Two months, I've officially been separated from my wife for two months. Sara was hurt when her mother left but even more hurt when we received a package from Stevie. A mini piano for Sara's fifth birthday.

Robin planned a mega fifth birthday party for her. We live in LA so the weather was warm, we had bouncy castles and a princess and fairies. All the girls in Sara's class came and Debra and Paul Byron let Samantha stay the night. Stevie however, didn't come. Sara was heartbroken. It stung a little less when Angeline showed up. I told Sara you don't invite teachers to parties, but she insisted and Angeline, knowing how hard it was for Sara to cope brought her an art set.

Today is Valentine's day. Seven years we've been married Eight years ago, I tried to propose. After the children go to bed, I open my nightstand drawer. I take a hold of the little ring box and the manila envelope. The ring is 24 Karate Gold, it was fucking expensive and I was going to give it to her on our anniversary. I've had the ring since she gave birth to Mason. I've just kept it hidden. I wanted to give it to her at the right moment. The ring has three bands all welded together. Each having a diamond on it.

I was sitting on the couch looking at both items when the door opens. Angeline and I are really good friends and she often comes over for a glass of wine and polite conversation. She knows to just come in instead of risking waking the kids. We never go any further.

"Hey." I smile as she walks into the living room.

"Hi." She smiles from the doorway.

"Come in sit," I say

"So how has it been?" She asks pouring our wine.

"Stevie and I started out with nothing. All I could afford was a cheap drug store diamond ring and a gold band. I vowed that one day I'd get her a nicer ring. Our anniversary was January 27th. I was going to give it to her, but she didn't come home. I knew she wouldn't there was just that sliver of hope. Then there's this stupid packet of papers. She begged me not to file for divorce but after Sara's birthday party, I went right to my lawyer and drew them up. I haven't filed them yet, that's why they're in the envelope as much as I want to send them in and get the official file and have her served part of me doesn't want to." I shrug handing them both to her.

She sighs and places the divorce papers on the coffee table and opens up the ring box.

"Wow, that's...wow. What would you do with it if you do file?" She questions.

"I'd give it to Sara when she's old enough," I state as she hands it back to me. All of a sudden my arm twitches.

"Oh, Lindsey are you okay?" She asks.

"Yes, it's weird. I've been having muscle spasms since Stevie left. I think it's just my bodies way of coping with the stress I've been dealing with." I explain.

"Daddy." We hear a croak from the stairs.

"Sara, how come you're out of bed?" I ask

"My tummy hurts. Why is Miss. Curtis here?" Sara asks.

"She's here telling me about what a wonderful student you are," I explain.

"Oh," Sara says crawling into my lap.

"Where does your stomach hurt?" Angeline asks.

She points to her lower right side

"How long has it been hurting?" I ask

"All day, but it didn't start hurting bad until A few minutes ago," Sara explains.

"Sara, I'm going to press on your stomach. Tell me if anything hurts." Angeline instructs.

She cries out as soon as Angeline removes her hand.

"It's her appendix. We need to get her to the hospital. Give me your keys. Go get Mason, we'll meet you in the car." Angeline instructs.

At the hospital, they take her into emergency surgery immediately. I know I need to call Stevie, but I don't know where she is. I leave Mason with Angeline and call my in-laws first.

"Hello," Jess answers angrily.

Jess, it's Lindsey." I sigh.

"Lindsey, it's the middle of the night." He sighs back.

"Do you know how to reach Stevie?" I question.

"I don't. I'll ask Barb though hold on." He disappears for a few minutes and then comes back. "She doesn't know either. Why?"

"I'm at Cedars Sinai with Sara. Her appendix burst. They have her in surgery now. I wasn't allowed to go with her.

"Oh no. I'll try to find her. Give her our love." Jess sighs

"Thank You. Bye." I say tears welling up in my eyes.

"Son, stay strong. That little girl needs you right now." Jess hangs up.

Next thing I do is call Robin.

"Whoever this is, it's the middle of the night." Robin hisses.

"Oh shut up. You nor Stevie go to bed until like two. It's only twelve thirty." I snap back.

"Lindsey, to what do I owe this inconvenience?" Robin asks.

