Chapter 38

 

Between Lovers

Chapter 38

© Lizzie 2003-present

 

After leaving Alexandria’s apartment, Trevor went up to his apartment, sat on the couch, picked up the phone from the side table and dialed his parents’ house. On the third ring the line was picked up.

“Merry Christmas!” the perky female voice said

“Hey Nessa.” Trevor said

“Trevor!” his sister Vanessa said, “You were supposed to call last night.”

“I’m sorry.” he said, “Something came up with a friend of mine.”

“Aww you already made friends?” she asked

“More like they made me.” He said with a laugh, “It’s a long story and I’ll tell you when I see you next year.”

“Can’t you tell me now?” she pleaded

“I would, but I’m running late.”

“For?” she asked

“A family dinner.”

“Whose family?”

“Stop with the twenty questions and let me talk to dad.”

“Oh okay.” Vanessa said, “Hold on.” she took the phone to Michael, “Daddy its Trevor.”

Michael took the phone from his youngest daughter, stood up and walked into his office, “Trevor, how are things going?”

“Going pretty good.” Trevor said, “I’ve spoken and met with Erik. He gave me his plans for what he wanted done and I passed them on to my crew.”

“I know. I spoke with him last night.” Michael said, “He was very impressed.”

Trevor laughed, “I get the feeling he likes me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, some things happened with his daughter last night and I was there for her.” Trevor said, “I think he was glad I was there.”

“Did you have anything to do with it?” Michael asked

”No, Dad.” Trevor said, “Nothing to do with me. But I’ll tell you about it later. I’m about to be late for dinner.”

“Dinner? With who?”

“The Bradshaws.” Trevor said

“I’m proud of you son.” Michael said with a laugh, “Your mother and older sisters send their love and we’ll be looking forward to seeing you next year.”

“See you next year.” Trevor hung up the phone, grabbed his jacket and left out of his apartment to see about getting some last minute gifts for Alexandria, Shia and a few other people he met the night before.

At the time that Trevor and Alexandria agreed on, they left for her Father’s house for Christmas dinner. There were hardly any people on the streets so the normally twenty minute drive took ten minutes. As they pulled into the driveway, the garage door opened and Alexandria pointed to where she wanted him to park and he pulled into the large garage. When they got out of the car, an older man with salt and pepper hair, walked out of the house and met them.

“Trevor, that’s Norman,” Shia said. She leaned and whispered to him, “He’s the real man of the house.”

Alexandria laughed, “Trevor, meet Grandpa Norman.” Alexandria said, “Pop-Pop, this is Trevor, Nana invited him to dinner.”

Norman walked to Trevor and shook his hand, “We met the other night, didn’t we?”

Trevor nodded his head and shook Norman’s hand, “In passing before I left the party.”

Norman smiled and walked to the car for the gifts that Alexandria was pulling out, “My son told me what you did.” He said, “I have to thank you for looking after my Princess.”

“It was really nothing.” Trevor said as he helped with the gifts.

When they finished bringing out the gifts, they walked into the house and were greeted by Daisy and Shirley, Alexandria’s other grandmother. They walked through the kitchen, down a hall and into a large family room.

In the family room, there was a seven foot neatly decorated Christmas tree. Under the tree were unopened gifts and little children sneaking to see who the gifts were for. Another person walked into the room from another hall and scolded the children. Alexandria, Shia and Norman laughed. Trevor was too busy looking around the room. He could tell that many hours of decorating went into making the room look very Christmassy and warm.

“That’s Noel. She took care of me and my sisters while my mother worked and then she became our full time care provider when she died.” Alexandria said. Trevor looked at who she was talking about and nodded his head.

Shia put her bag of gifts under the tree then to Noel to give her a hug. Alexandria followed suit, leaving Trevor with Norman and their bags of gifts. Trevor and Norman looked at each other before Norman went to the tree to place the gifts he had under them.

“It’s best if you let them be until you’re called.” He said to Trevor who was at his side putting gifts away as well, “When Noel and these girls get together they’re like a bunch of clucking hens.”

“I resent that comment, Granddaddy.” Alexandria said walking back to Trevor. She looked at Trevor; “We’re only like that when we haven’t seen each other in a long time.”

“And it’s been a long time.” Noel said. She looked at Trevor, “You the new boyfriend?”

“No Elle…” Shia said softly.

Noel looked at Alexandria who had a pained look in her eyes, “It seems as though I’ve missed a lot in my absence…” Alexandria nodded her head, “And I don’t suppose you want to talk about it?”

“No…at least not right now.” Alexandria said, “But, Noel, this is my good friend Trevor. Trevor this is Noel. She’s been like a mom to me and my sisters since our mother died.”

Trevor stuck out his hand, “Nice to meet you.”

