Steal Your Heart Away

Everybody Finds Out

Lindsey let go of me and rushed to embrace Ashley, who was startled at first, then he instinctively realised the change in the man. "You remember me don't you?"
"I do. I remember it all. I'm so sorry I've been gone. We have so much to catch up on." Ashley smiled sympathetically.
"It's...It wasn't your fault dad. The accident."
"It was no accident Ash," he shook his head, rubbing his eyes vigorously as he began to explain that fateful night and  the real reason for its even more devastating aftermath. I sat solidified in shock on the bed where Lindsey had left me. He was here. The man I had loved so fiercely despite our differences, despite our difficult careers, & despite our natural tendency to push each other's buttons; was back from the abyss, but what was I to do about it? He was fathering the child of his captor, and I thought I'd moved on. All I wanted was to go back to the times before this man had driven me mad with grief & envy. Brad was a beautiful man, a caring lover, a warmth that had thawed me out. Lindsey had been a constant source of rage to me; the intensity I would be left with a thirst for, for all eternity if I were to never see him again, the heavy shadow that would cast an intimidating projection over the rest of my life.

Both my son & Lindsey turned to me when he'd completed a repeat of the tale. "Mom? Are you..." I snapped out of my guilt-ridden self-indulgent mind wandering. "I'm ok honey, really," I walked over to hug him. Lindsey wrapped his arms around both of us and we stood in solidarity for some time. Lindsey rubbing Ashley's back as he stroked my shoulders & pressed the odd kiss to my hair. His scent was all too familiar, both a comfort & a danger to my senses.

"St- Oh sorry guys." I lifted my chin to see Karen through a gap in our embrace. She was now eyeing Lindsey with suspicion. He was entirely unphased, his nose remaining buried in my loose curls. I touched his shoulder, "One moment." He nodded sincerely & both males moved to allow my passage. I closed the door behind me quietly as I stood to face my assistant at the top of the stairs. "Yes Karen?"
"Brad tried to call a couple times downstairs. I guess we didn't hear."
"Ah ok."
"Stevie?"
"Huh."
"What's going on?"
"He...Lindsey...He..."
"Remembers?"
"He does."
"Oh Stevie. This has only got to be good news, for Ashley at the very least!"
"He...He didn't cheat on me...I was wrong."
"What?!"
I regurgitated the details Lindsey had revealed. "Oh shit." She held her forehead. "What does...And this baby...Fuck Stevie."
"Tell me about it."
"You want me to call Brad? You need to talk to him ASAP."
"Karen I'm seeing him tomorrow night."
"What are you going to do?"
"Are you saying I should break up with him? I love him for Christ's sake!"
"Stevie I've seen you with Lindsey. I saw what happened you after the divorce."
"So?"
"He's the father of your child & the only reason you aren't still together is because of that criminal."
"He's going to be the father of her child before we know it!"
"It's a sticky situation I know but don't do something you regret."
"Sticky! Sticky? It's fucking traumatic! I never in my worst nightmares imagined our life like this!" Before Karen had the chance to be apologetic, I heard the telephone sound from the office. I made for the door, wanting a quick getaway from her lecture, and hauled it open; picking up the receiver without checking the number.
"Surprise baby. I'll be outside in five."