Love's A Slap In The Face

He knew they were going to visit Kate, and that was confirmed when he saw his sister and more of his friends walk by going the other way. Dave and Pete each held one of Sandy's hands as they walked by, and he wondered what kind of comfort the good-looking twins were giving his sister.

Shortly after, he fell asleep.

*****

"I demand to see my brother!" Trevor heard when he woke a few hours later. His sister always could brow-beat anyone into doing her bidding. Her shrill voice pierced every ear on the floor.

"If you don't tell me where he is, I will sue your hospital so quickly, your ass will be on the street before the ink is dry."

He couldn't hear what the nurse or doctor or whoever else was saying in response, but it wasn't long before a man in a suit walked into his room.

"Sir, I'm about to call the police on your sister and have her arrested. Are you sure you won't see her and end our misery?"

Trevor laughed, "Just her."

The man felt relieved and said, "Thank you, Mister Fisher."

He rushed from the room and seconds later, Sandy burst through the doorway.

"Trevor, are you all right?" she shrieked as she tried to hug the burn victim.

"Burns, Sis," he croaked, making it a little worse sounding than it normally would have been.

"Oh, my God! I'm sorry. What were you thinking going to that cabin alone? You can't run like a pussy when you get upset. It was all a misunderstanding."

"Get out!" Trevor groaned.

"No, Trevor. You need me to help you."

"No, get out. I knew you'd jump all over me about Kate. That's why I said no visitors."

"But, Trevor!"

He pressed the call button and while his sister argued her case, he silently watched the door.

"What can I do for you, Trevor?" the pretty nurse asked with a smile.

"Get her out."

A flash of anger appeared on the nurse's face as she said, "That's it, Lady. I'm calling the police like Mister Crawford warned. You're not welcome in this hospital."

"No! I'm not going anywhere," Sandy fought.

"All right. The hard way it is."

She walked to the doorway and said, "Cliff, can you remove this--person--from the hospital please. She's bothering the patients."

A huge security guard walked into the room and made Sandy's eyes go wide.

"Trevor, I'm sorry. Don't kick me out, you know I love you."

Trevor flicked his hand towards the door, and the security guard professionally forced his nagging sister out of the room. Her shouting and screaming were heard throughout the floor.

*****

Kate was handed her discharge and after care papers, while Sandy continued to complain that Trevor wouldn't have visitors. Sandy convinced the hospital staff to let her see Kate if she left her brother alone.

"Sandy, why does Trevor hate your mom?"

Kate noticed that her friend's mother hadn't come to the hospital.

"Oh, he doesn't hate her. You know how she is."

Kate nodded, knowing their mother was overbearing but well-meaning.

"Still though, to not come when he's in the hospital?"

"He's just pissed at her about the house. Mom took advantage of him and sold him a house that won her a sales contest for a cruise. She never told him that, but I think he figured it out."

"I wish he'd let me see him," Kate lamented. "He saved me, and oh, God! I love him so much."

She broke down sobbing and Sandy hugged her in a failed effort to comfort her.

"Sandy, I wish they would tell us how he is. He's got to be hurt badly."

Sandy's tears fell down her cheek, "I know. I'm going to try to see him again this morning with my Dad."

Just then her father walked into the room.

"He's agreed to see me, just me."

"Dad, no. We have to see him."

He shook his head, "Sorry, baby. He was adamant."

He didn't say what was on his mind. The reason Trevor gave the nurse when he agreed to see him alone. He couldn't believe Kate was so hurtful to his son.

Kate was still crying when they walked out of the room. John, Trevor's father stopped at Trevor's closed door as the girls kept walking. Then they realized where he stopped.

He nodded. "Go, Pumpkin. I'll talk with you soon."

Sandy led Kate away and hoped her father could work his magic and get Trevor to change his mind.

*****

"The fire's finally contained and should be out in a few hours," Al said as he walked into the waiting room. "I checked out the cabins and there's a lot of smoke smell. Thankfully, the fire never got over there."

His wife Gina asked, "Sandy, any updates? How is he?"

"We still don't know. He only agreed to see Dad and he's in there now."

"What a hard-headed son of a bitch," Pete grumbled. "I always said the dude was a head case."

"Shut up!" Pete's twin Dave chided. "He had his heart broken by the stuck-up bitch over there. Give him time to get over it."

