"Enough pictures!" Lindsey joked, prompting Stevie to tuck her phone back into her bag.

"You'll thank me later" Stevie assured him, "I think I got some really good ones."

Lindsey rolled his eyes playfully and Stevie swatted at him. "Did you set this up, Steph?"

"Perhaps. I wanted you both to sit down and talk, relax. I would like us all to turn off our phones and just enjoy spending time together- no rushing off, either of you."

"Thank you" Jenna said, briefly taking Stevie's hand across the table as they all sat down. Lindsey and Jenna both turned off their phones and Stevie smiled.

"And thank you." Stevie said appreciatively.

"You look different every time I see you" Lindsey said to Jenna, who sat across from he and Stevie.

"Yeah, I've been playing with my hair lately. It's trendy, fun."

"I like it. It's different." he told her.

"Thank you, daddy"

The waiter came to briefly interrupt, uncorking their bottle of wine and taking food orders. A sort of silence came over them once the waiter left and Lindsey fidgeted with his napkin. Stevie could tell he was working on something carefully in that mind of his. He had something to say. He opened his mouth to speak and she felt as if she could have counted him in. She knew him that well.

"Jen, I don't want to make you uncomfortable or make this night a complete downer but I missed you." Lindsey began. He looked down into his lap and Stevie took his hand in hers, squeezing it comfortingly. "I like having you around and well, it was nice when you would come by for dinner or to watch a movie. I liked going out with you girls and shopping, even though I hate shopping. It was being with the both of you that made it special and enjoyable. I kept thinking over what I could have done to push you away, Jenna."

"You didn't do anything, dad."

"Are you sure? It was so sudden. You would leave in the middle or turn me down, you stopped coming over..."

"It's mom." Jenna says. "That night she called me with a so-called emergency but really, she just wanted me to come over and gossip. It's usually fun but I was upset that it was really nothing. I stayed anyway, and we ended up having a lot of fun. It was kind of like a slumber party. Anyway, as I started spending more time with her, she convinced me that you wouldn't want me or have time for me. I talk about you and Stevie all the time, probably too much, and she kept telling me that you have a new life, and kids you have been with since birth and....I don't know...it started to make sense."

"I love you, Jenna."

"We both do." Stevie says.

"You're my daughter. I don't care who I knew first, I love you and I want you around. I might call your mother and speak with her. That wasn't fair of her to say. I want everyone in my life to get along and be happy together. Your mother, Kristen, Stevie and I should all be working together, not against each other."

"That's ambitious" Jenna says.

Lindsey's eyes widen and he exhales, as if he knows it will be an overwhelming task. "I know but I'm not really known for taking on easy projects, huh, Steph?"

"I swear to God, Lindsey, if you get me started on Say You Will, I will wring your neck" Stevie says, putting up a hand and both Lindsey and Jenna laugh.

"So as you can tell, it went really well" he said sarcastically. "But it got finished and it was a beautiful record. Like I said before, there will be growing pains but I have confidence we can all be civil at the very least."

"I agree with your father. Having all of us women working together would be amazing and helping Lindsey is important too. A lot of changes have been going on for all of us. It hasn't been easy but there is a lot of love in this. I'm very invested in making sure all of his children, including you, Jenna, are happy and healthy."

"Thank you, baby" Lindsey said, kissing her temple.

"Of course" she replied.

"I wish I had this growing up. My mother is a great woman, don't get me wrong. I love her so much and she worked so hard to raise me on her own, but I always wanted this. You and Stevie love each other so much. Everything I said, before I totally flaked on you guys, was true" Jenna said with a chuckle.

"I appreciate that so much, sweet girl. As always, if you need me, I am here. I want you to feel like you can come to me. I don't have children of my own and you and Lindsey's other three are as close as I can get besides my beautiful niece and my goddaughters."

"You have your hands full, Stevie."

"I do but I'm very happy to be involved. I never thought my life would be so full, especially pushing seventy."

"Also, there was something I wanted to ask you, well, we both did." Lindsey says.

"Yes?" Jenna asked, her eyebrows furrowing with curiosity.

"Stevie and I want you involved in the wedding. We have finally set a date and--"

"And I wanted you to be one of my bridesmaids."

"Really?" Jenna's eyes filled with tears.

"Yes, I want you by my side on probably the most special day of my life."

"Oh my God, I feel so honored! Of course I will be your bridesmaid." Jenna told her excitedly. "Can I hug you?"

"Oh, honey!" Stevie stood and Jenna crashed into her, crying into her shoulder. The older blonde rubbed her step-daughter's back soothingly.

"Thank you" she whispered.

"You're so welcome, sweet girl. Don't cry."

"I'm sorry." Jenna says, pulling away. She sits down again, patting her under eyes with the napkin. Lindsey was beaming, taking in the bond Stevie and Jenna shared. It was so beautiful to him. He wrapped an arm around his soon-to-be wife and hugged her a little tighter that usual. He couldn't believe his luck.

"I know these past few months have been really hard but it will get easier. Please don't leave us again. Come around, call us...stay in touch. I don't want to miss any more of your life than I already have. Learning about you has been both heartbreaking and rewarding. Heartbreaking because I wasn't there to see you grow up. I know nothing about your life before we met, but rewarding because you are such an incredible individual. You're beautiful and bright, you're warm and funny. You and Stevie are the perfect little pair. Cut from the same cloth. It almost freaks me out sometimes." Lindsey laughs a little. "So as Stevie and I did last time, when you helped us find one another again, let's make a toast." He poured the ladies a glass of wine each, lastly filling his own. They all rose their glasses in the air and looked to Stevie, the poet herself, to form the words neither could put together.

"Thanks for putting me on the spot, Buckinghams!" Stevie says. "I honestly can't think of anything."

"Come on, you always think of something."

"Say anything" Jenna says. "Your words are magical!"

"I'm not a witch!" she says, pointing at Lindsey who had opened his mouth to speak once more. He burst out laughing, obviously thinking of something clever to say.

"You called me out, Nicks"

"I know you." she says, giving him a sideways glance. "Okay...hmmm..." Stevie purses her lips, thinking.

"How about...to second chances!" Jenna says.

"I like that" Stevie says. "Short, sweet, to the point."

"Yes, to second chances" Lindsey confirms, and they clink their glasses. All three take sips of their wine, and tuck into their meal.

The conversation flowed from there, father and daughter talking animatedly about new music and all the work Lindsey had done on various albums in terms of production. Jenna was enthralled, listening intently to his wisdom and stories, many involving Stevie. Stevie herself had become quiet, contemplative, and withdrew from the conversation, into her own mind. The more she thought, the more nervous she became. An encounter with Carol was inevitable and she would control herself, be polite, but sometimes strange things happen. It was impossible to know if one or both of them would still be bitter after all these years.