Patience

12

"Um, can I show you something that might make me look kind of like a Psychopath?" Stevie questions hugging herself lightly.

"I mean I guess." Tori shrugs. 

"I...well, I keep a guestroom locked up." Stevie looks down at her thigs. 

"For why?" Tori questions.

"Well. I ugh...Oh just come on." She holds her hand out. 

Tori reluctantly takes it and Stevie takes her to the guestroom right across the hall from her master. 

"What is this?" Tori questions.

"I...well, During the Dance tour, I went a little crazy. I had moved on enough from losing my child. I still missed you like crazy but I was able to function a little bit better. Lindsey and I had gotten back together and we were thinking about confronting Ray and tracking you down but I fell pregnant. Lindsey was able to talk me out of tracking you down because he didn't want me to stress and pose harm to the baby. I miscarried anyway. I was just too old and before I got pregnant with you I had four abortions and couple Ovarian Cyst operations so my reproductive organs are scarred and the doctor said I just wasn't strong enough. Lindsey slept with Kristen then. She was a groupie and he got drunk and we found out in the middle of the tour she had gotten pregnant. At first, we didn't think William was his but God that boy is the spitting image of your father. I was numb for about a year and a half while he went off and split his time between me and her. We had started talking about trying to find you again and then Kristen gave Lindsey an ultimatum. He was to marry her or else he would've never seen William again.  So we broke up and he married her. Leelee came nine months later. It was then that I started menopause. I knew that my chances of having another child were gone. So I designed this room. I had no idea what a six-year old's bedroom would look like but I scoured Bed Bath and Beyond. My favorite color is purple so I painted the walls Lilac. I stuck a queen-sized bed in here and I found this beautiful silky gray bedspread with the white flowers on it. I got the white dressers, desk, and end table. The curtains are gray chiffon. That purple blanket is cashmere." Stevie leads her over to the bed and the two of them sit down. 

"It's beautiful." Tori smiles leaning over and grabbing at the little penguin stuffed animal in the middle of the bed.

"It's yours if...if you ever need a place to stay. I know that you have your own apartment but." Stevie shrugs picking at the hem of her black blouse. 

"I appreciate it. I've never had a stuffed animal. Or a toy for that matter." Tori hugs the stuffed animal close. 

"I am so sorry. Was it really that bad?" She asks.

"No. It's just you were never in one place too long so it wasn't necessary for people to get comfortable. So we never had toys or anything because if you were packed up and shipped out you had to do it quickly there was no stopping for toys just clothes in garbage bags." Tori tells her.

"Can I hug you again?" Stevie bites her lip.

"Sure. You're lucky I'm a hugger." Tori chuckles as Stevie pulls her into her arms and gently rocks with her for a while. 

"You're so beautiful. I spent so many nights while you were rolling around in my belly wondering what you were going to look like. You have my eyes, your daddy's hair. My lips and smile. And nose for that matter. If it wasn't for the hair I don't know if I could place Lindsey in you at all." Stevie smiles after a moment. 

"He was really nice Stevie." Tori bites her lip just like her mother.

"Yeah, he is. He does have anger issues though. I made him sit through some anger management classes when I was pregnant with you because if we had kept you and you were two or three and accidentally wandered into the music room and ruined one of your dad's guitars he probably would have traumatized you and damn near killed you." Stevie brushes a strand of Tori's hair behind her ear.

There was a knock at the door and Lori popped her head in. "Chris and Alec are firing up the grill. Chris made up some hamburger patties but he and I quote 'needs his sister to work her magic on the burgers because if she doesn't do it they aren't going to taste as good and Alec needs to experience a proper Stevie Nicks burger'." Lori smirks.

"Alright, I'll be right down. Stay for dinner." Stevie turns to Tori.

"Oh you have company, I've already been here longer than I thought I was going to be." She shakes her head.

"I wasn't asking dear I was telling you. You're staying for dinner. Chris and Lori are staying but Alec and Jessie are going back to San Diego tomorrow to pick up Roman and then they'll be back in a week for the holidays. I know Jessie really wants to get to know you better." Stevie tells her. 

***

They were eating a really good hamburger that Stevie whipped up around an elegant dining room table when Jessie clears her throat. 

"So what are you doing for the Holidays?" 

"Oh, nothing. Mallory's going back to Wisconsin to be with her family so I'll probably just make myself a cornish hen and some roasted red potatoes and eat that while I watch stupid Christmas movies." She shrugs.

"Have you ever really celebrated Christmas?" Chris questions.

"Christopher." Stevie scolds.

"Well, really it depended on where we were. If we were in the group home we'd go to Christmas Eve mass and then we'd go back and go right to bed. We'd wake up in the morning and we'd get maybe 10 dollars and some candy. If you were in a foster home it really just depended on who you were with. I don't remember my first few Christmas' but when I was with the Stephenson's family that introduced me to Fleetwood Mac, we went to Christmas Eve mass, went home went to bed. They bought me clothes for Christmas and a training bra because that was around the time I hit puberty and a growth spurt in every department. Then we had a turkey dinner. It wasn't anything special. With Chad, we'd drive to upstate New York on the 24th and stay the night with his parents. They never liked me though. I was a street kid and I wasn't good enough for their son so I usually hid in the guestroom and only made myself known for Christmas dinner. They only did a gift exchange with each other. Chad and I would buy a gift for his parents. His parents would buy gifts for each other, Chad and I would buy a gift for each other but then his parents would buy us a gift. But really it was for Chad. I don't like the New York Knicks. Chad is obsessed with them so our gift was usually season tickets for the Knicks and Chad wouldn't even take me. It was always his work buddies. But it doesn't bother me I was always a loner anyway. I'd much rather curl up with a good book, or write." Tori shrugs. 

"Tori, would you like to spend Christmas here? I mean you have that room you can stay in." Stevie asks nibbling on her meal. 

"Oh, I don't want to intrude. It's your family and I'm sure you guys already have plans." Tori shakes her head.

"But you are apart of this family." Jessie looks at her.

"We think I'm a part of the family. We don't know for sure yet and I don't want you guys to feel obligated into doing anything for me and with me. I'll be fine." Tori declines.

"No, you're having Christmas with us. It's settled." Stevie stated matter of factly.

"Well I mean she is the matriarch of the family and you can't tell her no when her mind is made up," Alec smirks.

"Alright, when should I come over?" Tori asks.

"When's your last day of work?" Stevie inquires.

"Well. The 21st. We're closed on Sunday's and then we're all on Holiday leave until the second. Like LA Models literally closes down but we still get paid kind of thing." Tori tells them.

"Great. As soon as you get off on the 21st come here. Jessie and Alec will be back with Roman on the 23rd it's perfect." Stevie smiles.