Love of Autism Ch. 09

"Is it action oriented?" Katie asked hoping that it wasn't.

"Not at all," Shannon said with a really big smile. "I actually know for a fact it is one of his favorite movies of all time."

"Wait, the movie is already out?"

"Let me explain," Shannon began. "The director of this movie is really good."

"Is he the same director who did Spirited Away?"

"No, but this guy is just as good. He's made many really good movies that fans of movies love, not just anime fans. This particular movie is considered his best work out of all of them. There is a company that has the rights to play anime movies here in the states and they like to bring them back into theaters every few years and it just so happens this movie will be showing on January first."

"And this would make a good Christmas present because?" Katie asked, confused by the suggestion.

"One, he has not seen this movie in theaters. Two, it is a great movie that you will fall in love with. And three, he will fall even more in love with you."

"Well it is hard to argue with those reasons. So what is the name of the movie?"

"Your Name."

"The name of the movie is Katie?"

"No, the name of the movie is Your Name."

Katie couldn't help but give Shannon a weird look. "Your Name? That is an...interesting title."

"It will all make sense once you watch it your first time with him."

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"I told you that I'm better than my sister," Scott said as he crossed the finish line to beat Katie in Mario Kart.

"You couldn't let your girlfriend win?" Katie pleaded.

Scott turned and looked at her with amusement. "As much as I love you, letting you win in Mario Kart is not something I'm going to do. Besides, it is about time someone kicked your ass in it."

"Kicked my ass you did. Four races to one."

"And that is what happens when you get the competitor in me to come out. I take no prisoners."

"Well, maybe," Katie began in her sweet, seductive voice, "you could let me win. It would show me that you don't just care about winning and losing."

"You really think that is going to work on me?"

Katie proceeded to rub his arm gently. "What do you mean? I'm just asking if you could be a little nicer to your girlfriend."

"You think trying to act all cute and innocent will make me go easier on you?"

"Well, maybe a kiss could help change your mind," she said as she cupped his cheek in her hand.

"Kisses you say?" Scott knew he was in trouble when she started acting like this.

"Well, at least start with some kissing," she continued as she drew herself closer to him.

"You are such a bad influence on me," Scott whispered.

"Like you don't want me in that way," Katie said before she placed her lips on his. They enjoyed the taste of each for all of five seconds before they heard the garage door start to open.

"Dammit," Scott said as he broke off this kiss.

Katie laughed lightly at the ruined moment. "After nearly two weeks we finally get some alone time and by the time we decide to enjoy each other our parents come back."

Scott let out a frustrated sigh. "I guess we should go upstairs and see what they got Black Friday shopping."

"Yeah. Better to look like we weren't trying to do anything too sexual."

They got up and headed upstairs to meet their parents as they walked into the house carrying multiple bags and boxes.

"Looks like another successful Black Friday for my mom," Scott commented.

"And me," Jillian said, carrying a few bags herself. "My stuff is just in the car."

"Did dad get another TV?" Scott asked.

"Two actually," Keith said, walking in with a big bag in each hand full of clothes. "One for you and your sister."

Katie looked surprised and happy for Scott, but when she looked to him, he didn't look happy.

"Dad, that joke wasn't funny last year or two years ago."

"Too bad," Jackie said smiling, taking a few items out of the bags. "Because he actually got you both a forty inch TV to be mounted on the walls in your bedroom."

That really confused Scott because his mom never would go along with his dad's jokes like that. "Mom, are you playing with me or being serious?"

"She's being serious," said Jillian.

"Wait, you're being serious?" Scott asked, still not believing anyone. "Sarah and I are both getting TVs?"

"Yes," Jackie said wishing her son would believe them, "but we are not allowing you to hook up any of the video game consoles. I know you and your sister will be up all night playing them."

"Well you know I won't be playing video games on mine," Sarah said as she walked in. "I'll just be binge watching my shows and movies."

"Sarah, you are the last confirmation I need," Scott began but Sarah knew her brother well enough to cut him off and just confirm it for herself.

"Yes, we both got forty inch Samsung TVs and wall mounts for them."

It took a few seconds for Scott to fully comprehend and realize that he was indeed getting a TV in his room. "Oh my god, thank you so much mom and dad!"

"You're welcome and merry Christmas," Keith responded.

Scott started to jump up and down like a little kid and Katie couldn't help but laugh at her boyfriend. She knew she might pay for her laughing later on in another video game, but right now Scott was very much worth laughing at. "Down Scott. Save the excitement for when the TV gets here. I'm sure Luke and Andy will be bringing it soon."

