We'll Always Have Hawaii

Chapter 7

It was three hours later when Lindsey's cap pulled into Barbara's driveway in Phoenix. It was already after 1 am but he knew that Stevie was still awake, not only because she usually went to bed late but also because he was sure that she wasn't able to sleep after today's events.

When he went up the stairs to the front door, he saw Lori pouring herself a glass of water in the kitchen. So, he didn't ring the bell and risked waking everybody up but knocked at the window and winked at her.

Lori noticed him and opened up the door, a surprised look on her face. She looked tired and exhausted without her usual make-up and her red, puffy eyes.

"Hello Lindsey! What are you doing here?"

"Hey Lori! Stevie called me.. I heard of Barbara.. I'm so sorry, Lori.."

"Oh Lindsey.. She's devastated. We all are ... but Stevie.. Well, it's even harder for her.."

"I know.."

"Well, come on in", Lori said and stepped aside, "Does she know you're coming?"

"Well.. I told her but I'm not sure if she.."

"Oh, I get it.. Well, she's upstairs. The last door down the hall."

"Thank you, Lori."

"You're welcome.", she smiled sadly and watched Lindsey walking upstairs, "Oh and Lindsey?"

"Yeah?"

"One more thing: Please, don't make her upset! She can't deal with anymore shit, right now."

"I won't, Lori.", he assured her and headed to Stevie's room.

---

Stevie lay in her bed in the dark of her room. Hey eyes hurt badly from all the crying and still more tears were running down her cheeks. She just couldn't stop it. The loss of her mother had hit her hard and she knew the worst part was yet to come.

Suddenly, she heard a knock at her door.

"Come in!", she somehow managed to say.

Slowly the door opened up and she saw a dark shadow standing in the doorframe. Looking at its form, it had to be a man but she couldn't see his face.

"Stevie?"

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the familiar sound of his voice. Could it be him? Could it really be him? Did he really come all the way from Los Angeles to see her in the middle of the night?

"Lindsey?", she whimpered.

"Yes, it's me, Stevie."

"Oh, Linds..", she choked in tears and sobbed into her pillow.

"Oh, honey..", he said sadly, closed the door behind him and approached the bed to sit down beside her.

It was hard to spot her in the darkness of the room, that was only dimily lit by the moonlight, that shone through the white curtains at the windows, but he was sure she was more comfortable in the dark than in light at that moment, so he didn't switched on the lamps.

"Come.. come here..", she cried and held out her hand for him, "I need you.."

He kicked off his shoes and lay down next to her, instantly wrapping his arms around her tiny frame and she whined desperately into his chest.

"Shhh, I'm here..", he soothed her and placed kisses on her hair.

She snuggled even closer to him. His strong arms felt so good right now.

"You are here..."

"I am, Stevie... I'm here.. I'm here..", he said over and over again and emphasized each sentence with a soft kiss on her forehead.