***A/N sexual content***
After coffee and moping for two hours I pick up Denny at school, Carol Ann's little visit evaporating from my mind as quickly as she appeared in my life again. Seriously she should move on, I have. In the hospital cafeteria I buy Denny a cup of cocoa and some cookies for his after school snack, the nurses ooh and ahh over him and he laps up the attention. Already a little ladies man. Smiling I think of how easily he's wrapped Stevie around his finger, Buckingham charm at work. As a peace offering to my ex-wife/current...I don't know girlfriend...I pick up a fresh salad from the deli section and a bottle of iced tea. Having given myself time to think I can understand why she would be worried about marriage so soon, she's wary about my motives. And I'll admit in the past I wasn't above trying to manipulate her back into my life or visa versa. But that was years ago, when my heart was broken and bleeding all over stage after our divorce.
I'll have to woo her back the old fashioned way. Chocolates, flowers, romantic dinners, dancing...Jeez. But that's how I won her heart the first time around just being a starry eyed idiot in love, which I still am. I'm just thirty years older, twenty pounds heavier and two shots of bourbon away from total liver failure. Denny jumps straight into Stevie's arms when he sees her, laughing she sets down her needle work pulling his tiny body into her arms. After about a million kisses she finally asks about his day "I painted a picture for daddy" he digs into his backpack pulling out some construction paper. Kneeling next to him and Stevie we both grin at the picture. It's Connor asleep in bed, Denny sitting next to him and Stevie and I holding hands by the door. All in glorious stick figure art I might add.
Crowing Stevie mounts the picture on Connor's dry erase board "That's so sweet of you munchkin, I'm sure daddy will be so happy to see it" Denny looks over at his father in the bed then back at Stevie "Will he wake up today?" his hands move slowly almost as if he's afraid of the answer "He's really sick buddy he needs lots of rest, but he's getting better" all of his tests have come back favorably. His Leukemia is apparently in remission his white blood cell count is stabilizing, and he's making more progress toward waking up every day. Hearing him call for his mother, for Stevie, it made my heart ache. His second family are nowhere to be seen. Mina's off at some drug den with Phanos, his first family are probably in prison or dead. This is likely the first time in his life he's called for his mother and received genuine warmth and love in return.
"How about you tell daddy how your day went?" nodding quickly Denny climbs into bed with Connor, as is his ritual he hugs him then with one small hand he signs against Connor's palm. I was confused the first time I saw him do that, until the nurse explained that children who are deaf and blind can still learn to sign but they have to use this system. Connor must have picked it up at his community center and logically put it together that his daddy can't see him but he might be able to understand his signing this way.
In a way I envy the two of them, clearly Connor loved his son and was determined to care for him no matter the circumstances. It hurts me to think that maybe he's trying to make up for being abandon or for the perception of abandonment. As it is they're in their own little world connected in a way that he and I will probably never be "You alright?" Stevie's hand gently rubs my back warming me; turning slightly I take her in my arms my lips gently plying hers in apology "I'm sorry" sighing against my mouth her fingers wind through my curls "I am too, why are we so bad at this relationship stuff?"
"Because we're us" another soft kiss, truer words have never been spoken. For as long as she's Stevie Nicks and I'm Lindsey Buckingham we will fight. Then brood. Then finally make up. The never ending cycle of our lives and one that's kept us together for years "What do you want to do for supper?" running my hands up and down Stevie's arms I nuzzle her nose with mine "How about I take you guys out for dinner" a blush creeps over her skin and she smiles "I love you" tasting her lips again gently I slowly pull back "I love you too angel"
