Why Should It Matter?

18. Anonymous Buyer

"Lindsey, I want you to sleep with me in bed tonight," Kristen stated, her words calm and mostly informative.

Staring with slight confusion, he nodded his head.

After telling Kristen everything, he had expected her to try and kill him, throw him out---anything that would tame her rage, but instead, she wanted him to spend the night with her. He assumed talking would be a major thing, but then again, he wasn't so sure what to expect. All he knew was that he had to be at the hospital with Stevie so he could help bring her home and then stay with her as she asked.

She then made her way up the stairs, leaving him with both of his daughters.

Leelee looked over at him, confusion filling her. "Does she know?" she whispered, mostly mouthing.

He nodded his head, getting up to go to his studio for a while before going to bed with his wife.

Leelee took that as an invitation to follow him because she wanted her own insight of what was going on---it concerned her greatly. Knocking on the door, she pushed it open right after and allowed herself entrance.

"Yes?" he lingered a tad.

"Now, don't leave me hanging," she gestured with her hands. "Does mom know about what's going on? Is that why she was being so cold?"

"She... Yes, she knows and it's because I told her," he nodded. "Short rundown; Stevie and I got into an argument and it was because I lied, because I made you part of it and because..." he trailed, shaking his head. "The point is she knows, you don't have to worry and I don't want you to feel obligated to lie for me again. It's not going to happen again. I've apologized to your mother today for a lot of stupid things I've done..."

"Okay..." she shifted her weight to one leg with crossed arms. "So, Stevie was mad at you for making me lie?" she had to question.

Looking up from his guitar, he nodded. After, he stayed staring at her expression, reading what she was thinking. "Like I said, Stevie loves you guys with all her heart. She doesn't want you to be part of our situation because what we do, your mother wouldn't be happy. We wouldn't want your mother to not be happy with you because of us. Understand?" he asked.

"Yeah, I guess... But the truth is, I'm not sorry for helping you."

"And as much as I appreciate that, you are the one who told me not to demean your mother... You'd be doing that by thinking she doesn't know about what you did," he added. "And you did it because of me. That's why I am saying I'm sorry."

"Okay, fine... and I accept the apology. Dad, does Stevie have the same number?" she asked.

"Yeah, she does, but... Lee, honey, don't bother her right now," he looked at his watch. "They probably gave her her medication and she'll be out for the night. She'll be home tomorrow and after that---sometime soon, she will be back on the road for the rest of the Mac tour. Then will I be able to spend time with her and then you guys can, okay?"

"Dad, I understand what's going on. If she's out for the night, she'll see my messages in the morning. I wanna see her when I can... Between me and Stevie, we need to chat girl to girl."

"And I'll make it a point," he assured with a nod, knowing the two had always gotten along in the past though he did wonder what it was, exactly, that his daughter wanted to say to her.

"Okay, then I'll be on my way---goodnight, dad."

"Night," he kind of mumbled, watching her leave. But it was right after that, he put his attention back on his guitar. And as he strummed through the strings, his content thoughts moved to Stevie, his thoughts becoming more joyful but then they easily drifted back towards what Kristen wanted with him for the night.