Sweet Girl (Love Is..., Part 2)

You Come Running Out In The Wind With Me

Fleetwood's On Front Street
Lahaina, Hawaii
Saturday, May 26, 2018
(7:00 pm)
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"Last-minute look...do I look seventy?"

Stevie stood in the driveway of Mick's restaurant beside the car after Lindsey opened the door for her and she stepped out, the heels of her black suede boots digging into the soft gravel and sand. She tossed her hair, which she'd kept straight tonight except for a few bouncy waves at the bottom, and for a moment, he was too mesmerized to respond. She wore a black velvet blazer and long matching skirt, a billowy silver camisole beneath, and he had not been able to stop looking at her since she'd appeared in the foyer of Mick's house and told him she was ready to go to her birthday dinner.

"Seventy?" He wrapped her in his arms for a kiss, but before his lips met hers, he said, "You, angel, look like the most beautiful, amazing thing I have ever laid eyes on, and do not look seventy...you look like a ray of sunlight and I love you more than you'll ever know, birthday girl." And with that, he kissed her. "Ready for your birthday dinner, angel?"

Stevie took a deep breath in and out. "Yup...lead the way!"

Lindsey was trying his best to contain his smile as he led her through the entrance, knowing what waited on the other side. When they reached the glass paned door, he stopped her and turned towards her and said, "Happy Birthday, my beautiful Stephanie...my sweet girl...I love you."

Stevie smiled and stroked his cheek. "I love you too, sweetheart." Those were the last words she said before the door opened and shock set in.

"Surprise!" Every person Stevie had ever met, she thought, had crowded into Fleetwood's On Front Street and were clapping and cheering for her as Lindsey walked her through the doorway and into her surprise party. She looked around at a blur of familiar faces and felt tears come to her eyes before she looked at Lindsey, who was grinning proudly.

"Lindsey...what did...my God, I..." She was too in shock to form sentences. All she could think to do was throw her arms around him and pull him tight against her. "I love you so much," she whispered into his ear.

"Happy Birthday, my love!" Mick burst forward from the crowd to hug her, and soon, everyone was crowded around her to do the same. She found herself surrounded by people and voices and love, and someone had begun to play "Celebration" by Kool & The Gang, and somewhere in the middle of the crowd she caught Lindsey's eyes on her, and she smiled at him. Their eyes held over the crowd for awhile, and all she could see reflected back to her from the blue eyes she'd first seen fifty-two years earlier was love.

It was that love that Stevie had always seen in his eyes that had been making her feel so terrible for the spot he'd been put in by Kristen, having to choose between that love and being a father...again.

It was that love she'd felt in a dream two nights ago when she'd been dreaming of her parents and the family barbecues in Arizona...only she was a teenager in the dream...she was Stella...and Lindsey was not at the barbecue and she was crying, repeatedly asking Barbara where he was but getting no answers, only a shake of the head.

It was that love that had made her wait until Lindsey left the house - running birthday errands he was keeping top secret - to call Kristen Buckingham on her cell phone number, and demand she hear her out. Kristen was at home, in the backyard, when she called, she'd explained. She had little time before she had to start dinner.

"Actually, I have to do the same," Stevie told her. "I know red meat isn't the greatest when you're in the age group Lindsey and I are in, but we have a little pact going on - no red meat except steak once a week as a treat. I got the recipe from my brother, a damn good griller of all meats."