His eyes were still blurry after reading all of those papers from Kristen's lawyer, sitting in the court house with her mere feet away, it sickened him to even hear her breathe. Her little lover boy was sitting behind her and she only continued to sit there with a smirk on her face, making it clear that she was happy with what she was doing to her family.
The judge went over everything that Kristen was asking for from the marriage, which was a lot more than Lindsey wanted to sacrifice; that being the house with the studio. He worked hours on end to get that place right and made more than a few personal albums in there. How could she ask for that when it included most of his life?
He pinched the bridge of his nose to keep from crying, listening to her speak about why she deserved the house more than him, that it was for the children to continue to prosper in - which when she laid in to why she should keep all three of the kids, Lindsey bringing up the fact that William was old enough to decide on his own, she went in to a tizzy on how he would not be able to provide the nurturing with his career. Though it was true that Lindsey was away for long periods at a time, he was incredibly loving and more nurturing than she could sometimes ever be!
Lindsey's whole day was ruined, somehow her being able to once again get underneath his skin. He took the whole rest of the day to himself, walking along the Santa Monica pier, watching young and old lovers pass him by. No matter what he did, the way he felt about how he'd hurt Stevie all those years ago, nothing could have prepared him for his current diabolical. Did he deserve it? Maybe. Did he ruin his only chance to ever be with her again? Possibly. Could he ever turn her on Roger? He had no answers to these questions but the more he thought about everything; Kristen cheating, his sexual performance, possibly losing his children, Stevie in a relationship - it was impossible to believe things could go in his favor.
Returning to Malibu, Stevie was on the couch in the Living room with a bottle of wine, lost in her own thoughts as Lindsey came waltzing in. The sound of the front door closing catching her attention as she placed down her glass to turn her head, watching Lindsey remove his jacket and hanging it on the coat rack. She was waiting for him to come back, worrying obsessively about where he was since it was late in to the evening; he'd left the house that morning.
"Where have you been?" Stevie asked, almost as if they had plans.
"What do you mean?" Lindsey responded as he tossed his car keys on to the table in the hall.
"You know what I mean. You left at eight o'clock this morning and it's going on ten."
"I'm sorry, I went for a drive and took a walk near the pier. Where's Roger?"
"He's working."
"At this hour; he has a client?"
"Yes."
"Well okay," shrugging as he headed for the staircase, Stevie following him.
"Where are you going? I thought maybe you could talk to me about how everything went."
"You want to know?" stopping in his tracks as he turned.
"Of course! Lindsey, I sat here thinking about you all day!"
That brought a smile to his face, for once he felt like he mattered to someone, walking in her direction. "Besides making me physically and mentally ill," scoffing a little, "...she's asking for the house to continue to raise our children in. She has no heart when it comes to this at all, knowing that my studio is attached to the house, everything that I own is in there and not once did she seem to care. I was told, by her, that I cannot properly nurture our children because of the type of career I have; in other words I'm in no shape to raise the three of them on my own. The judge has a soft spot for me, I think, but there's a lot of truth to why she should get the house and the children - not that I think I couldn't do a better job."
Stevie shook her head as he spoke, flabbergasted over this other woman, knowing from the beginning that she was no good. "I think you need to come have a glass of wine," taking him by the hand as they both sat in front of the beautiful fireplace, her pouring wine in to the empty glass next to hers.
"Were you expecting someone?" asking as she handed him the flute glass.
"No, why?" sitting back against the couch with her feet up underneath her.
"Two glasses," taking a sip. "Thanks," cheering her.
"Well, I was waiting for you..." running her finger along the rim of her glass, a large red lipstick stain on the edge.
His eyes lit up at her words, making him blush a little, feeling that familiar closeness that only they could ignite. "Glad to know that I haven't upset you."
"Lindsey," sighing, "...Roger is important to me and he cares an awful lot for my well being, though it may not look like it, he does. I've been having serious weight problems and even had my thyroid checked, it all points to older age and menopause, something that I'll be dealing with for the rest of my life. He is huge on nutrition and I specifically asked him to remind me that I need to only intake a certain amount of calories."
