Decades

Gift of the Magi: The Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll Version

"I thought we'd already settled this," Lindsey said, clearly frustrated. "The only thing we had left to work out was whether that reporter was going to press charges, right?"

"Well, it's a little more complicated than we'd hoped. The straightforward approach would have been simpler, but I think we've worked something out that will keep you out of jail and will benefit us as a band as well as Henley and his band," Mick explained. "Keeping you out of trouble so you can tour is our primary focus. If you have assault charges against you, you'll no doubt be seen as a flight risk. You have access to a private plane, for fuck's sake."

Stevie squeezed Lindsey's hand encouragingly. "So, what's that going to mean for us, Mick?" Stevie questioned. "What do we need to do to keep Linds out of trouble and to be able to keep the show on the road?"

"Well, we've spent half of last night and most of this morning working this out. But, we've worked a miracle, somehow," Mick announced proudly, "you'll be happy to know."

Lindsey and Stevie were side by side on the sofa. Lindsey had one arm around Stevie, and she was holding his other hand. John and Christine wondered at how quickly and easily they'd assumed the posture of an inseparable couple who couldn't keep their hands off of each other when only days ago they could barely stand being in the same room together.

"So, you're back to....." Christine asked, gesturing to the fact that they were wrapped around each other, "this now?"

"Yep," Lindsey and Stevie said in unison. "This is what we've wanted all along," Lindsey began, "so we're back together. We're giving it another go!" Stevie finished.

"And they're finishing each other's sentences. How cute," Christine said sarcastically, with an eye roll.

Stevie stuck out her tongue, and Chris gave her a genuine smile and a wink.

Mick hated to rain on the couple's parade with the complicated details they'd worked out to keep Lindsey and the tour out of trouble. But they needed to understand what was expected of the band and of them individually.

Mick and the rest of the Fleetwood Mac management team and their media experts, the band's individual managers, the Eagles' PR team, and Don's management had been in communication with the magazine that employed Russell, the reporter Lindsey sabotaged with Stevie and then physically assaulted, twice.

Russell had uncovered the damning photos, and nobody was happy about any of them becoming fodder for the public. The Eagles had a connection to the main shareholder at the magazine and reached out to them and presented the problem. After much back and forth, they agreed to promote Russell but move him to a job on the East Coast. So, he'd be getting a raise and a position in New York City. They thought he'd be pleased enough with the move that he would agree to the magazine's terms, which were turning the photos over and all of the negatives, killing the story, and not pressing charges against Lindsey. It would be as if none of it ever happened.

Mick explained this to Lindsey and Stevie. The two were visibly relieved, even though Lindsey was angry that Russell was essentially being rewarded for what he'd done. Stevie was just relieved that the photos wouldn't be made public.

Lindsey noticed before Stevie that something in Mick's expression told them that there was more to the story. "Mick, what else?" Lindsey asked intensely.

Lindsey was playing with Stevie's hair, twisting it around his fingers and pulling at it lightly. Stevie had one hand in his, her thumb stroking the back of Lindsey's hand. With the other hand, she ran her fingers lightly over his thigh, which seemed like an intimate gesture to be done during what was essentially a business meeting. Mick noticed.