Lindsey's divorce was finalized, Kristen having joint custody of the girls, William away at college but making it known that he would be staying with his father when visiting. It wasn't exactly what Lindsey wanted, as in he wanted full custody of his girls but it was better than not having custody at all, Stevie welcoming the girls in to her home like the mother she was meant to be. It took some getting used to, that is having two young growing ladies in her Malibu mansion but this was the closest that she would ever get to having her own family, Lindsey constantly observing his future wife as she bonded with his daughters; everything was perfect about this new change.
Walking by the master bedroom, Lindsey could hear his two girls laughing with Stevie, opening the door a crack to see them playing dress up in his fiancé's closet. It warmed his heart how much LeeLee and Stella took to their future Stepmom, seeing that all his worries of losing his youngest children to another marriage was not at all the case, it actually bringing them closer together.
Knocking lightly on the door, all three of their heads turned, Lindsey stepping through with his hands in his pockets; tonight was his bachelor party. His eyes locked with Stevie's as she smiled, biting on her lower lip as she looked down at her hands, wearing a dress that she hasn't worn in many years - luckily the material being stretchy enough to allow her fuller figure to fit.
"Dad!" Stella jumped as she did a pose for him. "What do you think?" showing off the long fringed vest she yanked from Stevie's closet. "Do you think I could get away with this?"
He chuckled, "I'd say so."
LeeLee was wearing one of Stevie's large hats, a silk scarf around her neck and a black shawl. "Stevie said that we can have these," gesturing at the clothes on her body.
"She did?" then giving Stevie a wink. "Well, that's awfully nice of her."
"Yes!" answered Stella. "She even said that we could wear them in the wedding!"
"Oh? Wow, now that is even nicer!" taking his hands out of his pockets as he pulled his youngest close.
"What can I say?" Stevie said. "I don't think I'll be wearing much of this stuff anyway - it needs a good home."
"Girls, can I talk to Stevie alone for a minute?" asked Lindsey as they nodded, leaving the bedroom as he helped Stevie up from the floor. He pulled her close in to his arms and took in the scent of her perfume, just keeping her against him while he closed his eyes.
"You're not giving me extra attention because you're going to do something naughty tonight, are you?" spoke Stevie.
Laughing, Lindsey shook his head, breaking their hold as he gave her lips a lingering kiss. "No, not at all. I happen to feel the best I have in years and it's all due to you, do you know that?" running his hands up and down her arms to kiss her forehead. "I have absolutely everything that I could ever want."
Her eyes filled with tears, smiling through them as she pulled him back in to her arms, burying her face in to his chest. "I want you to be careful, do you hear me? Don't drink too much and don't let them drag you in to a sleazy stripper joint."
"I may have a few drinks but I promise that I am not interested at all in a stripper joint."
"Yeah, sure," giving one of his nipples a pinch.
"Honest, baby, I am going out with a few guys to have some drinks - that is all!"
"Well, it would be normal for you to spend your last night as a single man again - though you weren't single for too long," speaking of his divorce. "Maybe I just don't want you to see a better looking woman than me."
"Ahhh...the truth comes out," tickling her as she giggled with the toss of her head, "...but there's no other woman I want to look at other than you," biting on her lower lip while her hands pressed in to his chest. "I think that you should have yourself a little party, not sure why you didn't invite a few girlfriends over."
"I'm not much for rituals, all I want is you."
"Says the woman with the red wedding dress," caressing the back of her neck.
"Exactly!" holding up a finger. "All you get to know is that my dress is red."
"And I am sure that you will look the part of my bride perfectly."
Letting out a sigh, Stevie still couldn't believe it, finally having him all to herself again. "You just come back to me tonight, okay?" running a finger down the buttons on his shirt.
"I wouldn't dream of not coming back to you..." breaking the space between them, cupping her jaw to place his lips down softly to hers.
"You know what I mean, in one piece, nothing missing."
"Listen, angel, I know this is going to be hard for you to be home with out me for the first time since..." looking over her shoulder, "...well, since we got back from Tahiti."
"I'm good now, I can keep myself together, I have Karen and the girls here."
"I know but I still worry about you," thumb grazing her chin. "What you went through is something that no woman ever should..."
"Let's not talk about it, huh?" slipping away as she began to pick the clothing up around the room, bringing it back in to the closet.
"Okay, I will have my phone on me at all times and Mick is picking me up here in less than ten minutes. If for some reason my phone can't be reached, as in the signal is bad from wherever we end up, call Mick but I will call you on the hour."
"Linds, you don't have to do that."
"Well I want to and I will," stepping in to her closet while she hung up a dress, his hand on her lower back and sticking his nose in to her hair.
