Wide Open Spaces

Stay My Love

Stevie and Lindsey had stayed by their son's bedside night and day. When he awoke, he was in pain and the doctor came in to monitor him as he had put him on a round of medication. The medicine made their boy so sleepy and it worried them both, but at least he wasn't in pain.

Stevie couldn't stop crying. How could something like this happen? They were told he was lucky to have only sustained a couple of fractured ribs, a broken leg, a massive concussion, and a little road rash when it could have killed him. The impact on his body was so great but he was a strong boy. They both knew that Dylan, like his twin sister, had always been a fighter.

Stevie was a mess. She worried about her son of course, but what about Callie and their baby daughter Iris? Obviously her parents were well equipped to take care of them while Dylan was in the hospital but she missed them so much. Lindsey was in and out, talking to doctors, making phone calls and getting coffee for each of them that Stevie never drank. Stevie very rarely moved from her position in the chair beside his bed. If she did, it was only to use the bathroom. The two of them, Stevie and Lindsey, had barely spoken the entire time. Days were filled with silence and machines, making things harder on both of them.

Dylan was woken up to try to eat with the help of a nurse propping his pillows, his pain was a lot less today and he even gave a small smile to his mother. He grew tired quickly, however, and he was asleep again in no time. Stevie stroked his soft waves and kissed his face. "I wish I could take this from you" she whispered, tears in her eyes.

"I wish I could too" Lindsey said. He looked at her with such sadness in his eyes and she had to look away. Then she remembered the confirmation of his love from a few of days before. She would do anything to feel his arms around her, comforting her instead of feeling so alone but how would they get back to that?

"I'm sorry" she said, a single tear falling down her cheek.

"For what?" he asked.

"For Brock, for this whole thing...I caused it."

"You did not" he told her firmly.

"I set it all in motion. My mistakes created all of this"

"Stop that right now. You didn't do anything. Yeah, sure, I was upset over Brock but I'm letting it go. I can't lose you again. You mean way too much to me to let someone like him get in my way for a second, third, maybe fourth time. Hell no, Stevie."

"But I--" she begins but is quickly interrupted by a kiss on her lips. He pulls away, watching her reaction. He smirked, seeing an instant change in her.

"Tell me, did that feel like I'm still mad at you? Did that feel like I don't love you and forgive you?"

She touched her lips with her fingertips. "...No" she said finally. "Can I...play you a song?"

"Sure" he says, not quite sure what to expect. She digs in her bag for her iPod and hands him the ear buds.

"If I listen, I'll cry" she says and he nods. He puts the earbuds in and watches her look for the song she needs. She presses play and watches as the music hits him.

Won't you stay, my love
You come and go
Won't you stay, my love

Want you to know you give me just enough
Won't you stay, my love