I Need You

Part 10

When Lindsey left, the first thing Stevie did was call Dave and ask him for a few days off. She didn't feel like continuing on recording the album at all right now. At first, she needed to get her head together and try not to dwell too much on what Michael said. Maybe Lindsey was right, he could have just been really angry at her, he knew she loved their girls, he couldn't possibly believe she didn't want them.

Stevie sat in the living room with the TV on, although, she wasn't really watching it, she simply needed a distraction. Soon, she was brought out of her thoughts, when her phone started ringing and when she picked it up, she saw it was Michael.

"Hey..."

"Mom!"

"Oh, hi baby." Stevie smiled, hearing Maria's voice, not having expected it to be her daughter. "Does your father know you're using his cellphone?"

"Yes, he let me."

"Well, okay then. Did you want something, sweets?"

"I miss you, Mom. I want to see you."

"I miss you too, baby girl." Stevie was suddenly overcome with sadness. "You know, I'm actually free today, we can do something together."

"I'd love that! Please, please, please, pretty please!"

Stevie laughed lightly. "Sure, of course. What about your sister?"

"She doesn't talk to me, she's mostly in her room."

"Oh, well... I'll come to pick you up and we'll ask Gabi if she'd like to join us."

"Okay, I can't wait!"

Calling Karen immediately, Stevie asked her to come over. While waiting for her assistant, she got changed, ran a brush through her hair and applied minimal makeup. The two of them then drove to pick the girls up, or at least Maria. Karen could tell just by looking at her boss, how nervous she was, not that she understood why. When asked, Stevie simply replied, that it was very important to her.

Maria was sitting by the window, anxiously awaiting for her mother to arrive. As soon as the girl saw the car pull over, she ran out, jumping into Stevie's arms. 

"It's so good to see you too!" Stevie smiled brightly, holding her younger daughter tightly. 

Michael appeared in a moment too, frowning. Maria only told him she wanted to call Stevie, he wasn't aware she would be coming here. Their eyes soon met and Stevie looked at him apologetically, but he just sighed, looking away. 

"Your mother is here, Gabriela." Michael informed, not getting any answer. "Come down, please."

Letting out a deep breath, Gabi rolled her eyes, knowing she had to come downstairs, otherwise she wouldn't here the end of it. Tossing her headphones onto the bed, she also put away her laptop and got up, very obviously irritated by this 'disturbance'.

"Hi." Stevie said, seeing her sixteen year old lazily taking one step at a time. 

"Hi." 

"You look excited about seeing me... Can I at least get a hug?" As if it was the last thing she wanted to do, Gabi approached Stevie and put her arms around her for all about a second. "We're going out. Would you care to join us?"

"Not really."

"I would like it if you did. We could go shopping, have lunch somewhere or whatever else you'd like to do." 

Feeling her father's stare, Gabi nodded. "Fine."

"Good. You two go get dressed and I'll be waiting here for you." 

The girls went back upstairs, Karen was in the car, which left Stevie and Michael alone. It was beyond awkward. There were so many things Stevie wanted to tell him, but she wasn't sure whether he would be interested in listening.

She was surprised, when he broke the silence, more so, because of what he actually said. "I'm sorry."

"What would you be sorry about, Michael?"

"About what I said. I would never stoop so low and fight for custody, to be the only parent to care for them. Despite everything, I could never do that to you."

"You mean that?"

"Yeah." He nodded. She couldn't keep herself from doing it, as she went to hug him, his arms wrapping around her instantly too. "I know that they mean the world to you, that when you're not around, it's because you can't be, not because you choose not to be."

"I'm so sorry too. Going through divorce or not, I should have never ever slept with someone else."

Pulling back, Michael shrugged his shoulders. "You would have gone back to him either way, wouldn't you?"

"Honestly? Probably yes..."

"Was it because of him, you filed for divorce in the first place?"

"No, I swear to you. And I know the question is on your mind, but no, I have never cheated on you in our whole marriage. Not with Lindsey, not with anyone."

Debating whether to ask or not, he did anyway. "Do you love him? Or should I ask, are you in love with him?"

"I have fallen back in love with him..." Stevie nodded, avoiding his eyes.

"Have you ever truly loved me?"

"Absolutely. And a part of me will always love and belong to you, Michael."

Opening his mouth to say something else, he was cut off, Gabi and Maria appearing at the top of the stairs. And maybe it was for the better, he was glad to know that he meant enough for her to say such thing.

Saying goodbye, Stevie and the girls left the house and got into the car, saying hi to Karen, who asked of where she would have to take them.

"It's up to you two." Stevie said, turning over her shoulder, as she sat in the passenger's seat. "Would you like to get something new to wear?"

"Yes!" Maria exclaimed, while Gabi shrugged.

"I guess."

"Okay." Karen said and pulled out of the driveway.

"I love that song!" Maria pointed at the radio. "Could you please turn it up?"

"Sure thing, princess." Karen reached to make the song play louder.

Maria was instantly distracted, singing along, while Gabi was looking through the window. Stevie was feeling a lot more at ease, having talked to Michael, as she relaxed in her seat. She felt her phone vibrate, taking it out of her bag, she saw she had received a message.

"Becoming a lot more technology friendly, I see." Karen smirked, while Stevie rolled her eyes.

She then opened the text, seeing it was from Lindsey and it simply read:

"It's over."

It's over? What was over exactly?