A shoulder to lean on

Part 1 - Karma

Everyone had been discussing the songs on the new album for about twenty minutes now, Lindsey staring across the room at nothing in particular, thinking of everything that had happened last night. No one knew of the state his marriage was in and it was hard for him to attempt to bring up the subject, that being that Kristen was found with another man in the main house while she thought he was cooped up in the studio bunker. The image of another man in bed with his wife - the same bed that he slept in at night! He wasn't sure how many times this younger man had resided there but it made him physically ill. She'd admitted to the affair and the whole reasoning was because of her ongoing sex drive, Lindsey's having dulled in the last few years, even starting to have problems with impotence. He knew that one day it would come, one day he would reach that age where everything that made him a man would slowly diminish. His self esteem reached an all time low, realizing that his wife was seeking out someone better, someone that was closer to her age and could keep up with her.

"Lindsey," nudged Mick, "...what are your thoughts?"

"Hm?" questioned Lindsey as he was daydreaming.

Mick made eye contact with the other members of the band, concerned with the way Lindsey was responding. "We asked what you thought the title to the album should be?"

"Oh," uncrossing his legs and adjusting his shirt, "...I say we compile all our ideas and then pick the best volatile one."

They all looked at each other, not sure to what he meant, usually Lindsey already having these things down pact.

"Linds, are you okay?" asked Stevie, always the one to know him better than anyone else. Afterall, she only lived with him for many years.

"Yeah, Steves, I'm fine," giving his usual nod and linking his fingers together as his elbows rested on the arm rest of his chair. Great, she knows something is up.

Raising an eyebrow at him, Stevie just smiled, going back in to the discussion with the rest of the band. Lindsey felt it as torture, that never being the case before, meetings like these always bringing him creative outlets but not today. He wasn't sure just how long it would take for him to get back to his usual self, currently staying at an Extended Stay in the city of Los Angeles to keep away from his no-good-cheating-wife. He'd only been there one night but he was already sick of it, knowing that if he went to his beach side condo, that she would contact him, not wanting her presence, so he thought of staying somewhere he'd usually never step foot in. Of course Kristen called his cellphone, wanting to know if he'd contacted a lawyer yet, etc. Lindsey ended up putting his phone on silent so he could at least not be bothered by her personalized ring tone.

"Lindsey, really, what is wrong?" asked Stevie as the group began to disperse, taking his hand lovingly in hers.

"Steph, it's nothing that you have to concern yourself with. I promise that whatever I am going through, I will be fine."

"You have me," looking in to his eyes, "...you'll always have me if you ever need to talk, do you understand?"

"I do, thank you," hugging her, feeling at ease with her embrace. They'd really reconciled a lot over the years but some things were still left out on the back burner, almost, if not entirely impossible to talk about. Whether it be about the child Stevie miscarried or the romance that still lingered in the air, it was never discussed. She had the power to turn him to dust, seeing now that pushing her to the side for a younger woman had Karma biting him on the ass. Still, Stevie was the only woman that looked at him with integrity and respect.

Those next few days began to really wear on Lindsey, letting himself keep the five o'clock shadow that he desperately had to shave. Nothing phased him but he did know that if he didn't get out of those same four walls soon, he'd snap, which would only add a negative to his fight for child custody. William was old enough to decide which parent he wanted to live with, already hinting that it wasn't his mother, just as angry with her as his father; Kristen was persistent on keeping the girls.