Tango In The Night Part 1: Big Love

You Better Make It Soon Before You Break My Heart

Hollywood Hills, California
Tuesday, May 26, 1987
(11:30 pm)
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"Stevie! Stevie, open up! I know you're home!"

Stevie opened her eyes slowly to the repeated ringing of the doorbell and the sound of an English accent shouting her name. She looked around slowly and took in her surroundings - Green velvet sofa. Puffy black lace skirt. Stocking feet. Two little dogs asleep on the carpet surrounded by stuffed toys. I must have fallen asleep, she thought. She quickly realized her face was wet; she wiped beneath her eyes and her fingers came up gray from makeup and tears...Shit. I must look terrible.

"Stevie, come on, open the door!" Mick yelled, and she slowly rolled off the couch and made her way to the door before Mick woke up the whole neighborhood...and the dogs. She pulled the door open to find Mick, looking very obvious high and drunk, standing there in a disheveled blue suit and holding a bouquet of red roses.

"Mick, what the hell? I have fucking neighbors!" Stevie admonished him. "Get in here." She physically pulled him inside by the arm and closed the door behind them.

"I just stopped by to see if anyone still thinks that romantic gestures are still acceptable," said Mick, bowing before her and extending the flowers towards her. "For you, my dear."

"You mean they were for Sara and she kicked you out before you could give them to her." Stevie folded her arms in anger. I don't need this tonight!

"I know she's been saying I have to clean up my act and I have...a lot of it." Still holding the flowers, Mick flopped down onto the sofa. "I came here for a little understanding, Stevie, and you're looking at me like I'm crazy!"

"I'm looking at you because you're a mess, Mick, Jesus!" Crossing to where he lay across the sofa, she pushed his feet in his trademark red boots to the floor. "I don't need this right now, okay? It's my birthday and I have bigger fish to fry here and..."

"Oh my God, how did I forget that? Well..." Once again, he extended the flowers to her. "Happy birthday, Stevie!"

"Thank you...but you'll excuse me if I don't take red roses meant for the woman you left me for." She sat down beside him. God, my feet hurt...and how long was I asleep? Obviously not long enough for Lindsey to come and explain himself... "Okay. You've got five minutes before I send you home to sleep it off. What happened?"

"Nothing! I simply stopped at the florist on my way home to surprise her, and I walked in and she was bitching about my being out...apparently I missed some dinner party thing...it was for this producer or something that she said Lindsey was going to be at tonight with Cheri so she could network, and..."

Mick went on talking. Stevie assumed he was telling her what Sara said when he arrived at home, how he found his way over to her house tonight...but she heard none of it. A party that Lindsey was going to be at tonight with Cheri so she could network. Stevie was trying like mad to keep the tears out of her eyes but it wasn't working. So he never even intended to take me out for my birthday at all. He told me all of that to get me into bed, and all the while he was planning on taking his girlfriend to some party to further her career. She tried not to remember how he'd tried to further her career...but all she remembered were examples of the opposite - tripping her on stage in New Zealand, mocking the "Gold Dust Woman" dance, tearing "Storms" apart so harshly that even Carol Ann jumped to her defense. Her tears were visible now...hot and stinging and visible...but Mick was in no condition to notice.

"...and so I don't need that shit and I told her so." Mick had finished his story and was staring at her expecting a response.

"Mick..." She struggled to find the right words. "I refuse to listen to you complain about being called to task by my friend who you cheated on me with" came to mind, but that was out of the question. So was, "You need to leave so I can continue crying because Lindsey told me about thirty-six hours ago in the shower that he loved me and was planning to take me out tonight to celebrate my birthday...the one YOU, who claim to be my friend, forgot!"

Finally, sensing something was amiss, Mick sat up and asked, clutching his flowers, "Stevie, what's with you tonight? Why are you looking like you're going to cry? I'm the one in trouble here!"

Stevie stood up with a sigh. "Sit there and don't move," she directed him. "I'm making you coffee and then you're going home to apologize to Sara. I'll call my limo service. And don't even think of pulling out anything that's stronger than coffee...if you catch my drift. I'm over that and you know I am." And she disappeared into the kitchen.

It was only after she'd poured water into the Mr. Coffee on the kitchen counter that she allowed herself to cry.

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(11:40)

Lindsey had gotten out of the car in the driveway only to open the door to a very angry woman who told him she was packing a bag and would be gone when he got back.

He couldn't have cared less.

He got back into his 1986 Mercedes and immediately cranked up the volume on the radio, "Cold As Ice" by Foreigner" playing from the cassette Cheri had left in the tape deck. He peeled out of the driveway as he heard, "You're digging for gold, you're throwing away a fortune in feeling but someday you'll pay..."

He couldn't drive out of Bel Air, out of his life, and back into the Hollywood Hills fast enough. There, tucked away in her beautiful vintage house with two little dogs was a woman who needed him, who loved him for who he really was, and whom he loved with all his heart and had since he was a teenager.

He only hoped that when he got there, it wouldn't be too late to apologize and tell her he was ready to commit.

He took a look at the red roses and wrapped gifts on the passenger's seat, which he'd removed from his trunk after Cheri had disappeared inside. I've been showing up with red roses and Animal Crackers and an apology for too long, he thought. This is the last time I stand her up or do anything I have to apologize for.

His only regret was that when shopping for Stevie's birthday present, he'd thought twice before purchasing the diamond ring he intended to give her as soon as all of this was settled.

Don't give up on me yet, Stephanie, he prayed, hoping the universe heard him. I love you, and I'm finally ready to choose you.

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