I haven’t dated much in my life, always too busy with the farm. I used to think maybe there was something wrong with me because I didn’t mind being single. But now maybe I was just waiting for Trevor to come along. Fate, destiny, I’m not sure what to call it. How can I explain how easily he slotted into my life like he was always made to be there?
Friday night after a long week has me dragging my feet towards the house. Trevor’s waiting on the back porch for me, with a solitary beer in the loose grip of his fingers.
“Hey,” Trevor calls out once he catches sight of me.
Tightness around his lips alerts me to the fact that I was right. Something’s been going on.
I take the offered beer from him, but don’t drink even a sip. Instead, I set it on the porch railing. Tucking my fingers into his belt loops, I tug him closer, until his face is just a few inches from mine.
“It’s been a long week, sweetheart. You gonna tell me what’s on your mind finally?”
Trevor lets out a weary sigh. “My parents… sometimes they ask me to come visit them. It’s like they know when everything is good in my life, and they reach out.” Trevor blows an annoyed raspberry. “Like they have radar for when I’m happy.”
“They want you to come visit?”
“Yeah.” Trevor scrubs an angry hand over his face, agitation clear through his jerky movement. I loop my fingers around his wrist and tug his hand to my chest, letting it rest over my heart. He tightens his fingers in my shirt, face thoughtful. “They ask me for money too sometimes. Usually, I give it to them.”
“What worries you the most?”
A worry line appears on his forehead as he squints up at me in thought. The fear and trepidation pours off him, making me feel absolutely awful that I can’t instantly solve this for him. Something inside me tells me this will be a permanent issue moving forward. So, I’ve got to say the right things now to lessen his worries about coming to me in the future.
“If they find out I’m with you and that your family has money… I don’t know. I just worry about the power they can wield over me.”
“They’ve got no power over you now, not when you’re here with me. You know that, right?”
Trevor turns his head to the side to look out at the yard. When his gaze swings back to me, tears line his eyes. I watch on helplessly as he fights to blink them away, to hold it all in. My heart breaks for him.
“My father leaves me voicemails,” Trevor admits calmly. His tone is very matter of fact, but I know Trevor by now. Hurt and anxiety radiate off of him in large, terrifying waves.
“You got one I can hear?”
Trevor nods tightly, then pulls out his phone with a trembling hand. He presses buttons on his phone screen, before finding the most recent voicemail at the top. Pressing play, he hands me the phone, still not able to meet my gaze.
“Levi,” the gruff male voice comes through the phone. “Listen, we keep calling and you don’t respond. I need money in my account and so does your mother. We do the jobs they ask but we get paid pennies. If you won’t give me money, then at least send some to your mother. The place she’s in is a hellhole… they have her working in the yard for God's sake. I’m afraid she’ll do something stupid if we can’t take care of her. You get me, son? Come on. Be good and send us each some money. You could govisit your mother too, you know. Anyway. I’ll keep an eye out for the money.”
Not even anI love youto spare. Rage overwhelms me for a second, that someone would even have a kid and then treat them this way astounds me.
“What do you want to do, Trevor?”
He angrily wipes a tear away from his cheek. “I want to not hear from them ever again. I change my phone number, and somehow, he gets it. I don’t know what to do. It’s so…” Trevor breaks off with an enraged sound. He clenches his fist tight for a second, then shakes it out as if he hurt himself.
Not wanting him to hurt himself, I gently tangle our fingers together, breathing a sigh of relief when he tightly squeezes my fingers. “Trevor, if you don’t want to hear from them again, we can make that happen.”
His nose scrunches up as he visibly wills himself to not cry. Realizing now isn’t the time for fruitless words, I tug him into my arms to comfort him with my touch instead. He slumps against me in utter relief, breaths sharp as he fights against the urge to cry. My sweet Trevor. The cool air whips around us in a gentle breeze, blowing Trevor’s hair into my face. I bury my nose into his hair and inhale the comforting scent of him.
After a bit, he seemingly gathers himself, tipping his head back enough to shyly gaze up at me. I swipe my thumb under his eyes to catch the lingering tears on his splotchy-from-crying skin.
“It’s alright, sweetheart.”
He hiccups a little. “You promise?”
I nod, because this I can guarantee. “It’s okay now.”
Trevor blows out a relieved breath at my reassuring words. “I trust you.”
“Here’s what we’re gonna do.” I press a hard kiss to his temple. “I’ve got a cousin that’s a cop. I’ll get with him to figureout how to get you a totally private number. One that they can’t find. How’s that sound?”
Trevor sharply narrows his eyes. “Is everyone here your cousin?”
