Wrestling With Love

by Whitney Shope

  “That's some serious elasticity. That could launch you across the room!”

  “So not helping here Brit!”

  “Maybe not but I made you laugh!”

  “Hardy har, where are the rest of the girls tonight? What's so important that they couldn't come see their poor pregnant friend?”

  Britani sighed before ticking down the list of everyone’s current locations.

  “Well, Violet and Randall are in Mississippi for a couple of shows and Phoebe and Nicole are celebrating their 6-week anniversary.”

  “Six WEEKS?”

  “I know, I just let it go since it's Pheebs first serious relationship with a woman.”

  “Yeah it is a big deal for her.” Mila said.

  “So, how goes the nursery prep? You know, the one you won't let me see?”

  “You can see it when it's finished, which shouldn't be much longer. I'm only waiting on a couple of deliveries.”

  Just then, as if on cue, the doorbell rang.

  “Speaking of, that should be one of them now! Be right back!”

  Mila made her way downstairs and to the entryway. She opened the front door fully expecting to see either the floral picture frames or the drapes she had ordered, only to find Star standing on her front porch.

  “We should talk, Mila.”

  “No, no I really don't think we should!”

  Mila tried to shut the door, but Star stuck her foot in the doorframe to stop it.

  “Mila, please, just hear me out.”

  “Not really in a position to play that game again!”

  “I deserve that.” Star replied, solemnly.

  “Yes, yes Star you do. Now as much as I've loved this little chat, goodbye!”

  “I know about your plans with Mr. Donahue.” Star blurted out.

  Mila froze. “Oh shit”, she thought, “what does she have up her sleeve? She's got to be prying for information!”

  “I hope you win.”

  Mila finally turned to look at her and realized she didn't see the usual cocky little smirk or heir of superiority that usually graced Star's face. Instead, she saw an unreadable. . .sad. . .expression? Slowly, as if measuring her steps, Mila stepped out onto her front porch.

  “You have 5 minutes Carano.”

  “Look, I know you don't like me. . .hell, I can't say I blame you, but I wanted you to know that, if needed, I'm willing to talk before the board about Mr. Donahue.”

  “I'm afraid I don't understand. Talk to them about what?” asked Mila.

  “About how he pressured me into having sex with him, how he threatened me after that if I told anyone about it, he would tell my father what a slut his little girl was.”

  Mila stood frozen, unable to decide whether or not to believe what she was hearing when she heard Britani coming down the stairs.

  “Seriously Mila, what are you -”

  She stopped when, through the front window, she spotted Star on the porch with Mila. In 10 seconds flat she was on the porch about to lunge for Star when Mila hopped up and grabbed her arms.

  “You! What the hell are you doing here?” Britani shouted.

  “I promise I didn't come to cause trouble Britani!”

  “Oh, my ass, that's all you ever do!”

  Having heard enough from both of them, Mila decided it was time to speak up.

  “Guys, everyone calm down. Star sit on the swing; Brit sit in one of the rocking chairs and need I remind you that I'm 7 months pregnant so if either of you makes so much as a single move for the other.”

  “Chill Mila, I'd never put you and my niece in danger.” said Britani.

  “Alright, Star, repeat what you just told me to Brit.”

  Head hanging down in shame, Star repeated her story to Britani who, oddly enough seemed to be seriously listening.

  When she finished Britani looked at Star and said, “You're telling the truth, aren't you?”

  “I may not be the best person on the planet, but I would never lie about that.”

  “What happened to you Star? We used to be friends, me and you, then it's like one day you just woke up a different person and the Star I knew has never shown her face again.”

  “You remember Pete?” Star asked.

  “That tennis player you dated back in the day?”

  “Yeah. He umm, he didn't think I was a very good girlfriend. I found out he cheated on me and when I confronted him about it he said it was my fault for not giving him enough sex.”

  Mila practically eyerolled herself into another dimension.

  “What a load of crap!”

