Fall From Grace: The Dance Thriller, Part 2

High Priestess, She's The Keeper Of The Peace In This

Meadows Music Center
Hartford, Connecticut
Wednesday, September 17, 1997
********************

Marty Hom was fit to be tied.

The moment he saw Lindsey walk in the door for soundcheck, Stevie beside him, chatting away to Karen and with Sharon Celani trailing behind them holding two little dogs in her arms, he ran up to them and demanded to talk to Lindsey alone for a moment, "with no offense to you ladies." He pulled Lindsey into a corner of the dressing room area, Stevie waving them both away in the crowd and the small entourage that was the Stevie Nicks concert team chattering and fiddling and giggling their way into a dressing room with the slam of a door. Lindsey found himself in a dressing room that Marty locked him into, and when the light came on, he also saw Mick, John and Christine standing there.

"Listen up, and listen good." Marty approached the four members of Fleetwood Mac who were in the know, wagging a finger at them like they'd been naughty children and Santa was coming. "This is the situation. Gary Briggs called the box office concerned because he's in contact with his ex-wife and she sounded unstable. It was unclear if she is here in Connecticut or if she was going to come here. He implored them not to sell a ticket to her, and he described her as a late-twenties blonde who is average height, blue eyes, six months pregnant. She told him a few sentences about Stevie that seemed harmful, and praised you, Lindsey." Marty folded his arms across his Fleetwood Mac t-shirt. "Start talking."

"We dated for awhile in March of this year," Lindsey began. "When Stevie and I got together again in April, I took Kristen out to coffee and explained we had to stop seeing each other. She seemed upset but no more than usual for a breakup. Apparently, before this coffee date, we were not as careful as I thought, and she got pregnant. She told me she was on the pill and I took her at her word."

Christine was the first to admonish him. "Oldest trick in the book, Lindsey, for fuck sake! How long did you see her for?"

"Just about a month," said Lindsey. "I wasn't even sure we were exclusive; that's how short a time! When she told me she was pregnant I demanded a paternity test...it could have been anyone's."

"And it's yours? You saw?" Christine watched Lindsey nodding sadly.

"Yes. We met for coffee again, I supplied the swab...and the results were clear."

"This is my question," Mick broke in. "Why the hell didn't you share this information with Stevie?"

"Stevie told me she was pregnant the same day as Kristen emailed me her own sonogram...it all happened so fast and was so emotional...we were both so happy...Mick, I am not going to stand here and defend that to you, okay...I love Stevie! For Christ sake, I asked her to marry me...and that was before the baby!"

John, who had been silent until now as was his way, said, "Look, Lindsey, no one in this room is against you here, okay? We know you love her, we know you are getting married and having a baby, and that's not up for debate. Let's not turn on each other, mate...we have to figure this out."

Christine, ever the voice of reason in the band, placed a hand on her ex-husband's shoulder as she stepped out in front of him. "Look, while all of us are playing the goddamn Love Connection here, the question remains...How do we protect Stevie? If there's a crazy person out there who means her harm, let's put aside the bullshit and figure out how to protect your pregnant fiancé from harm. That's really why we're here, isn't it?"

The four men looked down at the floor for a moment before Marty sprung into action. He explained the extra security measures at the doors and backstage, and cautioned everyone not to say a word to Stevie.