Talk To Me: The Dance Thriller, Part 1

Though We Lay Face To Face And Cheek To Cheek

Warner Brothers Studio
Friday, May 23, 1997
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"She's officially freaking out back there, man. You should go in and make sure she's okay."

Mick Fleetwood was dressed up and ready to go. Tonight was the final taping of The Dance, the third night in a row they'd be performing for a studio audience, and Stevie was a nervous wreck. They'd done a fine job as far as everyone was concerned, but Stevie was insecure about "Silver Springs". She wanted the cameras to catch the intensity of the song as she sang it to Lindsey, the finale of the story told on Rumors that had not made it to the album twenty years before. "Silver Springs" was her mother's song, registered to Barbara Nicks because it was the only way Stevie could ensure that her mother would take any of her money, refusing to accept a dime from her in the twenty-two years since her songwriting had turned a profit. Mick, with whom Stevie hadn't spoken for two years after the debate of whether she was allowed to add "Silver Springs" to Timespace, was not the one who needed to console her about the song before the show. That honor, Mick knew, went to Lindsey.

"I'll go talk her down," Lindsey said. He knew Stevie was still beating herself up over completely blanking out on the opening lyrics to "Dreams" on Wednesday night. He headed into the direction of the dressing rooms, and without looking where he was going, bumped directly into a woman wearing what felt like a leather jacket.

"Lindsey! Hi! I was looking for you!"

Lindsey found himself looking directly into the face of Kristen Messner. He could barely stammer, "Kristen, hi. What are you doing back here?"

"I called Gary and asked him to do me a favor and get me back here so I could wish you good luck," said Kristen. "I'll be in the audience tonight. Have a great show!" She threw her arms around him for a hug. "It's great to see you. Maybe we can get together after the taping and..."

"Kristen." Lindsey pulled her away from him. "That's not a good idea. I told you, I'm seeing someone else. Please try to respect that. I'm sorry it has to be this way, but it is what it is."

"She's going to get tired of you, you know." Kristen folded her arms, looking at him from as if from a distance. "She always did before."

"That's not your business, Kristen," he said. "Look, I'm going to go back and get ready. Tell Gary hello and enjoy the show, okay?" He was already backing slowly away from her. "Thanks for coming back to say hello." And with that, he abruptly turned and made his way to the dressing room where he knew Stevie was having a panic attack.

"You talk to her!"

Lindsey came face to face with Karen Johnston in the doorway of the dressing room, throwing up her hands. "I gave her a shot of tequila and told her she was Stevie Nicks. You're up." She gave Lindsey a sympathetic smile as she patted his shoulder, and then she was gone.

"She's wrong, you know. I'm not Stevie Nicks. Not anymore. I'm an old lady in a black dress who shakes a tambourine."

Stevie stood at the mirrored vanity, dressed for the show and wearing a petrified expression on her face. Lindsey had been listening to her psych herself out since Wednesday night's problem with "Dreams", and he took her into his arms immediately and held her tight, thinking to hell with hair and makeup.

"You are most definitely not an old lady and you are a beautiful lady to boot...who can shake a tambourine like nobody's business and looks so amazing in a black dress I want to peel it off." He rocked her gently in his arms, and he could feel her trembling. "You are also my sweet girl and I love you, and you're going to be kick-ass out there."