Fall From Grace: The Dance Thriller, Part 2

Maybe I Made The Whole Thing Up

Paradise Valley, Arizona
Wednesday, July 2, 1997
(9:30 pm)
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"I would sacrifice anything come what might for the sake of having you near...in spite of a warning voice that comes in the night and repeats, repeats in my ear..."

Jess was the birthday boy so he'd picked the music, and Frank Sinatra was singing "I've Got You Under My Skin" from inside the kitchen windows as they all sat out in the yard, taking in the warm Southwestern night air and drinking port - all but Stevie, who had been drinking iced tea and laughing along at the playful taunting of her family who could drink alcohol because they were not pregnant. Lindsey had forced out of his mind the sight of Kristen ordering a decaf coffee when they'd met about the paternity test.

"Looks like somebody has overdone it tonight," Jess said, pointing with his cigar in hand to his daughter, who was struggling to stay awake with her head in Lindsey's lap on the deck chair they shared.

"Shut up, Daddy," Stevie mumbled as everyone laughed. "I'm carrying your grandchild and I need my rest."

"That you do," said Jess with a smile. He stubbed his cigar out in a nearby ashtray and rose to his feet with a groan, turning to his wife. "Let's get on the road and let the young people party, Barb," he said. Barbara was on her feet with his words.

"Yeah, it's getting late," Barbara agreed. "We're going to take off."

Christopher and Lori stood up, and everyone took turns hugging and kissing goodbye. Barbara bent down to kiss Lindsey on the cheek, trapped as he was by Stevie across his lap. She said, "Put her to bed so my granddaughter in there gets some rest too."

"I will," Lindsey promised. "Good night, Barbara."

"Good night," she said. "I love you, kiddo." She bent down further to kiss her daughter's head as she had when she was a little girl. "And I love you too, Teedee-bird. Go to bed."

"Good night," Stevie murmured, half asleep, and Lori walked Jess and Barbara to their car.

"Time to get a little action going!"

Christopher waited until his parents were out of sight before he produced a rolled joint from his pocket and fell back into his deck chair with a groan. "You in, man?" He looked at Lindsey.

"Do you have to ask?" Lindsey waited for Christopher to light the joint and take two hits before reaching across to take it from him. He inhaled deeply, and as he exhaled and Stevie smelled the marijuana smoke wafting through the air, she squirmed in his lap.

"You guys seriously suck," she said, covering her face with her hand. "I can't drink, I can't smoke pot...you people are killing me."

"Oh I've been there," Lori called out to her sister-in-law as she walked across the grass to return to the group. Lindsey passed the joint to Lori, and she took a hit as she sat down beside her husband, to whom she passed it when she was done. She looked over towards her husband and said, "Hey Chris, before you get too stoned, could you check on Jessi? I'm not sure the central air is working well in that part of the house and she'll wake up if she gets too hot."

"Roger that," he said. "Just one more and I'll go inside." Christopher inhaled from the joint again and held in his smoke, and on his exhale, stood up from his seat. He look down at Lindsey. "Ready for this?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," said Lindsey. He looked down at Stevie, who was fully asleep now in his lap. Looking back up at the man he'd considered his brother-in-law for twenty-seven years, he said, "I think I'm going to get a little practice tonight with Sleepy Nicks over here." The three remaining people laughed.