"So, do you know, what's-"
"No, Mick. I don't." Lindsey interrupted. He had successfully avoided everyone. With his things gathered, he had hoped to make it to the hotel without anyone questioning him as well. "I'm just glad that she went out there and did her best."
"You're such an ass sometimes, Lindsey." Mick rolled his eyes, standing in the doorway.
"What did I say now?" Lindsey scoffed, eager to leave. "She was fucking great, is that better?"
Taking a deep breath, Mick pinched the bridge of his nose and change the subject. "Are you joining us for drinks?"
"No. I've got some place to be." Shifting his weight from one foot onto the other, Lindsey was getting increasingly more annoyed. And he still had his girlfriend to deal with later.
"Is Stevie up for a party?" Mick thought, it was a stupid question, considering that she always was.
"Christ, Mick! I'm not her fucking babysitter!" Taking a step forward caused Mick to stand back, giving way for Lindsey.
As he maneuvered his way through the hallways, Lindsey grabbed Carol Ann along the way, who was chatting with some guy he didn't recognize. Naturally, she started bitching, but Lindsey didn't listen to a word coming out of her mouth. He would have gladly left here at the venue, but he realized the consequences of that might be even more disastrous.
"You're such a dick." Carol Ann pouted, her arms crossed over her chest as she stared out the window of the limo.
"Yeah, what else is new." Lindsey glared at her and that was that.
When they finally returned to their hotel room, Carol Ann went straight for the minibar. She asked Lindsey about his preferred drink for the night and he told her, he was leaving.
"What do you mean?" She frowned, attempting to block his path.
"What could I possibly mean by that? Jesus! Is everyone a fucking idiot today?" He gripped her upper arm and pulled her aside. "I don't know, when I'm coming back."
"Where are you going?"
"None of your business." Lindsey shook his head, reaching for the door handle.
"Fine, then I'm going out, too." Her threat just made him roll his eyes. "Do you care about me at all?"
"Right now? Not particularly." With that, Lindsey slammed the door from the other side and turned left.
Looking at the numbers, Lindsey reached Stevie's room. Suddenly, he wasn't so sure if seeing her was the right thing to do. He wanted to be there for her as a friend, but he was afraid one wrong word could cause yet another argument, he'd storm out and that would be the end of them again for God knows how long.
"You actually came." Genuine surprise on Stevie's face and it stung. She didn't expect him to. "You didn't have to, Lindsey, honestly. I'll be fine."
"I wanted to." He shrugged, wondering if their conversation was going to end with him still standing in the hallway. "It's what friends do for each other."
She was hesitating. It wasn't a drug induced haze. For once, Lindsey believed that she was actually sober. She was deciding if she should let him in. He breathed a sigh of relief, when she opened the door wider.
"What did you tell your girlfriend?"
"Just that I was going out." Lindsey shrugged as she showed him to take a seat. "Where's your boyfriend? Shouldn't he be here with you, consoling you?"
Stevie laughed weakly, sitting down beside him, she ran her fingers through her hair. "Yeah, I think, that's not going to last much longer."
"Is that why you're so upset, Steph?" He leaned forward in his seat, clasping his hands together.
"I wish." She sighed, biting her bottom lip, feeling a new wave of tears coming over her. "I've spent the last few days in a hospital."
Frowning, Lindsey scooted over closer, just so their knees were touching. He wasn't sure yet if he was allowed to hug her. "Did- what-" He couldn't hear her tell him that she was sick. "I mean-"
"It's Robin, Linds." Stevie hugged her knees to her chest and hid her face. When he heard her sniffling, Lindsey wrapped his arm around her and she leaned against him. "We were told to say our goodbyes today. She's got days to live."
Now it made sense.
~
A slow start, but this whole supportive, trying to be friends again thing won't last for long. Thanks for reading!
