I Sing For The Things: A Birthday Love Story

I'll Take Off My Cape For You

Santa Monica, California
Saturday, May 27, 2023
(1:30 am)
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Lindsey couldn't remember a time when Stevie didn't have at least one dog to tend to before they could be alone together.

When the limo arrived in front of her building that night, Stevie announced to Lindsey in between kisses that she had to make sure Lily and Luna were okay when they got upstairs - that they go out to the terrace to do their business on the pad, that they had fresh water, that they were occupied with their little dog cookies so they wouldn't be hyper and bark in front of someone besides Mom and Aunt Karen, the only two people they'd really been seeing there at night these days. She explained this all from where she sat on his lap, arms around his neck, words murmured there in between soft, sweet kisses on his skin that were driving him crazy, making him wonder if it wasn't his birthday and not hers.

"You go ahead and do your dog mom stuff," Lindsey said, smiling at her as he brushed the hair from her face, his hand lingering against her cheek and making her eyes flutter closed with a soft sigh. "I have a surprise or two to set up when we get up there anyway."

Stevie had no idea what more "surprises" he had planned, but she was sure of one thing as they rode in the elevator together and she rested her head against his chest as he held her - this was it, the last chance she'd never imagined they would ever have, and she was never going to run from him or push him away again. She closed her eyes and sank deeper into his embrace, letting him rock her gently to the faint sound of the elevator music, which, they both were beginning to realize, was a flute-like version of an old Journey song. Stevie let out a slight, almost imperceptible "Mmmmm" as he wrapped his arms tighter around her, and realizing what song was playing, she almost began to cry as his voice, in barely more than a whisper, began to sing along to the instrumental version of the song.

"They say that the road ain't no place to start a family," he sang softly into her hair as he rocked her in his arms. "Right down the line, it's been you and me...and lovin' a music man ain't always what it's supposed to be...Oh, girl, you stand by me...I'm forever yours...faithfully." He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her tighter, and that was when she felt the tears well up into her eyes. "I am, you know," he whispered in between lyrics. "I've been forever yours since I was twenty years old, angel...and I'm never taking that for granted again."

Stevie felt a single tear begin sliding down her cheek, burying her face into his chest. They were just about to get to the top floor where her apartment was as he sang, "And being apart ain't easy on this love affair...Two strangers learn to fall in love again...I get the joy of rediscovering you...Oh, girl, you stand by me...I'm forever yours...faithfully..."

"Lindsey..." Stevie's voice was small and tearful as she lifted her head from his chest to look up at him, almost pleading with him with her eyes that it was all too much, too sweet to bear. Lindsey's response was to cup the back of her head in his hand to lead her closer to him so he could kiss her forehead.

"Will you let me do as the song says and get the joy of rediscovering you, angel?" He smiled sweetly at her, using his thumb to brush away a tear from her face. Stevie's eyes suddenly turned dark with nervousness, knowing what he meant.

"I'm seventy-five today," she said. "It's not the same as it was, you know."

"It's always the same whenever I touch you," he said. "Perfect."

The elevator doors opened then on the ninth floor of the building near the Santa Monica Pier that Stevie had called home for almost twenty years. Stevie felt suddenly as if she was a young girl being escorted home after a date, holding hands with Lindsey as they walked towards her apartment door. Lindsey had several shopping bags in his other hand, bags containing the "surprises" he'd promised were still in store for her as part of her birthday celebration, and when they got into her apartment, he hoisted the bags into his arms as she turned on the light in the foyer.