"Okay," letting her eyes close while leaning back in to him.
"I love you. Take care of my girls for me," holding her hips while kissing the back of her head.
"I love you, too, and I will," turning her head around to capture his lips. "Have fun," waving while he left the bedroom, her suddenly feeling lost.
... Lindsey had his mind on Stevie the whole night, taking shots with his closest friends and his son even showing up - that is what made his night entirely! They went from bar to bar, club to club, Lindsey starting to get a little tipsy, forgetting to call Stevie like he had promised. William was really giving it to his old man, wanting to make sure that he had the time of his life, especially since he was able to afford it on his own now, similar to how his father treated him once he recently turned 21.
"Hey, dad, I really think you should try doing a body shot."
"A, what?" his father asked with a crinkle of his brow, still examining the shot in front of him.
"A body shot; you know licking a shot off a hot chick's stomach."
"Ohhh..." shaking his head, "...no, thank you," finally tossing the shot in his hand down.
"Ugh, come on! Has Stevie really turned you in to a prude?"
"William," giving his best father tone he could muster, "...I'm not doing a shot off of a woman I don't even know."
"It'll be epic, trust me."
After a few pesters and peer pressure, Lindsey gave in, willingly taking a shot off of a beautiful blonde girl's torso as Will began snapping several pictures. He sent them to his sisters with a slew of "lol's", the girls showing Stevie as she placed a hand to her mouth, Lindsey promised not to get drunk enough and he still hadn't called. It had Stevie in a panic, excusing herself from the girls as she began dialing and redialing Lindsey's cell phone, not getting an answer as she then tried his son's. Why were they so reluctant to answer? Finally though, she got Mick to pick up, experiencing a panic attack while she demanded answers. Mick explained to her that he was being well taken care of and they had his phone in case he lost it, that not sitting well with Stevie either, he should not be drunk enough to the point he could not handle his own possessions!
Stevie hung up the phone and slouched in to a kitchen chair, feeling herself begin to shake, not having felt this way in weeks - knowing it had to do with her separation from Lindsey, not knowing what was really going on. "It's okay, Stevie, just breath - he's okay, he's okay..." tears running down her face as she reached for a napkin, blotting her eyes with it, LeeLee and Stella witnessing it as they both hugged her. "I'm alright, girls, I was having a moment..." faking a smile.
"We're sorry that we showed you those photos, Stevie," said LeeLee, "...Will told us not to."
"I know, your dad can really be silly but please tell your brother that I'm trying to reach him," begged Stevie as she headed for the fridge to have herself a glass of tea.
"Sure, I'll do that right now," Stella chimed in while taking out her phone to text her brother, Will calling Stevie's phone as she picked up instantly.
"Will, hi, I need to speak to your father."
"He's... well, he's kind of out."
"What do you mean, out?" asked Stevie.
"He passed out on the bar and we're trying to wake him up."
"Oh, no," one hand to her forehead, "...why did you..." then stopping herself, why was she being so overly obsessive? "Just get him back home," then hanging up as she for the first time, took a Xanax to calm her, not having needed it when Lindsey was home. She thought she was over this by now, these irrational fears, but apparently not.
... Hours in to early morning, after Stevie put the two girls to bed, she started pacing the floor in the Living room, gripping on to her phone. All she wanted was to have Lindsey back in the safety of the house, angry with him but not, saddened that he'd broken his promises - though it was obvious he was not the one at fault, knowing that he was talked in to more than enough shares of liquor. Sometimes Lindsey just couldn't say, no, and this was most likely one of these cases.
Hearing a car drive through the gate, she headed for the front door, opening it and seeing that it was indeed, Mick. Stevie was wearing her nightgown but didn't care, rushing out to the car as she saw Lindsey passed out in the back seat. "What have you done?!" she cried, opening the door as she touched his face. "Linds? Lindsey, baby, can you hear me?"
"Well, hey, sexy lady," him answering as he made kissy faces.
"Thanks a lot, Mick, I really appreciate you taking care of him for me," saying sarcastically as she helped get Lindsey out of the car, Mick rolling his eyes as he assisted. "No, you've done enough," disapproving of his help as Mick butted in anyway, being the stronger one to help get Lindsey through the front door and on to the couch.
"Stevie, we know that you've been having a tough time with -"
"Don't," she held up a hand, embarrassed, "...I don't need to be reminded of the emotional sh1t I've gone through, I just wanted you of all people to keep him from doing this," gesturing towards him as he slumped over.
"Stevie, relax," Mick placed his hands on to her shoulders, "...he was celebrating, nothing more and nothing less. You have to trust other people with his well being, we'd never let anything happen to him."
