Come Back

Part 12

Mick looked at Stevie through the rear view mirror. She sat with her arms crossed, looking out the window, seemingly somewhere else in her thoughts. Mick then gave Christine a look, who sat beside him in the passenger's seat, catching her eye.

"What the hell is going on?" 

"What do you think?" Christine responded with a question, rolling the window down as she reached in her purse for a pack of cigarettes. "They're fighting again."

"Well, they've fought before, but it's never been this bad." Mick said in a hushed voice.

"I can hear you two, you know." Stevie spoke up from the backseat, shutting up Mick.

Stevie hadn't been in the studio for several days. She stayed at home and she would have gladly remained in bed for the rest of the day as well if Christine hadn't come pick her up. Enough is enough, she said, demanding Stevie to get up and get ready. Stevie decided it was easier to go along with it than try and make Chris leave.

Lindsey hadn't shown up once, he hadn't called either. Stevie wanted to reach out to him many times, but she thought it was best to give him time. She didn't know where he was staying either, so she didn't really have a way to contact him anyway. Stevie missed him, but she knew she had to let him be angry at her for some time. She deserved it.

"You good?" Christine looked over her shoulder at Stevie, before they got out of Mick's car.

"Is that a serious question?" Stevie didn't wait for an answer, opening the door to climb out.

Stevie wasn't sure how Lindsey was doing. When asked, Christine told her that he was a pain in the ass, but Chris had always felt that way about him. Straightening out her clothes, Stevie stood up straight, rolled her shoulders and held her head high. She was ready to be yelled at by Lindsey, she was going to let him make snide comments about her, she wasn't going to talk back and cause a scene. She was in the wrong. She was the one, who had made a mistake.

They approached the front door of the building and Mick opened it for the women, allowing them to enter first. Although, he started regretting his decision immediately. There he was, Lindsey, leaning over the table, grinning at the receptionist. Lindsey barely glanced at his bandmates, before focusing on the young girl again.

"You really are so pretty. You should be a model." Lindsey said, maybe on purpose or maybe not. 

Stevie couldn't move, watching Lindsey shamelessly flirt with the receptionist, who was soaking up every last drop of his attention. Christine tried pushing Stevie forward, so she could escape, but Stevie didn't budge. 

"Gosh, I have to go now." Lindsey pushed a strand of hair away from the girl's face. "What are you doing later?"

Mick had had enough of the show and he cleared his throat loudly. Carol Ann wasn't quick enough to answer Lindsey as he groaned, displeased, and walked away in front of Stevie, Christine and Mick. Stevie wanted to stop at the reception desk, but Christine wrapped her arm around Stevie's waist and made her come along.

"He's doing this on purpose, Stevie." Christine said. "Don't give in to it. The last thing you want is to have a cat fight with that child over Lindsey bloody Buckingham."

Stevie couldn't help the tears. Whether Lindsey was chatting up another girl just to make her jealous or not, it still hurt her. It was nowhere near as bad as what she had done, but Stevie couldn't be sure, how far Lindsey was willing to take it.

"I'll get you a drink." Christine said to Stevie, making her sit down.

John hadn't arrived yet, Mick had stayed behind somewhere and now with Christine out of the room as well, Stevie was left alone with Lindsey. He had to see, how badly the little scene he'd put on, affected her. 

"How does that feel?" Lindsey asked, sitting back in his chair.

Stevie thought she misheard, but the look on Lindsey's face, him waiting for her response, let her know that he actually asked her, how she was currently feeling. Fortunately, the situation didn't escalate, thanks to Christine, who returned with a glass of brandy in her hand.

The rest of the day was dreadful. Stevie knew, she shouldn't have come. She knew that it was going to be hard, seeing Lindsey, but she didn't think he'd become purposefully mean to her. If not the deadlines for finishing the album, Stevie would have left the studio 20 minutes after she'd arrived.

It was late, when Stevie returned home. It didn't feel like home really, it was just a big house. Big, empty, cold house. Stevie was tired, but she knew there was no way she could fall asleep. Being alone didn't seem like an option either. What if she tried calling him? Maybe he'd come...