Trent

by Lindsay Paige

  “It’s possible you’re right,” Scarlett agrees.

  “Do you like Cinderella? She’s my favorite princess. We watch the movie all the time.”

  “I do, but my favorite princess is Snow White because she was the first cartoon I saw in a movie theater.”

  “Oh! I have a friend named Happy, but Hector likes to call him Grumpy. My Happy is one of my best friends. He plays baseball, too.”

  “He must be a lucky person to have you as his friend. Do you like baseball?”

  “Only if my daddy is playing and if I get to sit in the room with the air conditioner because it’s too hot in the other seats. I like to get a soda and a bag of peanuts. You have to have it when you go to the game. That’s what my mommy told me.”

  My heart catches at the mention of Deborah, but the conversation doesn’t even pause.

  “Your mommy sounds like a smart lady. I hate the heat, and I’d rather sit in the air conditioning too. Do you read books? Do you have a favorite?”

  “Cinderella. Daddy reads it to me at bedtime. I read books I get from school to my Granny. She says I’m a good reader.”

  “I bet you’re the best reader. I bet your dad loves reading to you, too.” Scarlett looks over to me with a smile.

  Finally, I’m able to join in. “I’ve tried to get her to let me read Curious George, but she’s stuck on Cinderella.”

  “It’s not as good!” Kaelyn exclaims.

  “How do you know?” I ask her. “I haven’t read it to you yet.”

  “I know because it’s not Cinderella and Cinderella is the best,” she answers decisively.

  “I like Curious George,” Scarlett jumps in. “He is very funny and is always getting into trouble. You should try reading it. If you don’t like it, then you can go back to Cinderella.”

  “Well.” Kaelyn actually seems to think about it. “Maybe you can read it to me tonight, Daddy. But if it sucks, you have to read Cinderella instead.”

  “Deal and we don’t say suck.”

  We finish off our ice cream and Scarlett smiles at my daughter.

  “Kaelyn, I want to thank you for letting me have ice cream with you and your daddy, but I have to go back to work.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “And…” I say, waiting for her to add to it.

  “And what?” Kaelyn frowns in confusion. “She said thank you. I said you’re welcome.”

  “You could thank her for joining us for ice cream.”

  “Oh. Thanks for eating ice cream with us, Scarlett.”

  She giggles. “You’re welcome.”

  “Daddy is taking me on a playdate on Monday and we always have ice cream. We can all have ice cream again.”

  Scarlett’s eyes widen as Kaelyn invites her out again. I nod; it seems to be the only thing I know how to do today.

  “Kaelyn, that’s so sweet to suggest we have ice cream again, but I’m not going to be able to. Thank you though. I’ve had a lot of fun with you today.”

  “Aw, why not?” Kaelyn gives Scarlett her best pout.

  “I work on Mondays and I’m too busy to have ice cream, but I know you’ll have a blast with your daddy. You don’t need me intruding again.”

  “What does intruding mean?”

  “Interrupting. I don’t want to interrupt your day.”

  “But—”

  “That’s enough, Kaelyn,” I tell her. If I don’t interrupt, we’ll be here all day. “You know that sometimes people are busy and can’t do what you want them to. Like when I was on a trip and couldn’t take you to school that morning. Maybe we’ll see Scarlett around another time. We should tell Scarlett bye and see you around.”

  She folds her arms over her chest, sulking. “Bye. See you around. Maybe.”

  “I give you my promise we’ll have ice cream again. I never break a promise.” One encouraging smile from Scarlett has Kaelyn all smiles again.

  “Okay!”

  I laugh and shake my head. “See you around, Scarlett.”

  ***

  I TAP MY nails against the wine glass as I wait for Macy to meet me at the bar. The past couple of days have been the strangest yet. Even more so than usual. Something told me, deep down inside, not to go have ice cream, but I really wanted it and now look at where I am. Actually, I don’t know what I’m doing anymore, hence the reason I’m waiting for Macy.

  “I’m here. I’m here.” She comes rushing toward me. I hand her the glass I ordered for her and she takes a large gulp. “You don’t ever call and say it’s an emergency, so what’s up?”

  “My life is over. Okay, not over, but it’s in some downward spiral, and I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.”

  “Let’s step off the crazy train platform and back onto the rational sidewalk and let’s start from the beginning.” She smirks at her comment and sips her wine.

  “I went for ice cream yesterday and ran into Trent. Not just Trent though, but his daughter too.”

  Macy hisses. “How awkward was that?”

  “It was a nightmare, but what was worse was when his adorable daughter asked me to eat ice cream with them.”

  Macy’s eyes go wide. “What happened?”

  “Trent thought it was a grand idea, and I spent the next half hour with them.”

  Macy laughs. “Are you pulling my leg?”

  “No. It was horrible at first, but his little girl is a dream, and I had a marvelous time. Then Kaelyn asked me to do it again with them, and I looked at Trent, and of course, he nodded, but I don’t know if he was just being polite or hell, I don’t know.” I rub my temples to ease the never-ending headache that I’ve had since my first run in with Trent.

