Fleetwood Mac-Part III of Fritz Series

Edge of Seventeen

"Mommy! Nova took Mauricio!" the war between my son and daughter intensifies every day. Sara's seven Nova's three, but as we've learned each of them is more sophisticated intellectually than other children their same age. A.J. on the other hand is still just a sweet bundle of adorable, and though he's teething and growing like a jungle vine he's thus far avoided major conflicts with his older siblings. Rather, he clings to me and Stevie especially Stevie; a casually observer of his brother and sister's nearly constant verbal spats. At a loss for patience my wife turns in her seat in front of the mirror one earing dangling in her hand "Sara, Nova cut it out!" there's some shuffling and A.J. looks up at me in my lap.

His eyes have stayed staunchly blue but a paler shade than Sara's and mine, his hair on the other hand hasn't decided whether to be sandy blonde or chestnut. A small hand tugs on my sleeve and I look down to see Sara's big watery eyes "Daddy, he won't give him back" I'm starting to think Nova's jealous of AJ he never used to be so naughty. Now it's like he does everything in his power to get Stevie's and my attention including antagonizing his sister at every opportunity "Nova Andrew Buckingham give your sister her teddy bear right this instant!".

That was Stevie. When it comes to the kids I'm not the yeller. I save that for work.

Sara runs back to get her bear and less than five seconds later I hear a smack and a high pitched scream, and she runs back in with a red mark on her arm "Daddy, Nova hit me!" uhhhhh...now it's time for me to yell. Having finished putting on her earrings Stevie takes AJ from me, and I clear my throat preparing to put on my "Dad" voice. As soon as I walk into our bedroom I find my son swinging his sister's bear around, he stops when he sees me handing it over like he's been caught red handed.

"How many times have I told you not to hit your sister?!" Nova sits down on the carpet tears welling in his eyes. Usually that's all it takes, but he knows better than to hit Sara or any girls for that matter "Come on, time out" he starts crying but follows me to the corner in our bedroom "Five minutes". Sitting down he sniffles but sits otherwise without argument. I don't remember being this much trouble to my parents.

Stevie's working on her make up now, Sara entertaining AJ while he sits on the floor nearby "Steph have you seen my boots? The new ones?" I watch her search her memory as she applies eyeliner "Did you check the hall closet?" right, hall closet "I'll look daddy!" Sara hands her bear over to AJ running down the hall to the closet "Lindsey, can you get AJ a bottle please?" we've got about an hour until the cameras get here, and Stevie is in panic mode. Lifting my son in my arms I head to the fridge passing Nova "Alright buddy, you're done go say sorry to Sara okay?" in that special way only kids have Nova springs up and runs to his sister in the hallway. He throws his arms around her neck and gives her a kiss "Sorry".

Sara, as sweet as ever, hugs him back "Okay" just like that they're best friends again. It takes me about ten minutes but I've got a bottle heated up for AJ and some snacks for Sara and Nova. My boots have been located and I put them on my feet, checking in the shiny surface of the refrigerator to make sure my surgical scar is covered by my longer but still short cropped curls. I'm not sure about my new "look" Stevie helped me with it so did Margi, but I'm still a little worried. For starters I'm damn near unrecognizable. Hardcore Buckingham Nick's fans might remember my short hair phase between our first and second albums, but as long as I've been in Fleetwood Mac I've had long curly hair and a massive beard.

Now I look like the boy next door I once was. A kinder gentler less summer of 69 Lindsey Buckingham. I'm almost preppy, and according to mom I look ten years younger. On top of my hair changes I've gone through an extensive wardrobe overhaul, no longer swathed in kimonos, or white suits and Hawaiian shirts. I've traded in my once rather eccentric mixture of Brian May and Ringo Starr for simple jeans and long sleeved collared shirts, and western styled boots. I'll be finishing the last six concerts for Rumors with my new look. Luckily for us they'll be in California.