Learn to Love Again

23

May 26, 2019

The alarm clock rang, and Lindsey quickly slammed his hand over it. Today he wasn't going to wake Stevie up. Today was her 71st birthday and he had something planned that he wouldn't spoil. They were Italy as she had a show tonight but the day was jam-packed and he wanted her to get at least a decent amount of sleep. Especially after last night. He gazed over and gave his wife the once over, even with no makeup and slight wrinkles adorning her face she was still the most gorgeous woman on the planet. Her dyed blonde hair was messy from the festivities of last night. They would never admit it but since their kids have been out of the house their sex drive has skyrocketed and even in their seventies they were still able to go for hours if they really wanted to.

The year hadn't started out kindly for them. In January Lindsey was struck down with a heart attack that caused him to undergo emergency heart surgery. Stevie was on tour, her farewell tour so she claimed. But Lindsey knew better, by next year she'd be bored, and she'd be touring or recording a new album or doing some form of TV show. As that had been her newest endeavor. Emmory, a nurse in training, she has one and half more years of nursing school to go through, moved right in with Lindsey not allowing Stevie to even think about canceling her tour. Then about two days after her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction, Stevie was struck down with Pneumonia that had her hospitalized. It was touch and go for about a week, but she made it and though a month later she is still receiving breathing treatments, she is about to go back on tour in Europe and Australia.

He quickly showered and changed before he made his way into the living area of their suite to start decorating.

It had been about a year give or take that all their kids and grandkids had been in the same room together and what better way to gather them all like a herd of sheep than to have them come over for Nana's birthday. Sure they all lived in the same general area in Los Angeles, but they all had their own lives. The fact that Lindsey flew them all the way out to Italy though was Stevie's birthday surprise.

Lindsey had coffee brewing when the front door opened and in waddled Teagan. At 21, her blonde curls pulled up in a ponytail, a navy-blue shift dress on tenting around her seven-month baby bump. Even as far along in her pregnancy as she was, she was her mother's daughter and standing at only five-foot-two she was still wearing brown platform mules. Austin her fiancé was lugging in their suitcases and when she saw her father she immediately bounded into her father's arms.

"Daddy is mom still asleep?" Teagan questions.

"Yes Poet, she is. I made sure of it." Lindsey hugs her tightly. He hasn't gotten his full strength back, but he's working on it.

Poet was a fitting nickname for their daughter. It had to have been a nonchalant premonition of Stevie's as she exceeded in English all throughout schooling and she was able to get two poetry books published while she was in college. Now, even though she's still writing her poetry she took over Lindsey's job as the high school English teacher when he retired the previous year. She was a first-year teacher and she often spent her time going over lessons and trying to match up to her dad with her dad.

Lindsey is hopeless in the kitchen, so he doesn't object when professional chef Austin starts navigating his way through the kitchen. They met in college, he was a senior in the culinary program and Teagan was a first-year student. They married after two years of dating, right before her Junior year of college and even though the drinking age is 21, Stevie allowed alcohol at the wedding.

Emmory was the next one to come home. Long brown curly hair pulled into a messy bun on the top of her head, scrubs adorning her body. She works part-time in the maternity ward at the hospital. She's a receptionist now but when she gets her certificate she will be promoted to a maternity nurse. It's stable and she enjoys it, but she's been working the seven p.m. to the seven-a.m. shift as she was a night owl like her mother but being here for her mother's party was really messing up her sleep schedule. She had also been chatting up a Doctor on the cardiology level...her father's doctor none the less. And when he walked in behind Emmory Lindsey started laughing.

"What?" Emmory asks wrapping her arms around her father.

"I'm surprised Will's able to be here," Lindsey asks pointing to William, the doctor. He was about ten years older than Emmory and still relatively new to the field, but he did an amazing job on Lindsey's heart and he did kind of like the kid, so it wasn't hard for him to accept their relationship.

"I get two weeks of vacation a year and I just so happened to take them all at the same time this year." William shrugs pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"I see." Lindsey nods sipping his own brew.

The McVie's were the next ones to come. John, Christine, Graham, and Annabelle. They had married right after they graduated from college. Annabelle owns an art gallery and Graham is working on Music. Stevie hired him as her tour manager. When he's not working with Stevie, he's learning how to produce from his father. Annabelle and Graham despite being miserable the whole time they were paired together with Toby, the robot baby from hell, they had three of their own kids. Carson Daniel McVie is eight. Carly Christine McVie was six and Clara Stephanie was only about one in a half, almost two.

"Alright, who's waking mom up?" Annabelle asks setting her bag on the counter.

"I'll start, but why don't you send those munchkins in, in let's say, ten minutes." Lindsey smiles kissing the heads of all his grandkids.

***

He goes to his wives' side of the bed and gently sits next to it. She's sleeping peacefully and he almost hates to wake her, but they have plans. He swipes her hair back from her neck and kisses the spot, the spot he's kissed since they were in their twenties. The spot that always gets her worked up. She stirs and blinks rapidly before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Mmm. Morning baby." Stevie smiles gently rising and pecking his lips.

"Morning Angel." Lindsey coos kissing her deeper.

"This is one good way to wake up on my birthday. So Daddy, what's my gift?" Stevie questions slightly moving her hips.

"Oh baby, I don't think we have time for that," Lindsey smirks.

"I'm sure we do." Stevie tries to push things along further.

"I don't think so, Angel," Lindsey repeats.

"And why not?" Stevie pouts.

"NANA!!" Carly shouts bursting into the bedroom.

"Carly Christine! What are you doing here?" Stevie asks as the little girl jumps onto the bed and immediately wraps her arms around her grandmother.

"Happy Birthday Nana, Carly smiles.

"Thank you, sweet girl," Stevie whispers squeezing her tighter.

It was then that everyone else piled into the Master Bedroom and Stevie burst into tears.

"Oh, you guys!" Stevie gasps as Austin brings in breakfast in bed.

"Thank you, Lindsey," Stevie adds after a moment.

"What are you thanking me for?" Lindsey questions.

"Because All of this wouldn't have been possible without you. I love you so much, Lindsey." Stevie smiles.

"I love you too Angel. But in all fairness, I should be thanking you. You carried our girls for nine long months and at the end of the day, All I need are my girls." Lindsey kisses Stevie's head and all the girls climb into the bed and hug their mother and father.