Well, well, well....here we are my loves. The big 3-0. Can you believe we've made it to 30 chapters (and we're not even out of the 1990s yet!). There are some things I have come to learn during this time; 1) The Dance era Buckingham is my favorite Buckingham. Like he's the one I would most likely hook up with. My wife and my best friend Molly understand the reasons behind that. 2) I love Stevie Nicks and would go to the ends of the earth for her and 3) writing is hard. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I love you guys xoxo
September 1999
Stevie fluttered around the kitchen, in and out the back door, much to Lindsey's dismay. It was Max's first birthday and they were also celebrating Will's too, as Stevie was on bed rest and had to miss most of the festivities in July. While Lindsey understood that Stevie wanted everything to be perfect, he still worried about her health.
She held Lizzie in one arm to feed her as she helped Karen and Lori set up. He wanted desperately to tell her to sit down (and to stop exposing her breast to the entire world), but she had given him a job to do which involved starting the grill and setting up the picnic tables.
They were not (yet, he told himself) back together. They lived together, sure, but once they finally convinced their family and friends that they were just fine and no longer needed help, Lindsey had moved back into the guest room. To say he missed the loss of his body next to hers every night would be an understatement.
He had tried to broach the subject about maybe working things out, but it never seemed to be a good time and she still seemed to be under the impression that he wanted to move away from the city and, well, away from her too.
He didn't know how to tell her the thought of being away from her and their children made him feel hallow inside.
Once Elizabeth was fed and changed, Stevie put her in her bouncer on the kitchen table while the women worked on the food platters and the cake. They spent the whole time chatting and laughing.
Lindsey stood outside by the grill with Chris as he drank his beer and he listened inside.
"Lindsey, I don't mean to pry, but if you still love her, why don't you just tell her?" Stevie's brother asked the obvious question.
Lindsey shook his head, "it's not that easy and you of all people should know that. She is your sister."
Chris nods, "she is, but I'm not so sure she wants her kids growing up in a broken home. Especially one where her parents still love each other. You know she still thinks you're moving away?"
Lindsey nods, "I do."
"But you won't and the sooner you tell her that, the better. We both know she'll start distancing herself if she thinks you're leaving."
"You're right. I need to tell her; I need to tell her soon before I walk in one day and she's packing my boxes for me."
They both laugh and Stevie brings a plate of hamburgers and hotdogs out for the grill. "What's so funny, troublemakers?"
"Nothing," they say in unison. Stevie rolls her eyes and walks back inside. She never did trust leaving her brother and Lindsey alone together. They were always up to no good.
Stevie caught Max as he ran, or more like stumbled, by. He was still a little unsteady on his feet but determined to keep up with the big kids. His mother scooped him up and kissed his chubby cheeks, "hi there, birthday boy!," she said as she brushed some of his unruly curls out of his face.
He beamed at her, "mamas cakes!"
She laughed, "not yet," but she gave him a spoonful of frosting anyway before setting him down so he could play with the other children.
Lindsey walked through the sliding glass doors into the house to drop off the first plate of hamburgers. He smiled at Stevie, "cute apron."
Stevie rolled her eyes, "go back outside."
"It would look better if you weren't wearing anything underneath." He said jokingly.
She pushed him playfully, but couldn't hide the blush creeping up on her face and down her chest, which was exposed from the sundress she was wearing.
"In your dreams, Buckingham."
"Oh, I've had plenty of dreams about that," he replied with a smirk.
She laughed (or maybe it was more like a giggle), "get out of my kitchen."
"Okay, but you just save that apron for later," he winked at her before heading out the door.
When she turned back to her friends, they were all looking at her. She shrugged and went to check on Lizzie, as though nothing strange had happened.
"Oh my god, Stevie. Are you two back together?" Lori asked.
Stevie shook her head, "no, not at all. He's just been very...flirty. I can't figure him out. I thought he wanted to move away."
"Are you sleeping together?" Kristen asked.
Stevie laughed, "god no. I haven't even been cleared by the doctor for sex and even if I were I don't think I would be sleeping with Lindsey. I don't even know if I'd want to."
"Why not?" Lori asked, as she picked up her fussing niece from the bouncer on the table.
"We have a good thing going with the kids right now and I don't want to mess that up. Plus if he does still intend to move, I don't want to get my heartbroken anymore than it already has been."
Kristen and Lori both glanced at each other and shrugged. Stevie was right; Lindsey and her had both put each other through hell and maybe it wasn't the best decision for them to give it another try. It wasn't just them anymore and it wasn't the 70s. They had children to think about.
After the party began to wind down and the clean up crew (Lori, Chris and Kristen) had finished their job, the adults sat around the fireplace drinking wine while William and Max dozed amidst the pile of toys they had received. Elizabeth was snuggled comfortably against her father's chest.
At some point, Stevie's head had landed on Lindsey's shoulder. After two kids only eleven months apart, she had trouble holding her liquor. She was passed the phase of being buzzed and onto the phase of being sleepy. He kissed the top of her head and she smiled as she rubbed her daughter's back gently.
The house began to finish clearing out and Lindsey and Stevie tucked their children in. Once the door to Lizzie's room was closed, Stevie leaned against it.
Lindsey walked out of Max's room and found Stevie across the hall. He smiled, "you, missy, need to go to bed."
Stevie laughed, "you can't tell me what time to go to bed, Linds."
"I know, I'm still worried about you after....everything," he said, tucking some hair behind her ear.
She smiled at him and nuzzled her face against his palm, "I'm really okay. I swear."
"I know, I just thought...I thought that I was going to lose you," he said; voice shaky and tears in his eyes. He titled his chin up to look her in the eyes and brought his head down.
Her breath hitched and when he leaned down to kiss her, she let her lips brush over his for the briefest of moments before she pulled away.
"You know we shouldn't do this," she remarked, leaving him standing in the hallway as she made her way to her bedroom and closed the door behind her.
