The next day is every bit as bad as they expected. Every single person she knew was calling. Karen finally just put her phone on silent and skimmed every once in a while for important calls. The girls all hole up in Stevie's suite, no one really saying much of anything. Stevie had never so much as kissed anyone in public before. Being caught like that was destroying her.
She does her best not to think about Lindsey. The girls talk about taking a vacation together soon, hoping that Stevie will get excited and start planning. She ignores them.
"Okay, seriously, we're just going to hide in here until the show tomorrow? I can think of a million things I'd rather be doing," says Lori.
"I'm not like, holding you hostage here or anything. No one has a gun to your head. But I'd rather die than go out there and be photographed by anyone right now."
"You have a wardrobe case with you, right?" Sharon looks like she has an idea.
"Of course I do."
"Let's take some photos together. It's been ages since we've done that."
"Are we in high school?"
"Oh, lighten up. You love this. Let me do your hair," says Lori, standing up to grab a case full of hair products.
Stevie relents and goes about painting her nails while Lori straightens her hair. They spend hours playing with their hair and make up and Stevie's wardrobe, changing their looks every so often. As silly as it is, it works. If there's anything Stevie loves it's pretending to be in another world. Having two of her best friends indulge her for a day is perfect.
They stand on a balcony over Montreal, toughing out the freezing winter air in their dresses.
"My arms aren't long enough!" Stevie contorts herself, trying to get all three of them in the shot. "This isn't working. KAREN!"
"Yes?" She appears in the door, smirking at the three of them.
"Take this photo. We need to get this fantastic snow in the background."
"It's like working for a teenager," she says, laughing as she takes the camera from Stevie. "Lori, act like you like them, please. You're too far to the left." After a series of shots, they rush back inside, shivering. Stevie stops short when she finds Lindsey standing there.
"Hey," he says, shifting nervously.
"You're back."
"Yeah. Can we talk?" Stevie nods at the girls, who scatter quickly, long dresses swishing as they disappear.
"How did it go?"
"She's leaving."
"I told you not to let her go!"
"She didn't give me much of a chance. And it's not like I had much room to argue with her."
'Damn it, Lindsey!"
"What should I have done? Held her captive? I'm in love with someone else. I can't ask her to stay."
"You have to. Find a way."
"Stevie, it's done. She's made her decision." She takes the top hat off her head and sets it aside, running her fingers through her hair. "You look really beautiful right now."
"Don't," she says holding her hand up. She stalls for a second, looking at him, clearly struggling to speak.
"If you're going to say something then say it."
"We're not getting back together. We decided ages ago what an awful idea it would be, and that hasn't changed. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone in my whole life, which is why I refuse to let us destroy whatever we have left."
"That is the dumbest fucking thing I have ever heard. If you love me, then be with me. Legitimately."
"No," she says. "Go fix your family. Get her back. They need you more than I do."
"Will you stop trying to make life decisions for me? I cheated on my wife because I am in love with another woman. She doesn't deserve to live with that. You and I are both alone now, Stevie. And neither of us want to be."
"I'm alone. You don't have to be."
"God, are you really that dense? Neither do you! I'm here, Stevie."
She shakes her head again, totally unable to take in what he's saying. "Go. Please."
"We finally have a chance. I'm not going to let you blow this."
"Long term doesn't exist. Happy endings don't exist. Not for me."
"Why not?"
"Because that's not how my life has gone, okay? Just stop. Please. I don't want to fight about it anymore. Go get your wife back."
"Do you really believe that?"
She stares at him for a minute, her head tilted in thought. Her dark eyes are even darker now, sparkling with tears as they burn into him. "Yes, I do."
