Going Back

Showdown (Him)

I ushered Kate along a bit, trying to get her to my dressing room as quickly as possible.

"Lindsey!"

The tone in Stevie's voice made my blood run a little cold. I'd seen her mad before, but this, this was a whole new level.

"Stevie, why don't we all step..." Karen was cut off before she could even get the thought out.

"Lindsey!"

I placed my handed protectively onto Kate's shoulder and took another step.

"Lindsey Buckingham! Don't you dare walk away from me!" She was walking at a quick pace, taking large strides towards me. I stopped briefly, turning to acknowledge her. I knew she meant business.

When she reached us she gave me a look that I never wish to receive again, instantly telling me that she was furious and that we would talk later, but immediately turned to Kate and softened.

"I didn't know you were coming tonight, Kate, but I'm so glad that you did. It's great to see you and you look just wonderful, sweetheart," she brushed one of Kate's curls out of her face with a genuine smile.

"Hi, Stevie." Kate gave her an awkward hug.

"How long will you be here, dear? I'd love to spend some time with you if you can manage it?" I watched the uncertainty in Stevie's expression, the almost pleading in her voice very carefully.

Kate glanced over to me, almost searching for reassurance. I slightly nodded my head to her, encouraging her to spend some time with Stevie as I'd been pleading her to do.

"I- I'm not sure how long I'm staying but I'd like that," she said with a small smile. "Are you going to dinner tonight?"

Stevie told her that she would be there and Kate advised us she was going to pop into my dressing room and freshen up. As soon as the door closed Stevie spun around to face me, and I knew she was ready to unload.

I had a pleading look in my eyes when I asked her to walk down the hall to her dressing room, not wanting this to be any more public than it had to be. I placed my hand on the small of her back but she immediately moved away at my touch, almost as if I had burnt her. "What is your problem, Lindsey? How could you do this to me?"

"Do you really want her to hear us have this conversation, Stevie?" I was seething. I refused to have this fight within earshot of our daughter.

She began to read me the proverbial riot act in a somewhat muted tone on the way to a closed door, and once we were inside she let it all go. She paced the room, a steady steam of anger directed at me. If looks could kill I'd be a dead man. 

"WHAT were you thinking, Lindsey? How could you possibly pull her into this? You just threw her to the wolves. And just to spite me? You could have said something, Lindsey. She has NO IDEA what's coming for her. The press is going to be all over this and what are we even going to say? How would we even begin? And oh my god my boys. Shit. What a mess. I wanted to do this the right way, Lindsey! For her for all of us! She's worth that!"

She stood and faced me, her jaw set.

"You're using her to hurt me, and of all the shitty things you've done to me in our lives, Buckingham, this has got to be the absolute-"