David said he wasn't all that prepared for an interview so all the performances we taped would be perfect. I thanked him profusely and apologized for being a pain. He laughed and hugged me.
"It's alright. Take care of yourself. But when you do that interview, can you give it to me? I'll squeeze it in"
"Sure" He nods and we part.
Meanwhile, I am freaking out. My husband of 12 days is so angry with me that not only did he leave the studio, he left the state, deciding to fly across the country just to get away from me. Lovely! Karen gives me a snack she's packed for me so I can fight the churning in my stomach. She tells me I should really have lunch but I can't think about that right now. Karen checks with Lindsey's people but he hasn't made contact. Lindsey is the only person I know who can truly fly under the radar, me not so much. She calls to set up a private flight back to California but it will still take time before they're ready for us.
"But what if he's not there?" I ask, clearly losing my freaking mind with worry.
"We will cross that bridge when we get to it"
"I can't fly all over trying to find him. I'm exhausted, I'm hungry, my back hurts, I'm a nervous wreck..."
"What happened back there?"
"You saw when David noticed that the card said 'Stevie and Lindsey Buckingham' right?"
She nods. "And the interview went to shit."
"Yes, yes it did. So David, Lindsey and I went to talk about it and I neglected to mention one tiny, but very important detail of our life and he absolutely, positively lost his mind" I say dramatically and she stifles a laugh.
"What do you mean, what did you leave out?"
"I kind of didn't say that we are having a baby"
"Stevie...no"
"I thought that we could discuss one thing at a time"
"You didn't say that, did you?" I averted my gaze. "Stevie, you know how he feels about the secret thing. This is what broke you guys up before"
"I know, I'm an idiot, okay?"
"You said it, not me. Remember that"
"And I yelled at him for the bagel" I add.
"Anything else I should know about, so I can fix it?"
"I don't know. I'm just so scared I messed this up"
"Shhh I'm sure he needs to cool off"
"He could have cooled off in the studio, he could have cooled off at the hotel...did we check the hotel?"
"We sent someone there already and he's gone. He said he was going to California"
"With an aching in his heart?"
"Not a time for jokes, Stevie"
"It's not a joke. Did he say it or did he not?"
"I don't know."
"I know where he is"
"No you don't."
"Just listen to me. When we came to New York City for the first time with Fleetwood Mac he and I snuck off and went down to the record store in Times Square and listened to Zeppelin until someone came looking for us. We got in so much trouble! We still laugh about it"
"I highly doubt there is still a record store in Times Square"
"Trust me. Wherever that used to be, he's there"
"Fine"
The driver took us to Times Square and traffic was horrific.
"Im getting out. There's no way I can find him like this" I say, growing even more impatient.
"You can't be serious! You're very well known, it's freezing out there, you're teeny tiny and you're pregnant...something could happen to you!" She warns but I'm not thinking, I'm feeling.
"I need to find him" I tell her, desperately.
"Alright, but wait for security to catch up then we can go" I nod but did I mention I'm impatient? It feels like I've been waiting forever for the body guards to arrive and they let me out. I link arms with one of them and I point in the direction where I remember it being. I look around, trying to remember 1975. I close my eyes and I feel like this is the right place. The breeze blows my hair and I look in that direction. There in the distance, I see him. I throw down the body guard's arm and go to him instinctively. He's looking down at the ground with a cup in his hand, walking the sidewalk away from the place the record store was. He looks up and we lock eyes. He half smiles and I pick up speed, almost running toward him now.
"What are you doing here? How did you find me?" He asked when I get to him.
"Zeppelin. We got in so much trouble but we had so much fun"
"I remember"
"Karen has to cancel my flight, unless you want to come back with me"
"Your flight? To where?"
"California. They thought you were serious but it was code. I knew it was a message to me" He looks at me briefly, before looking down at the ground again. "I'm sorry" I tell him.
"It's okay"
"No, it's not. None of what I did is okay. I lost you by keeping you a secret and now I don't want to tell the world about our baby? It's not like we can hide forever, no matter how much we try. I love you, I love our baby girl and I can't be scared anymore. I just need to know that you won't leave me" I start crying and he holds me the best he can without dumping the hot liquid in his cup everywhere.
"Let's go back to the car and we can talk. You must be freezing"
"No more running away from me?" I ask, wiping my tears.
"No more. I must have scared you to death" I nod and he pulls me into his side. "I'm sorry"
We get back into the big black SUV and he sips his drink. Karen looks surprised.
"Wow, you were right Stevie"
"I'm always right" I say.
"Happy wife, happy life" Lindsey says and I smile at him.
"Is that so?"
"Yep" He takes another sip of his drink.
"What are you drinking?" Karen asks.
"Hot chocolate"
"Where on earth did you get that?" I ask.
"The record store is now a coffee shop. They play some pretty good tunes though"
I smile at him and he leans in so we are forehead to forehead.
"You guys make me sick" Karen says and we laugh.
"I love you" he tells me.
"After all I put you through?"
"Yes baby, no matter what, I will always love you. You are my everything."
"I love you too."
"You know, you scared me too when you ran off" he tells me.
"I was just outside"
"When I left you had been gone for a half hour"
"Get this, she bumped into me and it was like it never happened. 'Oh, I was gone?' kind of thing going on. She just appeared out of nowhere" Karen tells him, gesturing wildly with her hands.
"She always does that! She's like a ninja. Scares the shit out of me" Lindsey says.
"I have ears, you know! You act like I'm not even here!"
"Calm down" they both say, then laugh about it. I roll my eyes and slouch in my seat, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Kar" I say, trying to get her attention.
"Hmm?"
"You might want to cancel our urgent flight to California."
"Right!"
We are taken back to the hotel and we talk everything out, Lindsey and I. Our 'I'm Sorry' kiss is a steamy one. Before I know it there are clothes everywhere and we forgive each other many, many times.
A/N- Oh my angels I am so sorry! My phone is dumping its stored memory and my photos disappeared completely. I'm having a mini melt down about it so to distract myself I was writing. I accidentally hit publish on a part that comes a few chapters ahead. Comment and let me know if you want a mass update to catch up to where the unpublished chapter would put us. It's kind of a lotto read,I just didn't want it out of order. I'm so sorry you guys! -Ericka
