IN THE FINAL week of January, Kurt surprised Lindy with a proposal that was notably less major than the one he'd given at the beginning of the month.
Kurt asked Lindy to attend his recording session with Nirvana in northern Seattle, deeming it the perfect opportunity to spend time with her before he'd have to head off to Europe to embark on another round of touring.
Lindy had balked when he'd asked, but once Kurt had made it clear that Courtney would be far away overseas with her own band, Hole, she felt far more willing to join him in the studio.
It turned out that Kurt had missed the first two sessions of recording, as she learned over a phone call from Krist. With Courtney gone, Krist must have anticipated that Kurt would be spending as much of his time with Lindy as possible. But when Krist had called in search of his friend and bandmate, Lindy had no idea where he was.
The thought of what he was most likely doing in secret nauseated Lindy to her core, but she pushed the worry out of mind. Trae had been right in many ways. She could love Kurt all she wanted, but she would never be able to control him. Lindy had come to terms with the fact that unless she threw Kurt into a padded room, she wouldn't be able to wrest his heroin away from him.
Finally, a day arrived that Kurt found suitable to go in to record with his waiting fellow band members. He picked Lindy up in his own car, wearing dark sunglasses and looking ragged. He'd attempted to smile at her when she opened the door, but it did nothing for his disheveled appearance.
"Where have you been?" Lindy asked, dumbfounded as she climbed in the passenger seat.
"What do you mean?"
"Krist called the other day wondering why you ditched him and Dave at the studio. He was pissed."
"I was busy," Kurt excused. He said those three words with finality, closing the subject before it could be delved into any further. There was no hint of rudeness in his voice though; in fact, he sounded scared.
Lindy didn't press her luck. Instead, she looked out the window, allowing Kurt to dictate control over the radio while she let her mind wander. Somewhere in between the minutes passing during their drive, Kurt reached out and touched Lindy's hand. His skin was icy cold.
When they arrived at the recording studio, Lindy grew nervous, feeling as if she were about to break the law. She clutched her jacket that she held over her arm tighter.
"This has got to look so fucking weird," she said uncertainly as Kurt began to walk in, remaining tightly by her side.
"Why? You know them already. Krist is basically family and Dave is oblivious. He doesn't care."
"Yeah but that doesn't change the fact that I'm your mistress."
Kurt yanked off his sunglasses, narrowing his eyes at Lindy in great offense over her remark. Through his tiredness he scowled, trying to place meaning behind his upset.
"You're not my mistress. That's far from what you are."
"To them, I'm your mistress," Lindy said candidly, walking inside as Kurt held the wide door open for her. The studio smelled of soap and freshly scrubbed carpets, the air inside comparably more warm than the cold weather.
Krist was the first person that came into view — naturally he would be, with his towering height. Lindy dropped her jacket and grinned, unable to not charge Krist with an almighty hug.
