Never Going Back Again

24. Dangerous Territory

This week, Stevie was working on getting Will's birthday in order. The small party was to happen at Lindsey's house so she was making all the arrangements---everything he liked. Will appreciated a lot of cartoons so she was doing her best to just make it a cluster of his favorite things.

Sitting at the dining room table, she was going over a list of things she needed and a magazine, going through things she wanted to buy him as she fed Stella some baby food from a jar.

While she was home with all three kids, she had sent Lindsey out to get the first couple things in order such as the food that was to be catered, picking out the cake of Will's choosing and then of course just pulling his place together for the gathering.

Nobody ever really stayed in the Lindsey's house; it was strictly for tour and press purposes. His overall house was like a mancave because he got it when he and Stevie made Fleetwood Mac and came back from the success of the album and tour. It was his and Stevie did the same; she bought a house and bought a car---then two years later, they were expecting Will and neither were giving up their new houses. Plus they both had a house if something happened to the other and they were only ten minutes away from each other.

"Mommy?" Leelee tugged at her mom's blouse.

"Yes, my love?" she didn't look up from what she was doing.

"Can you play with me, please?"

"I would love that, honey, but I'm doing this for Will's birthday," she whispered to her. Pressing a finger to her lips, "You have to be quiet about it, okay?"

The girl nodded. "Can I help feed Stella?" she then asked.

"Um..." Stevie sighed a little, trying to get her thoughts in order. "Yeah, but be careful---I don't want it all over the place," she handed her the spoon and set the jar on the table.

Leelee hopped up onto the chair and giggled when she saw her sister giggling.

Stevie smirked and turned her attention back to her journal where she was making lists and writing songs at the same time.

Being a songwriter, she could pump songs out like a machine, but lately since her brain was so fogged, she was having trouble getting one done.

"Will?" Stevie yelled after a couple minutes when she realized it was silent and both her girls were in front of her.

"Yeah?" his little vocals responded.

"What are you doing? Where are you?" she yelled, still not moving from her seat.

"Nothing!"

"I don't believe you---where are you?" she asked, shutting her journal as she scratched the back of her head for a moment. She just knew she would have to search for him because he was a notorious hider.

"I'm right here," he came in, mud all over him as he tracked it in as well---a toy truck in his hand.

"Will!" she yelled, flying up from her seat. "What were you doing outside?" she pulled his tee shirt off.

"I was playing with my trucks," he shrugged, wiping his face only swiping more mud across his face.

"You do not go outside by yourself," she scolded, knowing she had had this talk with him before. "You stay inside where I can see you unless daddy or I are out there with you."

"I was in the back," he whined in return.

"I don't care---" she shook her head. "Take off your pants," she kneeled down so that she could wash them outside and let them dry before the mud dried.