Everybody Finds Out

Part 22

"You're down here early." Mick said, walking into the kitchen.

Lindsey's eyes remained staring at nothing in particular, he shrugged his shoulders. "I've been having trouble sleeping these past few days."

"Maybe you haven't had anyone to keep you company through the night." Mick wondered aloud, moving to make himself a cup of coffee.

"How do you know?" 

"I think, sometimes you forget that I've known you for a very very long time, Lindsey." Mick emphasized, waiting for the water to boil, he leaned against one of the kitchen counters. "What happened this time?"

Lindsey sighed, resting his chin on his clenched fist. "I told Stevie that I want to leave my wife for her. Not in those exact words, but..."

Mick didn't expect to hear anything like that and it showed on his face. "What did she say?"

"Uh, well..." Lindsey shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest. "In the end, she said, she needs some time to think."

"Understandable." 

"Is it? I thought, she'd be happy." Lindsey chewed on his bottom lip, his knee bouncing. "I have no idea, what's going through her mind right now."

"I just want to say, I'm not on either one side, but-" Mick stopped, when Lindsey's eyes focused on him. "You've broken her trust once already."

Looking away, Lindsey gritted his teeth. He hated that everybody knew every single thing that had happened throughout his and Stevie's relationship. "Yeah, she admitted that she doesn't exactly trust me. But, I've shown her that I'm still madly in love with her. I've shown that I care, I've told her, I'm sorry, a billion times."

Stirring the sugar in his coffee, Mick approached the kitchen table and pulled out a chair. "I don't think, you quite realize, what sort of a position you're putting her in, mate."

"What do you mean?" Lindsey asked, ready to roll his eyes at whatever he was about to hear. Everyone thought they were an expert.

"Lindsey, you don't just have a wife." Mick began. "You have a family, two small children. You're telling Stevie that you're willing to leave Kristen for her. You won't be leaving your children, but it won't be the same. Trust me, I know. And you're asking her to make this decision for you. You're waiting for Stevie to say, go ahead, do it. Do you even realize what a massive responsibility that is? She might be as in love with you as you are with her, but that's not her decision to make. We both know Stevie, she'd feel guilty for the rest of her life and if she makes that choice for you, it's going to stand in the way of your happiness forever." Giving Lindsey a moment to process it, Mick took a sip from his cup. "You're the one, who has to do it. You have to want to do it. If you're afraid that Stevie will suddenly stop loving you, we both know that's not true."

"But I've told her, I want her. Why doesn't she believe me?"

Sighing, Mick subtly rolled his eyes. "Of course, she does. I don't think, you've heard one word."

"I did." Lindsey leaned forward, head in his hands. "I get it and you're probably right, I just... I'm afraid, she'll stay locked up in that room for too long, without allowing me to get close, and then she'll tell me, no, once again. I can't help that I love her, that I want to be with her. I fucked up and messed it all up, but I'm trying to make things right."

Laying a hand on Lindsey's shoulder, Mick waited until he lifted his eyes up. "Leave her no choice but to take you back. If you file for divorce at your own free will, trust me, she'll have no second thoughts. Unlike right now. You've put your life, your children's life in her hands and that's not fair. If you truly want to show Stevie, how much you love her, you know what to do." Mick shrugged, pulling back.

The men grew silent. Only several minutes passed, when Stevie made her way into the kitchen. Lindsey wondered if she had been listening in on their conversation, but taking a look at her, he didn't think so.

"Good morning." Stevie said, offering a small smile. 

"Had a good night's sleep?" Mick asked.

"No. I've been struggling, trying to fall asleep lately." She put the kettle on, the two men exchanged a look behind her back. 

"I've got somewhere to be." Lindsey said out of nowhere and rose to his feet. He didn't wait for either of the two to say something, before he rushed out.

"What's up with him?" Stevie asked, shifting her gaze over to Mick, who just gave a shrug of his shoulders.

"Haven't got a clue." He brought his coffee cup up to his mouth, shielding the smile spreading across his face.