay.” With that she stepped outside to sit on the porch swing as the dogs ran about. She sighed and stared at the sky. Her hand subconsciously went to her stomach which she lightly began to rub. Yeah, she was pregnant. She had taken three tests, which all turned out positive, and then went to the doctor. She was hoping by the end of the tour she’d have a way to tell Zacky. With tour ending so suddenly she was left unsure.

“When are you going to tell him?” Stevie had jumped from the voice cutting the silence. But not just because of that, more importantly because it was Marco’s voice that was heard.

“What are you doing down here? I thought you weren’t hungry.”

“You said nothing about thirsty,” Marco remarked. Stevie smiled, shaking her head lightly. Of course Marco would be a smartass. Hopefully that meant she was slowly coming back, not that Stevie would get her hopes up. “So when are you going to tell him?”

“Tell who what?” Stevie tried to play off. As soon as Marco had said something she had laced her fingers together over her stomach. It was almost as if she was trying to hide the belly that was not yet showing. Marco sat down next to her, crossing her legs on the wooden bench.

“Tell Zacky about that boy and or girl growing in your belly,” Marco replied, gently poking Stevie’s mid section. She ‘shh’ed her while holding a finger over her mouth. She didn’t want Zacky to happen to hear when she was unprepared. That would be the most awkward thing ever. Sure she was only a month pregnant but she was still hiding a secret from her husband.

“I don’t know how,” she admitted, rubbing her belly again. Marco smiled faintly and shook her head.

“There is no such thing as not knowing how, you just do. He’s your husband for Pete’s sake! You just have to let him know.” Stevie sighed, knowing she was cornered.

“Fine. We’ll go out tomorrow and I’ll tell him. Deal?”

“Deal. He has to know by the end of the week.” The two shook on it, smiling. Marco’s hand suddenly shot forward and rested on Stevie’s lower stomach.

“What are you doing?”

“I want to feel he and or she kick.”

“Stop saying that,” Stevie scowled, slapping her hand away. She blushed and looked down, pulling at the ends of her shorts. “Besides, the doctor said that I won’t be able to until week sixteen or so. We’re only on week four or five.”

“Four or five?!” Stevie let out a loud ‘shh’ and covered Marco’s mouth with both hands.

“You have to be quiet. I told you I’d tell him before the week’s over! I have four days!” Marco removed her hands and scowled.

“That was before you told me it’s been at least a month since you got pregnant. You need to tell him today.”

“But how?!”

“I’ll help you.” Stevie smiled at Marco gratefully. Suddenly the teen turned towards the house. “Zacky!”

“Marco!” Stevie quietly shouted, slapping Marco’s shoulder. Pretty roughly too. Marco ignored her and stared at the backdoor until Zacky himself walked out. When he did she stood to her feet, calling the dogs’ names who dashed through the open door.

“Have a nice talk you two,” Marco called as she shoved Zacky outside.

“I hate you Marco!” Stevie shouted before Marco shut the door after her. Zacky looked at his fuming wife with confusion plastered all over his face.

“What the hell is going on?”

“Me planning Marco’s death.” Zacky sat down, draping an arm across Stevie’s shoulders.

“Why would you wanna do that?”

“Zacky I don’t know how to sugar coat this so I’m just going to put it out there.” She paused, taking a deep breath. “I’mpregnant.”

“Wait.” Zacky tried to figure out what she said mentally, but she had spoken so fast he truly couldn’t make out the short sentence. “Say it slower.”

Stevie cringed as if it were physically painfully to tell him. “I’m pregnant.”

“What?” His eyes grew wide as he stared at his wife who was twiddling her fingers. “How long?”

“My doctor said about four or five weeks. I’ve only known for three days. I didn’t want to tell you while you were on tour. It didn’t seem right to me. I was hoping to find a better way to tell you before tour was over.” It lapsed into silence for a few minutes. Stevie’s eyes began to pool with tears. He was angry, he probably didn’t want to speak to her. She sniffled against her will and stared at her lap.

“This is…great!” Her head snapped up. Zacky had a shit eating grin and was standing excitedly, walking up and down the porch with his hands moving crazily. “We’re going to have a baby! We get to name it and decorate it’s room and raise it! We can have it kick all the other kids’ asses. This is going to be amazing!”

“What?” Stevie asked quietly. Zacky stopped and turned to his wife with a frown. She seemed so confused and depressed to him. He walked up, kneeling down to be eye level with her.

“Why do you look so sad? We’re going to have a baby,” Zacky repeated, smiling again.

“You’re - you’re not angry I didn’t tell you right away?”

“Babe, I know why you did. If you would have told me while we were on tour I would have been freaking out the whole time. I wouldn’t have been anywhere near mentally stable for tour. But now that I know I don’t plan on leaving you Stevie. We’re going to have a baby!” That was Zacky’s new favorite line. He brought her into a tight hug which made her cry. But this time from happiness.

“You don’t know how glad I am to hear that Zack,” Stevie whispered as she hugged back. He separated and gave her a passionate kiss on the lips.

“I have to call the guys! Can I call the guys?” Stevie smiled and nodded. He ran into the room yelling ‘we’re pregnant’. Marco came out with a knowing smile, arms crossed over her chest.

“So you guys are pregnant, huh?” Stevie rolled her eyes knowing the guys would probably react the same way. Zacky needed to work on his wording when he was excited. She stood from her spot and smiled.

“Thank-you Marco. I couldn’t have done it without you.” The two shared a hug before they separated. Suddenly Stevie slapped Marco upside the back of the head with a smirk as the teen groaned in pain. “But if you ever do something like that again, and by that I mean you making me tell a secret, I will personally murder you.”

“No need to be abusive about it,” Marco whined with a pout. Suddenly she smirked with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. “Never mind, it’s okay.”

“Don’t even think of pranking me for slapping you.”

“Twice,” Marco sang, skipping away. Stevie shook her head, following Marco inside. Somewhere in the house she could hear Zacky talking to Brian excitedly. She knew that things might slowly be returning to normal.