Decades

Too Bad What Happens in Vegas Doesn't Stay in Vegas

Stevie arrived at her suite, did a generous bump of coke, and quickly packed up everything in her room. She knew she had more engagements over the next couple of days and wanted to be a professional, so she hadn't planned to leave town just yet. But she wasn't sure she'd be doing them any good with the things that were about to hit the fan. So, she booked herself another room at another hotel and called for a car. She was on her way to her new hotel before Lindsey's car dropped him off at their current hotel.

She was a mess. Things had broken down so swiftly after her abortion that she'd never told Lindsey any of what happened. They'd hardly had a conversation. She certainly didn't want him to find out at all now, especially not this way. Meanwhile, things were probably going to be over with Don as well. She was going to be left alone and punished because of that jerk reporter and Lindsey's hair-trigger temper.

Since Rumours, so much of her personal life had played out in front of the world. But, the pregnancy and its termination were things she'd have preferred to keep quiet. It still hurt her that she'd had to make such a hard decision and didn't have Lindsey's love or support. She'd accepted Don's, and he'd been great, but halfway around the world most of the time. However, it was different. Lindsey was the man whose support she most needed. The support she always craved.

She checked into her new suite and immediately began making phone calls. As a public figure, before she began even to consider her personal life, she had to run damage control. The whole world would disapprove of her cheating on the much-idolized Don Henley, especially with her former lover, who had a lovely, young "fiancee," as Lindsey had referred to her.

Would her fans look down on her for having an abortion? It was the right thing for her life, for Don's, for Lindsey's and the band's. But, some people would still hold her choices against her, and she feared the effect that would have on the band and her career. Her reputation was always being scrutinized.

Stevie phoned her assistant and asked her to contact a public relations firm on her behalf. She then called Christine. She mostly needed a friend right now. The Fleetwood Mac machine would roll into action to protect them as much as it could. She was confident.

When Christine picked up the phone, it was immediately evident that something was very wrong with Stevie.

"Hi, Christine," Stevie greeted her friend.

"What's wrong, Stevie darling?"

"Absolutely everything," Stevie responded, tears and sobs immediately following.

Stevie told her everything that happened. Christine hadn't known the details of Stevie's "illness" but was able to connect the dots pretty easily as the story unfolded. Christine was heartbroken for Stevie and wished she had confided in her so she could have offered her support. Fucking Lindsey, why couldn't he have just talked to her, and he could have been there for her too.

Now, she'd probably have a smear campaign against her for doing the right thing for herself and those around her when she chose to have an abortion. Her relationship with Don would suffer from those damning photographs. And the situation with Lindsey would no doubt deteriorate upon having such a bomb dropped on them. This didn't bode well for her friends or the band.

"I'll make arrangements to fly out for the remainder of this fucking media circus, maybe I can take the heat off of you guys, or if nothing else, be there so you won't have to sit in this alone," Christine offered. She was already throwing clothes in a bag so she'd be ready for the first flight out.

Christine spoke with Mick and explained the whole story, though he already had bits and pieces from that reporter when he called to ask for a quote. Mick immediately made some calls to his boss and wasn't sure they'd be willing to kill the story. If they did, that damned reporter would shop the photos and the details around to the tabloids. If this were to happen, the publication said they'd have no choice but to publish first; they couldn't be "scooped" that way and retain their cutting-edge journalistic standards. What a joke. This salaciousness was the stuff of gossip rags.