The band had finally finished their US leg of the tour, giving them over three months of free time. Stevie and Lindsey were staying together in her big house that now she could walk into and feel as if she could live there full time. Lindsey's kids had spent two weekends there too and Stevie was thrilled by their acceptance. Kristen, like promised, signed the divorce papers she received after about two weeks since the talk they had. Hank, on the other hand, hadn't left Stevie alone completely yet. He stopped showing up at her place, but he still called her frequently. Of course, she didn't answer, but he would leave long voice messages, some of them she would delete, the others she would listen through. One that particularly stood out for her, was when Hank said he and Lacy were going through divorce. It didn't make Stevie feel too happy, in such a short period of time, she ruined two marriages.
One morning Stevie was woken up by the ringing phone once again and she cursed Lindsey for making her believe they needed it in the bedroom. She didn't stir, holding onto the covers, while trying to touch her cold feet to Lindsey's leg so he would be very awake, definitely awake enough to pick up the phone. But she found him to be up already. With no other choice, she blindly searched for the receiver and put it to her ear.
"This better be important." Was her new hello, but when Stevie heard Christine's voice on the other end, she soon became alert and excited to talk to her friend, she hadn't seen in far too long. Christine said that she was visiting LA and she would like to get Stevie out of the house for a girls' night, to which Stevie agreed without hesitation.
Naturally, Lindsey asked a bunch of questions before he let Stevie go. They were much older and supposedly wiser, but he would never stop being jealous. He took one last look at her appearance, told her she looked to good, made her promise she wouldn't do anything stupid and then they shared a quick kiss and Stevie went outside and into the waiting car.
She instantly spotted Christine, sitting by the bar. Neither one of them wanted to draw much attention to themselves, but they couldn't stop from frantically waving at each other. The two women shared a warm hug, exchanging kisses, complimenting each other on how they hadn't at all aged, before finally sitting down.
"This is an unusual place to meet." Stevie said, looking around.
"It's like a high class pub! I love it." Christine laughed, asking the barman to approach them. "And it's not like you actually eat food, so what's the point in going to a restaurant?"
"I wish I didn't eat, look at me!" Stevie put a hand on her stomach. "Lindsey has been doing nothing but forcing food down my throat ever since we moved in together." Silence. She looked up at her friend gaping. "Fuck."
"Fuck indeed. You're going to tell me everything in a second."
The barman made his way to them, smiling from ear to ear. "What can I get you, ladies?"
"Let's get drunk?"
"Oh what the hell!" Stevie nodded and they ordered sctoch on the rocks.
"Well, then. What is this about you and Buckingham living together? Does Kristen know?"
"No, we decided to keep it a secret from her." Stevie rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink before continuing. "Nobody knows anything yet, but she signed the papers right before we wrapped up our North American leg."
"How did that happen? After all these years, finally!"
"A lot was going on. I was seeing this guy and, well, basically, he said I'm leaving my wife for you, let's be together. Lindsey was being a jerk to me, so of course I was very taken by this man. I still had to see Lindsey, I asked him if me out of his life is what he truly wants. He opened up about everything what Kristen was putting him through and we got back to his room that night and I made him choose; either he leaves her this time for real or I'm gone. He was terrified about not getting to see his children if they divorce, but I said that, listen, Kristen doesn't decide anything. Then we met up with her, talked it all through and here we are."
"And now you're living together? Like actually being two grown ups under the same roof?"
"Yes, Chris." She smiled, thinking about Lindsey and all the cute little things they finally got to do as a couple. "He has changed a lot, you know. And I'm so happy. I always let myself get too happy and fall too deeply in love with Lindsey, but this time... Well, it's all done, you know? They are going through divorce and he's coming back to me every night."
"God... You lovesick teenager." Stevie laughed, playfully smacking Christine's arm. "And here I was thinking, we will have some fun tonight, hit on guys and end up in like... Mexico!"
"Christine McVie! What has happened to you?"
"I'm just joking." She waved it off with her hand. "We both know I'm going to return to my hotel and go to bed."
"Why are you in LA anyway?"
"I got a call." She replied, acting very coy about it.
"About what?"
"Maybe a solo album, I don't know yet."
"That would be amazing! Or you could just come back to Fleetwood Mac?"
"Oh no, definitely not. It's too much work, although I do miss all of you immensely."
They chatted the night away, laughing, getting serious and bursting into fits of giggles again, remembering some stories from the early days and sharing things they could only trust each other with. Both Stevie and Christine needed this time together.
"It's getting late." Christine looked at her watch. "I'll call a car for us, because I'm sure you still do not use those devilish devices."
"God no!" Stevie shook her head. "And I'll be fine, Lindsey said he'll come pick me up."
"You sure? Waiting here alone for him?"
"I'm a grown woman, I can manage to sit in one place for twenty or so minutes until my boyfriend arrives."
"Boyfriend." Christine teased, getting another smack. "It's so noisy in here, I'll go outside."
"I'll go to the restroom." Stevie slid off the stool and made her way through the crowd.
Christine had already finished her drink, while Stevie had about another gulp left. The same barman scanned over the people, when he was sure nobody was looking, he spilled some kind of powder into Stevie's drink and then took a bill of the bar, that a man left passing him by.
When Stevie returned, Christine was standing, waiting to say goodbye. "I had a great time!"
"I did too, it's been wonderful seeing you, Chris. If you're in town for several more days, you should come over."
"Sure, absolutely."
They shared another hug and Christine left, while Stevie took her seat again. She looked at the clock on the wall, she still had about half an hour before Lindsey would show up. The barman kept a close eye on her, making sure she downed what was left of her drink.
"My treat." He smiled, presenting her with another glass.
"I really shouldn't, I've had enough for tonight."
"You don't look like it."
"Well... maybe a little sip." Stevie brought it to her lips, taking a generous swig after all. What she didn't know was that her drink was mixed with the same drug like the one she had finished before. "I don't feel so good."
"Would you like some water?" The barman showed his concern, acting as if this wasn't his fault.
"Yes, please."
Her vision started to blur and she felt dizzy. She was right about to fall off the high stool, when the same man who paid the barman, quickly stood up from a nearby table to catch her.
"I'll take it from here." He said to the employee.
~
Thanks for your commetns and votes! I'll try to wrap this one up in a few more chapters.
