It's Up To You

Part 8

"She came on time twice. Twice." Lindsey emphasized. "Maybe we should just go ahead and do this without her."

"What, no!" Mick shook his head, adding. "Absolutely not. You know Stevie attracts a huge audience, way bigger than we could ever without her."

"I'm sorry." Lindsey scoffed, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "I forgot, it's all about money for you."

"That's not-" Mick didn't get to finish his sentence, when the door opened and Stevie tentatively walked in, holding Matthew's little hand in hers. 

"Hi." She greeted everyone at once, avoiding eye contact. "I had no other choice."

"That's alright, darling." Christine smiled, getting down to the boy's level, pinching his cheek and saying hello. 

"Not with every one of us." Lindsey murmured under his breath, but Chris heard it. 

She stood up, facing him, hand on her hip. "What was that, Buckingham? Didn't quite catch it."

"Whatever." He waved her off and put his guitar down, pushing past Stevie out of the room.

"I should have found someone to babysit, I'm sorry. Kim just left in a hurry and..." Stevie sighed, taking a seat on the couch, pulling Matthew in her lap. 

"It's okay, Stevie. I've brought my kids into studio, John has, too." Mick echoed Christine, saying with a smile in attempt to cheer Stevie up. 

Shortly, Lindsey returned, looking sour. "You've wasted enough of our time, as usual, so get your ass in the booth."

"Watch what you're saying." Stevie gave him a look.

"Come over here, sweet boy." Christine took Matthew's hand and switched places with Stevie, who hung her head low and did as told by Lindsey.

As they day progressed, Christine was getting more and more irritated with the way Lindsey was treating Stevie. He was short with her, he didn't keep himself from swearing and being mean to her, paying no attention to her requests of shutting up altogether if he had nothing nice to say, since she knew Matthew was going to pick up on this language. It probably wouldn't have bothered Chris that much, but when she was aware of what was going on back home... She didn't want her friend to be verbally or worse, physically, abused by her husband, then come to her bandmates and have to go through the same thing.

"Again!" Lindsey yelled and Chris had had enough of it.

"Seriously, Lindsey? Does it make you feel more of a man, when you're shouting at Stevie for literally no reason the whole day? There's no need to speak in that tone. Besides, we have a child in the room with us. Just try and keep your little tantrums to yourself, please."

"A recording studio is not a place for kids. I'm sure she's got enough money to hire someone." Lindsey replied with a shrug.

"Well, I'm sorry if I didn't have time or I would have come even later than I have. This is the first time I brought Matthew along, just cool down." Stevie spoke up, which she had been avoiding doing, simply so they didn't have any bigger arguments.

Out of nowhere, Lindsey started laughing, shaking his head. "Honestly... How is it always my fault? Is anything Stevie does ever her fault?"

"I can't be on your side on this one, mate." Mick joined in, glancing at Stevie, who had taken over Matthew, cuddling him to her chest, as he looked sleepy, before turning to face Lindsey again. "It's not the end of the world. Nothing happened at all, did it really?" 

"We all know it's not about Stevie bringing a kid in here." John, who usually stayed quiet, said what everyone was thinking, before he left the room for a smoke break. 

"And you're all wondering why I'm quitting this hell?" Lindsey asked rhetorically. "I think I've had about enough for today. As per usual, you've all ganged up on me and it's not a very pleasant environment to work in. So, I better leave. God forbid, I do something to upset Stephanie."

Sighing heavily, Stevie tried to stop him. "If it helps you, we don't have to say a word to each other. We do have vocals left to record, however, so why don't we do that."

"You can't order me around." Lindsey crossed his arms, looking anywhere but at Stevie.

"Oh my God, that didn't sound close to an order!" Christine exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air, as they then heavily dropped by her sides. "Grow up, Buckingham." 

"See, this is exactly what I'm talking about!"

"Would you stop playing a victim? Jesus Christ..." Stevie shook her head, getting up as she forced a smile to Matthew. "Mommy needs a breath of fresh air."

Stevie left with Matthew. It was only Lindsey, Chris and Mick now, but Christine turned to the latter, asking. "Could you give us a few minutes alone?"

"Are both of you going to be alive when I come back?"

"Mick..." 

"Fine." He rolled his eyes and walked out of the room as well.

"You can't be that mean to Stevie." Christine said as soon as it was just the two of them. 

"Here we go-"

"No, Lindsey. I'm serious." She said. "Stevie is..." Christine trailed off, looking away, before Lindsey's voice brought her attention back on him.

"What?"

"She's having a rough time."

"Is she back on drugs?"

"No, not that."

"Then what?" Lindsey asked, impatiently. "Tell me, why do I have to treat her like she's made of glass? What's going on? Come on, tell me." He urged, but Christine hesitated. She had made a promise to Stevie. "Why is she so fragile?" Lindsey added the last bit with a touch of sarcasm.

"Because..." Christine began, but she heard Stevie and Matthew coming back.