In Our Own Time (B.N)

June 2010

Stevie listened to the song with frustration. She threw her hands in the air, exasperated. “It’s still not right, Dave!” She exclaimed looking over at Dave Stewart. “We’ll get it. Eventually.” He reassured her in his crisp English accent. “I don’t think we will.” Stevie said, sitting back on the couch, tried from the stress. Dave sighed. “Well, what do you want to do?” He asked. Stevie looked over at Karen. “Don’t look at me like that, Stevie!” She warned, knowing that look all too well. “Please, Karen? Please call him?” “Call who?” Dave asked, looking from Karen to Stevie and back again. “She wants me to call Lindsey and ask him to come help you with the guitar part on Soldier’s Angel.” Karen said, furiously typing on her laptop. “So?” Dave asked. “So? Well, Dave, you clearly don’t know Stevie as well as you think you do. Whenever she spends more than an hour with that man, she turns into a love struck school girl!” Dave looked at Stevie, who stared blankly back. “I don’t know what she’s talking about it.” Stevie said innocently, getting up for a drink. “Oh, fuck off, Stevie! You know exactly what I mean!” Karen yelled, slamming her laptop shut. Stevie narrowed her eyes and downed her glass of water in one. “I don’t turn into anything except my true self when I’m with Lindsey.” Stevie said slowly. She could tell that Dave was getting uncomfortable. “Dave, darling, why don’t you go on home? I’ll see you on Monday.” Dave smiled, clearly relieved. “See you on Monday, darling.” Dave hugged her and kissed her cheek. Calling goodbye to both women, he left the house quickly. “Karen, you can leave too.” Stevie said, pouring another drink. “Fine. But I warn you, Stevie. If anything happens –” “It won’t.” Stevie interrupted her. “If anything happens, he’ll only cause you more heartache.” Stevie stopped by the door and looked over her shoulder at her loyal assistant. “I gave him up, remember? Every time, it was me who said goodbye.” She reminded Karen, who began gathering her stuff. “Yea. But you were the one who got left alone while he was off playing happy families with Kristen and the kids.” Stevie sighed. “Goodnight Karen.” She said, walking upstairs. She hoped for a dreamless sleep. She needed all the rest she could get; in the morning, she’d be giving Lindsey a call.

Stevie paced her bedroom, back and forth, several times. She didn’t understand why she was nervous; it was only Lindsey after all. But what Karen had said really got under Stevie’s skin. What if something did happen? Truth be told, Stevie found it hard to be around Lindsey these days, just like he found it hard to be around her. And it was mainly because he was still as handsome as he ever was. She felt, though he would disagree, that he had aged far better than she had. He was still thin, handsome and had everything he ever wanted, including three wonderful children and a beautiful young wife, 21 years younger than Stevie. Over the years, Stevie had found herself wishing that things had been different, though she told the world different. She'd wished that she had been the one to give Lindsey his children and that she had been the one to walk down the aisle to him as his wife-to-be. But wishing wouldn’t, and couldn’t, change anything; not the past or the choices made. Stevie dialled the number and waited patiently for someone to pick up.

“Hello?” Lindsey said. Stevie smiled; Lindsey sounded tired. “You’ve been up late again, haven’t you?” “Stevie?” “The one and only.” “What are you calling for?” “Nice to hear your voice too.” Stevie hesitated. “Lindsey?” “Yea?” Lindsey replied, yawning. “I need your help.”