September 14, 2004
"They want you to check you're happy with the agreed questions."
Stevie glanced at the sheet of paper Karen was holding up in front of her, unable to turn or talk as her lipstick was being applied.
"Uh-huh." Her eyes flicked back and forth across the paper. "Uh-huh."
Karen began to move away.
"Ah! Ah!" She pointed at a question about Sheryl and wagged her finger 'no'.
"Yeah, I said they probably wouldn't get that past you. I did tell them beforehand not to ask."
Stevie rolled her eyes emphatically. Someone had leaked about the baby very soon after they announced it at the airport. Sheryl had said it was probably the concierge but Stevie had her own ideas about who it might have been. Since then, interest in the couple, which had inevitably waned after the initial excitement about them announcing their relationship, had hit a new peak.
Stevie, especially, was furious. Being on tour meant press event after press event. She had very soon brought in a blanket rule that no one publicly discussed the baby or her relationship, period. She wanted to protect Sheryl and their privacy at all costs.
This had admittedly gotten easier to do once they'd left Sheryl in LA after doing a run of shows there in June. She was beginning to feel the physical toll of the pregnancy and promised Stevie she'd take it steady, focusing on preparing herself and the nursery. Stevie was desperate to get back to her, and aside from the shows that had had to be postponed until next year when she was in hospital, tonight was the last night of the tour. One final press booking to go today; a fluff piece with the boys on Detroit breakfast TV. Easy.
"Ready to go?" Lindsey, accompanied by a show runner, poked his head around the door. She checked herself in the mirror and slid down from the stool as Karen passed the runner the questions, any reference to Sheryl scratched out. Taking his outstretched hand, they met Mick and John in the hallway and followed the runner to the studio.
She linked her arm through John's as they walked.
"Last one, Johnny."
"Thank Christ. I can't stand being asked about the bloody boat much more. I might sell the fucking thing just to make them ask about something else."
"You should do something dramatic, give them something else to talk about."
"I think we've had more than enough drama between the three of you without me getting involved. What did you have in mind?"
"Have an affair with Stevie," Mick mused. "Did the trick for the rest of us."
"How do you know we aren't already?" She playfully kissed John on the cheek before rubbing her lipstick off it with her thumb as he blushed.
~
Stevie's cheeks were starting to ache from the plastered on smile. It was ridiculously early, and the obnoxious news anchor and his chirpy little barbie doll of a co-host were too sickly to be believed. They'd rolled through the usual stream of questions and things finally seemed to be wrapping up.
"I just have to say, congratulations, Stevie."
Her eyes flashed and she felt her band mates shift either side of her. In her peripheral vision, some panicked activity took place and she knew Karen would be in the middle of it. Remembering she was on live TV, she counted to ten and cleared her throat.
"Thank you." Her smile didn't reach her darkening eyes.
The news anchor pulled out his earpiece. Barbie was silently freaking out.