No sooner than when Katie said that Keith, Jackie, and Jillian became nervous. There was still one thing they hadn't shared as they were very worried about how Katie would respond.

"Well, you see," Jillian began, "umm, Trevor is bringing the TVs over soon."

Scott didn't recognize the name, but Katie immediately did and nearly lost it. "Him?" She couldn't bear the thought of actually calling him 'dad' again. He wasn't her dad in her mind.

"Katie, please let me explain," Jillian said, wanting to explain to her daughter the events that led to this.

"No, I want nothing to do with that bastard," Katie shouted. "He can rot in hell."

Scott realized by Katie's reaction that Trevor was Katie's dad. He wished at the point he knew how to react appropriately to the situation. At times like this he just backed away and not try to interfere.

"Katie," Jillian said calmly knowing emotions had to be kept in check, "I understand one hundred percent where you are coming from, but how things went down...please come back," she pleaded as Katie grabbed her keys from the counter and ran off. A minute later she was driving home, leaving everyone in silence. A few minutes later Trevor parked his truck and came into the house. The door was open so he just walked in and saw the somber looks on everyone's face.

"Um, did I come at a bad time?" he asked hoping something bad didn't happen.

Keith rocked his head back and forth before speaking. "Kinda. You just missed Katie finding out you were coming, her wishing that you would rot in hell and then stormed off."

Trevor nodded his head. "Well...I can't really say that I blame her."

********************************************************

As soon as Katie got home she went to her room and cried in frustration, anger, and sadness. Every emotion she felt from that day over five years ago came back but even stronger. She had never forgiven him for what he did and vowed to never forgive him. He didn't deserve it nor would he ever, no matter what good things he could do.

Other than getting some food and having to use the bathroom, she didn't leave her room the rest of the day Friday or Saturday. Scott had texted her asking if she was going to be ok and that he was there for her if she needed to vent or talk. She texted back that she just needed to be alone a while and that she would see him at school on Monday. She hated the fact she was shutting him out like this, but she didn't want to pull him into her misery. Her mom had tried to come into her room to talk with her, but she just ignored her.

Her mood continued to be sour as she slept horribly Saturday night and was in no mood to talk to anyone. What she didn't expect though was to find Sarah sitting in a chair waiting for her to wake up. She grabbed her phone and looked at the time. It was 10:03am. 'I must have slept worse than I thought if I'm just waking up now' she thought to herself. `

"What are you doing in my room?"

"I came here to talk."

"And if I don't want to talk?"

"Then I'll talk and you listen."

"And I should listen to you because why exactly?"

"Because I was there Friday with your mom and she approached your dad."

"He isn't my...wait, my mom approached him?" Katie asked as she rose up and sat down on her bed.

Sarah nodded her head. "Yes, she approached him at Target. She saw him looking at the TVs and decided to go over and talk to him. A few minutes later he embraced her in a long hug and started to cry."

Katie was still processing her mom actually deciding to talk to Trevor. The mere fact that they later embraced didn't help things make any more sense to her. "What in the fuck is going on?"

"Katie, I think your mom forgave your dad," Sarah said plainly.

"No," Katie denied, not believed it for a second. "There is no way my mom would forgive him. Not after what he did to her, to us."

"Katie, there is really no other possibility," Sarah pointed out.

"I don't care. I won't believe it and even if it is true I can never forgive him."

"Do you believe Scott has forgiven you?"

That question threw off Katie. "What in the hell type of question is that?"

"Answer it. Do you believe that my brother has forgiven you?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes Sarah, I'm sure."

"Do you really think he's forgiven you for everything?"

"Yes, everything," Katie nearly yelled growing frustrated with the interrogation.

"He's forgiven you for the name calling, belittling, calling our grandma crazy, putting him down..."

"God dammit yes!" Katie exclaimed.

"Then if Scott has forgiven you for so much, why can't you forgive your father?"

"Because what I did and what Trevor did are completely separate things."

"But what good would have happened instead of you and Scott making peace? You two still were at each other's throats. Hating him wouldn't have made anything better. However, forgiving him when he apologized was the better thing to do."

"It was also hard at the time because of what he had just said to me the week before."

"I know, I was there," Sarah reminded her.

"Honestly though, I found it hard to forgive Scott as that meant I also had to look at myself and see how I was treating him. It sucked having to look at myself in the mirror like that."

Sarah took a deep breath before doing something she didn't she could do, but knew had to be done. "Katie, I'm sorry for how I've been treating you since you and Scott became friends. I've been a total bitch and you haven't deserved any of it. If anything, you have given my brother a smile I've never seen him have and he's been the happiest he's ever been. I don't want to see that smile taken away."

