I Can't Stop (Part 2)

Part 14

"Okay, so where do we begin?" Lindsey stood, hands on his hips, as he looked around the room, full with boxes of Christmas tree ornaments.

"Well..." Stevie began, unsure herself. "You open a box and-"

"Really, Steph?" Lindsey gave her a look and she chuckled, shrugging her shoulders. 

"You asked." 

"I've never really had a part in decorating a Christmas tree. Maybe I should sit back and you go nuts." That was what Lindsey was used to. He either stayed away or wasn't even home, when Kristen worked on the tree. It wasn't that big of a deal, but it was nice that he got to be involved this year.

"Don't be silly. Why don't I do one circle at the bottom, then you can pick a different color and go up?" Stevie suggested, unpacking red glittery baubles. 

"Alright."

"Good." She smiled as she hung the first ornament. "I can't believe it's already the holiday season." 

"And we're both home." Lindsey added. "There's something about this time of year, when you just want a mug of hot chocolate, a blanket and a cheesy movie."

"I think, that's our night sorted."

"We're such an old married couple." Lindsey half smiled as he started copying Stevie, with beautiful golden spheres. "I don't know about you, but I wouldn't trade this for anything."

"I'd maybe change you calling us old, but..." Stevie trailed off, moving aside, so Lindsey could join her on the floor. "Have you discussed the holiday situation with Kristen? I'm sure, she'll want to be with the kids."

"Um, well, she said, she'd like them with her on Christmas Eve and that I can have Christmas day."

Stevie noticed the slight change in his mood. "What's wrong?"

"I hate that I have to negotiate, when I can be with my children." Lindsey sighed. "But I understand. I guess, I have to focus on the positive, which is that I get to spend time with them at all."

"I know that it isn't easy, Linds. I've never thought I'd be living away from my daughter either."

"Yeah, but Don isn't bitter about your divorce. There's no schedule of when and how long Alice can stay here or with Don." Any trace of the holiday joy went away from Lindsey's face and Stevie regretted bringing up the subject. "Kristen used to say that I'm away all the time, that our kids don't have a father. Now, however, when I can actually be with them, she doesn't let me. It's as if she's doing this on purpose."

"Hey..." Stevie reached for Lindsey's hands, making him face her. "She just feels hurt. You two separated a while ago, but clearly, Kristen hasn't dealt with that yet. It's not fair, but this is the only way she knows how to get back at you. You're a great father, Lindsey, she can't take that away from you."

The words made him feel a little better, however, dwelling on it would only make it worse soon enough. "You didn't freak out, when I called us an old married couple."

"I was wondering, how long it would take you to bring that up." Stevie said, returning to the task of decorating the Christmas tree. "But... no. The idea doesn't freak me out."

Having tested the waters and received positive results, Lindsey didn't dear push it. He got up to grab another box of ornaments. Those ones didn't appear to be new or match each other. Getting down on his knees again, Lindsey took one bauble, which seemed awfully familiar.

"Is this..." He trailed off, causing Stevie to look.

"Yes." She nodded. "It's the last one I've managed to save."

"My God." Lindsey held the ornament in his hand, looking at it for a moment, the small piece bringing back a lot of memories. "I can't believe you've kept it."

"Well, it's special to me." Stevie shrugged. "It's from the first Christmas we spent together. Remember the tree?" She asked, laughing lightly. "At best, it came up to my knees. I tried to save the whole box, but I wasn't very successful."

"Steph, it's from the early 70's, do you realize, how long ago that was? And you still have something of ours, you kept it." She didn't think it was going to be such a big deal to him. "Does it go on the tree?"

"Every year, front and center." She smiled, getting that same feeling, that warmth, filling her heart just like it did the first time, when Lindsey hung the ornament on the tiny Christmas tree in their flat, near the mattress on the floor.