Fleetwood Mac-Part III of Fritz Series

Greeks Bearing gifts

"It was chaos here last night at the Biltmore Donny, witnesses describe the macabre scene from the ground and the heartbreaking realization that what they were seeing was in fact real and not a dream, some people thought it was television series or film being shot by one of the studios that too has been ruled out in this case. The police have cordoned off the area, all the information that they've given us indicates that the fall appears to have been accidental. Alcohol and marijuana were both found in Petty's apartment along with a bottle of prescription sleeping pills which are said to be very potent. As of now it appears Petty may have mixed a deadly cocktail and unintentionally cut himself on a broken bottle. Dazed he appears to have fallen through the loose railing of his penthouse balcony to the street below. No indications of suicide or homicide have been discovered. Back to you Donny"

I watch Stevie's face during the news coverage, her body tucked against me. She looks down when they show the police wheeling a bag into the back of an ambulance. A tear gently rolls down her cheek and she wipes it away hiding her face against my chest. My arms find her, holding her to me like a life line. My head hurts, my whole body hurts, and I've been on the verge of a nervous breakdown for the last seven hours. I didn't sleep, not surprisingly my dreams were plagued with what ifs? What if I hadn't gone? What if I'd left? What if? What if?

Jeff's been chain smoking and drinking coffee, he looks over at me once during the news coverage and I can read his look. Keep your mouth shut. He told me hundreds of times stick to the story, keep my mouth shut, don't talk to any cops. Don't talk to anyone. They can't prove you did anything, there's no proof you were ever there. Except my blood. My blood on the beer bottle, on Petty's hand, on the door knob, in the stair hallway. We cleaned my car and burned the clothes I was wearing, but Petty's apartment is covered in evidence that I was there.

According to Jeff they can only do blood typing, which doesn't hold up well in court. There are literally millions of people on the planet with my same blood type.

It feels like the walls are closing in on me, guilt and pain, and fear, and anxiety ruling my emotions. Again I run my hand over Stevie's shoulder, again I kiss her hair inhaling her soft lavender scent as if it's for the last time. It could be. I expect to be hauled in any day now, it was an accident. Things got out of hand too fast. I tried to save him. I tried to save him. I tried. I tried. I tried...

"Lindsey?" shaken I look down at Stevie, her eyes red rimmed and puffy. Her lips press against my chin softly "You alright? You seem like you're on another planet" no, I'm on the ledge of that penthouse balcony watching Tom slip away into the black night. The ledge. "I'm fine sweetheart" smoothing a hand over my chest Stevie looks back at the television "It's so awful-" I hide my face in her hair nodding in agreement. It was an accident. I never meant things to go that far. She'll never forgive me, I'll lose her and the kids. I'll go to jail.

I don't know what Jeff told Stevie about where I was, but she doesn't seem to be suspicious of my absence. When I woke up this morning Ginny was pawing at my arm, Sara sitting cross legged in my favorite chair strumming her guitar. As soon as I went in the house Stevie greeted me with two aspirin and a cup of coffee. The news came a few moments later, and we've been holding each other ever since. Stevie seems genuinely upset about what happened, I'm not at all surprised. I think her and Petty got along well...too well. But she chose me, even though she may have cared for Tom she chose me.

I should have left it alone, but the flowers played into the deep insecurity I still have over the entire ordeal. I needed closure.

I've been sleep walking it seems because the next thing I know it's dinner time. Stevie's looking at me across the table a puzzled expression on her face. I feel like I should be doing something...oh the roast I need to carve it. Standing I run the sharp blade of the knife through the meat, gathering the first slice and placing it on Sara's plate she looks at it funny then looks at me. Stevie chuckles "That's a little much don't you think Linds?"