Noel laughed and pulled him into a hug, “Any good friends of Lexi’s is family.”

+*+

            The evening progressed with more introductions, hugs and handshakes. At eight p.m. dinner was served in the main dining room, which was fully decorated in Christmas regalia.

After dinner, everyone went into the family room where they gifts were. There was a loud clattering in the back hall and the little children jumped up to see what made the loud noise. Through the side entrance of the family room came a white bearded man dressed in a full Santa Claus costume. The little kids squealed in delight as Santa pulled gifts from his big red sack on his back. Alex and Trevor were sitting on the sofa watching the kids as they opened their gifts.

“My little sister would have loved this.” Trevor said

Alexandria looked at Trevor, “And what about you?”

Trevor looked at Alexandria and smiled, “If I still believed in Santa this would be a dream come true.”

Alexandria laughed, “I’ve never stopped believing in Santa.” She said, “I may not believe in the actual person, but I fully believe in the idea.” Her attention was averted when one of her little cousins called out her name.

“Lexi, Santa has something for you too.” The little girl said

“For me?” she asked placing a hand over her chest. The little girl nodded her head and Alexandria stood, walked over to Santa and smiled, “I get a gift too?”

“Ho Ho Ho, of course you do.” Santa said. He pulled out a small box and handed it to her.

Alexandria took the box and looked at it, “Who is it from?”

Santa smiled, “A friend who’s very sorry…”

Alexandria’s brow wrinkled as she turned and went back to the sofa. She sat back next to Trevor still looking at the box.

“What’d you get?” he asked. She shrugged her shoulders, “Don’t you think you should open the box?”

Alexandria opened the box and tears welled in her eyes as she looked at the diamond necklace she wanted to purchase from Tiffany’s. On the lid of the box was a handwritten note: I’m sorry, please forgive me. –Jake

Alexandria shook her head, put the lid back on the box, stood up and ran from the room. She ran to the front door, opened it and stopped when she saw Jacob standing on the front porch.

+*+

Trevor stood and was about to follow her when Santa approached him, “She’ll be fine.” He said

Trevor looked at him, “Do I know you?” Santa pulled down his beard and Trevor’s eyes went wide, “Erik?!”

“Shhh.” Erik said fixing his beard, “As far as everyone knows, I wasn’t feeling good to I went to bed.”

“I should really see about Alex.” Trevor said turning around

“She’ll be okay.” Erik said, “Plus, you have gifts you have to open. Alex didn’t spend all day wrapping for nothing.”

Trevor sighed and went back to the sofa and looked at the gifts that Shia was setting on the table next to him. “Who are those for?”

“You and Lexi.” She said, “Where is Lexi any ways?”

“Santa said she needed time to herself.” Trevor said with a shrug of his shoulders. Shia nodded her head and went back to looking at the things she got.

Shia turned and looked at Trevor, “Oh thanks for the CD player. I needed a new one.”

Trevor smiled, “You’re welcome.”

+*+

            “Jacob, what are you doing here?” Alexandria asked as she stepped back into the house.

            “I wanted to know if you got my gift.”

            “Real classy giving an I’m sorry gift on Christmas.” She said sarcastically

            “But I have your Christmas gift.” Jacob said. He leaned down and picked up a box with large holes on the side, “Best open it now so she gets more air.”

            Alexandria shook her head, “I can’t take that.” She said, “Give to my sister, she may like it.”

            Jacob balanced the box on one arm and with his free hand he opened the top of the box and let it fall to the ground, then he pulled out a tiny orange, black and brown kitten, “She is for you, not your sister.”

            Alexandria looked at the kitten then a Jacob, “I’m sorry I can’t take her.” She said again, “Please leave.” Alexandria closed the door.

            “You should know that Brandy was the one who told me that you liked Tabby cats and Shia told me you had your eye on that diamond necklace…” he yelled from the outside, “And your father was the one who told me to come here…”

            Alexandria opened the door, fresh tears in her eyes, “Why?”

            “Because I love you?”

            “Is that a statement or a question?”

            “A statement.” Jacob said, “I know what I did was wrong…”

            “It wasn’t wrong, it was just mean.” Alexandria said, “Why couldn’t you have been upfront with me from the very beginning.”

            “I wanted to be.” He said, “I thought that I was ready for a serious commitment.”

            “But you weren’t. Deep in your heart you knew you weren’t.” she said, “You lied to yourself and you lied to me. That hurts.”

            “I know I hurt you.” Jacob said, “I hurt me too.” He sighed, placed the kitten back in the box and handed it to Alexandria, “Take the cat, she’s my gift to you. As is the necklace and the two other gifts in your dance bag.” He pulled his jacket closer to his body, turned and walked back to his car.