"He told me that he would call and he never called, Mick."
"Okay, I am sorry but I want my Stevie back - this is not you to be so possessive," giving her a hug as she hugged him back, seeing him out the front door as he said goodnight.
"Linds?" Stevie made her way back to him, sitting at his side while unbuttoning his shirt; he had liquor stains all over him! "Come on, baby, you smell horrible," lifting his arms to remove the shirt, tossing it to the floor as she then worked on his boots.
"Mmmm... your rack looks so damn good right now," Lindsey said slurred, reaching for her as she pushed him back in to the couch. "I like a fight," wiggling his eyebrows.
"No, Lindsey, you really have no clue to what you're saying right now! I want you to sober the hell up so I can get you in to bed properly."
"Oh, I think I do," struggling to work on his belt, starting to cry. "My hands don't work... Stevie, my hands," holding them out as she groaned.
"Lindsey, we're not taking your pants off down here! Your girls are up those stairs," pointing behind her, "...now stand up," taking his wrists as she desperately tried to pull him up from the couch.
"Stevie, what if my d1ck doesn't work again?" sobbing.
"Dammit, Lindsey, just stay down here all night if you're going to be unwilling to help me!" turning her back on him as she made sure to keep the lights on, not wanting to see him tumble, stomping up the staircase as she returned to her bedroom.
... Being woken by a tiny hand nudging her, Stevie opened one eye, seeing Stella staring down at her. "Stevie, Stevie," she repeated.
"Hmmm...what? What time is it?"
"It's nine."
"Nine? Oh, precious, come back at noon."
"No, Stevie."
"What? What's wrong?" reaching for her glasses.
"It's dad."
"What do you mean?" sitting up on the bed.
"He's laying on the floor in his underwear and he has a tattoo."
Closing her eyes, Stevie couldn't help but chuckle, tossing her legs over the bed as she followed Stella down the stairs to LeeLee that was covering him with a blanket. "Alright ladies," said Stevie, "...go to your rooms while I take care of this, okay? I promise that everything is alright," as the girls left with shock on their faces. This was not normal behavior for their father. "Lindsey," she patted him on the face, "...come on, time to get up."
"Mmmm, good morning, baby," he opened his eyes then covered them with his arm, the sun too bright for him.
"Lindsey, seriously, get up," gritting her teeth now.
"Why are you being so nasty? Come back to bed."
"Will you look around you for a moment, please?"
Struggling to keep his eyes open, he held his head to sit up, blinking. "What the fvck..."
"MmmmHmmm... your own girls found you laying on the floor down here with your pants off. I hope you feel proud."
"Oh, no," holding the blanket around him as he slowly stood, swaying a little, Stevie gripping on to him. He could see the look of aggravation on Stevie's face, last night starting to come back to him. "I'm sorry, baby, I mean it."
"I waited for you to call and those pictures didn't help any."
"What pictures, honey?"
"The ones where you were licking a busty blonde."
Placing a hand to his forehead, he winced, that was not going to sit well with her. "Will encouraged me and that's no excuse, I know, I'm so sorry about everything," trying to pull her near and kiss her while she crunched up her face. "What?"
"You're not touching me until you shower and brush your teeth."
"Alright, I understand," letting out an exasperated sigh. "I'll go apologize to the girls..." walking away as Stevie started picking his clothing up from the floor, putting them in the laundry room.
... Stevie sat on the end of the bed while Lindsey showered, him stepping out of the bathroom and turning off the light to head for his dresser, taking out clean clothes. "You alright, Stevie?"
"I'm a little hurt if you want me to be honest," fiddling with her fingers. "You knew that I was having some... issues still and you ended up being irresponsible anyway."
"I didn't know that William was coming, he was spoiling me, and I promise you that I had no intention of breaking any promise I may have made," sitting down next to her to take her hand.
"I know, I understand, just was hoping to hear from you is all... I took a Xanax and you know I don't take pills."
Lifting up her chin, he felt horrible, inching closer to kiss the corner of her mouth. "I love you so much and you're right, I was irresponsible."
"I love you, too," a tear running down her face, "...but I hate broken promises."
Lindsey nodded, "I know."
"I'm not mad, not angry, just dissapointed."
"And you have every right to be," bringing an arm up around her as he kissed across her neck.
"Did you like doing the body shot?"
"Actually it was kind of salty, not my thing, and definitely on the wrong woman..." laying her back on the bed as he lifted her nightgown, kissing against her stomach. "But I could lick your skin all day long," moving his tongue against her navel.
Stevie laughed, finally smiling again as she ran her hand over the back of his head, his arms going around her hips to look up at her. "Good save, Linds."