It was still relatively early in the morning, but Stevie wasn't sleeping any longer. Jeremy made sure to wake her up before he went to take a shower, so she was just lying in bed with her eyes closed. Jeremy's phone started ringing and at first she was going to ignore it, but... or should she bring it to him? She glanced at the bathroom door, hearing the water running. She reached for his mobile and her heart stopped - Emily. I don't know any Emily, her number isn't even saved! Stevie remembered that morning. No, this time she was going to pick up.
"Good morning, Jeremy!"
"It's not him."
"Oh, who is it?"
"His girlfriend."
Silence.
"Did you want something, can I get a message?"
"No, no I'll call him back, thank you."
The woman hung up and Stevie less than carefully tossed the phone on the nightstand. Fucking asshole, what a liar!, she wanted to scream, pulling the covers away, she got out of bed to change out of her nightgown.
She was willing herself not to cry, unsure how to explain it to Jeremy, because he will ask, but she couldn't, feeling angry and betrayed. Just when she was about to storm out, he reentered the bedroom, with a towel wrapped around his waist. He looked around for her, finding her in the closet.
"I was thinking we could go away for the weekend, the three of us; you, me and Beth." Stevie didn't acknowledge him at all. "Babe?"
"Shut up, Jeremy!" She even startled herself with it, as she was currently irritated with not being able to do the buttons of her blouse.
"Hey, no need to freak out like this, come, let me help you." He took a few steps towards her, replacing her hands with his, easily finishing the task. "Are you crying?"
"No."
"Yes you are, what's wrong? You're so flustered." He put his palms on the sides of her face, lovingly caressing.
God... did she want to slap him and yell at him, and throw him out, but she simply couldn't. She was too far gone, to turn away from what they had built together already. Calm down, Stephanie, take a deep breath, she repeated to herself, maybe it's nothing. It happened twice already, but... but just maybe it's nothing.
She sighed, wiping her cheeks. "Something got in my eye."
"Both of them?"
"I think it's my hand cream, I was rubbing it in and then rubbed my eyes. I'm sorry I yelled at you."
"It's fine." He dismissed, waving it off with a hand. "But are you?"
She gave a small nod and managed a weak smile. "I'm okay."
"Good." Although, he saw right through her. "So, did you hear what I said?"
"I... no." Stevie admitted she wasn't listening to him.
"A weekend away, you, me and Beth?"
"Sure, that sounds amazing. Where do you want to go?"
"I haven't thought about that yet, maybe Beth should decide."
"Yeah, fine. I could definitely use some time to relax."
"Brilliant! I can't wait." Jeremy went back to gather his things from the nightstand and was heading out of the room.
"Honey?" Stevie called out before he left.
"What is it?"
"Where are you going and when will you be back?"
"I'm going to the office and I can't be sure. I'll call you later on in the day and tell you." He bent down, giving her a loving kiss goodbye, that tore her apart completely. How could she leave him now?
Home alone, Stevie was doing everything to keep herself busy and stay away from those horrible thoughts of Jeremy possibly seeing another woman behind her back. It was working quite alright, she took Sulamith for a walk, she made herself breakfast, watched some shitty TV, even cleaned and found new places for some of her things, making sure she was completely ignoring her journal. If she opened it and decided to write, she would break down and it wouldn't be pretty.
Like several days ago, she jumped at the sound of her phone, this time it was definitely a call, and it was Lindsey, telling her he was back home.
"Can I come see you?"
"Can you take me somewhere instead?"
"Um... sure, where to?"
"I don't care, we can meet and go for coffee, doesn't matter, I just don't want to stay at the condo right now."
"I'll be there in thirty minutes?"
"I'll be waiting."
Stevie was already outside, when Lindsey arrived. He stopped where she was standing on the pavement, until she got in and then drove away. He hasn't changed one bit, she thought, well of course not, he's been gone for only a little over a week, gee...
"Did you have a good time?"
"Well..." Lindsey shrugged. "I stayed at the hotel mostly, Kristen went out shopping, that's pretty much how it went." He held the door to cafe open for Stevie. They found a table in the corner and that's where they settled down.
"You took your wife to Italy to get things back on track, Linds."
"And things are good, Stevie. I told you, as soon as I hand her my credit card, things miraculously get better. I'll go order for us, you won't get anyone to approach you in ages!"
We sat down literally a minute ago, she shook her head at his impatience. He didn't need to ask what she wanted, knowing her well enough to not have to. He set a cup in front of her and she thanked him.
"So, that's all? You spent that amount of money to sleep in a hotel bed and Kristen went shopping?"
"Yes." Lindsey confirmed, stirring the sugar he added to his black coffee.
"I can't lie, that makes me very happy."
"I knew it would." He laughed, reaching for her hand across the table. "I missed you like you wouldn't believe."
"I missed you too." Feeling that their hand holding lasted long enough (in a public place that is), she let go.
"You're upset over something. And don't lie."
She smiled, she thought only she knew him that well and not the other way around as well. "Everything was going really well. I met Jerry's daughter, Elizabeth, she's almost seventeen. She stayed with us for two days and I loved having her there."
"It felt like a family, huh?"
"It did." Stevie nodded, her voice cracking as she spoke. Lindsey took her hand in his again, squeezing it. "But then this morning... some woman keeps calling him and he clearly doesn't want me to know about her. I answered his phone as he was in the shower and she fell silent after I said I was his girlfriend. I asked if I could take a message, but she said she'd call him again later herself."
"It doesn't mean he's cheating on you. You have male friends, he might have female ones as well."
"No, I know, I get it. But the first time he lied to me, saying he didn't know anyone named Emily and now she's calling him again, Emily written on the screen. I just don't know what to think, Lindsey..."
"Well, if he decides to hurt you, Steph, I'll cut his balls off myself, you can count on that."
She smiled, laughing lightly. "Thanks."
"Oh, I almost forgot..." Lindsey reached into his jacket pocket.
"What?"
"I got something for you."
"Aw, Linds, you didn't have to." She sniffled, wiping away the remnants of her tears.
"It's not pearls or diamonds, but I saw it, walking down the street in Venice and..." He shrugged, feeling a little like a school boy. "And it reminded me of you, how you love the sea and the ocean, and... Just take it."
She chuckled at him, just how adorable he was struggling for words. "Oh, it's so pretty, Lindsey!" She took the bracelet made of seashells, looking at it, then asked him to put it on. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. I mean... I know it's stupid, but..."
"It's not stupid, Lindsey. If anything, it's very thoughtful of you. I love it! I'll give you a kiss for a thank you when we're out of here." She whispered.
"Right, then we're leaving now." Lindsey wasn't kidding, as he stood up and held out his hand for her to take.
Since when things were so easy with Lindsey, she thought, as they were walking back to his car, hand in hand. He even opened the car door for her...