With a nod of his head, he wasn't so sure he bought this story, Roger acted way too sterotypical to him - almost like an overgrown Jock! "Well, you can think that you are heavy or overweight or some stupid sh1t like that but you're not..." meeting her gaze again as she looked down at her glass of wine. "I don't like how he talks to you and I don't think he's "all that and a bag of chips." You don't make your woman feel as if she isn't perfect, you make her feel like she is, otherwise how can you say you're in love with them? I've never told one woman that I've been with that they had to change, that they had to work on their image - that is sickening to me and dammit, Steph, you are beautiful! Everything about you is! That man should be worshipping the ground that you walk on because you are top notch relationship material! If I had my way last night, I would have punched the living daylights out of that ass! He has no right to "help" you with your image because there's nothing wrong with it! Stick up for yourself, honey, no one else will."
Swallowing back her tears, Stevie nodded. "Thank you, you don't know what that means coming from you...You've known me basically my whole life and to think that I am still beautiful, that..." taking off her glasses as she covered her eyes, "...brings me back."
"I want you to be happy, Stevie, to have everything that you've sacrificed but don't start focusing on things that you know you shouldn't change."
Leaning over to place her glass on to the coffee table, she couldn't help but cover her face with her other hand as well, softly crying as his words touched her immensely.
"Ugh, baby," putting his glass down as he wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back. "Any man would be honored to have you so why have you chosen him?"
"Because I know that he loves me."
"How can you say that though if he thinks you need to change?"
She pulled away, "Like I said, he doesn't, he is helping me because I asked for it..."
Lindsey reached for her chin, making her look at him. "I don't believe you, I think it's all his doing."
"Dammit, Linds," biting her lip to stop crying.
For some reason, some unknown force from above had him leaning in to kiss her, taking her lips in a slow sensual fashion. At first Stevie pulled away but then the force hit her, too, holding on to the sides of his head as their tongues brushed sexually. She moaned against his mouth as he grabbed for her waist, laying her down on to the couch as she let his hand slip underneath her black blouse, feeling her warm skin. The heat of the moment had their breathing shallow, feeling each other up through their clothing. He began kissing down her body and then lifting the blouse from her abdomen, his eyes taking in what looked to be marks for surgery. "What the fvck is this?" he swore as she'd forgotten her earlier visit from a consultation for cosmetic surgery, pulling her blouse down as he grabbed her by the hips, literally pulling her leggings off her body to her ankles. "I said, WHAT IS THIS, STEPHANIE LYNN?!" exposing more of the markings around her thighs and buttocks as she began to sob, slapping at him for unclothing her.
"HOW DARE YOU PUT YOUR HANDS ON ME LIKE THAT!" standing as she reached for a blanket, Lindsey pulling it out of her hands as he wanted answers. "WHAT THE FVCK IS WRONG WITH YOU? ARE YOU GETTING OFF ON THIS?" her tiny body shaking.
"YOU ARE MARKED LIKE MEAT! WHAT IS THIS BULLSH1T, STEPHANIE?! IS THERE MORE, HUH?" standing as he tipped over the coffee table, grabbing on to her as he ripped her blouse off over her head. He gripped on to her wrists as he stared down at her breasts then holding out her arms to reveal the marks on her biceps. "Oh my God... you're getting plastic surgery, aren't you? AREN'T YOU?"
"IT'S NONE OF YOUR GOD DAMN BUSINESS!" completely embarrassed, Lindsey seeing her body like this, stumbling backwards in to her piano as she set herself free. "WHO THE FVCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE COMING IN TO MY HOME AND ACTING LIKE YOU OWN ME?!" wrapping the blanket finally around herself, getting up in to his face as she slapped him.
Lindsey froze, slowly bringing his hand up to touch the side of his face that was stinging from her palm, placing his hands on the back of his head as he took in a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Stevie, but this isn't right..."
