Kristen and Leia are becoming close friends, and I am proud of my daughter for taking a girl who's been going through a lot at home, under her wing. She's visited our house many times since our embarrassing run-in, but neither me, Lindsey, nor her acknowledge it of course. It is the afternoon before Lucy's birthday party, and Kristen already arrived a few hours ago and her and Leia have been in her bedroom getting ready since.
"I feel like this kid is moving in with us!" Lindsey complains as we walk out to enjoy the sun on the back porch.
"Oh stop it, she's really no bother, and I think she helps Leia come out of her shell."
He grunts and sips his coffee, remaining tense with me as I try to change the topic onto our approaching holiday.
"Lindsey! Something is up, I can tell!"
"Just..." He places his drink down as if to start a speech. "Agh, it's nothing, you're right...I'm stressing over nothing."
"Good, I don't want you not speaking to me on our anniversary weekend." He winks and I gather our empty mugs to take back to the kitchen. Before I can return outside, the phone rings and I get tied down in a conversation with a friend of mine who's a bit of a train wreck. She tells me her divorce has just been finalised, and so I reluctantly agree to dinner with her and few of the other girls.
"Baby?" I sing as I pull on my sunglasses and hat again.
"What's up?"
"Anna just called, she's in need of some friends tonight, and I said I'd..."
"I guess that's fine, I mean...You won't be back late right?"
"No, no, I'll be back just in time."
He pulls me onto his lap and I slap his chest.
***
"Why can't mom just take us?" Leia whines as her and Kristen get in the car.
"She's going out last minute with some friends, and she won't be back in time to pick you up. Also, you surely trust my driving skills more than hers?"
"But you're boring dad, you're gonna ask us too many questions and we'll be tired and then you'll get mad at me and say I'm lying!"
"Ok, well...You promise to behave yourself, and they'll be nothing to ask!"
"Ok, ok! Thanks for the ride dad."
Leia jumps out, slamming the door behind her.
"Thank-you a lot Lindsey." Kristen says behind me and I automatically smile at her politely before she steps out. It's not exactly disrespectful of her, but she's only ever called me Mr. Buckingham before, and so I will add it to the long list of very little things that make me wish Leia was growing closer with someone more suitable. But I know Stevie will just sigh at me if I tell her how I really feel, and I am not in the mood to fight her.
***
All I try to do is give Anna some friendly advice, but she's had one too many drinks and so she thinks she can get at me with some pretty bitchy comments, so I leave earlier than expected. Honestly, I wish I'd never made the mistake of thinking she'd be a friend on a deeper level, seeing as nowadays she only throws what I have confided in her in my face. I mean a two-time divorced woman with three kids from three different deadbeat guys, who thinks it's appropriate to make remarks about an affair my husband had years before I even met her, has a lot of nerve and not in a good way. I can't wait to get home and just see Lindsey because I know he will make me feel instantly better. He isn't around when I get in, and so I know he must be on his way to pick up the girls when I see his car is gone. I wait for my bath to run with a glass of wine that turns into two, and when I finally get in I am a bit too relaxed. So relaxed even that I must've fallen to sleep, because when I next open my eyes I feel a tell-tale grogginess and sit-up to take out the plug and dry myself, changing into a silky peach gown that tends to drive my husband crazy. I take extra care to be quiet for the girls, as I notice his car back in the drive, and am practically silent as I ascend the stairs. I push open the master door and freeze as I notice that my lamplight illuminates more than one apparently slumbering body on our bed. When I finally manage to speak, I tap into a darkness I never even knew I could I feel toward another living thing.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE LINDSEY?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"
YOU ARE READING
The Years Disappeared
FanfictionStevie had always wanted the best for Lindsey, and she knew he was capable of attaining it. She'd just never have imagined that this was the type of success he'd wanted.
