Heart of the Matter

10

January 23rd, 2019

She's laying on the couch in her father's ICU room after a rough 24 hours. They had gone to Lindsey's for dinner...greatfully because they were in the middle of their meal when suddenly Lindsey started having chest pains. A trip to the ER later resulted in Lindsey undergoing heart surgery. The first 24 hours were rough, but he was finally alert now even though he was in and out of sleep. There was vocal chord damage and when they told Lindsey all he did was just shake his head and looked down at his chest. 

Craig walked in with a bag of McDonald's and he handed it to her. She took her snack wraps and started munching on them. It was around five that evening and Lindsey had done his exercises for the day and he was thrilled when the Catheter and the ventilator were removed. 

He was sitting in the bed and just observing his kid when the nurse walked in. She informed them that they were moving him to a different room in the Hospital as he was healthy enough to be out of ICU and they had made sure it was a private room. 

"Are you his caregiver for when he's released?" The nurse questions once they're settled.

"Yeah, I'm his daughter...Kendall Buckingham." She nods.

"Alright, you are allowed to stay with him in the hospital it'll be about 3-5 days."

His five days in the hospital were long, and they were both thrilled when they were able to go to Lindsey's house. It was going to be weird because Kendall hadn't lived with him. Ever, and here she was moving in with him for at least six weeks. Craig was going to so it wasn't going to be totally horrible. But it was just the shock of the whole thing. How does a man who mostly eats healthy, swims a mile in his heated pool every morning have a heart attack. it just didn't make sense to her. 

She was laying on the couch with her dad, and he was slowly and shakily running his fingers through her blonde waves. 

"My dad and my brother both died of heart attacks. If you hadn't been here. I don't think I would've made it." His voice is quiet and gravely but none the less he's talking. 

"No...i'm not going to let that happen. I just got you back I'm not going to lose you." Kendall shakes her head.

"I know baby." He nods. 

***

February 8, 2019

"How are we going to tell people?" He asks a few days after he was brought home. Sitting up on the couch a pillow over his chest to aid in breathing. 

"I have no...hold on." Kendall sighs answering her phone.

"Hey, mom." 

"Hey, baby. How are you?" She questions.

"I'm good. I got the flowers ordered the other day." She states.

"That's good...what are you doing now?" She questions.

"I'm about to change dad's gauze and figuring out how to tell the world." She sighs.

"Dad's gauze? Tell the world what?" Stevie asks.

"OH MY GOD, you don't know. Okay, so Dad had a heart attack on the 22nd and underwent heart surgery on the 23rd. He's okay-home and recovering. Craig and I are staying with him. I'm his caregiver so I'm responsible for changing out his gauze and checking his incision and all of that." Kendall starts.

"Well, do I need to come home because I can..." Stevie starts. 

"No, you need to stay there working. Dad's okay. Craig and I got it...we'll be fine. Just help us figure out how to tell the world." Kendall shrugs.

"Well, what are you telling the world that you're our kid or that Lindsey had a heart attack?" Stevie sighs.

"I guess I kind of need to do both don't I." She looks at Lindsey and Craig.

***

She was waiting for the shit storm to blow up. She had written up a little blurb about how Lindsey had heart surgery and he was home resting but that any dates planned-he was going on a tour for his solo anthology-were postponed and he had suffered vocal chord damage. She added another paragraph about how she was, in fact, that baby that had been taken from the hospital and she was, in fact, Lindsey and Stevie's child and that after spending some much needed time together in light of the Lindsey dilemma they were ready to tell the world instead of waiting until the spring-like they had originally planned on doing. 

She knew that if she stepped out into public the paparazzi would get wind of it and start harassing and she knew that eventually, she was going to have to go in and do some interviews. And it was going to be interesting. Hell, there may even be some police interviews she'd have to do. 

She was sitting on an armchair her dad sleeping soundly on the couch and her phone rang with an unknown number. Craig wasn't around so she chewed on her lip for a little bit before she answered the phone. 

"Hello." 

"Hey, Kendall...it's Jessie Nicks. I got your number from Aunt Stevie. We're in Santa Monica for a bridal shower and a bachelor party for one of my high school friends. Is there anything you need. Foodwise, Storewise..." 

"Oh hey, Jess...um, we do need groceries. Craig went to Nashville for tour rehearsal and it's just me and dad. I kinda don't want to leave him alone, and I kinda don't want to attempt venturing out into the world right now." She sighs. 

"Okay, text me a list and we'll be over tonight. Have you boycotted social media and everything?" Jessie questions.

"I did. Is it bad?" 

"No...there's an influx of BuckinghamNicks shippers popping up, and an outpouring of love to Uncle Lindsey. There are the very few people that are slightly pissed and are ranting on your post but overall it's pretty good. Fleetwood Mac's concerts have been crazy and it's kind of great. I guess the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony ticket sales have peaked immensely because of the news drop...which reminds me, are you going?" 

"Mom's not asked...I'm not just going to assume she wants me there and show up out of the blue." She shakes her head.

"I can guarantee you, she wants you there. Alright, I've gotta go...text me a list and we'll be by later." Jessie says.