Until the End of Time

7

April 17, 1979

Stevie was strung out. Plain and simple. Lindsey had tried to get in contact with her but she wasn't taking his calls. She was woken up by the shrill ringing of the phone. Looking around herself she came to the conclusion that she was passed out on the coffee table, she didn't understand that one. And she was still wearing the clothes from the day prior. A red shirt with black polka dots on it, and a black skirt. She had an open bottle of tequila in her left hand and she was staring at a line of cocaine. She shrugged, snorted the line and then made her way over to the telephone. 

"Hello." She answers thickly.

"Steph I'm freaking out." He sounded panicked.

"Oh for the love of God, I told you to stop calling me." She growled before going to slam the phone down.

"No Steph, I really need to talk to someone right now." She could hear the urgency in his voice. 

"What happened?" She questioned her hand falling to her head. It feels like she's getting stabbed. 

"She had the baby. She's early, only about four pounds. They don't know if she'll make it. We named her Stella Lynn Buckingham. I got to pick her name out this time." Lindsey told her.

"Well, that's good...that you got to name her I mean. I'm sorry about everything. Did they say what was wrong?" She inquired.

"Her lungs weren't fully developed. Almost there but not entirely." Lindsey replied.

"Gee that sucks. I wish I could help." Stevie sighed.

"Can I see you?" He asked.

"I don't think so." Stevie shook her head.

"Please Stevie," Lindsey begged.

"If you want to see me, you come to me." She hung up the phone. 

With the bottle of tequila still in her hand, she made her way to the medicine cabinet and pulled out some aspirin. She looked at the bottle of pain pills and tequila in her hand and tossed back two of them swallowing them down with the tequila. 

***

It was about three hours later when she heard a quiet knock at her front door. She was now only wearing her black silk bathrobe but the alcohol was gone and she was just floundering on a cocaine high. She slowly made her way to the front door and opened it to see Lindsey and he looked absolutely wrecked.

"I love her so much Steph I can't lose her." He broke down and she just took him into her arms.

"Who, you can't lose who?" Stevie sighed gently patting his back.

"Stella." He sniffled.

"I'm sure she'll be fine. " Stevie pulled away from him walking into the house.

"I just need you to talk me through it." He begged.

"Lindsey, I don't know how to talk you through it. I don't have kids. I'm sure she'll be fine. You said her lungs were almost there. I'm sure that with the doctor's help she'll be able to go home with you soon." Stevie tried to give him some flicker of hope.

"Kiss me Steph." He turned to her. 

"No, Lindsey I don't think that's a good idea." She denied moving away from him slowly. 

"Please. I need to feel something other than what I'm feeling right now. I love you and I know you can help me feel something else." He grit. 

"Lindsey you need to go to your wife." Stevie pressed grabbing his hands.

"Stevie I love you." He looked into her eyes.

"Lindsey if you want to keep doing this you have to leave her. I don't want to be the other woman." Stevie shook her head.

"I love you." He kissed her and then right there in front of her fireplace on the floor, they make love. 

***

As they were laying in front of the slowly dying fire, Stevie turns to Lindsey. 

"Lindsey, this isn't going to work. We're heading in two different directions and right now your direction is with your wife and those kids. They need you right now. We both know this isn't going anywhere and we're done. This is over and you need to leave." She told him. 

"I do love you though." He stated slowly standing up.

"I know, I love you too and I think part of me will always love you but we're done." Stevie nodded. 

When the door shut the dam that she had been building finally broke. The tears didn't stop but when the hiccuping did, she immediately went over to her liquor cabinet and grabbed the first bottle she saw. It was Bombay sapphire. A dangerous alcohol, but she didn't care she took the cap off and took a giant swig from it. 

Stevie passed out in bed once the alcohol was gone and when she woke up the next morning, she grabbed at her journal and started scribbling away. Writing songs always made her feel better and though she didn't think that she would ever feel better she wrote enough songs that she had enough material for a new album. 

When she had sobered herself up slightly she ventured to Warner Brothers. She was going to make a new album and when they offered her a room up to start making demos she stepped behind the mic and let it all out. As she was making it through the song, the tears were threatening to fall and as the Warner Execs and Stevie listened to the emotion ridden song she knew that this album was going to be rough to make, but it was going to be such a good album but for some reason, she still couldn't stop crying. 

Crying in the morning trying to be strong
Waiting for the spring to turn into the fall
Love don't mean what it says at all
And destiny says that I'm destined to fall

Enchanted you thought you saw something in my eyes
Enchanted it's a shame that you wanted me
You didn't try

Why the face oh darling
Was it my darkness shadow light
I mean to cause no trouble for you
That is the story of my life

Enchanted you thought you saw something in my eyes
Enchanted it's a shame that you wanted me
You didn't try
Enchanted whoa it's just a voice through the night
Enchanted well I hope you make it

You were gone you were gone from me
When I remember someone I remember their dreams
In those dreams that no one knows of
My destiny says that I'm destined to run

Enchanted oh you thought you saw something in my eyes
Enchanted it's a shame that you wanted me
You didn't try
Enchanted well it's just a voice through the night
Enchanted well I hope you make it

Enchanted well I hope you make it
Whoa whoa whoa
I hope you make it