Picking up the Pieces

34

May 18, 2015

Lindsey was waiting at the community center awkwardly loomed up against a wall under the banner that said The Academy of Performing Arts and he was kicking the brick wall behind him when the main studio door opened and nine people flooded out all with bags over their shoulders.

"Hey dad." Brielle smiles.

"Wait this is your dad? I thought he was like dead or something." The tallest one with thick dark hair asks.

"Myah." The shorter one with the same hair scolds.

"Well, she never talks about him." Myah shrugs.

"My mom started out in Los Angeles when I was born she moved here. This is my dad he just lived in Los Angeles with his wife and kids but now he's divorced and he's followed my mom out here like a little lost puppy his three other children in tow." Brielle explains.

"Your family is just as much messed up as our who would've thought." Myah laughs.

"I didn't follow her here like a lost puppy. I followed her here because I wanted a change and I knew that William, Leelee, and Stella would have family here." Lindsey replies.

"Well anyway, Dad this is my dance teacher Kayla. Her sister Myah, You know Nick and Kenna as you met them yesterday. This is Sadie and Hallie. They hang out around the house a lot and then these are the twins Heidie and Harry. Heidi used to be in my Girl Scout Troop." Brielle explains.

"So I'm going to call your mother." Nick says pulling out his cell phone.

"You'll be crashing on the couch." Brielle shrugs.

"I don't wanna go home though." Nick looks at her.

"Um?" Lindsey points to Nick.

"Nick is gay and his family isn't very supportive of the situation." Brielle sighs.

"Understatement." Nick practically spits out. 

"Okay, Understatement." Brielle sighs. 

As they exit the hall they come to the little sitting communal area were Reinie, and Jana are sitting

"Brielle Lindsey where is your mother?" Jana questions.

"Why?" Brielle questions plopping down onto the stool next to Jana.

"We wanted to talk about the Girl Scout trip and we wanted to get her opinions and see what her schedule is." Reinie explains.

"Daddy," She looks up to Lindsey.

"Daddy? Is this your father?" Reinie asks.

"He is, Lindsey Buckingham. Reinie Brand and Jana Dominic. Reinie is Hallie's mom and Jana is Sadie's mom." Brielle explains.

"Nice to meet you, Steph's at home." Lindsey smiles.

"This is going to sound so mean and horrible and I don't mean it to be, but I didn't think you were in the picture." Jana shakes her head.

"I wasn't...I um, Stevie got pregnant right around the time that my ex-girlfriend told me she was expecting. Stevie didn't know though so she told me to go be with Kristen for that baby. When Stevie found out she told me but at that point, I had already married Kristen and we were trying for a second baby. And Kristen didn't want me to associate with Brielle or Stevie. Claiming if I did she'd take my other kids away from me. Stevie was okay with raising Brielle on her own because Kristen couldn't even toast a piece of bread. But Kristen and I divorced and I got custody of our three kids so I'm here to make it better." Lindsey explains.

"Well, do you know Stevie's schedule?" Reinie asks.

"I do it's the same as mine actually. We fly to England on May 25th and we're over in Europe until July 18th." Lindsey explains.

"So maybe we set it up for the first week of August then." Reinie looked at Jana.

"Sure. But what do we want to do girls?" Jana looked at Makenna, Brielle, Hallie, and Sadie.

"SHOPPING!" Hallie and Makenna state simultaneously.

"You just want to go shopping. That's not a lot." Jana shakes her head.

"I mean we're seventeen years old. We don't really want to do a lot of things. Maybe just spend three or four days in Detroit going to the malls that are down there." Brielle shrugs.

"Or you could save up your cookie money this year and go on a bigger trip next year." Reinie suggests.

"Yeah, let's do that go to like a waterpark or something. But could we go." Hallie bites her lip.

"We as it?" Jana questions.

"Brielle, Sadie, Kenna, and me." Hallie shrugs.

"We'd have to plan it with the parents but I don't see that being impossible." Reinie smiles.

"Alright, well it's getting late we should head out." 

"Yeah, your mom said I could stay the night and I am sleepy."  Nick explains.

"If Stevie had said no you could've stayed with us." Reinie smiles. 

"Awe, I love you guys so much." Nick gives a cheesy grin. 

"So what are you doing about clothes?" Lindsey asks.

"I always leave extras at school in Liz's classroom." Nick explains.

"God you guys are all close with a teacher, you don't see that in Los Angeles." Lindsey shakes his head.

"The Sault is just a really close-knit community. Mom and I can go to Walmart and there'll be some nice old ladies that say, 'hi miss. nicks.' not even caring that she's you know. Stevie Nicks." Brielle smiles.

"Yeah it took us what, two or three years to even realize that she was the Stevie Nicks and the only reason we figured it out was because we took the girls caroling and she sang Silent Night." Reinie explains. 

"She really came her to get away from everything didn't she?" Lindsey asks.

"She did and it's done wonders for her." Brielle grins zipping up her 'dance jacket' it's a little black athletic jacket with the Academy Emblem on the back. She also has a pair of leggings with The Academy of Performing Arts down the left leg. 

When they get back home, Stevie is sitting on the couch reading a book and she smiles up at Lindsey, Nick, and Brielle walking into the house.

"Hey guys." Stevie smiles.

"Thanks for letting me stay Stephanie." Nick smiles.

"Of course honey, you are always welcome." Stevie grins.