Storms

Second Chances

"Enough pictures!" Lindsey joked, prompting Stevie to tuck her phone back into her bag.

"You'll thank me later" Stevie assured him, "I think I got some really good ones."

Lindsey rolled his eyes playfully and Stevie swatted at him. "Did you set this up, Steph?"

"Perhaps. I wanted you both to sit down and talk, relax. I would like us all to turn off our phones and just enjoy spending time together- no rushing off, either of you."

"Thank you" Jenna said, briefly taking Stevie's hand across the table as they all sat down. Lindsey and Jenna both turned off their phones and Stevie smiled.

"And thank you." Stevie said appreciatively.

"You look different every time I see you" Lindsey said to Jenna, who sat across from he and Stevie.

"Yeah, I've been playing with my hair lately. It's trendy, fun."

"I like it. It's different." he told her.

"Thank you, daddy"

The waiter came to briefly interrupt, uncorking their bottle of wine and taking food orders. A sort of silence came over them once the waiter left and Lindsey fidgeted with his napkin. Stevie could tell he was working on something carefully in that mind of his. He had something to say. He opened his mouth to speak and she felt as if she could have counted him in. She knew him that well.

"Jen, I don't want to make you uncomfortable or make this night a complete downer but I missed you." Lindsey began. He looked down into his lap and Stevie took his hand in hers, squeezing it comfortingly. "I like having you around and well, it was nice when you would come by for dinner or to watch a movie. I liked going out with you girls and shopping, even though I hate shopping. It was being with the both of you that made it special and enjoyable. I kept thinking over what I could have done to push you away, Jenna."

"You didn't do anything, dad."

"Are you sure? It was so sudden. You would leave in the middle or turn me down, you stopped coming over..."

"It's mom." Jenna says. "That night she called me with a so-called emergency but really, she just wanted me to come over and gossip. It's usually fun but I was upset that it was really nothing. I stayed anyway, and we ended up having a lot of fun. It was kind of like a slumber party. Anyway, as I started spending more time with her, she convinced me that you wouldn't want me or have time for me. I talk about you and Stevie all the time, probably too much, and she kept telling me that you have a new life, and kids you have been with since birth and....I don't know...it started to make sense."

"I love you, Jenna."

"We both do." Stevie says.

"You're my daughter. I don't care who I knew first, I love you and I want you around. I might call your mother and speak with her. That wasn't fair of her to say. I want everyone in my life to get along and be happy together. Your mother, Kristen, Stevie and I should all be working together, not against each other."

"That's ambitious" Jenna says.

Lindsey's eyes widen and he exhales, as if he knows it will be an overwhelming task. "I know but I'm not really known for taking on easy projects, huh, Steph?"

"I swear to God, Lindsey, if you get me started on Say You Will, I will wring your neck" Stevie says, putting up a hand and both Lindsey and Jenna laugh.

"So as you can tell, it went really well" he said sarcastically. "But it got finished and it was a beautiful record. Like I said before, there will be growing pains but I have confidence we can all be civil at the very least."