  “I know that now. But back then, I believed anything he said because I thought I was in love with him. So, when he started asking me to do certain things, I felt like I had to if I didn't want to lose him.”

  “What do you mean by do certain things?” asked Mila.

  “Sleep with his friends!” she said before she burst into tears.

  “Star...”

  “I finally said I couldn't do it anymore and I ended things with him. He told everyone what a skank I was and how I'd sleep with anyone. All these guys started hitting on me, the girls called me a whore, so I figured the cheap attention the guys showed me was better than none. I was lonely.”

  Britani put her head in her hands. “Jesus, Star!”

  “So, I became that girl. I thought that was all I was worth, that's all guys would ever want from me. And for the most part I was right. Especially with Mr. Donahue.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Mila.

  “He is the most manipulative, calculating person I've ever seen. He knew my insecurities and my weaknesses, and he played them perfectly. He told me I was special and a rare talent who was going to do big things and go so far. And I believed him.”

  Suddenly, Star jumped up from her seat.

  “Look, I'm not looking for your forgiveness or pity or anything really, other than to say if you need me to help take that bastard down- I'm in.”

  Before either girl could reply, Star jogged down the porch steps and off to her car.

  Mila turned to Britani, “What the actual hell just happened?”

  “I think we just found out that Donahue's so cold he makes even Star look human.”

  Mila leaned forward and buried her face in her hands.

  “Ugh! What am I supposed to do with that? It's not like I don't want to believe her and be able to trust her. I just, don't know if I should. And how do I bring this to Trevor? I had to practically beg to be able to tell you and you're like his sister. Which makes me wonder...”

  Britani finished her sentence for her.

  “Who the hell told Star?”

  “Maybe the Carano clan is attempting to see how serious we are with this.”

  “Which means either they're dead serious and want to be sure you are too”, Britani said before looking at Mila who said; “Or they're just playing a game of their own.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  T revor's flight home from Louisiana, where he'd had a couple of shows was due in soon. Unfortunately for Mila, it wasn't soon enough.

  She'd been pacing for hours debating herself on how to tell him about Star's little impromptu visit until she eventually fell asleep on the couch. She awoke to Trevor, standing above her, bending down to kiss her forehead.

  “Babe, when did you get in?”

  “Just about 15 minutes ago. I didn't mean to wake you, I just wanted to kiss you.”

  As Trevor sat on the couch next to her, Mila scooted over to him and nuzzled into his chest, while pulling the blanket that had been over her, over both of them.

  “Aren't you sweet?”

  “Oh yeah, you know me!”

  Mila laughed, knowing she had to bring up the Star situation.

  “Might as well rip off the band-aid!” she thought.

  “So, I had a visitor today, unexpectedly.”

  “Oh yeah, who was it?”

  “Star.”

  Mila could feel Trevor's body st
iffen so much he was practically rigid with anger and tension.

  “Baby, calm down, she didn't come to stir up drama. I don’t think...”

  Mila started to massage his shoulders and upper back. She could finally feel him relax.

  “That's not fair, I've wrestled all day for 3 days, you know I'm sore!”

  “Who said I play fair?” Mila asked.

  “So, what did the wicked witch want?”

  And with that, Mila explained the events of that afternoon, never stopping the shoulder massage, just for good measure.

  “I don't trust her Mila, she's up to something. I'll call Uncle Sammy tomorrow to get his advice on what to do.”

  Pulling her hands back into her lap she said, “Okay, yeah, that's probably the best move.”

  “Hey, where'd my massage go?”

  As he made a mock pouty face, Mila cracked up laughing.

  “You're too much, you know that?!”

  Trevor moved his body weight and before she knew it, Mila was lying on her back with Trevor hovering over her, a dark look in his eyes.

  “Well, see I never said I play fair either.”

  At that exact moment the phone decided to ring.

  “Seriously? Now?” an exasperated Trevor said.

  “Who could that be at 11 o'clock at night?”

