Chiffon and Lace

5

About a month after she tries for a record label she always sends a letter. It was ingrained in her from a young age that when you apply for something even if you don't get it you thank them. So as she was on her way to work at Mirage the next night, she slid a note under the door. She didn't think anyone would get it but she at least did what she needed to do. And once she saw the note was safely tucked under the door, she held her purse on top of her head to try and block out the steady stream of rain that had come out of nowhere, but California needed it. 

Lindsey, however, was across the street heading to the parking structure and watched her. As soon as she was gone he hurriedly walked back across the street and unlocked the building. He sat in the waiting room and flicked open the envelope. 

Hello,

I don't know if this is going to be found and I don't know who is going to find it but my name is Stevie Nicks, I had a meeting about getting a record deal about a month back on Friday, March 24th, 1978.  Though the deal didn't go through I just wanted to express my thanks. 

Thank You for at least giving me a chance and listening to my work. I'm sorry that we couldn't take things further but I respect and understand your decision. I'm sorry to have wasted your time. 

Sincerely 

Stevie Nicks.

"You didn't waste our fucking time," Lindsey says out loud to no one as the building was closed for the night and everyone, even the janitor had gone home. 

He locks the door and makes his way back up to his office. It's not usual that he keeps a file he declines but he kept hers. He pulls it out of his desk and he just stares at the picture. To him, she was so beautiful and she was so sweet and her big round geeky glasses made her look so innocent but so sexy at the same time. He knew as soon as he said no to her that she was completely and utterly shattered. He could see the pain behind those mesmerizing brown eyes even in her headshot and he felt so bad and so guilty. Each one of his cohorts knew the music industry well in their own ways. 

Mick was the in. He had been in a band over in England with that nice couple that owns the record shop, but they didn't like the big time so they pulled out. Mick's expertise was the business itself and how it worked. Jimmy Iovine, well he was the producer, they all were but Jimmy Iovine was the one that knew the ropes. He knew how to make a record sound good and keep stars relevant. Lindsey was the money. Sure, he wrote a lot of songs and he was a good producer but he was the one that started the company he didn't have luck in the music industry when he started, he played for the Everly Brothers and with Mick's band for a little while but when his father died he got a lot of money and since he didn't have luck he wanted to give some young artist luck.  He put the money forward so all of the decisions rest on him. He's the face of the company. Don Henley is the brains and that's all that matters. Irving Azoff knew the look of the industry. Sex sells and all of that jazz. And even though Mick and Don wanted to sign her, Jimmy and Irving didn't. Lindsey had the tiebreaker and the final say and he just didn't think she had it. 

Lindsey sighed but started playing her demos over again. Her voice was really something else. So unique, almost like Janis Joplin but a little bit softer. He was lost in the songs and he didn't realize how late it was until he heard a ruckus going on outside. His clock read 4:45 in the morning. He looked out his window and briefly saw a man and a woman on the ground and then the man got up and sprinted away leaving the woman on the ground in the pouring rain her stuff scattered. With his umbrella in tow, he ran out there as fast as he could and she was sobbing. 

"SHIT!" She said loudly through her sobs. 

Lindsey placed his hand on her shoulder and she startled but looked back at him. "Ms. Nicks?" 

"Shit." She repeats grabbing at all of her stuff. 

"What happened?" He asks.

"I was mugged. That's what happened. Shit, he took my money and rents due tomorrow-well today, and it was all in my wallet, now I have nothing. God this week has been perfect." She cries bringing her hands up to her face. 

"What do you mean?" Lindsey asks.

"Yesterday I was almost raped and today I'm mugged. God. this sucks, but you don't give a shit why should you." She spits gathering up her stuff and throwing it all in her purse. 

"Um," Lindsey holds out her broken glasses. 

"Great that's just perfect too. I can't afford to get a new pair and I'm practically blind without them and I hate wearing these stupid contacts. They're pure glass and they hurt." She shakes her head and just cries. 

"Well how much is your rent, I can loan you some cash." Lindsey shrugs. 

"Yes, because I want to take money from the Lindsey Buckingham. Besides it'd take me forever to pay you back." She shakes her head 

"Well you need to pay your rent and you don't have anything let me pay for your rent. How much is it." He pulls out his wallet.

"600." She states.

"Alright, here." He hands her six one-hundred-dollar bills. 

"No, I'm not taking money from you." She states

"Yes, you are." He growls.

"NO, I'M NOT!" She spits. 

"Can I at least give you a ride home?" Lindsey asks holding the umbrella over her head.

"Why the fuck not." She spits standing up and slinging her purse over her shoulders. 

***

Pulling up to the complex Lindsey stares at her. "I'm not letting you out here, this place looks dangerous."

"I live here," She states. 

"You live...Ms. Nicks this place isn't safe it looks like the roof is going to cave in any second." 

"Yeah, well I live here and it's all I can afford so kindly stop the car and let me out." She sighs.

"Does this place even have heat?" He wrinkles his nose. 

"No. But we've adapted." She crosses her arms. 

"Stevie I'm putting you up at a hotel this place isn't..." 

"Alright listen here asshole. I let you drive me home. Now I'm home you let me out of this car. I don't very much like you and I only agreed because it's pouring out." She hisses.

"What did I do?" Lindsey asks because he'll admit that hurt a little bit.

"What did you...God, I just don't like you. You don't have to do anything for me not to like you." She growls. 

He huffs but he parks the car and as she goes to get out, he slides the rent money plus a little extra into her purse. 

***

When she got to her apartment she pulled out her glasses and looks at them, tears pooling her vision. They weren't salvageable and she desperately needed a new pair. Sure there was enough in her emergency envelope but that stresses her out because what if something happens and she has to get a plane ticket. She just huffs and sets them on her little table and then she catches a glimpse of green. She pulls it out and shakes her head. 

"That son of a bitch." Growls. 

She sets the six hundred aside for rent but then she looks at the last four hundred. It would get her by for a while and she'll be able to get a new pair of glasses but now she owes Mr. Lindsey Buckingham 1,000 dollars.