Katie was shocked by the apology and was speechless for a few seconds. "I forgive you Sarah, but what brought this about?"

"Remember what my grandpa said at Thanksgiving?"

"No, not really."

"It is too easy to live with hate and have nothing good come out of it. It is much harder to forgive but wonderful things can happen from it. I can't go on hating you for who you were because it is making me a much worse person in the end."

Katie couldn't believe it. Sarah was actually...apologizing to her. This was not like her at all. "Umm, I really don't know what to say," she stammered.

"You don't have to say anything," Sarah said with a weak smile.

A thought then came to Katie. "How did you get here anyway?"

"Scott brought me here. He's actually waiting in the kitchen."

"Did he put you up to this?"

Sarah laughed at the question. "He would have had to promise to do my chores for the rest of my life for that to happen and even he is not that desperate to get us to make peace." Sarah took a second to calm herself. "No, this is all me. I just needed him to give me a ride and I'm sure he wants to see you and make sure you are alright. He's worried about you."

"He doesn't need to worry about me."

"That isn't going to stop him from worrying. He hadn't seen you that upset since...well when he brought up your dad against you."

"But I'm not mad at Scott," Katie countered.

"That isn't going to stop his autistic mind from worrying that you're just stewing and ready to explode over the littlest thing."

Katie took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. "Trevor...my dad is a very sensitive topic for me."

"I got that from what everyone told me."

Katie shook her head. "No, you don't get it. I was home when those pictures were delivered to my mom. She yelled and screamed at him, holding up the pictures up as proof. That wasn't the worst of it. When we later found out the woman he cheated on my mom with was pregnant and that she was going to become his wife...it just made us hate him even more. I even hated their daughter that was born from the affair. The father that I loved and called daddy all the time was no more."

Sarah got up from the chair, walked over and sat next to Katie on the bed. "I'm sorry Katie."

Katie gave a weak smile and side arm hugged Sarah. "It's not your fault. I guess I'm still dealing with old wounds that time will never heal."

"But maybe a nerdy autistic boy in your kitchen can at least help you feel less down about it. After all the times you've been his strength lately, I think it is time you let him be yours."

Katie nodded and got up off her bed. She walked out of her room, still in her pajamas, and was happy to see Scott waiting patiently at the kitchen table.

"Hey," she said as she approached him.

"Hi," he replied back with the warmest smile. That smile always made Katie's day a little brighter and today she needed it more than ever.

"Would you cuddle with me on the couch?" she asked hoping he wouldn't ask why. Thankfully he didn't and they walked over to the couch in the family and sat down, Katie curling up into a ball and Scott with his arms around her. They didn't say anything to each other as they sat there cuddling for the next two hours and no one bothered them.

Feeling Scott's arms around her put Katie at peace, knowing there was nothing that could hurt her. She was in the arms of a man who truly loved her and would do just about anything for her. If she needed someone to talk to, he provided a listening ear. If she needed some help on homework, he would be there to try and help. If she only needed the emotional support of his arms around her, he would put his arms around her without asking why.

"Thank you Scottie," she whispered. His response was to give her a kiss on her forehead, something that she cherished every time. A few more minutes passed by before she asked him something that she had been thinking about most of the time they were cuddling. "Do you think I should forgive my dad?"

Scott let out a breath before answering. "It's not my place to tell you what to do in this case."

"Scott, please tell me what you think I should do," she pleaded. "I won't be mad whatever you tell me I should do."

Scott looked up at nothing particular, wondering what he should tell her. He decided to tell her the truth. "I think you should forgive him, but I know that is easier said than done."

"I know I should. I just don't know if I can."

Scott gave her another kiss on the forehead. "Then don't rush it. If anything, just give him a chance for him to show you why he might deserve it."

"What if I feel like he never will deserve it?"

"Then in the end you don't forgive him, but the least you can do is give him a chance to fail."

Katie nodded her head. "I guess I could do that."

"Just know whatever you decide, I will support you."

That made Katie smile. "Did I ever tell you I'm glad you're my boyfriend?"

"Not recently. So I think you have to tell me like...twenty times."

Katie couldn't help but laugh at Scott's exaggerated answer. "Then you're behind thirty times."

"Nope, only like fifteen."

"Do I need to remind you of all the times I've been amazing to you?"

Scott began to tickle her sides. "Only if you want to keep getting tickled."

"Stop tickling!" Katie demanded in a delightful laugh. A second later he stopped.

"I will always be here for you Katie, no matter what happens to you, good or bad. I will always be here by your side."

Katie smiled at Scott, grateful that he was everything she needed him to be.