  “I don't know but whoever it is, if they're not bleeding, vomiting profusely or dying they're going to wish they were by the time I'm through!” Trevor said as he reached for his phone on the end table by the couch.

  “Uncle Sammy? Is everything ok?”

  “Trevor I'm sorry to call so late but we need to discuss a few things.”

  “You mean like Star Carano's impromptu visit to my fiancé this afternoon?”

  “I was afraid that would happen. Danny said Lorenzo's been taking this really hard.” said Uncle Sammy.

  “Oh gee, the big bad mobster's upset?”

  “I know, but Trevor, Lorenzo isn't a guy to cross. Lucky for us, we're not the ones in his crosshairs.”

  “Then what's going on?”

  “Dominic knows Trevor.”

  Trevor laughed, an incredulous almost maniacal kind of laugh.

  “Of course, he does, why wouldn't he?”

  “My fear is if Lorenzo gets to him before we do...”

  “Who cares?” Trevor balked, “Either way I inherit the company! And quite frankly who'd care?”

  “Trevor Louis Morgan! You were raised better than that!”

  “Not by him! Bastard skipped out as soon as he could. He took everything from me when I was just 7-yrs-old!”

  Mila, who'd been listening on speaker this whole time, couldn't remain quiet anymore.

  “Trevor, what the hell? This is not the man I fell in love with, this is NOT my Trevor! The more you let anger control you the more you act like him and you're NOT him Trevor!!”

  “No Mila, you're right, I'm not. I could never be that evil!”

  Uncle Sammy tried to calmly reach Trevor through the phone.

  “Trevor-”

  “Let Lorenzo get to him, good riddance!”

  “That's it”, Mila said, “I'm out of here!”

  “No, you'll miss the best part - tell her Uncle Sammy! Tell her why Michael Mileno is in prison!”

  “Trevor don't do this!” Uncle Sammy begged

  Mila, now thoroughly confused and angry spoke directly to Uncle Sammy.

  “What is going on Uncle Sammy, tell me what?”

  Trevor, however, wasn’t going to shut up that easily.

  “Tell her what Michael Mileno is sitting in prison for!”

  “Trevor don't do this, she's pregnant!”

  “Tell her!!” Trevor yelled.

  “He's awaiting trial for murder...”

  “Whose murder, Uncle Sammy?” Trevor shouted, pressing on.

  There was quiet on the other end of the line before soft tears started. Mila already had her jacket and shoes on, halfway out the door.

  “Don't do this Trevor!”

  “WHOSE MURDER?!”

  Mila was seething. “Shut the fuck up Trevor!! Uncle Sammy you don't have to-”

  And that's when she heard it, quietly and through tears, just before the line went dead.

  “Janet's...”

  In shock, Mila started for the door, Trevor following behind her, still shouting.

  “Why are you mad, it's my mother!”

  “Yes, Trevor but you've-”

  Suddenly Mila felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Doubled over in pain she let out a scream.

  “Ahhhhhhh!”

  “Mila!”

  Trevor literally leapt over the couch to get to her.

  “Mila, baby, oh my God, I'm so sorry baby please!”

  But the pain wouldn't stop and suddenly fear kicked in. This couldn't be it; she wasn't far enough along to safely deliver the baby; she couldn't be in labor. Something was wrong, something was very wrong.

  The last thing Mila remembered hearing was Trevor's horrified voice.

  “The ambulance is on the way baby, it's going to be okay, it has to be okay...”

  And then it all went black.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  T revor looked up from his chair, stationed outside Mila's hospital room. The doctor had kicked him out temporarily while they checked a few things to determine what happened. She regained consciousness in the ambulance but otherwise there was no change between the house and the hospital. No change and no answers.

  He looked up in time to see Britani, Lucas, Violet, Randall and Phoebe racing towards him. He'd called everyone. Even Aunt Ellen was on her way down.

  Britani reached him first.

  “Where is she? What happened Trevor?”

