Stevie is sprawled out across Lindsey's bed, just having had her massage, as promised. She's relaxed, her muscles finally resting after years of tension. She rolls onto her side, propping up on her elbow to look at Lindsey who is now laying very much how she is.

"What are you thinking about?" Lindsey asks.

"Nothing."

"I can see it's something. You can tell me."

"I don't think I should."

"Okay" Lindsey says, backing off.

"It's just that..." Stevie sits up, crossed legged in front of him, pulling her robe off the bedpost and wrapping it around herself. "Why now, yknow?"

"What?"

"Lydia. She said you spoke to her last week and you swore you didn't...and I believe you, but why now? Why would she come back after two years?"

"She tried to break us up before, why wouldn't she try again? She's tried to contact me multiple times. Letters, phone calls...I've seen her out a couple times and it's like she knew I'd be there. She gets herself invited places...I don't know what to do."

"We could have called the police, gotten a restraining order. Ugh, I can't believe how desperate she is!" Stevie leaps off the bed, pacing, a hand running through her curly blonde hair.

"Don't worry about her. I don't want her baby, I want you." Lindsey reassures her and she sits down on the bed next to him, choosing to trust him.

----

The next day, things weren't any better. Lydia was at it again, calling every hour on the hour in an attempt to drive the couple absolutely crazy. The house keeper, Tandy, who comes a couple of times a week, answered the first few calls only for Lindsey to politely take the phone from her hand and slam it down.

"I can't this anymore, Lindsey!" Stevie told him. "Can't we just unplug it or something?"

"How about emergencies with our families? We can't!"

"You're right."

"Next time she calls, I will tell her off. Maybe we can come to an understanding."

"We can't come to an understanding with a woman who clearly has a few screws loose!"

Lindsey laughed lightly. "Okay. I'm still talking to her."

"Fine." Stevie went back to her music room with her cup of tea, set on finishing the song she had been working on. Lindsey's chance came when the phone rang once more.

Even in the other room, he knew Stevie was huffing in frustration. Lindsey took a breath and picked up the phone.

"May I speak with Lindsey, please?" the woman says in a syrupy sweet voice.

"What do you want Lydia?"

"I just want you, Linds. Don't you miss me?"

"Not at all" Lindsey tells her firmly.

"Come on, don't you remember when I would--"

"Enough, Lydia."

"Meet me. I'm at home, I'm alone. You know where it is."

Lindsey looked over his shoulder, making sure no one was in earshot. "If I meet you, will you leave my wife alone?"

"I'll think about it. It depends..." The woman's voice was low and seductive.

"On what?"

"Just come up and see me. Wear that cologne I sent you. You got it, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Good. See you tonight." Lindsey hangs up the phone and curses himself.

"She's going to kill me" he says aloud. He goes to the kitchen and pours himself a drink. He tosses it back, the harsh liquid burning his throat as it went down. He immediately pours himself another, then goes to find Stevie. The door to her music room is closed but unlocked. He turned the knob and opens the door a crack.

Well, you cannot know a dream
When you turn away
You don't know
You'll never care
The night is not your friend
And you have not had her
And when the nightmare ends
But, you never understand
When you're gone
She wakes up calling out
Oh, calling out
As children may cry as she will

Her voice is pained and her fingers are soft on the keys of her piano. She has tears in her voice and he listens to her sing this part over and over. She speaks, most likely taping her session. She continues through another part, her pencil scratching on the the page. She stops and he hears her heels on the floorboards. He backs away from the door, making himself look busy, only looking up when she passed him in her midnight blue velvet skirt and jacket.

"Hey" he says, catching her attention. She sniffs, attempting to disguise the fact that she had previously been in tears.

"Hey" she says softly.

"If you're hungry, I was thinking about getting some dinner. We could order in or go out, your choice."

"I don't feel like going out, baby, I'm sorry."

"That's fine, don't apologize." He reaches out and touches her face. "Are we okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine." she says.

"Are you sure?" She nods and he smiles a little. "Do you know what you're in the mood for, food-wise?"

"Whatever you want."

"I hate when you do that." he says and she sees his temper flaring slightly.

"Fine, how about Chinese?"

"The usual?"

"Yeah, that sounds good." Lindsey goes back to the phone and orders food.

When it arrives, they sit on the floor of their 'family' room and he lays everything out on the coffee table. Stevie changes into loose, comfortable clothes and helps distribute food onto their plates. Lindsey zones out during their conversation and she touches his hand, seemingly bringing him back to earth.

"Are you nervous about something?"

"No, babe, just thinking about this thing I have to do."

"Oh...what, like tonight?"

"Yeah, probably right after dinner."

"I just thought we could spend some time together."

"We will, but I can't skip this."

"Alright." She looks disappointed as she pushes her food around. He sighs, getting up and kissing her hair.

"See you when I get back. It might be late so don't wait up for me if you're tired, okay?"

"Okay." Lindsey leaves her and her eyes follow him out of the room.

He showers, gets dressed and splashes on some of the cologne Lydia had sent him that he had been hiding from Stevie. He has never worn it before and if he is honest, he feels terribly uncomfortable with the scent. It is dark, in your face and not something his wife would have chosen for him. It makes him feel dirty. He bounds downstairs, passing Stevie as he tries and fails to hurry out the door.

"You look good" Stevie says.

"Thanks." He forces a smile, knowing what he's about to do behind her back. She looks hurt enough without adding insult to her injury. He buttons the sleeves of his black button down shirt, and she stands up to kiss him goodbye.

"Be safe, okay?" she says and he gives her a look.

"You have nothing to worry about."

"I always worry about you, especially now."

"Why now?"

She shrugs. "I don't know...since we're trying to work on our problems together, y'know?"

"I get it. I will be safe, I promise." He presses a kiss to her temple and she inhales his scent.

"New cologne? I don't recognize this one."

"Oh yeah, it's new. Do you like it?"

"It's okay, I guess. Did you get a good deal on it?"

"Why, because it smells cheap or because you hate it and you hope it didn't cost a fortune?" He chuckles and she smiles.

"Maybe a little of both."

He kisses her again, lingering a little while longer. "I won't wear it again. I don't like it either." He grabs his keys and heads out the door. He pulls out of the driveway and makes his way to Lydia's house, regretting his decision to meet her the closer he got to her home. What choice did he have? He didn't want Lydia making a mess of his life anymore. He pulls up to the stately house that belonged to Lydia.

The blonde woman, who was a natural redhead when Lindsey had met her, gained the home from her ex husband's will. He was much, much older than she and he met her while she was working as an exotic dancer at a club he frequented. When he mysteriously passed away (even the autopsy bringing no clear cause of death) five years ago, he had left everything to her. His children who were older than Lydia received nothing. Declining the help of her husband's accountant, the widow spent her money rapidly and frivolously, her cashflow slowing down and eventually stopping all together. With no other means to earn herself a little money, she began an affair with Lindsey, hoping to break up his marriage. She was genuinely shocked to see his wife answer the door of their well kept home when she had stopped by but she had no intention of stopping now. She wanted more, she wanted Lindsey and she would have him.

The guitarist didn't even get the chance to knock on the door before it swung open. There stood Lydia, posing in the doorway in a negligee that left very little to the imagination. "Oh, Lindsey, my darling...I'm so glad you came!" she cooed, pulling him inside by his collar.