Where I Belong

Part 13

"I have something for you." Lindsey said to Kristen, while they waited for their order.

Over a week overdue, they were celebrating their wedding anniversary. Although, calling it a celebration might have been a stretch. Kristen was reluctant to even talk to Lindsey since that night he'd spent at Stevie's, so it took some convincing that it was important to him and that he truly wanted to do something together.

Lindsey pulled out a giftbox from the inside pocket of his blazer and placed it in front of Kristen, who didn't seem too excited to find out what was inside. "Aren't you going to open it?"

Lindsey gritted his teeth hearing a heavy sigh. Without much enthusiasm, Kristen reached for the gift and revealed a pair of diamond earrings. She looked at them for about three seconds before putting the box away.

"Thanks."

What a waste of money, Lindsey thought. "You're welcome."

"Sorry, I didn't get you anything." Kristen said, though, she didn't sound sorry at all.

Annoyed, Lindsey sat back in his chair. He looked around for their waiter, briefly considering asking for the check for the wine glass that Kristen hadn't even touched and going home.

"How's the fish?" Lindsey asked a little later.

"It's alright." Kristen shrugged, cutting off a piece. Her eyes were everywhere but on him while she chewed.

Lindsey wished he hadn't been so persistent. Suddenly they had nothing to talk about and neither one of them was having a good time. Well, at least he tried.

"Is there something on your mind?" Lindsey spoke up again.

"Like what?" Kristen cocked her head slightly to one side, arms crossed over her chest. 

"I don't know." Lindsey gave a weak shrug of his shoulders. "Clearly something's bothering you. You've barely said a word to me since we arrived."

"Yeah, something's bothering me." Kristen nodded and Lindsey was already regretting opening his mouth. He should have waited until they were back home. "I know what you're trying to do, Lindsey."

Here we go. "What's that?"

"None of this is real." She said. "This dinner, the earrings, the way you've been acting at home lately. You fucked up and you're trying to prove to me that you're sorry." She paused, waiting for him to argue. "I don't think you are and once I've softened up, things are going to go back to how they always are."

"I did-" Lindsey lowered his voice. "fuck up and I am trying to show you that I'm sorry. I don't really understand how this is somehow wrong?" He frowned. "And what do you mean, things are going to go back to how they always are?"

"You'll no longer feel scared that I'm going to leave and you'll stop paying any attention to me. You only care when you've done something wrong, that's why I'm pissed off." Kristen emphasized. "You only treat me like I think I'm supposed to be treated, when you fuck up." She repeated. "I feel like you actually love me only when I'm angry with you."

Lindsey felt his phone vibrating in his pocket, hoping that someone was trying to reach him and it was an emergency. However, he realized that it was just a text message and taking a look would be a disastrous thing to do.

Should he sit quietly and take it? Should he fight back? 

Lindsey picked up his glass of water and took a large gulp first. "Well, when things are how they always are, you tell me to stay out of your way. You're busy with your work or with friends, with hair and nail appointments-"

Kristen scoffed. "Oh, I apologize for having a life and caring for how I look."

"That's not what I'm talking about." Lindsey sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Another text message, maybe someone actually did have an emergency. "All I'm saying is that-"

Kristen didn't want to hear it. She pushed her chair back and stood up. "Excuse me, I'm going to the ladies' room."

If they weren't in public, Lindsey would have likely shouted something out that he couldn't take back. He took a few deep breaths to calm down instead, ignoring several heads turned his way. What just happened?

Now that he was alone, Lindsey pulled out his phone. What if it was Callie and something happened to her? He looked at the screen and saw that it wasn't. Much to his surprise, he'd gotten two texts from Stevie.

'I can't stop thinking about you.'

Lindsey lifted his eyes up to look around briefly and didn't spot Kristen coming back. He could hardly believe what he'd just read. They hadn't talked or seen each other since the party, he had to stay away. When he read the other message, Lindsey shielded his mouth with his hand, so he didn't look like an idiot, grinning from ear to ear. 

'I hate you.'

 No, she didn't.