The Mistakes We Made

Part I

March 2017

It was the day of the release party of the new Fleetwood Mac record and Stevie was sitting in a car on her way to a luxurious hotel in Los Angeles. Mick had insisted that everybody had to come and stay overnight in one of the many hotel rooms they had booked especially for tonight. Stevie wasn't very keen of that party. Her latest solo tour had stretched her to the limit and she was still suffering severe pain in her left foot and her hips in general. Still, she had gritted her teeth, had put her black platform boots on, and was now driving down Sunset Boulevard.

"There she is!", Mick greeted her enthusiastically when Stevie walked into the room twenty minutes later. He put an arm around her, guiding her through the crowd, while somebody thrusted a drink into her hand. The room was already filled with many people who were obviously enjoying themselves, chatting away and laughing while some electronic dance music could be heard in the background. "I'm so glad you came."

"Of course, I did, Mick. I had to swear it to you."

"That hasn't stopped you before!", he laughed.

Stevie rolled her eyes in response, "Where is everybody else?" With everybody else she meant Christine, John and Lindsey.

"Chris and Johnny are somewhere over there", Mick pointed at the crowd of people in front of them, "But I have no idea where Lindsey is. I haven't seen him yet."

Stevie furrowed her brow. That was weird. Usually, he was the first one to arrive wherever they went, always over-punctual. She decided to not give it another thought and fought her way through the mass of people until she could see Christine with a gin and tonic in her hand, talking to a few men of the music industry Stevie had met a few times. She joined them rather quickly and greeted Christine warmly with a hug.

"It's good to see you, Stevie!", Chris said, "I'm so glad you came, though you're practically not even part of the new record.."

"I had to.", Stevie sighed, not even trying to give the impression that she wanted to be here, "Mick made me swear to come."

Christine chuckled in response, "You know him. He just wants everybody to be here. This band means everything to him."

"I know.. That's why I'm here."

"Just try to enjoy yourself until it's appropriate to disappear again.", Chris laughed and took a look at her watch, "You can leave in about three to four hours."

"Ugh.. God, I'm too old for parties like this!"

"Me, too, honey. Me, too."

"You know, it definitely was more fun when we were drugged up."

"Definitely!", Chris said, raising her glass and downing her drink in one gulp, "I need another one."

Stevie chuckled when she watched her friend run after one of the waiters to get herself another drink.

"Hey..", she heard someone whisper in her ear and she instantly turned around.

"Lindsey!", she smiled, hugged him, then frowned as she pulled back and saw the look on his face, "What's wrong?"

"Can we talk?", Lindsey asked quietly and the way he looked at her made it almost impossible for her to say no.

"Of course."

He took her hand and guided her outside on the rooftop of the building.

"What happened?," Stevie asked as soon as they were out of earshot, "Why are you so late?"