Storms

New Chapter

The next morning, Lindsey's phone is ringing loudly on the nightstand.

"Baby" Stevie says, nudging him as he groans and growls like a bear being woken up from hibernation much too early. She stifles a giggle, lightly scratching his neck and back. "Baby"

"What?" He grumbles.

"Your phone."

"Get it, it's probably Jen."

Stevie rolls her eyes and reaches across him to grab the phone. She presses the accept button and puts it to her ear. "Hello, Lindsey's phone" Stevie says and Lindsey smiles. Looks like he's got himself a sexy little secretary. He will have to keep that game in mind for later. "Oh," he hears her say, followed by another few seconds of silence. Lindsey sits up, gathering the covers around him.

"Who is it? he mouths.

"Kristen" Stevie mouths back and he reaches for the phone. She hands it to him, and he immediately places it to his ear.

"Hello? What happened?" Lindsey asked, thinking after last night she wouldn't be contacting him again unless it was urgent.

"This is probably the only time I'm glad she answered the phone. After how I acted yesterday, you probably wouldn't have let me talk to her."

"You're right. You were way out of line and I'm not ready to make nice yet. What did you say to her?"

"I apologized. I know it was wrong for me to come to your place and treat your new...fiancée and daughter that way. I was shocked to see them, if I'm being honest. I hoped you would be alone." Lindsey gets out of bed, pulling on a pair of boxers, the phone clamped between his ear and shoulder.

"Why?"

"It's not easy for me to say this but...I love you. I tried to hate you, I did. I tried to tell myself not to forgive you, and I wanted to cut you out completely. I wanted you to go away so it would be easier for me to grieve you."

"What?" Lindsey asked, confused by what he had just heard. He made his way to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.

Kristen becomes emotional and he can't stand hearing the tears. "Lindsey, I don't want us to be over. I don't just love you, I'm in love with you. I don't want to throw away twenty years like this. I thought I was ready to give up, but I'm not. I'm not over you."

"Kristen, I..."

"Please, Lindsey, don't marry her. We can make this work. We were so in love, we have three beautiful children and we were happy."

"We were happy, we were in love...those are past tense, Kristen. I have always loved, Stevie, you knew that. I don't regret a second that I spent with you. In some ways, I know that I still love you but it's not the same."

"So you're done?" she weeps.

"I'm sorry."

"But I forgave you. I want all of our kids to know me love each other, I want us all to get along. I'm willing to work all of this out with you."

"I appreciate that, I really do. I hope all of my children become friends and we can move forward as a family. I don't want to forget what we have because it was beautiful but I'm moving toward a new chapter in my life"

"Without me"

"Not necessarily. The marriage is over, we are no longer together but I do care about you. I want happiness for you too."

"Okay." she says, at a loss of what to say.

"Please don't think this is easy for me either. We've got some growing pains ahead but one day, all of us will be alright."

"Goodbye, Lindsey"

"Goodbye" he says, hanging up the phone. He places it face down on the counter, pouring himself and Stevie a hot cup of coffee. He went back toward the bedroom but was met by Stevie in the hall.

"How did it go?" she asked.

"Fine." he said, half smiling at her.

"She wants you back, doesn't she?" Lindsey tenses but doesn't answer. He just hands her, her mug and takes a sip from his own.

"Would you like to make breakfast together or go out?" he asks, some moments later.

"Why are you avoiding my question?"

"I'm not, I just don't want to talk about it."

"Same difference" Stevie argues. Lindsey goes back to the kitchen in order to escape her incessant questioning. "Lindsey..."

"What, baby? Can't we just enjoy our morning? It's already been ruined once. You're usually the one to lift my mood, to make me happy. Do that for me now, when I really need it." She watches him as he looks through empty cabinets then moves on to the refrigerator. "Get dressed" he says without looking at her. She nods, walking down the hallway, placing her coffee mug on the nightstand. She pulls on leggings and a blouse, brushing her hair. She applied light makeup and sprayed on a little perfume. As she stared at herself, she felt tears spring to her eyes. She heard his conversation and though she didn't know what exactly Kristen said to him, Stevie knew how she felt inside. She felt guilty, something she hated to feel. In loving Lindsey years after they had broken up, she had ruined every subsequent relationship. Maybe she was conceited to think so but Lindsey had confirmed it time and time again. Their love could not easily be overlooked. It could be buried but it would eventually resurface, destroying the relationship of whoever was taken at that time. Stevie had left boyfriends for Lindsey and he had done the same, breaking engagements or relationships that might be going that way, all to chase Stevie. She stared at her beautiful ring, a sad smile appearing there before taking it off. She emerged from the bathroom to see Lindsey fully dressed in the bedroom. "Ready?" he asked.

Stevie shakes her head, moving toward Lindsey and giving him a tender yet passionate kiss on his lips. "Go to her" she whispers, taking her hand in his. He feels something lingering as her fingers gently unlace from his. She leaves the room, gathers her purse and sweater and Lindsey stands there slightly stunned. He feels a weight in his hand long after she had let go and he looks down. Hearing the front door shut, he realizes he has lost her again. The only thing he has left, is her ring.