Flicker

3

July 13, 1990

Stevie was sitting at her little makeshift desk. The Co-Op building wasn't as big and cozy as the building in Los Angeles, but she still had an office and a small little waiting area. It was a Friday and today would mark a solid week of being in New York. She still hadn't taken the pregnancy tests, but she was still averting herself from certain foods and she wasn't eating much because just out of nowhere she'd throw up. She knew why, but she didn't want to believe it and she didn't want to confirm it which is why she hadn't taken the pregnancy tests yet. 

Stevie looked up when her office door opened and Karen peeked her head in. "Lindsey and Tony are here." 

"Oh yeah, send him in." Stevie states opening her bottom drawer and pulling out the manilla folder containing the drawings for Lindsey's suit. 

After a moment the door opened a little wider and she stood up and smiled seeing him. She walked around the desk and grabbed his face as his hands settled on her hips. 

"Hi, baby." She whispers kissing him and then wrapping her arms around his shoulders where she laid her head in the crook of his neck and slightly inhaled. He smelled like Sandalwood and she absolutely adored it. 

"Stevie, how are you?" Tony asks giving her a hug. 

"I'm good. Getting over a bug but I'm good." Stevie states as they go over to her desk where she pulls out the envelope. 

"Alright, so...all I was told was color. So here's my first drawing. It's just a plain gray suit, I paired it with black shoes but the pop of color comes from the rose shirt and the brick patterned tie." Stevie shows them her first drawing. 

"Nice, but not enough." Tony states quickly.

"Alright, well here's number two. It's a white suit which deviates from his normal no color thing with a pink shirt. I didn't do a tie with this one because I figured it was flasy enough. Maybe leave the suit jacket unbottoned and only button like three of the buttons. I put brown boots with this one." Stevie shows them the second picture. Lindsey makes a face but Tony beams.

"I really like that one Stevie, you're on the right track but what else?" Tony prods.

"Well, I have this one but I absolutely hate it and I will not walk next to him on a red carpet with him wearing it. It's a lilac colored suit and a dark purple top." Stevie shows them the drawing.

"It's perfect." Tony states.

"It's digusting." Lindsey grimaces.

"Like I said, not my proudest moment." Stevie shakes her head.

"What else do you have?" Tony questions. 

"Nothing." Stevie shakes her head. 

"Well, my vote is the purple one." Tony points.

"Absolutely not." Lindsey states.

"Alright, so the purple one is out." Stevie quickly rips it up and chucks it in the waste basket below her desk. 

"Personally, I like the gray one." Lindsey states.

"See I like the white one." Tony points out.

"I mean it's nice, but Steph...what would you wear?" Lindsey asks.

"I haven't made my dress yet but I'd wear black. I only do black." She sticks a fist under her chin. 

"Then I'd go with the gray," Karen says from her spot in the corner. 

"Karen has a point. The gray one would look better contrasted next to someone wearing black." Stevie shrugs. 

"It's settled. I want the gray one. What's next?" Lindsey asks.

"Head to the condo. I'll be home around six-thirty. I have all of your measurements. I've already got the fabric picked out, it'll be ready for you the day of the MTV Music Awards...when is it?" Stevie asks 

"September 13th." Tony answers.

"Perfect." Stevie marks it on the file. 

"Alright, I'll see you at the condo." Lindsey stands up and kisses her again before leading his manager out of the office.

***

"LINDSEY, PICK UP YOUR GODDAMN SHOES!" Stevie yells as soon as she walks into the condo where his black Chelsea boots are scattered. 

"Relax, I'm only here for twenty-four hours anyway. Tony wants me to fly out to Germany tomorrow so I have time to adjust and combat jetlag." He hisses coming in and straightening his shoes out. 

"You need a haircut." She yanks on a curl before making her way into the bedroom to discard her own shoes for the night. 

"Do you want to tell me why you were going to fucking dress me up like Prince?" he growls.

"I don't know it was colorful. That's the only guideline I got so I made it colorful." Stevie snarls. 

"WELL, I'M NOT FUCKING PRINCE" He screams shoving her down onto the bed.

"YOU'RE  NOT FUCKING ME EITHER." 

"HA HA, VERY FUNNY." 

"What, you don't like my jokes...seriously though you're not fucking me. I don't feel good and I don't want to get you sick." She states.

"I don't give a rats ass. I haven't seen you in a month I'm going to take what I can...I mean you are my wife after all and isn't the wife's whole purpose to satisfy her husband's needs?" Lindsey pins her hand above her head.

"Not when she says no it isn't." Stevie shakes her head.

"Too bad, I'm doing it anyway." He snarls pushing her skirt up and yanking at her nylons, tearing a hole in them in the process.

"Huh, bastard." She hisses.

"Bitch," He growls pulling her panties down as well. 

Eventually, he gets her top and bra off and when he bites at the underside of her breasts tears spring in her eyes. He's done that countless times but all of a sudden it felt like he was tearing the flesh off, but she bit her lip because she liked it in a sick twisted way. She always liked it to hurt. 

***

The next morning, Lindsey had kissed her temple causing her to wake up. 

"I'm leaving Angel." He sighs.

"Mmm, I'll walk you out." She gives a sleepy smile before throwing the covers off of her. 

As she's going to stand up a crampy feeling encompasses her abdomen and she stops, her hand falling to her stomach.

"You okay Steph?" Lindsey asks noticing.

"Yeah, I'm fine...you just were too good for words last night." She gives a shaky smile before throwing her robe over her shoulders and grabbing at his hand as he led her to the entrance of the house. 

"Alright, I love you." Lindsey smiles wrapping his arms around her and kissing her.

"I love you too, when'll I see you next?" She questions.

"MTV Music awards. I still have Japan and Australia." He rubs her back.

"Well, I'll miss you...call me anytime." She smiles.

"I'll miss you too." He kisses her quickly before walking out of the door of their condo. 

As the door shut she cramped up again and curled in around her stomach. When it passed she quickly made her way to the bathroom where she ripped open the two pregnancy tests. 

After a while, she looked at them and she panicked. One was positive and one was negative. With a quick call to Karen, she was on her way back to Los Angeles.