by E. L. Todd
Like a man, I met his gaze for a few seconds before I looked back at Trinity. I could only imagine how confused everyone was. All my friends were probably blinded by the confession. No one had any idea that Trinity and I had a relationship that lasted over six months. It was a lot to process.
Mike held her other hand. “Are you feeling okay, honey?”
“I’m fine, Dad. But thanks.”
He ran his fingers through her hair then dropped his touch. “I’m so glad you’re alright.”
“I am too.”
He kissed her hand. “I wouldn’t know what to do if I lost you…”
“I love you, Dad.” Her tears glistened as she dropped my hand then leaned over to hug her father.
He wept while he held her, not ashamed to show his emotions to everyone who meant something to him.
And that made him more of a man than he was before.
“My girl…” He pulled away and kissed her forehead. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” she said again.
Her mother hugged her next, unable to stop crying. “You’re going to be okay, Trinity. Don’t be scared.”
“I know, Mom…”
When they broke apart, Conrad came to her and hugged her tighter than everyone else. “I’m sorry I’m so mean to you all the time. I don’t mean to be like that…I love you.”
She hugged him back. “I know…I love you too.”
“You’re the best sister anyone could ask for.”
“And you’re the best brother.”
When he looked at her the tears were forming. “I’m so glad you’re okay…I was so scared.”
“I was scared too.”
“You aren’t ugly,” he blurted. “You’re beautiful.”
She smiled. “Thanks…it’s nice to hear that for once.”
He smiled back. “I’ll be better from now on. I promise.”
“You were fine before, Conrad.”
“But I’ll be better. We’ll do stuff together from now…spend time together.”
“I would love that.”
He nodded then moved back to his seat.
Everyone else came to her and showed her affection. I moved out of the way so people would have room. Even though it pained me to be away from her, I knew it was the right thing to do.
Cayson stood beside me then looked at me.
I knew what he was going to say. The last thing I wanted to do was deal with the drama my relationship with Trinity would cause.
He rested his hand on my shoulder. “I’m happy for you.”
That was not what I expected him to say. I looked at him in confusion.
“I knew you’d find someone that would change your life for the better. I just didn’t expect it to be her.” He smiled slightly then clapped me on the shoulder again.”
“Thanks…”
“And I’m sorry I called you gay.”
For the first time in two days, I smiled. “Thanks.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and nodded. “Can I get you something to eat? Some coffee?”
“I’m okay. But thanks.”
“Let me know if you change your mind.”
My dad came to my other side then leaned close to me. “I knew it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Now isn’t the time to gloat…”
“It’s always the time to gloat.” He put his arm around my shoulders. “I’m proud of you, Son. It takes courage to declare something like that in front of a room of people—especially her father.”
“I know I’m going to regret it later,” I said with a laugh.
“Well, I got your back if you need me.”
“Like you could take on Mike.”
“For my son I could.” He headed back to my mom.
Skye sat beside Trinity and cried while she held her hand. “I don’t know what I would have done without you…”
“You’d have to find someone else to go shoe shopping with,” Trinity said half laughing, half crying.
“Don’t ever say that again.” Skye hugged her hard and rocked her from left to right.
For the next few hours, everyone visited with Trinity, making her feel alive. I lingered in the back, giving her time and space to talk to everyone. All my aunts and uncles glanced at me, thinking exactly what I knew what they were thinking. But none of them spoke to me, knowing it wasn’t the right time. And none of my friends teased me like I thought. They seemed to respect the moment and give me my space.
The nurse came inside and said visiting hours were over. Apparently, there were too many of us so we were getting kicked out anyway. “Only four people allowed.”
Damn, that meant I had to leave. Mike, Cassandra, and Conrad would stay, and the fourth person would either be Sean or Scarlet. I guess I could wait in the lobby.
“Out,” the nurse herded us like cattle.
I came to Trinity’s side to say goodbye. “I’ll wait in the lobby. I won’t leave the hospital until you do. Just call me if you need me.”
She grabbed my hand. “No, stay.”
I eyed her family then returned my gaze to her. “But—”
“Don’t leave,” she begged.
“I don’t want to leave…as long as I’m welcome to stay,” I whispered.
“Stay,” she said without hesitation.
I sat down then held her hand like before, feeling the tension in the room rise.
Her parents both eyed me but didn’t drill into me. Conrad glanced at me every few minutes but didn’t say anything.
It was awkward as hell.
But I wouldn’t leave Trinity as long as she wanted me here. I could deal with their quiet thoughts and discreet looks. I needed her hand in mine, to feel her next to me so I could remind myself she was okay.
Trinity turned to her parents. “You guys must be exhausted. Go get some sleep. I’ll be fine. And Slade will be here.”
“I’m not leaving.” Her father said it with such authority that Trinity didn’t argue with him.
Trinity turned to her mom. “I’ll be fine, really. Come back in the morning.”
Her mother seemed torn. “I guess your father and I can take shifts…”
Mike patted her thigh. “Take Conrad to a hotel and get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Cassandra still seemed unsure.
