Never Going Back Again

69. Who We Are

June, 1993...

"Lindsey, I have a suggestion and I want you to be open minded... Can you do that for me?" Stevie asked as she came down the stairs of the house to wrap her arms around his waist.

"And what is that?" he asked, pecking a kiss to the top of her head.

"How about we sell our houses and buy a new one... A bigger one?" she asked. "I don't expect an answer now, but just think about it."

"Well..." he kind of shrugged a moment. "I mean, I'd not mind, but I thought you loved your house, this house?" he went over to sit on a bar stool while she went into the kitchen.

"I do---I'd miss this place very much, but at the same time there is a lot of pain and suffering within it. I just feel; a bigger, nicer house could be called home... Not to mention when we do have stupid fights, I can't really throw you out. You don't have a house to go to so it will force us to make up and I know it sounds doom and gloom but it's our reality. Any married couple fights and we have to face that, but y'know..."

"Honestly, I was going to suggest something of the same so the kids can be closer to school... But I was thinking more along the lines of just selling my house and getting something closer," he added.

Nodding, "If you dig the idea then we can totally work on it. Break it to the kids... I'm sure they wouldn't mind, but we are going to need a big place. They have equal amount of stuff in both houses... And if we seriously can't find a place that meets their needs then let's build a house..." she shrugged.

"That will take forever, babe---" he added. "With what you want; extravagant, pretty much, right?"

She kind of nodded with pursed lips because she knew he was about to rain on her parade.

"Usually a regular house is about six months plus delays with weather problems..."

"That's right... Okay, six months or longer is not that, that much, but I would like to be out of here before the year is over..."

"We should be able to find you castle," he winked, just teasing her because he knew that's what she was looking for.

"Okay, I know we're not getting a castle---but a decent size, love bug... Way bigger than this. I want at least three bathrooms, five bedrooms because we lost the guest bedroom when we had Stella... And you know, overall expanded rooms because the piano has to fit in the living room... We need a really good basement or studio space because I would like that to be bigger, too. I need space for all my antiques..."

"So mansion?" he joked.

"Would you be helpful?" she swatted at him with a laugh. "But if we can find something around here but like closer to their school... I think that would be great. I wanna stay in the Pacific Palisades of things because Brentwood is a little roudy."

"That is where my house is," he added with a smirk.

"Yeah, exactly, I don't like it..." she agreed with a laugh. "Just---let's wait for Karen to bring the kids home from school so we can discuss, just the idea of moving," she waved the topic down as she poured a glass of iced tea for the both of them.

"So this is a solid move? We're moving?" he asked, wanting to be sure.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I think with all that has gone on between your place and mine... We need some change and a fresh start," she admitted. "Sometimes, I can't walk into certain rooms without hearing glass shatter, without picturing a drink on the table or hearing the kids cry. This house is seriously tormenting me with bad memories... Obviously there are a lot of good ones---more than bad and I'm grateful, but the bad is almost starting to outweigh the happiness in a weird way..." she shrugged a little, not sure if he understood her.