Return to me

Part 2: Just a ghost

Staring at his lifeless hand, Stevie couldn't bear it, needing to feel him breathe as she laid her palm upon his chest. She never thought that she'd ever get this close to losing him; Lindsey was the man that loved her more than any other and it broke her very soul to know she may not reconcile. 

"There's so much that I fear is left unsaid," spoke Stevie as Lindsey listened, not from his body but in spirit form.

"Go on, baby..."  he responded, wishing so much that she could hear him.

Just as Stevie was about to continue with her thoughts, she heard footsteps, Kristen and her three children at the door.

"Dad!" Stella was the first to run to Lindsey's side, eyes bloodshot from tears, looking up at Stevie with her bottom lip trembling. "What's going on...?"

"Oh, angel," Stevie walked to the other side of the bed to engulf the girl, both crying as LeeLee and Will joined in. It was Kristen that ignored the group hug as she went straight for her husband, bringing his hand up to her mouth as she kissed it. "He's in a coma," informed Stevie, though she figured Kristen knew anyhow.

"Any improvement?" bending over to kiss her husband's lips.

"Not at this time," wishing the answer was different, keeping her arms around the two girls as Will placed a hand to his father's shoulder. "I'm sure he can hear us," Stevie inquired, "...why don't you guys tell him that you're here, he'd love that."

Kristen was always bitter to the fact Stevie knew more about her husband than her, watching as her children tried to get the attention of their father.

Lindsey wanted more than anything to hold his children, be able to tell them that he loved them, that he would never leave. He knew that one day that time would come but he refused to let it be now. "I'm so sorry for being so stupid,"  standing near his children, "...I should have been more careful, maybe not having had that joint before I left; I'm so sorry..."  saying just above a whisper.

Stevie decided to stand back, allowing his family to gather around his bed, heading for the window as she watched the cars below. If he died and never knew how much she actually loved him, that would ruin her heart forever. This man was her everything, her heart, the very roots of her soul. How could she continue on with her life with out his hand in hers? With out a simple kiss on the cheek? To hear him call her, beautiful? She'd been called, beautiful, all her life but as she aged it stopped and Lindsey was the only one to continue. There was actually not even a time she could remember when he wasn't complimenting her in their later years.

Stealing kisses had been normal even if he was married, the times when they'd share a moment backstage, his arms around her waist as her head lay apon his chest. It felt so good, so safe to be in his arms; to have a man give his all in those simple seconds was more than she could ask for. There were times when it even got heavy, the kisses turning rough or passionate, his hands finding spots the sun never saw.

Sure, they'd jumped farther in to their friendship than should have but they'd once been romantically involved. Their love would never die but as Stevie watched him lay there as if a vegetable, it felt as if it was already dying...

"What are you thinking, Stevie?"  Lindsey asked, standing in front of her as she knealt against the windowpane. "Think about me, angel, because I am thinking of you,"  lifting a hand, attempting to brush the hair from her face as he always had. "You may think that this is hard for you but not being able to touch you is hardest."

His family stayed for hours, no change in Lindsey's condition, his doctor explaining more to the family as Stevie got lost in her thoughts.

"Why won't you record with me, Stevie?" Lindsey asked through the phone, Stevie letting out a long sigh. It wasn't that she didn't want to but the closeness, the realness of their relationship was becoming too heavy; she could very well tell that Lindsey was falling.