"Who are YOU to tell ME what IS and ISN'T right?!" poking his chest with her index finger.
His eyes closed, warms tears covering his cheeks. "Who are you? You are not the Stevie that I know and love - she would never let her body be sliced up in the name of beauty."
Fighting a trembling lip, she stifled a sob, turning away from him as everything he was saying was true; Stevie Nicks was real and though once having implants, this was far out of character.
"Did he tell you to do this?" bringing his hands to her shoulders as she groaned. "Steph, you are so beautiful - so naturally beautiful! Why would you botch such a gorgeous woman like yourself?"
"It was just a consultation..."
"I don't give a fvck what it was, Steph, you are changing in front of my eyes and I don't know how much more of this I can take."
"Ha!" turning. "This coming from a man that wanted a younger woman to marry, what a joke!" opening the blanket to show him her body out of spite. "Look me right in the eyes now and tell me that you would pass up another young woman for this?" looking down at herself, finding it grotesque.
"As a matter of fact, yes," looking her dead on in the eyes with out a smirk.
"You're such a fvcking liar! All men want the same thing; big breasts, skinny waist, and curvy hips! Don't stand there and tell me otherwise!"
"Are you listening to yourself right now? Do you have any idea how sick you sound? Is this the kind of sh1t that Mr. Rogers has put in to your head?"
"No, I've known this my whole life."
"Then you don't know this man," pointing to himself, fixing the coffee table and arranging everything back on top of it, taking the broken flute glasses in to the kitchen.
Putting her clothes back on, Stevie ran her hands through her hair then followed him, leaning up against the island in the middle of the kitchen. "Look, I'm sorry that I slapped you..."
"Do you want to know the main reason on why Kristen is divorcing me?" staring out the kitchen window as he leaned up against the sink.
"I thought you already told me..."
"I can't perform... I have tried pills and therapy but I can't hold an erection very long - if not at all," ashamed as he looked down in to the sink.
Taken by surprise, not even sure if she heard him right, Stevie stared with an open mouth. Lindsey was always the man that could give her the most incredible nights of pleasure, to be exact, the only man that could get her off with his member. It was not registering in her brain, not even sure what to say to his confession.
"Now do you understand why I think you're perfect the way you are?" turning his head to meet her stare. "Now do you know why I find it disgusting that someone would make you even feel the need to change things you cannot control?" walking towards her. "Do you think that I don't know what it's like to have someone think you're not perfect? Yeah, I can't even pleasure a woman properly anymore so when I see you getting so worked up over what age has brought you, I can't help but think it superficial. You bring men to their knees and you don't even realize it. Yeah, you may be a mature woman now but you are drop dead sexy and no one should make you feel otherwise."
Stevie had been silently crying. "I'm sorry... I would have never guessed that was a problem."
"Well it is and to have been told by my own wife that I was not perfect, well, that tore my soul right out of my chest."
"You have so much to offer, Lindsey."
"Now you know how I feel when you speak about yourself like that - to see you ready to go under a knife to change who you are, it breaks my heart. There is nothing you can do with what age has brought you and neither can I."
"I still hadn't made my mind up, I was merely consulting."
"The problem is that you were thinking it," pointing to her forehead. "You have got to let someone love you for who you are or you're not going to be happy. Are you happy?"
"I think so..."
"Come on, Stephanie, be honest with me."
"It's just that he is so healthy!" slamming her hands on to the island. "He is all about eating right and working out - half the time I can't even finish my cardio with my hip! I asked him to be that way with me - like a drill sergeant so I could get things done! I need someone to be strict so I can follow through!"
"So you're telling me right now that he has no problem with your weight? That you are doing this to yourself because you feel the need to impress him?"
"Yes, Lindsey! Do you think that I would honestly be with a man that degraded me?"
In ways, he was almost disappointed, wanting to hear that he was the heartless asshole that he has thought to witness all along - that he could somehow tear her away from him but it appeared that he loved her afterall.