Karen lets you hide in your room for the first day, but only because you agree to sit down with her and catch up on actual work. You're a miserable bitch, but she can handle you after 25 years together.
"If you don't finish this stuff with me today I'm dragging you to a miserable hotel room in a miserable city and locking you in there until you're done."
"Can I sleep first?"
"No."
"Will you at least order food?"
"Fine," she says shoving some notes in front of you while she calls room service. You're not even looking at them but as long as she thinks you are, she'll leave you alone for a minute. All of these attempts are useless until Lindsey is back.
"Stevie, what are dates in front of you?" Karen interrupts your thoughts again, sitting back down.
You scan them quickly and realize you have no idea what you're looking at. "August 17, August 18, and August 26," you reply, trying to be a smartass, knowing she's asking what they're being blocked out for.
She doesn't think you're funny. "Oh my God, you're worthless today. Call him."
"No! I have to do it in person."
"Do what?"
"I don't know," you reply, irritated. "Fix whatever it is I screwed up this time."
"The two weeks before you left were great. Whatever it takes to go back to that, do it," she says. She grabs your phone and dials for you. He doesn't answer, and you know he's not taking your calls. She looks apologetic as your eyes mist over, and you duck into the bathroom to compose yourself. It doesn't work, and you're still sitting in there on the edge of the tub ten minutes later when she knocks gently.
"Karen, I don't want to talk," you say, dabbing at your eyes with a tissue.
"I don't believe that for a second." You make a sound to express your annoyance, but she ignores you. "Lori's joining us for lunch so if you want to like, put a bra on and brush your hair before you eat with us that would be lovely," she says playfully. You obediently put on some clothes and wrangle your hair into a braid as they set the food out on the table.
"Nice of you to come back to us," says Lori, clearly irritated with your behavior.
"Lori, I can't deal with you bitching at me today. I'm ready to talk to you but if you're going to be like that then get out." She furrows her brow, realizing that you're not kidding.
"Spill."
You sigh and sit down, suddenly no longer interested in food. Actually, you probably never were, but it sounded like more fun than whatever Karen was making you do. You grab a fork and start to fiddle with it while they wait for you to talk. "Did you tell her anything, Karen?" She shakes her head. You knew she hadn't - Karen was a vault. "I've been seeing Lindsey."
"You're what?"
"It's not like that, Lori. You know we didn't. Not after Will came. You know Stella has been sick - which is why we're waiting to start back up - and he's been running back and forth to Los Angeles. He told me a few weeks ago, before he knew about the transplant, and I agreed to go with him when he went to see her. Anyway, he's there with her and he wanted me to go. I went. You have a pretty good idea where this is going..."
"Stevie, honey, you made it so many years without an affair... why would you do this to yourself?
"Because he's divorced." Both of them gape at her, not really sure what they just heard. "It was finalized this week.
"He actually did it," Lori says, her voice full of disbelief. "So you and Lindsey...."
"Well, we were. And then I freaked out when there was a discrepancy in the terms, decided I needed to get out of the way, and left him at my condo," you say, speaking quickly. It feels good to get it out. You haven't said a word to anyone about this, and you've been dying. "I stayed at Christopher's for the night and came here the next morning and by the time I'd landed he'd worked everything out and finalized everything, but I abandoned him. Stella is in recovery and he just ended a 17 year marriage and he asked me to be with him and I left."
"I take it he didn't respond too well," says Lori, softening as you talk, sensing that you're fragile right now.
You shake your head. "No. I haven't talked to him since he called to tell me he's divorced and he's coming back as soon as Stella gets discharged."
"Which will be..."
"Probably tomorrow."
"Then what?"
"I don't know," you admit. "I'm sort of waiting to find out how badly I've hurt him. His biggest issues with me was that I abandoned him. It took him ages to get over that. And I already did it again," a sob forces it's way out of your throat and you get up, signaling that they should stay where they are. It takes you a solid ten minutes, but eventually you figure out how to send a text, knowing that even if he wouldn't call, he'd read your message.
"I'm so sorry I left. I regretted it almost immediately, and if you would have let me I would have come right back. I love you so much and I can't wait to see you."
You send it and stare at the screen for a minute, rereading what you wrote. You toss the phone on your bed and check yourself in the mirror, ready to rejoin the girls. Before you open the door, your phone makes a sound and you grab it, knowing he's responded.
"I'm on my way now. I love you and I'll find you when I land."
Your heart leaps into your throat, and you rush to fill the girls in. Karen knows you're not getting any more work done and finds Sharon so she can take all of you shopping. Even that isn't a good enough distraction, and you ramble all day long about him, knowing they're annoyed. They love you enough to let you chatter endlessly,
Karen forces you to have dinner with the rest of the band. She could only do so much covering for you, and you had to show your face. You fidget constantly, finally understanding the compulsion to check your phone. You knew that he probably wouldn't be in for hours, but it didn't make it any easier to pay attention to the people around you.
Suddenly, someone walks into the room and you almost jump out of your chair. He returns your smile and opens his arms before anyone else even notices he's there. You sprint across the room and almost tackle him, making him laugh as he sweeps you up in his arms, kissing you. Holy shit, he's kissing you. In front of everyone.
He takes your face in his hands, leaning his forehead against yours. "I'm so sorry, Lindsey. I shouldn't have left you."
"It's okay, we're okay."
Mick is the first to speak up. "Someone care to fill us on on what the hell is happening right now?"
