Nothing Ever Changes

Part 45

"Here." Stevie said, tossing a pile of clothes at Lindsey, she handed him a pair of scissors, too. 

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Lindsey asked, his eyebrows slightly creased. He was perfectly content, lying in bed, while she insisted on packing his suitcases. 

"Cut off the tags." She rolled her eyes, folding some of the older V-necks, which he still loved wearing. She would have gladly thrown them out and he let her on one condition - if there wasn't a single hole, the shirt stayed. 

"I can do that before I put the clothes on." Lindsey argued weakly, sitting up against the headboard.

"You'll forget and go in front of all of those people with tags still on." She knew him well. "Come on, Linds, let's not argue about this. The sooner your things are packed, the quicker we can do something else."

He smirked, picking up one of the shirts she'd bought. "Yeah and what might that be?" 

"Be a good boy and you'll find out." She smiled, zipping up one of the smaller suitcases. 

"You really don't have to do that, you know." He said, glancing at her as she took a couple of things to fold. "I could have packed myself."

"If you did, you'd have twenty suitcases instead." Stevie picked another empty one and put it on the bed. "Besides, I need to occupy myself with something. Otherwise, I'd be thinking about you leaving and I don't want that."

"I told you, you can come with me." Lindsey reminded her of the conversation they'd had several times already. 

"I know and I'll accompany you on your first night, but I'm not comfortable with being exposed to so many people just yet." And it wasn't a lie, that was the real reason, why. "I've already cancelled my own shows I had scheduled for this year."

"I'm sorry that you had to do that. I know, you were excited about performing." He gave her a sympathetic look, their eyes met for a brief moment, before she proceeded with packing all of his essentials. "I kind of feel guilty." Lindsey admitted, which made her stop. 

"Why?" Stevie asked, sitting down on the bed, she turned to him. 

"Well, I'm going on tour and you're staying home." He shrugged. "Doesn't seem fair."

"Linds, it's okay. I want you to get back out there." She reached for his hand and smiled at him sincerely. "You deserve to be on that stage again. I'm sure, a lot of people have missed you. You have a fantastic new album and you deserve to share it with your fans."

"I'm going to miss you." He pouted and tugged at her hand, making her crawl up to him. "I don't want to be separated from you for months."

"The time's going to fly by." Stevie promised, kissing the side of his neck. "I might come visit. I just want you to know that I'm not going to be there for the whole tour because I'm jealous that you're going to be performing and I'm not, that's not why."

"I do, I know." Lindsey nodded his head, hugging her close, he pressed a kiss to her hair. "Leelee is coming to the first show with her boyfriend, too." 

"Oh..." She noted and looked away, he frowned. 

"What's the matter?" 

"I don't want it to be awkward." Stevie shrugged, picking at her nails. "After all, I'm the one, who stood in the way of your reconciliation with your children's mother."

"Don't do that." Grasping her chin gently in between his fingers, he made her look at him. "They're old enough to understand. You weren't there, when Kristen told me, she wasn't happy with me anymore. You weren't there, when I moved out. You weren't there, when she filed for divorce. None of this is your fault."

"But I'm with you now." 

"And you've made me the happiest I've been in a long time." He smiled, tracing her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. "I think, my kids are going to appreciate that."

"I don't think, I've told you, how happy you've made me, Lindsey." She said, turning to lie on her front half on top of him. "I've... I've never thought..." She swallowed uneasily and her eyes glazed over with tears. "I'm just happy. I love you."

"I love you." They shared a sweet kiss, which he would have gladly escalated into a lot more than that, but- 

"Mm..." Stevie shook her head, separating their lips. "I still see tags on your shirts and I'm nowhere near finished packing."

"You're not even looking at my damn shirts." Lindsey sighed, intending on keeping her close.

She reached for one and held it up to his face. "Get back to work, mister." She kissed him once more, then rolled out of his embrace.