Bluebird

30

April 26, 2013

Annabel was loitering in the hallways. Pacing, mostly. She didn't have any Tequila, because she was transporting herself. She had gotten a rental car when she landed and since she was leaving right after her set, she was driving to the airport. She certainly wasn't going to drink if she was going to drive, even though one shot isn't going to do anything to her. She was wearing a cobalt blue mini skater dress. It was a tank top with a sweetheart neckline and it was very simple and plain. She had her hair down her back and on her feet where her brown platform boots. 

"Belle." 

She whips around and sees Stevie standing there in the archway of the green room. 

"Come in here." Stevie tells her.

"Oh I'm..." 

"Annabel." Stevie repeats. Annabel quickly casts her gaze down and slowly trudged towards the greenroom and Stevie's heart sunk when she saw it. Because Lindsey was right...she was scared of her. 

As soon as Annabel was close to her, she grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. The two of them were the same height. But Annabel was wearing heels, Stevie wasn't, she was waiting until she went onstage to put her boots on. So, Annabel had ended up shrinking down to her mother's height. Stevie held her for about three minutes just feeling her, touching her, loving her, and doing what she's wanted to do for so many years. Annabel returns the hug, though she does it apprehensively not expecting it at all, but when they pull away she finally acknowledges Stevie.

"Was that all you wanted?" 

"No, I want you to have dinner with us." 

"Oh I'm okay." 

"Look, you don't have to eat anything, just come sit with us please." 

Annabel thinks about it for a moment and then she nods. Stevie smiles and turns around leading her into the greenroom fully. Everyone was eating and happy and chatty. Stevie took a seat next to Karen, and there was a free one directly next to Stevie. She'd be sitting between her parents, but she just gulped and looked at the food. 

It looked really good, there were little meatballs, some taco meat, guacamole, queso, an all of the fixings, but she didn't take anything, though her eyes kept landing on the stupid guac and queso. Stevie watched her carefully as she nibbled on her taco. But she was disappointed when Annabel didn't grab anything and she didn't even join them at the table she loomed herself up against the corner of the room. 

"Annabel, you can have some food." Lindsey tells her wiping his mouth. She pushed off the wall and then she went over and looked at the food again, but it was like she could feel Karen's eyes on her so she shrunk down and went back to her corner. 

"Um, I'm okay...I'll get a sandwich or something at the airport." She sighs. 

Stevie rolls her eyes and puts her napkin down on the table and she stands up to make her daughter a plate. She was putting everything on it, but Lindsey stopped her. "No, not the black olives or refried beans. She won't eat them." 

"Oh I  didn't..." Stevie looks down sadly. 

"It's okay, I know you didn't know I'm just informing you." Lindsey tells her. 

Stevie nods and then she slowly walks over to Annabel holding the plate out for her. Annabel didn't acknowledge it though, she just kept casting her gaze over to Karen and it was honestly making Stevie a little bit angry. She sighed and shook her head, looking to Lindsey. He just shrugged in response and Stevie rolled her eyes. 

"Eat, you need to eat baby." Stevie urges. She was mom-ing her. Annabel knew that, and she also knew that the tone of Stevie's voice came out a little harsher then she probably meant it to be. However, it was true, Annabel hadn't eaten anything all day so she looked between her mom's face and the plate for a while before she finally took it and immediately started digging into the guacamole. 

"Good, now come sit at the table." Stevie tells her, her hand coming up to her shoulder blade and gently leading her towards the table. 

Annabel took the seat and then she started eating her food, not making eye contact with anybody or saying anything. She was half way through her meal when Cory popped her head in. 

"Annabel, you're on in 5, please make your way to the stage." 

"Go, I'll take care of your plate." Lindsey brings her head to his lips and kisses her temple.

"Thanks daddy." She smiles and slowly pushes back away from the chair. 

***

Annabel had gotten off of the stage and changed her clothes, neatly hanging up her stage dress, and putting on a pair of black jogger sweatpants and a plain white v-neck, sliding her feet into her tennis shoes. When she was dressed, she headed into the green room to gather her stuff. Fleetwood Mac was still loitering in there, getting ready. Stevie had gone on her vocal rest, she was at the point in the tour where she was starting to feel it in her throat, and she was drawing in the corner quietly.Lindsey was strumming his guitar lightly, Mick and John were making small conversation, it all felt very calm and natural. She was about to say goodbye when her phone dinged. She looked down at it and then she looked at her dad with big brown eyes. 

"What, what happened baby?" Lindsey asks.

"My flight got cancelled...there's something wrong with the mechanics." She shakes her head.

"Are they rescheduling it?" Lindsey asks. 

"Tomorrow at four." She huffs.

"Baby we fly out right after the show." Lindsey tells her.

"I know, I'm stuck here for another day." She sighs.

Lindsey had been sitting by Stevie strumming the guitar, and she reached over and grabbed his wrist. He knew she wouldn't talk cause she was on vocal rest, so he cleared his throat.

"Your mother wants you to fly out with us and cancel that ticket."

"You can read her mind?" Annabel cocks an eyebrow.

"Babygirl, it's been forty plus years. I know her like the back of my hand." Lindsey states.

"Yeah Annabel, fly out with us." Mick nods.

She thinks about it for a moment and then she nods and plops on the couch between her mother and her father. She had only just sunken down into the couch when she felt a hand on her back. She looked to her left and Stevie smiled sweetly at her and pulled her into her arms and rocked with her a little bit. Annabel was a touchy-feely person so it was nice, but at the same time it was awkward because they didn't really know each other. But she gladly returned the embrace and right before they pulled away, Stevie pressed her lips to Annabel's temple.