Some Things Never Change

I miss her

Three more weeks had passed by and still Sara hadn't had any chance to meet Stevie again. Both of them felt miserable. But Sara was so occupied with her drama class that she couldn't just disappear for a weekend. Their performance was in two days and leaving was just no option right now.

The most disturbing fact was, that her mother could not come over and watch her play. It was the very first time that Stevie couldn't attend her premiere and she was devastated. It was a very important night for her as she got graded for it and the judges would decide if she was good enough to get a paid internship at a theater at Broadway in New York. This was her chance to show everybody that she wasn't only the daughter of the famous Stevie Nicks, who paid for the private school she had been attenting for years, but to let people see that she was actually talented in acting.

Stevie had asked her over and over again if she was really okay with her not being there and as selfless as Sara always had been she had said, she was okay with it. Now, that the day came closer, she was nothing but terrified and she knew the only person who could comfort her and make her feel better was her mother. Her mother who was a few thousand miles away from her and had to work herself.

She sighed heavily and concentrated on her lines again. This was important! She needed to push through!

It was one night before Sara's big performance and Lindsey walked up the stairs to get into the bedroom as he heard someone calling his name. He stood still for a moment.

“Lindsey?”

There was it again! He took a few more steps and stood in front of Sara's room. The door was open and as he looked inside the room, he found her curled up on her bed, her dog lying on the floor asleep, only a small lamp spending some light.

“Sara?”

She turned her head and looked at him.

“Can you come here, Lindsey?”, she asked softly and patted the space next to her.

He looked at her confusedly.

“Are you okay, Sara?”

“Yeah, sure.. it's just..”

“Yeah?”

She sighed quietly and he knew something was wrong with her.

“What is it?”, he asked gently and went into the room.

“Can you.... can you hold me for a while, please? I know I'm asking a lot of you.. It's just.. I miss mom..”, she was crying now, “I miss her so badly..”

He sighed sadly, got out of his shoes and lay down behind her to wrap his arms around her body. In his arms she felt just as tiny as Stevie. She was so much like her mother.

“Of course, I can, Sara.”, he said softly, “I miss her, too, you know..”

“I know..”, she sobbed and pressed herself tighter against him.

“I knew I said to her I was okay with her not being here..”, she sobbed, “but I think that was a big lie. I need her, Lindsey. I need my mom!”

Lindsey was absolutely stretched thin with this situation. He had never seen Sara crying like that before. What was he supposed to do, now?! He knew Stevie would want him to call her immediately, if anything was wrong with Sara but on the other hand, Stevie was already stressed out and exhausted by her tour and needed at least a few hours rest between her shows.

“Sara, what shall I do? Do you want me to call your mother?”, he asked finally, still unsure what to do.

“No, please don't. I know how tired and stressed out she is..”

“Then please, tell me what to do, Sara”, he pleaded, “As you might see, I'm not so good in handling situations like these.. I've never had kids, so... please help me out with this one.”

“You're doing a pretty good job, Lindsey! I can assure you.”, she smiled through her tears and stroke over his cheek.

He looked at her, smiled sadly and placed a kiss on her forehead.

They lay there for a while.

“I don't wanna make you feel uncomfortable, Lindsey”, she said suddenly and looked at him.

“I don't feel uncomfortable, Sara.”

“You don't?”

“No, it's okay.”, he said and tightened his grip around her, “You need me, now.”

“I do..”

They fell into silence again.

“Can you stay here with me until I'm asleep? Mom usually does when I'm..”

“Of course.”

“Thank you..”

Lindsey stayed until Sara had fallen to sleep. Seeing Sara that fragile had hurt him. She had always been such a happy soul and when she cried she looked just like Stevie. In fact, she always looked just like Stevie. Maybe that was why he loved Sara so much. Because she reminded him of Stevie. He didn't know why but when it came to Sara he felt some kind of a protective instinct coming up inside him. He only did know one thing: From the very first moment he had seen her, he had loved that girl. That feeling had just appeared and it had stayed since then. He wanted her to feel loved and protected and if he was the one to give that to her, then so be it.

He pulled up the blankets and covered Sara with them. Then, he switched off the lights and walked quietly out of the room.

He lay down in bed and his head was spinning around. Should he call Stevie?! He knew, if Stevie found out how miserable Sara was right now, and he didn't call her, she would totally freak out. On the other hand, if he didn't tell Stevie about it, she'd never find out because Sara definitely wouldn't tell..

Was he strong enough to handle Sara and her insecurities on his own? Was he ready to act like a real father tomorrow night and be there for her, even though Sara wanted nothing but her mother?!

Sara don't want me to call her, he thought to himself. But can I handle this?!

The next day came and Lindsey saw Sara rushing through the house, her nerves being at a breaking point. She was so nervous, let things drop to the floor and didn't listen to most of the things he was saying to her.

“Sara..... Sara?”

“Huh?”

“Come here!”, he said and opened his arms for her. She walked happily in them and he held her tight.

“Stop being so nervous! It's going to be fine, I promise you.”

“How do you know?”, she asked with a shaky voice.

“Because I believe in your talent and know you will be just perfect tonight.”

She sobbed and smiled sadly up at him.

“It means a lot to me that you are here with me, Lindsey. I mean it, seriously. I cannot thank you enough for....”

“Stop it, Sara. You don't need to thank me.”

“Yes, I do. It's not usual that your mom's boyfriend is that nice to you, you know?”, she laughed, wiping away her tears.

“It isn't?”

“No, it isn't.”, she mumbled.

“Then maybe I should stop being so sensitive with you!”, he said laughingly, trying to cheer her up.

She nudged him playfully in response.

“No seriously, Lindsey. You have your heart in the right place. Mom is so lucky to have you!”

“And I'm lucky to have you two!”