Stevie was trying her best to get home for the holidays. She missed her family so much and she was dying to leave the city for a while before tour started up again. Everything was all packed and ready to go, Christmas presents had already been sent ahead of her to their destination, she just had to do this one last thing.
She called a car and waited for it, a present wrapped in shiny red paper with a big silver ribbon sat on her lap. She stare ahead, completely zoned out until she was shaken out of her thoughts by the phone ringing. The car had arrived, she was told. She put on her coat, and a red velvet beret, tucking the present under her arm with her bag thrown casually over her shoulder.
"Here goes nothing" she says to herself. The car ride felt much longer than it was. It must be the nerves. Upon arrival, the driver gets out and opens her door.
"Shall I wait for you, Miss Nicks?" The older man asks.
"Hmmm" she thinks, biting her lip. "I tell you what- wait here a little while and if I'm not back in...ten minutes, you can leave"
"Thank you, miss" he says and heads back to his side of the car"
"No, thank you. I appreciate it. It's Christmas Eve. You shouldn't be out driving me around, you should be with your family" She digs around in her bag and produces a few bills. "Here. Thank you again" she says, handing him the money and his eyes grow so wide.
"Oh my God, I can't take this" he says, tying to give it back to her.
"Yes you can, don't be silly. Merry Christmas...David" she tells him, finding his name on the badge pinned to his lapel.
"Wow, thank you so much, Miss--"
"Stevie, call me Stevie"
"Merry Christmas, Stevie" he says with a bright smile.
He gets back into the car and she turns to the door, present in hand. She takes a deep breath and knocks softly. She waits a couple minutes then hears the door unlock before it opens.
"Hi, Merry Christmas"
"Merry Christmas" They stand awkwardly in front of each other. "I'm sorry, come in" He stands aside and lets her pass, closing the door behind them.
"Are you alone?" She asks, knowing it was rude of her to ask. "I know it's none of my business..."
"Yeah, I'm alone. Carol and I are, uh, taking a break."
"Ah" she says, nodding. "Um, I brought you this" She extends the gift out in front of her, holding it in her small delicate hands.
"For me?" She nods. "Steph, you didn't have to"
"I wanted to, Linds. Open it" She urges and he takes it gently from her hands.
"Before I do, would you like something to drink? I can take your coat, you just make yourself at home." Lindsey says. He places the present on the coffee table and takes her coat from her, hanging it up in the hall closet. Beneath the coat she is wearing a dark red dress with a high neck and long sleeves, black tights and black suede platform boots. Her necklaces clipped about her throat are a jumble of different metal tones and styles but she could always make things like that work. Placing her bag on the floor, she sat down on the couch and he went to put the kettle on for tea. She crossed her legs, waiting for his return. She spotted his record collection across the room and decided to be nosy.
"Hmm..." she sighs, leafing through his vinyls, all in pristine condition. "The Rolling Stones, Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell...all the usual suspects" she says aloud, talking to herself per usual. "Oh!" She stops, finding a Holiday Collection. She pulls the record gently from its sleeve and dust cover, placing it oh so softly on the turntable. She places the needle down and the music fills the house.