Kate burst into tears and ran from the room leaving Sandy glaring at Dave.

"What?" Dave challenged. "You of all people should know how he felt about her. Half of this mess is your fault too."

"She feels the same way he does, dumb ass. She's as upset at how she reacted as he is. She's upset he's hurt in there, and even more so because she thinks it's her fault."

Sandy followed after Kate and Al and Gina sat with their remaining friends.

"I hope he's all right," said Pete.

"He is," John, Trevor's father said as he walked up behind them. "As long as the girls don't go in, he'll see you all. He's pretty angry still."

John filled them in on his condition, then sat as the others rushed into the room to visit their friend.

"You can come out from back there, Carol. I know you're hiding."

"I'm not hiding," Trevor's mother challenged as she walked around the corner. "I was just staying out of the way."

"Whatever."

"How is he, John?" she cried.

"He'll be fine. His lungs are doing well, and his burns are healing as they hoped. As soon as he can eat solid foods, he'll be released."

"Thank God!" she whispered as she leaned onto her husband's shoulder for comfort.

John looked down at his wife and wondered again how she could vacillate between a screaming shrew one moment and a frightened mother the next.

He loved her immensely, even knowing how difficult she could be to live with, because she was a loving wife and mother until the last year or so. He chalked it up to the pressures of her job and trying to live up to a standard of living neither cared about before.

He knew she strong-armed Trevor into buying that ridiculous house, but to keep the peace and to his regret, he stayed out of it; except he once offered to buy the house so Trevor could find one more suited to his needs, but Trevor declined.

With his son in a room recovering from injuries obtained sacrificing himself for Kate, John's life came into a new focus. He saw more clearly all the issues before his eyes. His family was falling apart, and now his daughter had driven another wedge between them and Trevor.

*****

Trevor was surrounded by his friends the day he was released from the hospital. As the orderly pushed his wheelchair, Trevor wondered where his mother and sister were and hoped not to see them or Kate.

When the bright light hit his eyes as he was pushed through the doors of the hospital's main entrance, he winced.

"You all right?" The orderly asked.

"Yeah, it's just bright."

While his eyes adjusted, he didn't see his mother and Sandy in the third row of the SUV as he sat in the front passenger seat.

"We took your truck to your house, Son," his father said as he put the SUV in drive.

"Thanks. I appreciate the ride."

"Of course. We're going to bring you to my house for a few days until you're able to use your hands better."

"No, Dad. I can manage and I've arranged for a day nurse just in case."

John ignored him and said, "Trevor, we need to come to a resolution with your mother and sister. Our family's been too estranged for too long. I don't want permanent rifts to develop."

"Dad, I get it, I really do. I just can't deal with Sandy after what she did to me with this whole Kate thing; and you know what Mom did. She's never admitted or apologized for it."

Carol couldn't stay silent any longer, "I never meant to make you feel forced into buying the house."

Trevor groaned and leaned his head back into the head rest. He had been ambushed.

"Trevor, you can sell the house if you don't want it. I really thought it would be a great house for you."

"You goaded me into it to win a contest. I may have money, but I'm not a pawn to use to enrich your career."

"It wasn't like that, I promise. You're my son, and I love you. If I'd needed you to buy that house, I would have asked you to do it. Yes, it won me a contest, but I swear that wasn't the reason. I love that house and I knew it would be perfect for you."

Trevor had his eyes closed and ignored her. He wondered if the ambush was complete and asked, "Sandy's back there too, isn't she, Dad?"

"Sorry, Son. We need to be a family again."

He heard rustling behind him, then felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Trevor," Sandy began. "You have to believe me. Kate is in love with you too. I would never have done anything to hurt you. Please believe me."

"She laughed at me, Sandy. I offered her my heart and soul, and she fucking laughed at me. I never want to see her again."

A lot of words were spoken, yet no mention of Kate was tolerated on the rest of the ride. Carol told Sandy, with no compunction, to let it go. Trevor didn't see the wink his mother gave her.

Trevor, eventually, let go of the anger towards his mother. Her assurance that the house had gained some value back in recent months helped ease his mind. She gave him a genuine apology for the way she made him feel with the purchase, and they seemed on the path to healing. John was pleased with the progress but feared for the relationship between his children.

