Bluebird

20

"Okay, these walls are pretty much sound proofed. I'll wait outside the door and wait for her. You just hang out in here." Lindsey says opening up Stevie's dressing room door. The security guard had told them that Stevie had a quick meeting but she'd be with them shortly so they just had to be patient. 

There were a couple dogs growling and barking from little carrying cases in the corner and Annabel was really uncomfortable in the dressing room that was blatantly her mother's, but she saw the guitar at the end of the couch. She knew Stevie Nicks didn't play guitar that well, but it might just be there for decoration. 

Annabel bites her lip and grabs the guitar. She strums lightly and hears that it's in tune so she looks around the room. She doesn't write anything because she doesn't have a piece of paper and she wasn't about to rifle through Stevie's things but she does strum because it brings her peace. 

She doesn't know how long she strums for, but at some point she looks over and Lindsey is entering the room with a woman wearing a suit. 

"This is Sheryl Louise." Lindsey practically spits falling back on the couch with Annabel.

"Mr. Buckingham and I go back a ways...Can I ask who you are and why you're here with Mr. Buckingham?" She questions. 

"My name is Annabel Bekker. I'm here with Lindsey because I work for Lindsey and he gifted me these tickets for Christmas. Is there a problem?" 

"Stevie as run into some family issues, and she's asking for no visitors tonight. But she's willing to fly you to Nashville for a show on July 24th... We aren't sure if we're going to be having a show tomorrow night for reasons I'm not at liberty to share with you but we do know for a fact that a show will be held on July 24th." Sheryl explains.  

"No, it's okay. I understand. Lindsey, shall we head out?"

"Yeah I guess we should. Sheryl, I wasn't one of the visitors. Got that." Lindsey looks at her.

"If I must..." She sighs.

"Yes, you must." Lindsey points. 

"Have a good night Lindsey." 

***

When they make it back to the hotel, Annabel collapses onto the bed. "Did I dodge a bullet tonight?" 

"I don't know Belle, I really don't. But you should call your Aunt and let her know what happened. Maybe she'll share with you what the family emergency was." Lindsey sighs. pulling off his tee-shirt and heading to his bedroom. The hat had been in Annabel's purse since they left the Arena. 

When Lindsey's light flicks out, she sighs and picks up her phone dialing the number that was still in bright blue ink on her hand. 

"Can I ask whose calling?" Was the first thing out of Lori's mouth.

"Annabel." She bites her lip.

"Oh, Oh....I can't talk right now, we're in the limo, but text me okay." Lori says and immediately hanging up. 

Annabel wrinkles her eyebrows and then she sighs and rights out a text. 

We were kicked out of the Arena because of a family emergency. 

Lori's response was almost immediate.

I know, Chris called us while we were on stage. Barbara had a heart attack. Stevie's going to call and figure out if she needs to go to Scottsdale instead of Cincinnati tomorrow. I'm so sorry Annabel. But I know she did offer to send you to Nashville.

Annabel reads it and then she immediately goes towards Lindsey's bedroom and knocks on the door. He yells at her to come in and then she opens the door and he's laying on his back in bed.

"What?"

"Barbara had a heart attack." 

"Oh so she didn't just make up an excuse." 

"Daddy." 

"She's good at it. Trust me, I know...if she doesn't want to do something she'll come up with an excuse." He nods.

"Well, Lori said that Barbara had a heart attack and Stevie's been on and off the phone trying to decide if she needs to fly to Scottsdale." 

"How did you respond to it?" Lindsey asks.

"I haven't yet." 

"Just send your condolences and then go to bed. There's nothing you can do about it. You didn't know if you wanted to meet her anyway so we'll just let it be." Lindsey shrugs. 

"Alright, Good night daddy." She sighs.

"Night Baby Belle. see you bright  and early for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." Lindsey smiles up at her.

She makes her way to her own part of the suite and then she shoots a final text to Lori. 

I know we were offered a trip to Nashville, but dad has work and we have dogs so I declined it. I'm sorry about Barbara. I hope everything goes okay. Have a good night.

She sent the text and then she got ready to bed. 

***

Annabel was staring up at the Rumours dress behind the glass. Lindsey didn't wear a disguise so he had been stopped several times to take photographs and sign things. So while she was staring at the dress he was taking pictures. 

"That looks to be about your size." A woman next to her states. 

"Oh yeah, yeah it does." Annabel nods.

"You kinda look like Stevie Nicks too." 

"I get that a lot." 

"Well, if you're a fan of Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey Buckingham is here." 

"I know, I already got a picture." She smiles. 

The woman takes a picture of the dress and then she walks away and Lindsey comes up next to her.

"What was that about?" 

"Oh nothing...just simply, that dress looks like it would fit you, and you do kinda look like Stevie Nicks too." 

"It would fit you." Lindsey nods.

"I can believe it." She nods.

"I'm serious Belle, when I call you a carbon copy of your mother, I mean it. You are a carbon copy of your mother. Straight down to the outfits you pick out." He points her up and down.

She had her hair down and wavy, and she was wearing a pair of bell bottoms and an Eagles, Hotel California teeshirt tucked into said bell bottoms. Her black platform sandals on her feet. 

"But she wore that outfit with a pair of sneakers and a visor." 

"Oh, she owned a visor?" Annabel wrinkles her nose.

"It was the style." Lindsey shrugs.

"I do kinda wish I had gotten to see her yesterday." She sighs.

"We'll work on it okay." Lindsey nods.

"Okay." She gives a Stevie Nicks identical smile and he places his arm around her shoulder leading her to a different part of the museum.