What We Are

Monday Morning

12 hours later
"Hey," Stevie whispered.
"Oh, um hi?" Lindsey replied, stretching his arms and yawning, lifting his head from its awkward sleeping position at the end of Stevie's hospital bed. She smiled at him sadly, "Just hold me for a minute please Lindsey."
"Are you sure? I don't wanna hurt you."
"I know, just, be soft honey." He shuffled to sit beside her, and expertly wrapped his arms around her frail shoulders and waist, kissing the top of her head.
"I'm sorry Lindsey," she whispered.
"You have nothing to be sorry about Stevie, I just want you to feel better." She sighed.
"I just...I wish we hadn't have fought last month." He recalled their several relapses into her bedroom recently, and the frustrated arguing that followed- mainly initiated by Stevie. He'd finished helping her with the song, and then they'd ignored each other for weeks. "That's my fault too Steph."
"No I shouldn't have let you-"
"I wanted to. I needed to. I'm the one with responsibilities, you have nothing to feel guilt for."
"You think I don't care, just because that's not MY family you're lying to?!" She tried to wriggle from his embrace, so he placed just one arm around her waist. "No I just mean-"
"You should go Lindsey." She said, not looking him in the eye. He sighed.
"Shit Stevie!" He cried, as she began gagging into her hands. Some thing beeped and a doctor rushed in within moments. Lindsey rubbed her back as her eyes brimmed with tears. "Take this," said the doctor handing Lindsey a metal bowl and some paper towels. "It just seems to be the vomiting again Ms.Nicks, you had the same problem yesterday around 8am?" She nodded hazily in response, lurching into the bowl, Lindsey sweeping her hair away. "We can trust you to help her clean up? Mr..."
"Buckingham, and yes. Whatever she needs." The doctor thanked Lindsey, and as her sickness subsided Stevie turned to retort. "I told you to-"
"I need to be here with you, I need to help you."
She didn't speak as he dabbed her mouth with a cool towel, and went to clean away her vomit in the en suite. When he entered the room again she spoke.
"Just go home for a while at least, I need some space, and I'm sure your wife might want to see you."
"I'll be back in a couple hours."
"Lindsey, I look like shit, I feel like shit, I don't need you to make me feel mor exposed."
"You are beautiful. I'll be back soon. Rest." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and she rolled her eyes.