Fix it

Not to me

"It usually takes a while longer before couples come out with straight answers about their marital problems." Dr. Phyllis said, quite taken aback. "But it's good that you're willing to talk it out. Now, let's start with you Mrs. Buckingham. What makes you say that your husband doesn't care for you as a woman anymore?"

"Because he doesn't. All he cares about is his freaking studio, his guitars and forever unfinished solo records. He's cooped up in that cave of his 24/7."

"Have you tried asking him to engage in some sort of activities with you?"

"Yeah, like sex." Stevie sat with arms folded and her legs crossed, she could also feel Lindsey rolling his eyes.

"We will get to that part in due time." The therapist offered a small polite smile. "What about your mutual interests?"

"I doubt there's anything we both like other than music. But we've been on the road since last September and we have more dates coming up, so discussing something related to the band or new material I must add for another album, really isn't something I'm interested in."

"And on your own? What else do you enjoy?"

"I like art, but try and get him out of the house to an art gallery. Ha! Yeah, right."

"Mr. Buckingham, why don't you care for your wife at all?"

"I care for her, she's exaggerating like always. She loves doing that, you know. She's just asking too much."

"Too much?" Stevie frowned. "When was the last time you told me I'm beautiful? Or for no reason whatsoever pulled me close to yourself and kissed me? Hell, when was the last time you asked me how my day went?"

"Because I know how it went already; you either did interviews, had a hair or nail appointment, had coffee with Sharon or Lori, or spent time with your precious Dave fucking Stewart, recording some bullshit, instead you could concentrate on our band!"

"What I record is bullshit? If I remember correctly my first solo album sold over four million copies and how many did yours? Over four million copies less?"

"Okay, okay..." Dr. Phyllis interrupted. "We don't want your egos speaking, we want you. Clearly, your careers are very important to the both of you, but is there really no time, not even half an hour to get together and talk? Have dinner, a glass of wine together everyday? From what I understand, your wife is at least trying to do it, but you're shutting her out."

Lindsey sighed, shrugging. "I don't know, I just... well, everyone is like that. Other couples who've been married for as long as we have, they lead the same kind of lives. I personally don't think that I have to tell Stevie she's beautiful every single day or that I love her, because that's pretty damn obvious."

"Not to her."

He turned his head to look at Stevie, who shook her head, adding sadly. "Not to me, Linds. You might not think that, but I do need you to tell me those things, because I feel like you don't care about me anymore, that you don't want to be with me. You have no idea how many times I thought you were going to file for divorce, because we would barely speak for weeks."

"Do you agree with that, Mr. Buckingham? Can you accept that there's some truth in those words?"

"I guess. I just... I've never been that kind of man, it's like... I know she's mine and she knows I'm hers, the way I see it, being overly affectionate is not necessary, to me it almost seems fake. But okay, I get it where she's coming from."

"Good, that's very good." The doctor nodded, bringing up another matter. "And at the beginning of the session, you called your wife..."

"I know, I'm sorry." Lindsey glanced over at Stevie briefly. 

"Why?"

"Because she's been having an affair."

"How did you find out?"

"She told me herself."

"Now, don't you think it was a plea for help of sorts? A way to say, hey, we need to do something or this won't end good? Because an affair is supposed to stay a secret and here comes your wife, telling it to your face?"

"Maybe... I don't know, maybe now I'm beginning to see it was my fault she did that. If she so desperately craved me and what I can give her, yet I denied her that... She's a wonderful woman, I had to know someone would step in, so to say."

"Is that the reason, Mrs. Buckingham?"

God, she hated talking about this, nervously playing with her rings. "Yes. I'm not guilt free, not at all, I've made some very poor decisions. We said, for better or for worse, yet when the worse hit us, I didn't care for the things I vowed."

"How does it make you feel?" The therapist asked Lindsey again. "What's the strongest emotion; hurt, anger?"

"Um... Both. I'm hurt because my wife cheated on me, I'm angry at her, because she did that, I'm angry at that asshole, because he thought he could just breeze in and do with my wife whatever the hell he pleases, and I'm angry at myself, that I didn't listen to her. That I continuously ignored her about our issues and she had to look elsewhere."

"Is there jealousy among all the emotions? Has it ever been a problem?"

"Always." Stevie answered for him. "That was why I broke up with him when we were first together. Jealousy, possessiveness."

 "So if you didn't care about the woman you married, you would have no reason to feel that way, right?"

"Right." Lindsey nodded. 

"And do you?"

"I do. I hated every single joke she's been with after me." Stevie tried to hide the smile breaking across her lips. "It was never that I didn't care about you." He said, looking at her. "I guess I was just stupid. I honestly didn't think that the romance part of our relationship is still so important to you."

"Of course it is, Lindsey... how can you think otherwise? Every woman is the same. Despite what we say, we want it. I'm not saying don't work on your music at all, but I would like it if you put it more to a side and made me your priority again."

"Do you think you could do that?" Dr. Phyllis asked, seeing just how much progress they made already.

"I... yeah, I can." Lindsey opened his hand, asking for Stevie's.

"Our time for today is over. I'll see you same time next week."

They nodded and still holding hands, got up to their feet and left the doctor's office, heading back to the car. 

"What do you say, we don't drive home just yet? What about dinner someplace nice?"

Stevie smiled, giving his hand a squeeze. "I'd love that."

~

I'm glad you guys thought it was funny, Lindsey's reply in the previous chapter. I meant for it to be. Thanks for reading!