  “Is she going to be okay, is the baby okay?” asked Randall.

  “They're checking her over now. She regained consciousness in the ambulance but otherwise I don't know anything. They've got me out here until they've finished examining her and running tests on her and- and the baby.”

  Sensing his overwhelming sadness, Britani pulled Trevor in for a hug. She was quickly joined by the others and before he knew it, Trevor was surrounded by his friends, his real family, in a group hug. But nothing could comfort him right now.

  “It's going to be okay Trev.” Britani said.

  “Yeah,” said Violet. “She's a fighter and so is that baby!”

  “Thanks guys, I just - I just need a minute.”

  Trevor started walking down the hall a bit only to feel a hand on his arm stopping him. He turned to see Britani.

  “What the hell happened? It was the stress of Star showing up wasn't it? I knew I shouldn't have left when I did, I know she gets panic attacks and-”

  “It was my fault Brit...”

  “What? Your fault, Trevor what are you-”

  “Uncle Sammy called with an update on things and I flipped out and I made him tell her the truth about my Mom and it was too much for her and she just couldn't take it and that scream, Britani that scream will haunt me forever!”

  Trevor's tears were falling now.

  “Trevor, breathe! Back up, what do you mean the truth about your mother?”

  Britani had her hands on Trevor's shoulders to steady him.

  “You, you know Michael Mileno?”

  “Yeah, the third investor in PEW, the one who's in prison, right?”

  “Yeah. Two days ago, while I was in Louisiana, Uncle Sammy called me and said he had news on Michael. I thought he'd say he wasn't going to sign the papers or something but instead he said he'd gotten a call from the police.”

  “What?”

  “Michael Mileno was driving the car that hit my mother.”

  “Oh my God Trevor, no!”

  “My father had borrowed a rather large sum of money from Mileno's family around the same time as Michael invested in PEW. But he didn't pay him back. And when Michael went to collect, Daddy Dearest told him that he'd get back even more money than he'd borrowed through
his investment and that he should be grateful.”

  “Oh God...” Britani whispered.

  “So, he decided to teach my father a lesson. He was going to hit him where it hurt by taking out Mom as collateral damage. Little did he know my father never gave a damn about Mom. So, the next day, when he saw Mom leave the house, he followed her and, you know the rest.”

  “But they said it was some drunk who hit her?”

  “Michael made one of his guys take the fall. Meanwhile, he struck a deal with Dominic that in exchange for an increase in the percentage of his investment he wouldn't go to the cops with just how much Dominic was skimming off the books.”

  “Trevor Morgan?”

  Everyone turned towards the voice that had just echoed down the halls of the hospital.

  Trevor immediately ran to the doctor who’d just called his name.

  “How is she, doctor? How's the baby? Are they going to be okay, can I see her?”

  “Please, calm down Mr. Morgan. My name's Dr. Percy, I've been treating Mila since her arrival. She's fine, she's going to be okay. She suffered a sudden spike in blood pressure, brought on by high stress levels.”

  Everyone audibly exhaled and Trevor hung his head.

  “What - what about my daughter?”

  “Dr. Miller's on her way to do some further tests but the baby looks just fine. No signs of trauma to her, good strong heartbeat. Everything looks good, Dr. Miller just wants to be extremely cautious of course.”

  “Of course, of course. Can I see her?” Trevor asked, a sad but hopeful look in his eyes.

  “Yes, she was asking for you actually. Just try to keep it quiet, relaxed. We don't want to upset her or cause any undue stress.”

  “Of course!”

  Dr. Percy lead Trevor into Mila's room, stopping at the door.

  “I'll give you two some privacy, call if you need anything. The nurse's station is right over there.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Percy.”

  “Trevor?” Mila said.

  “I'm right here baby, I'm right here.”

  Pulling a chair up to Mila's bedside, Trevor sat down, taking both her hands and kissing them repeatedly.

  “Oh God Mila baby I'm so sorry! I don't know what happened to me, I just-”