The next morning came quick for everyone, except Stevie. She was up at five, and just shortly after seven, decided to turn up the volume on the radio so loud, the entire house began to stir.
She knew they were all hungover, so to make up for waking them at the crack of dawn, she did make breakfast for everyone to cure their stomachs and headaches.
"Did you sleep well?" Stevie had a plate in one hand and a glass of orange juice in the other as she slipped out onto the patio.
Nora was sitting in the chair at the table, head in her hands as she let out a puff of smoke. "Slept like an Angel." She mumbled, cracking a light smile when her mother set her plate down in front of her.
"Well, you are one." She smiled softly, taking a seat in the chair next to her.
They sat in silence for a moment, both of them listening to the sound of the birds chirping and the sprinklers watering the grass.
"You know what... I'll give it to him," Nora held her cigarette between two fingers as she used the same hand to bring her juice up to her lips. "That man might not remember you these days, but he made sure the women in that bar knew that he was taken." She wasn't shocked, but she was impressed with him.
He was sixty- six and had a woman half his age interested in him, yet he didn't even care beyond sharing a short dance... There were a lot of men that wouldn't have that sort of respect for their wife, sadly.
Stevie sank down, eyes falling to her wedding ring.
She hadn't had the same ring their entire marriage. No, she started out with a thin gold band, but after a couple of months, when they started making real money with the band, he bought her a ring with a little diamond. And eventually, on their twenty anniversary, she got the one she was wearing now.
He was a good gift giver. He always had a way of surprising her with stuff to show he loved and appreciated the things she did for him... and oh, she did a lot.
"I am so nervous to tell him the truth." Her heart hurt just thinking about it.
It overwhelmed her, it really did. Their life was hectic, chaotic, untraditional and everything else you could think of.
He was only seeing the small tidbits of a complicated marriage.
Nora pursed her lips to one side, shifting in her chair as she thought about that for a moment. "He is all about you, mom." She raised a brow, inhaling again out of nerves. "And I'm not saying to lie to him..." she lingered, holding out a hand. "But if you don't want to tell him everything, maybe you don't have to." She was never one to take sides... Ever.
But she also didn't want any old issues to arise... stuff that had been done and over with for years. Bringing up old heartache just didn't seem worth it to her, but she also wasn't married.
She didn't know what it was like to share a life with someone for that long and then suddenly they wake up, without any recollection of it.
"It was so weird last night, Nora." She lingered, chewing the inside of her cheek as she took her daughters words and just thought about them for a moment. "When he kissed me, I didn't like it." She admitted, even though it really pained her to do so.
Nora sat there, just listening as she continued to smoke.
"It's been a long time since he's only wanted one thing like that..." she was so upset- she didn't know who else to talk to about it with.
She didn't want to bother Karen, or the other girls. And she couldn't possibly talk to her sons, nor would her friends understand.
Nora always got the brutally honest portion... always.
"I don't know, mom." She shrugged softly. "But I will say, why cause havoc, if it's not needed?" Nora wondered. "What he doesn't know won't hurt him..." she added, passing her the box of cigarettes and the lighter. "Take a chill."
~~~
Lindsey felt awful that morning. He had a super bad headache, and really nauseous... It didn't help that he was still taking some medicine from the accident, either.
But what he felt worse about was the distance between him and his wife.
She wasn't being mean, or anything like that. No, she still made sure he was okay, got him breakfast and sat with him at the kitchen island, but he could feel it.
He wasn't sure what he did the night before- he remembered some, but a little bit was fuzzy as well.
"I'm going out today with some of my friends to get a manicure and a pedicure..." she lingered, sipping her coffee as stared at him from across the counter.
Their house was still overflowing with people. The kids were in and out, but most of them were on the back patio, eating and complaining about drinking too much the night before.
He nodded lightly, kind of sad that she was leaving, but also aware that they probably needed some time apart as well.
Lindsey was certain that they weren't together as much as they had been on a normal occurrence. She hadn't gone anywhere alone since he'd gotten home, which he knew probably wasn't normal.
"Did I do something to upset you?" He didn't want her to be mad, not in the slightest.
"No, not at all." She quickly assured. "They've just been asking me to go out to lunch and we haven't hung out in a few weeks, so I figured I'd go for just a few hours." Stevie added, biting down on her lower lip as she watched him push his food around his plate. "Is that okay? If you don't feel comfort, I'll st-"
"No, Steph." He shook his head, cutting her off before she got the chance to tell him that she would stay back. "You need to go, have fun." Lindsey could tell that she needed it... she needed some time to play normal, and he was more than understanding.
"I appreciate that, sweetie." She patted his hand, pushing herself away from the counter.
He nodded, eyes following her around the kitchen.
She was wearing a long, loose fitting black dress with a sweater over her arms and her coffee in her hand.
She was so perfect to him- everything about her was beautiful and confusing. His feelings were so conflicted, it was almost too much to handle.
"Nora is going out tonight as well, so it'll just be the two of us when I get home." She announced, already nervous just thinking about it. "Maybe we can watch a movie, or go for a swim... or a walk?" She felt like she had to have something to do to keep him entertained, especially without the kids being around.
Lindsey cracked a little smile, nodding his head. "I can't wait to spend some time alone with you."