"Do you know how to contact Stevie?" I ask

"I might. Why do you want to know?" Robin pesters.

"An emergency," I state.

"That's not a proper answer," Robin says.

"Fine, if you must know. I am at Cedars Sinai with Sara. Her appendix burst. I thought Stevie would like to know." I tell her.

"Oh my god, I'll call her right away. I'm coming Lindsey." Robin's tone softens.

"Thank you," I say.

Going back towards Angeline I'm pacing. Robin comes five minutes later, gives me a questioning look about Angeline holding my baby and then shortly after the doctor comes out.

"Sara Buckingham." He announces. Angeline, Robin, and I bust over to him.

"We almost lost her. Her breathing stopped and her heart slowed. But she's okay now. She's sleeping. We're going to keep her overnight for a couple of days but she can go back to school in two weeks." The doctor says.

"Can we go see her?" I ask

"Yes, but she won't be awake. And she might not look too pretty. She has a feeding tube and a nasal cannula on." The doctor explains.

"Robin, is she coming?" I turn to her after the doctor leaves.

"I'm not sure. She didn't answer but I left a phone message. Can we go see her?" Robin questions.

"Yes." I smile as she grabs my arm.

"'Angeline?" Robin asks.

"Yes, Robin is it?" Angeling looks to her.

"Yeah, thank you for being here. My niece absolutely adores you." Robin smiles.

"My pleasure and I adore her. Lindsey, I'm going to go. I'll bring her work by after school. Keep me updated." Angeline says handing me a sound asleep Mason.

Climbing out of Don's bed it's nearly three in the morning. We were "in the studio" all night. It's easier for me to lie than, to tell the truth. And yeah, maybe there were a few drugs flying around, but I stayed away from the cocaine and just settled on the pot.

"Will you check the answering machine?" Don asks.

"Absolutely." I smile pressing the playback button.

"Hey Steves, It's Robin. I know it's late but I just got a call from Lindsey. Sara's appendix burst. He's at Cedar Sinai. I'm on my way there now. He sounded really upset He wanted to call you but you never gave him a contact number so he asked me. I've gotta go. Sara will hopefully be out of Surgery soon and I want to be there when she wakes up." The call ends.

Tears blur my vision as I run to throw things in a bag.

"Where are you going?" Don asks.

"My baby girl is in the hospital. I've got to go to LA." I answer.

"I'll have the plane get ready for you." Don sighs.

I leave New York at six and I arrive back at LA around ten. I call a car and get home around eleven thirty. I grab a shower and change. I make some food, Sandwiches, and soup. Grab Sara's lamb, a plush thing that Lindsey got her as a baby and she sleeps with it every night and a change of clothes for both her and Lindsey.

"Sara Buckingham's Room," I say to the reception as soon as I enter the hospital.

"Who are you to her?" The woman asks.

"I'm her mother," I say firmly. All I want to do is go see my baby.

"I could've sworn her mother was already here. I'm going to need your ID." The nurse states.

My heart falls when she says that but I hurriedly dig in my brown leather purse and pull out my driver's license.

"421." The old lady at the desk states.

When I get to Sara's room my heart breaks at what I see and hear.

"I left school early, I was worried about her. I have her work for the week. How's our little girl doing?" Miss. Curtis asks.

"Well she's stable, but she still hasn't woken up. Her breathing hasn't gotten any better. They think she may have reacted to something in the anesthetic. But they took her feeding tube out." Lindsey tells her.

"Well, that's not good. Like allergic?" Miss. Curtis questions.

"Yes. Angeline, will you stay with her. I have to run home and eat, shower, change, and get her lamb." Lindsey sighs.

"Of course." Angeline smiles.

"Lindsey," I say as they both turn around.

"Steph." He says.

"Um, this bag has clothes for you in it. I brought soup and sandwiches and Lambie." I say handing him his bag.

"Annon rings like a bell." Sara mumbles. I drop what's left in my hands and go to her.

Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night and wouldn't you love to love her

She rules her life like a bird in flight

And who will be her lover

All your life you've never seen a woman taken by the sky

Well would you stay if she promised to you heaven would you even try

And he says Rhiannon don't go

And he Rhiannon stay

And he says I still cry out for you

Don't leave me, don't leave me

Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night

And wouldn't you love to love her

She rules her life like a bird in flight and who will be her lover

All your life you've never seen a woman taken by the sky

Well would stay if she promised yo you heaven

Would you even try

She is like a cat In the dark and then

Baby, she is your darkness

She rules her life like a fine skylark

And when the sky is starless

Once in a million years a lady like her rises

Oh no, Rhiannon you cry, but she's gone

Your life knows no answer,

Your life knows no answer

Rhiannon Rhiannon Rhiannon Rhiannon

She rings like a bell through the night

And wouldn't you love to love her

She rules her life like a bird in flight

And who will be her lover

All your life you've never seen

A woman taken by the sky

Well would you stay if she promised to you heaven

Would you even try

Say would you even try

Rhiannon Rhiannon Rhiannon

Dreams unwind loves a state of mind

Your dreams unwind loves a state of mind

Your dreams unwind and still, it's hard to find, I know your dreams unwind.

"Mrs. Buckingham, that was amazing." Miss Curtis says clapping.

"Momma?" Sara asks.

"Yes, Sara Rhiannon?" I wrap my arms around her.

"You staying?" She asks.

"Only until you go back to school. Mommy still has a lot of work to do in New York." I tell her.

"Then go back. I don't want you here." Sara pouts.

"Sara Rhiannon that was rude." Lindsey hisses.

"I don't care." She crosses

"Sara, whether you or I like it, your mother flew all the way from New York because she was worried about you. Now you apologize." Lindsey demands.

"Why should I apologize for telling the truth," Sara asks as my heart breaks.

"I'll leave you alone," Angeline says.

"No, stay. You brought her here with me wait until the doctor comes." Lindsey says.

"I did make enough food to feed an army. And I'm...not...really hungry." I say shaking my head and motioning to the picnic basket.

Very soon the doctor and Robin come in.

"Hey, Steves." Robin coos hugging me.

"Sara, it looks like you have a lot of visitors. I'm Dr. Monroe. I operated on you last night. Do you remember what happened" Dr. Monroe asks.

"My tummy hurt and you said my pendix," Sara spoke softly.

"Right, your appendix burst. But it wasn't infectious so you are perfectly healthy. We did find out that you are allergic to anesthetic agents. It just means that doctors have to be careful of things that they use to make sure you don't feel pain. But you don't have to worry about that only mom and dad. You'll get to go home tomorrow morning but you can't go back to school until next Monday." Dr. Monroe says.

"As her parents, what do we have to know about her allergy?" I ask

"All you have to know is she's allergic and when filling her papers out make sure you annotate it. There is nothing you can do. It'll just help doctors determine the dosage amount we give her and monitor her more closely when she's under it with epinephrine handy." Dr. Monroe tells us.

"So she'll be alright though," Lindsey asks.

"She should be. I'll leave you guys alone. Visiting hours end at nine one family member can stay with her overnight." The doctor says walking out.

"I'll stay. You've been here a while Linds. Take Mason home and I'll stay with her." I decide.

"Steph, you look like you got hit by a bus. I'm fine staying another night. When did you last sleep?" Lindsey crosses his arms.

"I don't know. What day is it?" I ask.

"February fifteenth." Robin states.

"The twelfth. I've been working non-stop trying to meet my May deadline. But I'll sleep while Sara's sleeping." I explain.

"I want daddy to stay," Sara says.

"Alright, give me Mason. The poor baby has no padding on that floor." I state getting off of her bed.

"Bye, my sweet girl. I love you." I say kissing her forehead.

"I'm going to head out as well. Bye Robin, Lindsey. I'll see you next Monday Sara." Angeline says.

Walking out together is awkward.

"SO you and my husband are..." I trail off.

"Just friends. I'm dating a chef. Lindsey actually introduced us. But I didn't think you guys were still married. He told me you left. Said you didn't know when or if you'll be back." Angeline says.

"We still are married, we're just...separated at the moment," I explain shifting Mason to my other hip. He's getting bigger and heavier.

"Well...I hope it all works out." Angeline smiles walking away.

That night at home when Mason is asleep, I go into our bedroom and look at our wedding picture crying ever so slightly.