How Could You?

A note

Coming into the bedroom, Lindsey frowned, only seeing one small suitcase by Stevie's side of the bed. It didn't matter where they went or for how long, she would always take too many things. You never know what I might need, she'd say and Lindsey would roll his eyes, shrug his shoulders and put everything into the trunk of his car. 

"Steph?" He called out her name. "Steph?" He tried again, knocking on the bathroom door, seeing as it was closed. "Are you in here, baby?"

"Yeah, come in." Stevie was in the bathtub, bubbles covering her up to her neck. She didn't bother to look at Lindsey, when he walked in.

"You've only packed one suitcase." He said, sitting on the edge of the tub.

"What do I really need? I'll pack for you when I get out." She replied, sounding very distant.

"What's wrong, Stevie? Ever since I brought this trip up, you haven't been very happy." 

"Nothing's wrong." She shook her head, forcing a smile. "Really, I'm fine. I just thought I'd have more time to be lazy, before doing something again."

"Well, we don't really have to go if you don't want to. It's not like Mick will kick us out of the band if we don't come." Lindsey joked, attempting to cheer her up.

"He wouldn't dare, I know. Honestly, Linds, I'm alright." 

"Is this one of those moment, when you say you're fine, I walk away, but you're not actually fine and you get mad at me, because I didn't know better?"

"No." Stevie laughed lightly, smiling genuinely at him. "Please, stop worrying. Why don't you place everything you want to take on the bed?" 

"Sure, but I can pack for myself."

Stevie gave him a pointed look. "No, you can't. I'll have to start all over if you attempt to pack your own suitcase."

Lindsey fake pouted. "You don't have to be mean about it." He then dipped his hand into the water and splashed her.

"You're such a child!" Stevie laughed, placing her wet hand on his jean clad leg and pushed him off.

Bending over, Lindsey pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you."

"Love you, too." Stevie smiled, but it soon disappeared from her face, once she was left alone again. 

It wasn't the trip that got her upset, it was Sheryl's visit. She couldn't stop thinking about it. She doubted Sheryl would just disappear. The woman returned after ten years, she wasn't going to give up just like that. Stevie was afraid of what the reappearance of Sheryl could do to her and Lindsey's marriage. The guilt Stevie was feeling... She understood that what she did was a mistake now, but then? Then she had just reconciled with the love of her life and she would have done everything to keep them together.

Lindsey didn't listen to Stevie and packed his clothes for himself anyway, managing to do it well for once. Since they were leaving early in the morning, he thought, he would bring their suitcases to the car, that way saving a couple of minutes for tomorrow, knowing how Stevie was going to be without enough sleep. If he left her alone for a short moment, he'd find her under the covers sound asleep again.

Taking their baggage downstairs, Lindsey retrieved his car keys and stepped outside, unlocking the car first, before picking up both suitcases and loading them in the trunk. He then locked the car again and turned to reenter the house, but something caught his eye. 

It seemed like it was an envelope, placed right by the door. He picked it up and turned it over, but both sides were untouched by a pen. Frowning, Lindsey took it inside with him, going to take a seat first, before he opened the letter. 

"What's that?" Stevie asked, coming from behind, wearing a fluffy robe, her hair wrapped in a towel. 

"I'm not really sure." Lindsey shook his head.

Stevie thought she was going to faint any second now. She had no way of knowing what was inside, but she was terrified. There was a great chance it came from Sheryl and Lord knows what that woman had written down. 

Sitting down beside Lindsey, Stevie was nervously biting her lip, waiting for Lindsey to open the envelope. When he did, he found a folded piece of paper inside, that simply said...

Lindsey, we need to talk.

"What the hell?"

"Is there a- a name?" Stevie stuttered, swallowing the lump in her throat. 

"No, I don't think so." Lindsey said, looking the note over. "It has to be some crazy fan."

"Yeah, you're probably right." 

"I thought only you had stalkers." Lindsey joked and Stevie faked a laugh, but the last thing she found the short letter to be was humorous. "I was worried for a moment." Getting up from his seat, Lindsey crumpled the piece of paper in his hand and went to the kitchen to throw it out. Clearly, he didn't think much of it and Stevie should have been relieved, but relief was the last thing she felt.