I Can't Stop

Part 36

"Why didn't you answer any of my calls, Don? I was worried." Stevie asked, allowing him to come inside her room. "I must have called you ten times."

She didn't seem all that worried to Don. "To be honest, I was thinking if I should come see you."

"What do you mean?" Stevie frowned, sitting down at the foot of the bed, while he remained standing. "When did you get here? Were you at the show? What's going on?"

"You've been crying." Instead of answering any of her questions, Don chose to state the obvious. "Something happened?"

"I... you know." Stevie shrugged, looking away. "We had our very last show, I've no idea, when we're all going to get back together."

"You're lying." Don said. "I was at the show."

Stevie frowned. "Then why-"

"I saw you crying, barely able to get through the last song, there too."

"What? No. I-"

"Stop lying to me, Stevie!" He yelled, making her jump. "My God! Could you two have been any more obvious out there, in front of all those people?"

"It's not my fault Lindsey decided to say those things, to dedicate the song to me. Don, he was saying goodbye!" Stevie got up to her feet and tried to reach out and touch Don as he turned away from her. "Please, I..." She trailed off.

"You have no idea what you've done." Don shook his head, sighing. "Alice found Lindsey's letter. If you wanted to keep it, you shouldn't have placed it in plain sight, Stevie. She read it, she knows." With her mouth agape, Stevie fell back down on the bed. She swallowed uneasily, unsure of what to say. "I know what's in it too. I couldn't even begin to explain everything to Alice, I just tried my best to calm her down."

"You left her alone?"

"I called Sara. She's with Alice." Don replied. "I thought whether I should have waited for you to come home, but..." He shook his head. "I can't do this anymore, Stevie. I can't."

"Don-" Again, she tried to touch him, but he didn't allow it. 

"No, Stevie. We're done. You and I are done." He emphasized. "You're not to blame for the letter itself, but I blame you for being so careless, for leaving it somewhere Alice could easily find it and she did. How do you imagine she's feeling right now?" Stevie opened her mouth to speak, but Don didn't let her. "I don't know, why I even attended the stupid show. Though, I'm glad I did. I saw it with my own two eyes. There were people around me and it was embarrassing, seeing you cry over another man, whom you insist, you've moved on from." Don sighed, sitting down as well. "I gave you another chance, I believed that there still was something between us, but..."

"And there is." Stevie said. "Nothing happened between Lindsey and I, I swear. It was just... it was an emotional moment, yes, but I haven't even spoken to him, I haven't seen him besides at the soundcheck and the concert. Don, let me prove to you that I have moved on."

"These are just words, Stevie. Like I said, I have already given you another chance to prove it to me and it doesn't matter that you haven't physically cheated on me, but the emotional affair is never going to go away. I..." Shaking his head, he continued. "I can't go on living like this, I don't want to. I simply don't care, what you're going to tell me. I saw it, Stevie, you still love him. I don't know what else I could possibly do to make you stop." After a moment of silence, Don added. "And I don't want to do anything else. You continuously fuck up and somehow I'm the one, who has to win you back. This is not normal." Don shrugged. "I came here tonight to tell you that we're done for good. I am going to file for divorce." Even if Stevie wanted to say something, she couldn't. She sat there, feeling completely defeated. "I'm going to take care of Alice, don't you worry about her. When you land in the airport tomorrow, don't come home. I don't want you there, nor does Alice." Don didn't face Stevie, he knew that if he saw her tears, there was a slight chance he might give in. "Give me a call, let me know, where to move your things."

~

So, this is the end of part one! 

I'm not a big fan of jumping months or years ahead in a story, so stay tuned for part 2 :)