Twice

IV

Using the key to Stevie's condo, Mick realized she was still sleeping, as soon as he walked through the door. It was very quiet, as he made his way into her bedroom, entering the room and having his suspicion confirmed. 

Walking over to the bed, Mick sat down shaking her gently. "Wake up, Steph." Naturally, he had to repeat it a few more times, before her eyes slowly opened. "Morning." She just groaned, sinking deeper under the covers. "A war could start and you'd sleep through it. You were supposed to be ready to go by now."

"I don't want to." Stevie grumbled with her eyes closed again. 

"What's with you again?"

"Nothing." She lied, while the truth was that Lindsey's visit made her head spin. She couldn't stop thinking about it and the things he said once again and she hated that. She couldn't stand that he could affect her so easily. 

"You're going to make people waiting if you continue lying around."

"Just give me a couple of minutes to wake up." She rolled onto her back, yawning, rubbing at her eyes. 

Keeping quiet for a moment, Mick brought it back up. "Something happened that you're not telling me?"

"Nothing happened. I just went to bed later than usual, stayed up late writing. I guess I missed the alarm."

Reaching for the phone on the nightstand, Mick checked it. "You had no alarm set."

"Oh my God, Mick, seriously?" Grunting, Stevie got out of bed at last. "Just give it a rest. I'm up now, see?" She then went to the bathroom, leaving Mick, shaking his head. She was in one hell of a mood.

While Stevie was in the bathroom, Mick went to the kitchen, deciding to make her a cup of coffee, hoping it would do her some good. Coming out of the bedroom some time later, dressed and with no makeup on, her hair in a ponytail, Stevie joined Mick, thanking him for the coffee, as she sat down, taking a sip and not even thinking of starting up a conversation.

"Is this somehow Lindsey related, like always?" Of course, Mick couldn't just keep quiet.

"No. I simply haven't had enough sleep and I'm sorry I'm being such a bitch."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Nodding, she faked a smile and he let her enjoy her morning drink in peace.

Soon they were on the way to Stevie's big house, which she barely ever visited, but Christmas was only in a couple of weeks and she wanted to throw a party for friends and family. That was the reason they were meeting with a decorator there. 

A woman and her assistant arrived about twenty minutes later after Stevie and Mick did, him being rather surprised how quickly and easily she could hide her displeasure, plastering on a smile, shaking hands and welcoming the people in, asking if they'd like a beverage. 

"I don't think you care about this planning stuff much do you, Mick? Go upstairs maybe, while we get everything done here?" Stevie asked, knowing that this way things would be sorted a lot faster, since it would only be her opinion that mattered. 

"I-I, uh..." He stuttered, having previously thought they were both hosting this party. "Sure, I guess."

Giving him a chaste kiss, she added. "We shouldn't take too long."

Being by himself, now Mick couldn't stop from thinking. There was definitely something up. Stevie was being weird and she was very much against opening up to him about it. Even if she thought she was good at masking her emotions, Mick had known her for decades and to him, it was written all over her face, but if she insisted on keeping quiet, he wasn't going to push her either. Things were a lot different from when they were seeing each other on tour, having to be a secret, and now, when they were officially committed to each other. Mick felt like their relationship was a little rocky and he wasn't about to make it worse.

Mick wasn't too surprised, when Stevie spent nearly two hours with the decorator, explaining how she wanted things exactly, her mood got better though and he was glad. 

"I'm sorry, we took so long." Stevie said, entering the bedroom, lying down on the bed next to Mick, who was watching TV. 

"It's alright, wasn't expecting anything else." He shrugged, smiling a little, so she'd know he was only teasing. "Did you get everything sorted?"

"Pretty much. She said, she could also make the invitations, they do that too."

"Oh, well that's great then, one thing less to worry about."

"Yeah." Nodding, she scooted up over to the headboard, getting closer to him, as she lay her head on his chest. "I'm sorry again, about the way I acted in the morning, but you know how I'm like, when I've just been woken up."

"I do, right, but it made me think if you're maybe hiding something from me."

"I'm not." She chose not to tell him the truth yet again, not wanting to cause an argument between them because of Lindsey once more.

"Well, alright then." Mick said, his arm loosely hanging around her middle, as he pressed a kiss to her hair. 

Although, they didn't get to enjoy the quiet moment for too long, when Mick's phone bleeped and he took it, as someone had texted him. 

"Who is it?" Stevie asked, looking up. 

"Um... it's Lindsey actually. He says, he wants to talk to me."