Just Crazy Love

Chapter I

Fan fiction about Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac.
Setting: 1980s in London

Lindsey Buckingham: 

It's a gloomy Thursday evening and it's pouring rain as I'm walking in the dark alley towards my favourite bar Lola. Few streetlights are flickering and I pull my grey coat around me tighter. It's late September and the weather's getting colder with every passing day. I put my hands in my pockets and keep walking. The thoughts of soothing blues and a glass of whiskey fill my head.

I quicken my step as the sign of Lola comes at sight. I love that bar because it's never crowded - it's located in the middle of a quite dangerous neighbourhood and it's not really a well-known place. I like the music there, usually blues or rock 'n' roll, and bartenders are well-disposed. Also there's practically zero percent chance of coming across someone I know.

Soon enough I'm standing in front of the old stone building. The neon sign "Lola" hurts my eyes a bit. I pull open the heavy door and step inside. It's really cozy here. In the middle there is a bar counter with 8 stools and the wall behind it has shelves filled with all sorts of alcohol bottles. On the left side are tables with chairs and there are a few couches here and there. Old vinyl records of rock and blues bands cover most of the walls. On the right side of the bar counter is a little stage with a piano and two microphones. Sometimes they even do karaoke nights here and sometimes they hire a musician. Today it seems to be the case. Some lady is playing piano but I don't pay any attention to her at first.

The 35 years old bartender Andres greets me with a smile on his face as I take a seat at the bar. Three of the stools are already occupied.
"Hi, Mr Buckingham, long time no see," Andres says with an accent. He's a tall muscular guy with long dark hair, blue eyes and a slightly crooked nose. Andres is Swedish but has been living in London for five years. I, on the other hand, have been living here 10 years.

"I've told you thousand times to call me Lindsey," I tell him.

"Okay, Lindsey, what would you like to drink?"

"Whiskey as usual I guess," I shrug my shoulders. I feel so damn tired of everything. The whole day has been a mess.

"What's wrong? You look a bit off," Andres tells me while pouring me some whiskey and placing the glass in front of me.

"Well, I lost my job today," I say drily.

"Ouch, wait you are a teacher right?" he looks at me with compassion.

"Well, I were a teacher, now I'm just an unemployed failure. Well unemployed single failure" I mumble. Life seems very grey at the moment. I had been teaching guitar for 7 years in local art and music school and now I was laid off because they found some famous guy to teach, at least that was what they told me. The only bright side of it is that I got a huge pay check though I would have rather kept my job because I really loved teaching there.

"What happened? You were teaching guitar right?"

"Yeah. Well they found someone better, so they laid me off."

"I'm sorry, man," he says and pats me on my shoulder.

I gave him an embarrassed look.

"Andres, we need some more here!" someone shouts from one of the couches in the left corner.

"Coming!" Andres shouts back. He gives me a reassuring smile and walks off with glasses.  I gulp down a mouthful of whiskey and put the glass on the counter. I simply stare at it. I'm trying my best not to feel so down about losing the best job I've had so far. Today I'm going to drink until I can't hold anymore, tomorrow I'm going to sleep the whole day and the day after tomorrow I'm starting to look for a new job. I hope that some other school is interested in hiring a man with my skill and experience. Also I'm already 31 and I still haven't found a woman with whom to share my life with. I've had my share of affairs and relationships but nothing has felt right.

As I sit there thinking over my fucked-up life, I start to notice soft music filling the atmosphere. I turn myself to face the stage and get a closer look of the lady playing piano. I haven't seen her around here before. She seems sorrowful as she's pushing down the piano keys with her long fine fingers. I realise she's the most graceful and delicate being I've ever laid my eyes upon. She's got fine blonde hair which fall on her shoulders. As she is sitting I can't really tell how tall she is but she seems almost as tall as me. She's lean and wears lovely ankle-length blue dress. I keep watching her as she still plays a sad song. She opens her mouth and starts to sing. Her voice is soothing and heartbreaking at the same time. Low yet smoky, very pretty indeed. I pay attention to the lyrics as well, she's singing about broken love and lost lovers. I wonder how old she is. I think that she might be a few years my senior. Still, I have never seen such a beautiful woman during my existence.

When she finishes the song, she sighs visibly and lifts her head a little to take a look if she has any crowd. No-one but me is paying her any attention. Finally I can see her eyes, they are the shade of lighter blue, incredibly expressive and deep, also quite sad. I wish I could comfort her and make this beautiful woman smile. Our eyes meet for a few seconds. She gives a little smile at my direction. I smile back. God, she's like an exquisite piece of art, she's perfect. She again focuses her eyes on the piano and starts playing another melancholic melody.

I hadn't notice that Andres was back behind the counter.

"Hey, Andres!" I call his name.

"Yeah, buddy, do you want another drink?" he asks casually.

"Uhm, first things first, can you tell me who's that lady playing? I haven't seen her around here before." I say quietly.

"That blonde chick? Well, that's Christine Perfect and that's all I know. Brion hired her to play here for a week or so. She's quite good, isn't she?" He winks at me and pours me another glass of alcohol.

"Well... I think she's perfect. How many nights has she played here already? I ask with a slight excitement in my voice. I haven't been here for 5 days.

"Tonight's the first."

"Thanks, Andres."

"No problem, buddy."

I focus all my attention on Christine Perfect. What a beautiful name, it just tastes so sweet on my tongue. I have to talk to her when she finishes playing. I have to know more about her. I just have to.

Having finished yet another song, she stands up and walks up to the bar. She sits on the stool next to me. She's even more gorgeous close up, I could drown in these blue eyes.

"Andres, I'd like a glass of Blue Nun please," she says with a slight tiredness reflecting in her voice.

"One Blue Nun coming up," Andres calls as he places the drink on the counter.

She takes a sip of wine and turns to look at me.