Let Me Help You

Last chance

Stevie lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling and she didn't even feel how her hand gravitated to her stomach. She wiped away a tear, feeling empty. She had gone through the second abortion, despite the fact she wanted kids more than anything. She knew in her heart that because of how she got pregnant, by whom she got pregnant, she simply couldn't dedicate her love to a small, innocent child, who would look up at her, with their eyes, that didn't belong to Lindsey, stretch out their little arms to be picked up and all she could think of would be her shameful past.

At that moment, all Stevie wanted was her mother. She felt like that small child herself and she needed someone to take care of her, soothe her and say it's all going to be okay. It saddened her that she had no idea how her family were doing, she didn't know whether her parents were healthy, she didn't know what was going on in her younger brother's life.

There was a phone on the nightstand by the bed, but Stevie couldn't decide if she should or shouldn't. Hearing her mother's voice would work a miracle on her, but on the other hand if Barbara still wanted nothing to do with her, the pain of rejection would only make the current situation worse and most likely she would fall into deep depression.

She had nothing to lose, since she had lost everything already, so Stevie picked up the receiver and dialed the number she knew by heart.

"Hello?" Stevie couldn't speak right away, she couldn't believe she had her mother on the other end of the line. "Hello?"

"M-mom..."

"Stephanie..."

She heard Barbara gasp. "Yes, mom, it's me. I can't believe you picked up."

"I... I'm speechless. I don't know what to say right now. H-how are you? Where are you?"

"I'm much better comparing to the last time we've spoken. I, uh... I'm at Lindsey's."

"Wait, you mean your Lindsey's?"

Stevie laughed softly, nodding to herself. "Well, yes. He found me, so to say. He was completely terrified by the state I was in and... my job... So, he came back a few days ago and brought me back home with him from that place."

"Oh, God has finally answered my prayers! What are you going to do now?"

"Lindsey insists on me staying with him, he wants me to try music again."

"That man is such a sweetheart... Are you two...?"

"He's got a girlfriend, mom. She's wonderful and dating is the last thing on my mind right now."

"I understand, but you know... If he makes a move..."

"Mom, we haven't spoken in over two years and you're telling me I should hook up with my ex again!"

"I know, I'm sorry, just that what he did is very nice."

"We're friends, I need Lindsey to be my friend. Now tell me what's been going on with you all?"

As Stevie was speaking on the phone, downstairs Lindsey was trying to do whatever came to his mind in order to keep himself busy. What happened today affected him more than he thought it would and he couldn't allow himself to dwell on it.

He had just sat down with guitar in his lap, when the doorbell rang. He groaned, annoyed to be disturbed and went to check who wanted to see him. Lindsey couldn't say he was surprised once he opened the door.

"How may I help you?"

"Cut the crap, you know why I'm here."

"No, I don't think I do."

"You stole something from me that I own."

"Frank, is it? Well, you're a fucking asshole. You can't own a person!"

"Just give her back and I'll be on my way. Stephanie!" Frank yelled, feeling that he won't get anywhere by just talking.

"You leave her alone. You've caused her enough pain as it is."

"Look, buddy. She was basically living on the street, when I found her."

"Real hero!" Lindsey stood with his arms crossed, trying to control himself so he wouldn't tackle the man to the ground.

"Hey, what's wrong with sucking dick a few times a day, when you get something to eat, somewhere to sleep and some cash on top of that."

"You ruined her life you piece of shit! I've never seen her so self-conscious, so fragile, so... not herself before you."

"Jesus Christ! If she's so fucked up, give her back to me and go on with your life!"

Stevie heard the commotion and came down to see what it was about, only that she regretted it immediately, once she saw who Lindsey was arguing with.

"Why don't we let Stephanie decide for herself?" Frank noticed her and Lindsey turned around to find Stevie standing behind him.

"Go upstairs."

She shook her head, almost hiding behind Lindsey, once he turned to face the problem again. "Leave, Frank. I'm not going back with you, I don't want to see you ever again."

"I'm losing money, babe. Once the word spread around that you're gone, we don't get half the customers we used to. Come on, we had a nice thing going. Let's just go back to how things were."

"No. I'm staying with Lindsey. I've gone through enough being with you, you forced me into doing things, if I didn't comply, you would starve me and beat me, Frank. How is that a nice thing that we had going on?"

"You're being dramatic."

"How can you say that? All I had been to you is a piece of ass, Frank, that you could have for yourself and also make money out off. Have you ever thought of how it all made me feel? Do you think I did all of that because I fucking enjoyed it?!"

"Well, what's not to enjoy when you're the talk of the town?"

"I can't listen to this anymore." Lindsey said. "You're completely delusional."

"Steph, come on, let's go."

"No! Not now, nor ever again! Leave me alone, let me pick up the pieces of what's left of my life. Forget about me!"

"You know, you're going to regret your decision if you stay with him?"

"No she's not and stop with your petty threats." Lindsey stepped aside to shut the door in Frank's face. "Don't show up here again or I will call the police on you, Stevie's body is bruised badly enough to still have marks as evidence."

"I'm giving you one last chance..."

Stevie heard the warning in Frank's voice, but before she could reply, Lindsey closed the door with force and locked it. Almost simultaneously, he pulled her in his arms, holding her close. "He won't do shit, don't worry about that jerk."

She put her hands on his face and reached up to plant a kiss, however small it might have been, on his lips. "Thank you for standing up for me."

"Always." Lindsey smiled, kissing her forehead, stroking her back. "You're not as upset as I thought you were going to be."

"Because I just spoke to my mother, Linds." Stevie beamed, Frank already gone from her thoughts.

"Really?"

"Yes! I told her how I ended up with you and she told me that things at home are just fine, we talked for about twenty minutes and it was... God... I missed her so much!"

"Now this is how I like seeing you." Lindsey replied with equal enthusiasm, holding Stevie at arm's length. "Maybe we should go on a road trip."

"Where to?"

"Phoenix, Arizona."

Stevie's eyes glistened with tears as this time she gave Lindsey a proper kiss, unable to separate herself from him.