Decades

In Another Life

Did I do this? Was it my fault? When Stevie heard that Lindsey had a heart attack, those were her first thoughts. Did what happened with the band cause him this much stress? Or did taking away his choices about his life break his heart? Her mind raced.

"Stevie, are you going over? You're not far from there. You should be there when he wakes up," Christine told her friend.

Christine heard nothing but Stevie's dog barking on the other end of the phone, "Are you there, darling?" Still no reply, "Stevie!!"

"Is he going to....?" Stevie couldn't finish the question.

"I'm not sure how bad it was, but he was in the right place. If you're going to have a heart attack, being surrounded by medical personnel is the place to do it. Lindsey's always had excellent timing," Christine said, trying to lighten the mood. But, lightening Stevie's mood was impossible.

Christine again suggested that she go to the hospital. She'd known the two of them for all of these years, and it was crystal clear how they felt about each other. If Lindsey was teetering between life and death, Christine was convinced that Stevie's voice was the one that would bring him back. "Honey, if he hears that voice of yours, he'll come back because he wants you to love him, sing with him, or fight with him. He's never been able to resist doing one or the other. You need to go to him."

Stevie didn't speak. She couldn't. All Christine could hear was her shallow breaths into the phone. "Answer me, Stevie. Are you alright?" still no answer. "Are you alone? Who's there with you?" Christine asked.

There was a thud at the other end of the phone, but no response from Stevie.

—--------

Karen led the paramedics back to the living room, where Stevie had passed out. Her blood pressure was very low, and she had a bleeding head wound where she smacked her head on the corner of the piano bench when she fell.

Karen had found the phone on the floor and hung it up without checking to see if anyone was on the other end. Stevie had come around but seemed especially confused. She was telling the first responders that she couldn't go to the hospital because she might upset Lindsey, and he didn't need to die because of her or some particularly addled nonsense.

Karen thought that her head injury must have been pretty terrible.

"She's going to need a few stitches, ma'am," the young paramedic said. "And her blood pressure is really low. I believe she's suffered a concussion," Karen was told as they carried her out on the stretcher.

Stevie reached for Karen, still mumbling something about Lindsey dying if she went to the hospital. Karen thought she must have really taken a serious smack to the head, and she was very concerned about her. She went to grab her phone and her bag as Stevie was loaded into the ambulance.

Karen's telephone was ringing. She saw that Christine was calling her, so she answered the phone. Christine immediately asked if Stevie was alright and explained they'd been on the phone when Stevie passed out.

Chris told Karen about Lindsey, and the pieces began to fall into place. Stevie had apparently heard the news and passed out. And now, she wanted to stay far away from the hospital where Lindsey was so she wouldn't risk upsetting him and further aggravating his condition. The paramedics seemed to think she was in shock.

At the hospital, Stevie was stitched up, and Karen was given instructions on how to care for her once she got home. She was still in shock, and Karen couldn't console her. Every time anyone walked by, Stevie almost seemed to duck, afraid it would be someone who was there with Lindsey. She kept asking about him but absolutely didn't want to see him. And begged and pleaded to get out of there before he saw her, and it killed him.