*****

Trevor was to stay with his parents until he was able to use his hands fully and without bandages. Kate tried every evening to see him, and every evening John gruffly told her to leave.

After the fifth day, Carol began to try to manipulate her husband into allowing Kate into the house for coffee.

"John," she smiled after he closed the door on Kate again. "Come here and let me rub your shoulders. I see how much stress this is causing you."

He sighed, "I just don't get why she won't leave the poor kid alone. Ooh, that feels good, baby."

Carol smiled as she rubbed the knots out of his shoulders and back.

She answered, "It's love, honey. Nothing's gonna stop her from getting her man."

He sighed, "He doesn't want her though."

She laughed, "Of course he does. He's just upset right now. He'll get over it, he just needs to talk with her."

He groaned as she pressed her thumbs into his tense back.

She leaned forward and licked his earlobe. She then purred, "How 'bout if we head down to the basement and watch something sexy?"

He frowned and tried to remember the last time she showed any interest in being intimate with him. He had been wondering if she was having an affair.

"It's been awhile," he said softly.

"I know, and that's all my fault. I've been neglecting what's really important. I've almost lost my family."

She rested her forehead on his neck, "Please don't reject me." She fought back tears as he sat silently.

"Let's go downstairs," he finally answered.

*****

Trevor woke the next morning and was surprised his mother hadn't been in to check on him yet. He got out of bed and went to fill his need for a cup of coffee.

When he walked through the quiet house he wondered where everyone was. Not seeing his parents, he made his way to the kitchen and saw the door to the basement was closed.

"Interesting," he thought. "They never close that door."

When he opened it, he heard the unmistakable sounds of slapping flesh and moaning.

"Oh, John! I love you so much. I'm so sorry for making you doubt that. Oh! Harder!"

Trevor shook his head, smiled, and quietly closed the door.

He thought, "At least they're on the same page about something."

He knew things weren't right between his parents for a while, and it wasn't just the house fiasco. He knew his parents had some things to work out and was glad they seemed to be getting to it.

He didn't know his mother left the back door unlocked, so when he took his coffee to the four seasons room at the back of the house, he was surprised to see Kate sitting there with a bag of croissants.

"Please don't make me go," she begged as tears fell.

Trevor grabbed the bag and helped himself to one of the pastries from his favorite bakery.

He ignored her as he spread some of the blackberry jam on the flaky goodness and took a bite.

"You always did love their..."

"Don't ruin my breakfast," he grumbled.

She stood and walked to the kitchen to help herself to a cup of the coffee he made. She was so close to the family, they treated her as if she were their daughter, so her helping herself at their house was nothing new.

As she turned, the basement door opened, and Carol looked into the kitchen. Kate shook her head negatively, and Carol nodded and closed the door.

She took a deep breath and walked back into the other room to talk with Trevor.

He'd finished and was looking out at the back yard.

"Trevor, I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am. You have to believe that I'd never intentionally hurt you."

"Ha," he guffawed.

"Please, listen to me for five minutes, and then I'll go. Okay?"

Trevor pulled out his phone and set the timer for five minutes. Petty to be sure, but that was what he was going for.

She sighed and began, "This is the first time since I've known you that neither of us are in a relationship. I told Sandy that I hoped you would be open to, I don't know, giving us a shot."

He shook his head as she continued, "I swear to God, when you surprised me that morning in your suit, with the flowers, I was shocked. You told me you were in love with me, and after all these years of us never being able to connect, I guess I thought it was funny. We finally had our chance. I was just hoping for a chance, I never imagined you were in love with me too."

"Biggest mistake of my life," he answered without turning to her.

She dropped to her knees and laid her head on his leg. He didn't move her away, so she stayed in that position for a while.

"It's true. Please believe me."

He didn't answer and a moment later the chime told them her time was up.

"Time's up," he said.

She looked up at him, still not looking at her, then pushed herself up.

"Trevor, I'm not giving up. Now that I know you love me, I'll never give up. I will do everything I can to make up for my stupid reaction, but you will be mine."

He laughed, "Looks like I'm moving then."

"I'll follow you. I can work from anywhere."

"I'll get a restraining order."

"I'll break it."

"You'll go to jail."

"I don't care."

He stood and picked up his coffee.

"Your time is up. See yourself out."

"Our time hasn't even begun yet," she said to his back as he left the room.

