Buckingham Nicks-Part II of Fritz Series

Family Man

June 1st 1975

"Lindsey, I need your clothes for the wash!" hunched over the desk in my childhood bedroom I cringe as my mother yells upstairs at me. I'm twenty-four married, gainfully employed, and a father of one soon to be two. Yet here I am sitting at home with my mom and big brother on a Thursday afternoon, two weeks after being tossed out of my house by my pregnant wife. The first time I called the house she didn't answer, I called again...Barbra answered. She's staying with Stevie and Sara until Nova is born. I called again on Stevie's birthday, Jess took them out to dinner. As a family. My family.

I called the next day and Barbra answered. According to her Stevie doesn't want to see me, and she didn't know why. She let me talk to Sara for about ten minutes until her cartoons came on. I miss my house, I miss my daughter, I miss my wife. I miss Ginny, I want to go home. Barbra told me to give Stevie some time. How much time? Nova is due in a week, will I even get a call?

Mom didn't ask many questions when I came downstairs the first day I showed up back home. After the first week though she gave me the third degree, I didn't tell her everything. Obviously. But I did tell her that Stevie and I had a huge fight, and she threw me out. "You've had fights before Lindsey, she's always taken you back" I love that all our fights have been MY fault and Stevie takes ME back...but whatever.

She's being unreasonable and just plain ridiculous about all of this. She didn't even give me a chance to explain anything. She just got mad and threw me out of the house. In front of Sara. In front of my baby girl, our daughter. "Lindsey! Did you hear me?!" putting down my pen I grab my dirty clothes and head downstairs. This is so fucking humiliating...

Jeff and Robin are sitting in front of basketball game cuddling...they decided to come out as a couple shortly after Stevie and Sara were returned. I'm happy for them both, really, but their lovey dovey shit is waring on my nerves. Especially since my own love life is in the toilet right now. Dropping my basket in the garage I automatically start sorting my whites and darks...mom gives me a funny look then smiles. "What?" shaking her head she takes my pile of whites "Well, I was thinking that maybe my son has grown up after all. I've never seen you sort laundry before."

Well, Stevie insists before she does a wash..."I've just been trained well" she laughs putting our clothes in the machine. Grumbling I head back upstairs switching on the record player, it's our first album. I've been listening to it on a loop all day. Sitting down again I look at the letter I've been writing and re-read it, as Frozen Love plays:

"Steph,

I know you're angry with me, and I understand why. But please give me a chance to explain. Sweetheart I love you, and I never meant to hurt you or us. I was stupid, I did something impulsive, irrational. I was angry about everything that's happened about what's been taken from us as a family...from you and me as husband and wife. I want to see you, I want to see Sara, I'd like to come home. Sweetheart please talk to me, let me come over. Your mother shouldn't be taking care of you, I should. I'm your husband, Nova and Sara's father. I need to be there with you-

I stop reading I sound pathetic. Like I'm begging, which I am but I don't want it to sound that way. Crumpling the page I start again:

"Stevie,

I want to talk to you, I'm going to call the house at nine o'clock tonight after Sara's in bed. Please sweetheart I need to hear your voice.

Love Lindsey"

Better. Folding the page in half I casually walk down the stairs where Robin and Jeff are "Uhm...hey Rob can I talk to you?" Jeff grumbles in irritation letting Robin up from the couch "What's up?" I motion for her to step out of Jeff's earshot and she rolls her eyes following. "I know you're going over to the house tonight to see Stevie...can you give this to her?" I hand her the note sealed in an envelope. She sighs taking it "She's not going to read it, she didn't read the last ten" I bite my toungue "Just give it to her. Please."