“She’ll be fine,” Mike said. “I’m here. And I won’t let anything happen to our daughter.”
That was enough to convince her. “Okay.” She leaned down and kissed Trinity. “I’ll be back in the morning.”
“Okay, Mom.”
Conrad hugged her before he left with their Mom.
Now it was just Trinity, her father the gargoyle, and me.
He leaned back in his chair and eyed me next to her bed. All he did was stare but not speak.
If he thought that would intimidate me, he was wrong. I only squeezed Trinity’s hand tighter and refused to walk away, even for a second. I knew Mike loved me like his own son, and even if I murdered someone that wouldn’t change, but when it came to his daughter different rules applied. I crossed a line I could never uncross. He wasn’t stupid. He could figure out the kind of relationship we had, and a lot of sex was involved. The fact I hadn’t asked his permission and kept it a secret didn’t help matters. There were so many assumptions he could make, and none of them worked in my favor.
Trinity picked up on the tension but didn’t say anything. Her hand remained in mine, and I had to make sure I didn’t touch any of the tubes that went into her body. “So…what now?” she asked quietly.
I suspected she waited until her mom was out of the room to ask this, knowing it would be too hard for a mother to listen to.
Her dad’s voice was low, like he was afraid talking too loud would stress Trinity. “You’ll stay here for a few days then you’ll head home. After your leg heals you’ll do physical therapy. I’ll come down to your house and take care of you and take you to class.”
“I can take
care of her,” I blurted. I was with her all the time anyway. Why should Mike have to change his life around taking care of his daughter when I was perfectly capable of doing it, wanted to do it.
Mike narrowed his eyes at me. A few heartbeats of silence passed. “Can you?” It wasn’t a question and it wasn’t a statement. It was a challenge, a cryptic jab. I knew exactly what he was saying, and it had nothing to do with Trinity’s recovery.
I didn’t back down. Mike would never accept me as her boyfriend unless I gave him a reason to. “Yes.”
Trinity felt the tension elevate. “We’ll talk about it later…”
I tore my gaze away and looked at the TV in the corner. The screen was on but the sound was off. A soap opera was on.
Mike crossed his ankle at the knee, his slacks coming up slightly and showing black socks and shiny dress shoes.
I kept my hand glued to Trinity’s, sitting vigil beside her, feeling the tension settle on me like a cloud from an incoming storm.
“Dad?” Trinity turned to him.
“What is it, honey?” He leaned forward, all his attention and focus on his most prized possession.
“Can you get me some juice from the cafeteria?”
I immediately knew it was a ploy so we could have some privacy. I knew how the conversation would go before we even had it.
His eyes shifted to mine for just a second before they moved back to hers. He knew exactly what she was doing. “Sure, honey. What kind?”
“Apple.”
“Coming right up.” He stood up and buttoned his jacket with a single hand, looking like a powerhouse in an Armani suit. His shoulders were thick and broad, and the muscles of his arms were still distinguishable. He silently threatened me with just a look and a stance.
I wasn’t scared.
He left the room, his footsteps receding until they disappeared.
I didn’t waste any time. I sat at the edge of her bed then leaned over her, taking her face in my hands. Words left me and I just stared at her. Trying to comfort me, she kissed me gently, moving to the corners of my mouth and the corners of my eyes.
Her hands moved over mine while she stared at me with bright eyes. “You love me?”
I nodded.
Victory shined in her eyes. “I thought you didn’t do the girlfriend thing?” Her eyes shined in mischief.
I smirked. “I never thought you would be the kind of girl to gloat.”
“I guess I am.”
“And I guess I am too.”
Her fingers moved over my knuckles and the sadness started to come into her gaze. “I was so scared I’d never get the chance to tell you…”
I took a deep breath, feeling the pain of my lungs. “Me too…”
“I’m so sorry I scared you.”
“Don’t apologize,” I said immediately. “It wasn’t your fault. I just wished I had come with you. Maybe things would have been different…”
“Don’t say that.” Her fingers latched onto mine.
“I’m going to take care of you,” I whispered. “I’ll get your back on your feet in no time.”
“You want to?” she asked hesitantly.
“Of course I do.” I rubbed my nose against hers, feeling the pain well inside me. It was a touch I never thought I would share with her again. Tears burned behind my eyes but I steadied them before they fell.
She kissed the corners of my eyes.
I’d never cried in front of anyone before, but when I did it in front of her, I didn’t feel weak.
She tried to make me smile. “At least everyone knows you aren’t gay.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, I guess that’s a perk.”
She took a deep breath. “I never expected to announce our relationship to my family like that.”
I sighed. “That wasn’t the best way, was it?”
She smirked. “But at least it’s over with.”
“Yeah…” I imagined her father beating me to death with a bat.
“But don’t worry about him.” She read my mind like always.
“He’s my biggest obstacle for having you, and he has a lot of influence. I would be stupid not to worry.”