He walked to his bedroom, grabbed his keys, and realized his truck was at his house.

"Shit!" he yelled.

An hour later, the UBER arrived, and Trevor struggled with his bag.

"Where are you going?" Carol asked as she walked into the living room.

"Home. I'm done with you and your meddling."

"Trevor," John started, "don't leave because of that. You still need help."

"I'll be fine, Dad. Mom's gone too far this time by ambushing me with Kate. At least in my own home, I'll have control over who gets in the house."

"Trevor, I'm sorry. Please don't go," she cried.

"No, I realized a long time ago that it's all about you. You do what you want. You manipulate people into doing what you want them to do. You don't care what I want. You don't care what Dad wants. You just care about you."

"Trevor!" John shouted.

"No, Dad. I'm done with it. I was dumb to think she could be a normal, loving mother." He pointed at her chest. "She may love me somewhere deep inside there, but she loves herself more. I'll see you around."

"No!" she shouted. "John, stop him!"

Trevor held up his bandaged hand and said, "Don't bother, Dad. Don't fall for her shit either. There's plenty of women out there who'd love to be with a handsome, well-off guy in good shape."

Carol stood with her mouth wide open. She couldn't believe her son told his father to find someone else. She feared she lost her son forever.

John walked with Trevor and said, "Trevor, she loves you. We talked about you all morning."

"Dad, do you think it's a coincidence that you and she ended up in the basement this morning, while Kate was sitting inside the house waiting for me?"

John stopped and grabbed his shoulder, "What are you saying, Son?"

"Dad, when was the last time you and mom spent the night in the basement? I'll bet you tried to come upstairs this morning, and she initiated sex with you instead."

John realized Trevor was right. He was being manipulated as well.

"Trevor, I'm sorry. I wasn't involved in the ambush."

"I know, Dad. I know. Take care of yourself, and my door is always open to you. I've got six bedrooms, you know."

John laughed, "It's not that bad, Trevor. Although, there's gonna be a reckoning coming soon around here."

Trevor hugged him and wondered if he'd ever have a relationship with his mother again.

*****

A month later, Trevor and his friends met at the cabins to begin to clean up and try to get rid of the smoke smell that hadn't gone away after the forest fire. Wives, girlfriends, and kids were happily scrubbing away to the sounds of Taylor Swift, while the men were gathered at the dock pretending to clean up the boat shed.

Al handed him a beer and said, "Trevor, when are you going to stop pretending you're not miserable?"

Pete added, "No shit, Dude. We see right through that false front you're putting on."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Trevor lied. "My bandages are off, I have full use of all my limbs, and the slight scars on my legs make me look like a bad ass action hero. I'm as happy as a pig in shit."

"And you're a lying bastard," Dave groaned. "Come on, Man. You have your dream girl in your grasp and you're letting her go over something stupid. Call her and tell her you were an idiot and you're still in love with her."

Trevor tossed the unused rag he had in his hand at Dave and yelled, "No! I'm never going to give her the chance to hurt me again. No one will ever have that power over me again."

He threw his beer onto the dock and jogged off down the path towards the cabin.

Al's wife Gina was making lemonade when she saw Trevor running towards the house.

"Oh, shit! Trevor's running this way and he looks pissed. The boys must have ganged up on him."

Julie, Kyle's wife, said, "Maybe, it's time for a little female persuasion?"

Gina smiled and yelled, "Hey, Trevor! Could you come over here for a minute? We need a big, strong man to open a jar for us."

Trevor groaned as he turned towards the cabin. He slowed to a walk and saw Gina and Julie talking quietly to each other.

"What's up, ladies?" he asked.

Just then, Gina's youngest daughter, Chrissy, walked out the door.

"Mommy, we're hungry."

Gina thought, "Thank, God for small children."

"Uncle Trevor came to help us make lunch. You want some pickles?"

The little girl nodded and grabbed Trevor's hand, "Come on, Uncle Trevor. We're having sammiches."

Trevor brightened up and said, "I love sammiches. Will you have an anchovy and mushroom sandwich?"

"Ew!" she shrieked. "No! We're having grilled cheese and chips and dips."

"Pickles too?" he teased.

"Oh! Pickles too. Come eat!" she begged.

He picked her up and carried her into the kitchen. He hadn't realized he forgot about being upset.