Flicker

2

July 6, 1990

It had been two weeks since she started feeling ill but it was always like a slap in the face because once she started feeling better she'd start to feel sick again. But it was frustrating because it would just happen at the worst times. 

Like when Karen brought her a southwest turkey club sandwich. A simple sandwich with mayo, avocado, onion, turkey, lettuce, provolone cheese, and bacon. She was feeling perfectly fine until she cut it in half and saw the green mushy avocado. She swallowed thickly and started picking at the fries. 

"You didn't eat your sandwich." Karen pouts walking into Stevie's office. 

"Yeah, I can't." Stevie shakes her head.

"Are you still feeling sick?" Karen questions.

"Yes and No. Looking at certain foods, definitely. The avocado just...I don't know." Stevie shakes her head.

"Well, your plane's ready for takeoff and I have a car waiting for you." Karen sighs taking the sandwich and throwing it in the trash. 

As Stevie was gathering her stuff the phone rang and she blew out before grabbing at it. 

"Stevie Nicks."

"Hey, Steph." 

"Lindsey, I'm on my way to New York for the summer fashion show," Stevie says. 

"I know, I actually thought you were already in New York, but Margi said you hadn't gone yet because you weren't feeling good. Are you feeling better?" Lindsey questions.

"A little bit, Look I appreciate the call but I can call you from the apartment." Stevie sighs.

"No, I'm not calling for personal, I'm calling for business." Lindsey states.

"Oh, what do you need?" She turns her calendar around.

"I was just asked to present at the MTV Music Awards in September. My manager wants to sit down with us and sketch out a suit." Lindsey replies.

"I dress you all of the time, what's his thing now?" Stevie sighs. 

"Color." She can hear Lindsey's nose wrinkling.

"Color, you don't do color." Stevie also wrinkles her nose.

"I know, he says I need to." Lindsey states.

"Fine, I need to get working on it soon-ish when are you free next?" Stevie sits on the top of her desk.

"I have two weeks starting Monday before I head to Germany." He states.

"I'll be in New York, but if you guys wanted to meet me in New York I can make that work." Stevie answers.

"What day do you want us?" Lindsey asks.

"Any day." Stevie shrugs.

"So just show up at the co-op building then?" Lindsey asks.

"Yes just show up at the co-op building anywhere from 11-6, except for tomorrow. I'll be working on the runway tomorrow." Stevie replies. 

"Alright, I'll see you. I love you, Angel." Lindsey ends.

"I love you too." Stevie sighs.

"Bye." 

"Bye-bye." Stevie hangs her phone back up.

"That man is going to be the death of me." Stevie sighs as she grabs her bags and makes her way out of the office, Karen on her tail. 

***

As soon as the plane took off, Stevie felt like she was going to puke, so for most of the flight, she was breathing heavily and rolling her head back and forth. It was three hours into the five-hour flight when she finally expelled the fries she ate from her body into the barf bag. Karen, who was holding Sulamith and Mana, Stevie's dogs gave her a look and Stevie slowly peeled herself from her seat and headed back into the bathroom. 

As Stevie was sitting in the bathroom of the plane the thought was swimming around in her head, about a baby. She didn't like the idea of it, but she never once threw up on an airplane in her life. It also crossed her mind that she missed her menstrual cycle in June. For one fleeting moment, she placed her hand on her stomach, but then she quickly took it off and shook her head. 

 ***

The next day, she was bustling around backstage at the fashion show with a measuring tape around her neck. As she was pinning Sharon, her model she felt arms wrap around her shoulders. 

"Hi, Margi." She sighs.

"Are you feeling better?" Margi questions.

"Honestly, not really but I needed to be here so I got on a plane yesterday. I still threw up on said plane ride but at least I'm here." Stevie sighs.

"I still think you're pregnant." Margi shrugs.

"Are you?" Sharon asks a giant grin breaking out onto her face.

"No, I'm not pregnant. I just have a bug." Stevie shakes her head.

"A two-week bug." Margi nudges walking away to tend to her own client. 

Stevie was thoroughly enjoying the Fashion show, but she normally does. She likes seeing the reactions of the people around her, especially for specific outfits. She gauges the reactions so she knows what to stay away from and what to stray towards. She was being interviewed when a sudden wave of nausea encompassed her, and she plastered her hand to her stomach. 

"Um, excuse me. I'm sorry, but I really need to get going I have an appointment." She lies not really ready to explain that she feels like she's going to throw up. 

When she's out of camera shot, earshot, and view she sprints in her six-inch heeled boots to the closest restroom where she drops on her knees and throws up. It was happening more often and she really was shell struck. Margi could be right, she may very well be pregnant. Knowing what she really has to do, she finds Karen and makes her call a car. 

It was just there luck that the driver needed to get gas, so Stevie ran into the gas station under the guise of water. Karen said she'd get it but Stevie just shook her head and climbed out of the car. She looked around the gas station and when she realized that no one was paying attention to her, she grabbed two of the pregnancy tests in the aisle and water before hurriedly making her way to the cashier. The old woman bid her off with good luck and Stevie made her way back out to the car. 

She didn't have to pee until after dinner, she has the bladder capacity of a camel, but even as the two boxes started at her from their spot on the sink, she shook her head and just shoved them under the sink before doing her business.