“I’m not saying it’ll be easy with him, but we’ll figure it out.” Her fingers moved through my hair, massaging me with gentle caresses. Her eyes fogged with intense thoughts and emotions. I knew she had something else to say. “Slade, what does this mean for us…?”
I knew what she was asking. “I don’t know…”
“I mean, is this serious now?”
I wasn’t good at this sort of thing. I’d never been a boyfriend before and I never loved someone so I wasn’t sure how to behave, what to say. “I don’t know…all I know is I love you and I don’t want you to go anywhere.”
“Do you see a future with us…?” Marriage. She wanted to know if I’d settle down and spend the rest of my life with her, going against everything I promised myself I would avoid. Kids would be involved, and before I knew it, my dreams would be gone. But Cayson gave up his dream. Could I give up mine…?
“I can’t see my life without you in it.” That was all I could give her.
She seemed slightly disappointed.
“But, I thought I couldn’t be what we are now. I thought I couldn’t commit to you. And here I am, telling you I love you and being the best boyfriend I can possibly be. So…I still need you to be patient with me. I want to give you everything you deserve…but I need more time.”
Her hands moved down my forearms, over my sleeves of tattoos. “Okay, just don’t hurt me…”
That shattered my heart into a million pieces. I felt like an asshole, a jerk for not being perfect for her. My whole life I’d been selfish and self-centered, but I didn’t want to be like that anymore. Trinity deserved the very best. Never in my life had I known a woman so beautiful, wonderful, and amazing. “I promise I will avoid it at all costs.” I kissed her forehead then pulled away. “Because I’m head-over-heels in love with you, and I never want to be without—which is saying a lot coming from me.”
That seemed to cheer her up. “I never thought I would feel this way about you. It hit me like a brick wall the last time we were…together. You’re everything to me, the person I love most in this world. When I imagine my life without you, it scares me…actually scares me. But I’m not sure what I’m more terrified of…losing you or letting this love grow.”
“I’m scared too, baby.” I brushed my thumb across her cheek. “When I thought I might lose you, my world shattered. I’d never cared about someone so much. And I quickly remembered why I’ve always avoided it. Because pain like that is excruciating, painful. You made it so easy for me to fall in love with you…I never really had a choice.”
She took a deep breath and her eyes started to water. “I know we have a long road ahead of us…being accepted by our family. I just wanted to make sure you were up for it. It’s already too late but…we have a lot of work to do if we want to survive. I really don’t want to be dragged through the mud if you’re just going to abandon me halfway through…”
Now I understood the purpose of this conversation. “I will fight for you, Trinity. I wouldn’t have embraced you and confessed my undying love for you if I wasn’t prepared to do everything in my power to keep you.”
“Because I know how wonderful you are, Slade. You’re perfect, in your own way. I see every beautiful thing you possess, your good heart and compassion. But not everyone else knows about it like I do. I just don’t want you to make a fool out of me, standing up for you only to prove me wrong.”
I nodded slightly. “I’ll never prove you wrong. We’re in this together.” I pressed my head to hers and shared the moment with her, the bond that had formed between us, unbreakable and strong. Our souls had been joined long ago and now we were one entity. When she was in pain, I was in pain. Together, we were stronger than we were apart. We would get through then and reach the other side—even if it was against all odds.
***
<
br /> At some point during the night, Trinity had dozed off and fallen asleep. She needed rest so I was glad she was getting it. The light from the TV glowed and splashed across the wall, changing with every scene on the screen.
Her father sat upright in his chair, his ankle crossed at the knee. He didn’t seem tired. Like a bat in a cave, he relished the darkness and flourished. His eyes scanned Trinity every few minutes, appraising her for signs of distress or weakness. Once in a while his eyes would settle on me, examining me like an open book.
The tension was only escalating the longer he and I sat together. Eventually, a discussion would need to be had, a conversation I was dreading because I knew the ending before the beginning. But I decided to get it over with.
“Sir, I’d like to explain—”
He held up his hand. “We’ll have this conversation another time. All I care about is my daughter right now. It’ll have to wait.”
I shut my mouth and stared at the TV, knowing I’d have to wait until he was ready.
***
Trinity stayed in the hospital for almost two weeks, the doctor claiming he wanted to observe her and her leg. I didn’t go to class and hadn’t thought about school once. Nothing was more important than Trinity. Even though I sat beside her and did nothing to help her recovery, I needed to be there. If not for me, then for her.
Her father was constantly there, and when we he went to the hotel to sleep, Cassandra took his place and sat with Trinity. I was never alone with Trinity again, but my hand firmly held hers. Not a single person questioned our relationship or asked when it started. It seemed to be insignificant in light of Trinity’s trauma.
But it would happen—eventually.
Other family members came and went. Sean was never there because he had to run the company since Mike was unable to work. But Scarlet was there, always bringing gifts and flowers to cheer Trinity up. It was unfortunate only four people could be allowed since there was so many of us.
My phone vibrated and I saw a message from Cayson.
I’m in the hall.
I kissed Trinity on the forehead. “I’ll be right back.”
