Nothing Ever Changes

Part 16

"You made this?" Lindsey asked, pointing at the plate, which Stevie had just brought to him, hoping she wasn't going to take it the wrong way.

"Yeah." Stevie nodded, putting the rest of the dish back into the fridge.

"Why? When was the last time you ate lasagna?" She smiled at the amusement in his voice, she knew, she got caught. "You just put the rest of it away."

"Will you shut up and eat it before it gets cold?" Stevie gave him a look, fighting back a wider grin. "Okay, I might have made it with you in mind. I know, how much you used to love my mom's recipe and I assumed that you haven't had a proper meal in a while, so..."

"That's... That's so sweet of you." Lindsey smiled at her warmly and she turned her back to him, taking out a prep meal, which consisted of skinless chicken breast and vegetables.

"Don't you start thinking that I made a point to have food ready for you, I just couldn't sleep after we talked last night." She shrugged, leaning against one of the kitchen counters, arms folded over her chest.

"I wouldn't dare." He shook his head and dug in. "Oh my God..." He closed his eyes and took a moment to savor the taste. "I feel like I'm 20 years old, sitting in your parents' kitchen."

"I'll pack the rest for you to take home, it's going to go bad otherwise."

"You really don't have to." Lindsey shook his head, halfway through the large piece already. Before he said anything else, he burst out laughing. "Man, we're so fucked up." He sighed.

"I mean, I know, but what makes you say that?" Stevie poured herself a glass of water and took a small sip. 

"We don't talk for three years, the next thing I know, you're packing me leftovers of the lasagna you made in the middle of the night." 

Stevie shifted her weight from one foot onto the other and shrugged. "I don't think we'll every be different."

"I know that what we talked about just before in the other room was kinda heavy and we need to get all of that stuff out of our systems, but I'm glad to still be here." Lindsey said sincerely. "Coming here, I wasn't sure if I was going to step over the threshold."

"Honestly, me either." Stevie agreed, bringing her own plate to the table, she sat down across from him. "I'm glad you're still here, too."

Lindsey remained silent. His eyes settled on the rather ghastly looking meal and he felt bad for her. Stevie felt his stare and she tilted her eyes up to look at him. 

"What?"

"That can't be good." 

"I don't even taste it anymore." She shrugged, cutting off a piece of the chicken. "It fills me up and it's low calories."

"You really shouldn't torture yourself, Stevie." Lindsey realized that could get a negative reaction from her. "Why do you insist on doing it?"

"Well, maybe because I hope that some day soon the idiots, who can't put on a fucking mask or refuse to get vaccinated will change their minds and I'll be able to step out on a stage again." Chewing on a piece of broccoli, she looked at him. She could tell there was a lot he wanted to say. "It's fine, Lindsey. I'm used to it."

"But you look great." Lindsey just couldn't understand. "You're beautiful. You don't look a day over fifty."

"I can look thirty and still be overweight, though."

He ran a hand over his face and took a deep breath. "I know that this could potentially lead to an argument, which would separate us for another three years, so I'm not going to try and prove you otherwise." He saw the corners of her mouth turn upwards and relaxed. "I'm just gonna say that I think, you're crazy. You look great, you're beautiful, but you're crazy."

Stevie laughed, leaning against the back of the chair. "Thank you."

After they both finished eating, Lindsey insisted he was going to do the dishes. Stevie gave him a look, shook her head and motioned with her hand for him to follow her.

"Come on, there's something I want to show you." She added. "Maybe even give it to you."