Hello, Stranger...

Where you should be

"What had to happen that you've driven over here yourself?" Mick asked, handing Stevie a glass of water. 

"I'm so stupid..." She sighed, her lip trembling again. "Joe and I, we're done and it's completely my fault." She sniffled and Mick frowned, taking a seat next to Stevie.

"What on earth are you talking about? Done?"

Breathing heavily for a minute, Stevie composed herself enough to explain. "Joe took me to Maui, where we spent our honeymoon. He felt like we were drifting apart and it's true." Stevie shrugged. "We spent a few days together there and it was nice, but... I wasn't really into it. I went along with it, I engaged in every activity Joe suggested only to please him." Stevie brought the glass up to her lips and swallowed a couple of gulps. "Then in the morning, he asked if I wanted to join him by the pool and well, you know me and my insecurities... Anyway, I changed into my swimsuit and Joe started telling me all these beautiful things, saying I should learn to love myself the way he loves me and I just lost it. I was crying my eyes out and then I told him." Chewing her bottom lip, Stevie let out a deep breath, looking away. "I told Joe that Lindsey and I have been spending time together and I realized, I have never fallen out of love with him."

"Bloody hell!" Mick exclaimed. "That's not something you tell your husband, Stevie!"

"I know, I know, Mick. You don't have to yell at me. But I thought Joe deserved to know the truth."

"What did you expect would happen, huh?" Raising an eyebrow at her, Mick folded his arms over his chest. 

"I didn't know what to expect." Stevie finished her water and put the empty glass on the table in front of her. "Joe didn't say a word to me. He packed his suitcase and returned home. I came back after him."

"And?" Mick motioned with his hand, indicating for Stevie to continue. 

"We talked, sort of." Stevie shrugged her shoulders again. "Long story short, Joe told me that he can't be married to me, knowing I'll always wish he was Lindsey, that he's wasted enough of his life with me as it is."

It was Mick's turn to sigh heavily. Sitting back, he rested against the couch and rubbed his eyes, as if what Stevie told him, was making his head hurt. "I don't get the pair of you. What needs to happen so you and Lindsey stay away from each other for good?"

"I just... I don't know, Mick. We simply met up a couple of times, chatted over a cup of coffee. I didn't think something would come out of it, I didn't plan on something happening between us. I wanted my friend back, that's all." And that truly was all Stevie wanted. At first.

Mick gave Stevie a skeptic look. "When have things ever been strictly platonic between you?"

"Nothing happened." Stevie shook her head. "We... well, we kissed, but it wasn't really a kiss! We barely touched lips."

"It doesn't matter, Stevie. Clearly, you still have feelings for each other. I mean, you even told Joe about it! Look where it got you." By no means Mick wanted to make Stevie feel even worse, but everything he was saying was true. "What now?"

"I don't know." Stevie leaned forward, her head in her hands. "Joe asked me to leave. There's no going back, he made that very clear. I just... I didn't know what to do or where else to go, you were the first person that came to mind."

"And you're always welcome in my home, Stevie, you know that. But..." Mick trailed off, waiting for her to face him. "I think we both know where you should be right now."

"I haven't decided what I want to do yet. I don't want Lindsey to think that because Joe threw me out, I have no other choice but to go back to him. It's not true, I love him and if I come back to him, that's the only reason why."

"I don't think Lindsey would ever take it that way." Already scrolling through the contact list on his phone Mick said. "The man loves you. We had a few beers together right after I let you know he's back for the tour, we talked about you. He told me, he's still in love with you as much as you are with him obviously." Thrusting the phone in her hand, Mick pressed the call button. To this day, Stevie refused using a cell phone and the one she had for emergencies was rarely ever charged. "Talk to him."

Swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat, Stevie nervously waited for Lindsey to pick up, as she bit on her cherry red nail. 

"Hello?" 

Stevie heard and froze on the spot. She opened her mouth to say something, but instead, she ended the call and gave the phone back to Mick.

"What's wrong? He didn't answer?"

Stevie shook her head. "Some woman did though."