  “Oh my God. What are you going to do?”

  “How the hell should I know? I figured it was all over when he ran away from me after telling him about Dom. I didn’t expect to have ice cream with his daughter. I never thought I’d see him there. You know, like a normal person would think after telling him my brother killed his wife!” I raise my voice and a couple of people turned to look at us.

  “Whoa, Scarlett, calm down. I understand where you are coming from. I mean, I was in the same boat you were, thinking he’d never see you again. Do you think he forgot?”

  I give her the same look I give my kids when they ask ridiculous questions.

  “All right. All right, I understand what I just asked. I have no other ideas then. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t come within one hundred feet of you. Sorry, but it’s true. Especially if I had a child involved.”

  “I feel the same way. Maybe he hit his head or something.”

  We both sit there for a moment, sipping our wine, and I think we’re both going through scenarios.

  “I got it.” Macy snaps her fingers. “I know what happened.”

  “You do?”

  “You said Kaelyn asked you, right?”

  I nod.

  “He probably didn’t want to cause a scene with his daughter there. I bet he didn’t want to do it, but he weighed his options and it was the best thing to do to make sure there wasn’t a headline about it.”

  I sip my wine again and think it over. She’s probably right. Trent was trying to avoid a drama filled outrageous scene. It makes perfect sense. He doesn’t want to see me again or have anything to do with me. He didn’t want Kaelyn dragged into some media frenzy. Macy’s right, and I’m glad we don’t have to see each other again. Even though I do wish our circumstances were different. I can see myself with someone like Trent, but not Trent because there’s no way he and I can ever have anything together.

  I need to come to terms with that and move on.

  My feet pound the treadmill as my mind spins with thoughts of Trent. Macy is right about him not wanting to make a scene in front of his daughter. I should have been stronger and left the moment I saw them. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy Trent and Kaelyn’s company though. It had been fun.

  But it can’t happen again. This is something that will never work.
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br />   I kick myself mentally for going up to him the first time and ever talking to him. I wouldn’t be in this situation if I’d just kept my trap shut.

  The running isn’t helping me today as it usually does; I give up after a few miles and head over to the juice bar to grab a water. After I pay the cashier, I turn, only to see Trent, sitting alone and looking sad.

  Do not go over there.

  I know he hasn’t seen me, but I can’t bear to see him hurting. I’m the one who has caused him all the pain recently.

  Damn it, I yell at myself as I grab my water from the counter and walk over to him. “Hi, Trent.” I try to keep my voice calm.

  “Hey, Scarlett.”

  “Are you okay? You look a bit distracted. RBIs low this week?” I try to joke and talk about baseball.

  He cracks a small smile. “It’s nothing with baseball. Just a rough day. How are you?”

  “I’m well, thanks. Um…” I pause and try to gather some perspective on what to do next. “Is there anything I can help with? Need an adult to talk to or is Cinderella is driving you a bit batty?”

  He lightly chuckles. “Cinderella is taking turns with George now, so thank you for that.” He finally makes full eye contact with me and sighs. “Have you ever heard of the Memphis Paper Blog?”

  “Oh, I have. Just recently though. Some nerdy looking blogger, well, he said reporter,” I roll my eyes. “He tried to ask me a bunch of questions about Dom—um, my brother. I said no comment and shooed him away. Is he talking to you?”

  “He’s trying. He’s ‘accidentally’ run into me twice after I told him to leave me alone. The last time I saw him was right before I came in here.” He stops and takes a deep breath. “When I was walking away from him, he asked if I knew you and if so, how.”

  “Me? What? What else did he say?” I finally sit down across from him.

  “Well, once he said your name, he obviously had my attention. He caught me off guard.” He shakes his head. “He just kept asking questions. How do I know you, did I know you’re on the visitor's list to see him, if I knew what relationship you have with him. I just turned and kept walking while he was waited for me to reply.”

  “Oh, this can’t be good.” I hang my head. “I’ve kept my name away from his this whole time, but it’s not like it’s a secret. I don’t know where this is going, though.”

  “Me either and I couldn’t tell if he was trying to focus on me or you. It’s bothering me, either way. I don’t usually mind reporters, as long as they aren’t too intrusive. This guy seems to be the definition of intrusive.”

  “I’ll see if Macy can find anything out. I don’t talk to reporters, and she’s never reported anything on me, so I can trust her. I’m sure it’ll blow over. It’s almost over.” I try not to bring up the sentencing, even though we both know it’s coming up.

  “Yeah, it is. Will you let me know what Macy finds out?”

  “Of course. I still have your number. I mean I haven’t deleted it. Not that I was keeping it for a reason, I was...just...never mind.” I am nervously rambling again. “I’ll let you know. Oh, and thanks for the ice cream the other day. It was nice and I’m glad Curious George is working out for you, too.” I try to end our conversation on a high note.

  “Thanks. I’m sorry if you felt like you had to stay. I do tell her no. Sometimes.”

  “I had a great time. I really did. And I’m sure you do say no. She’s amazing, though. You’ve raised a stunning little girl.”

  Trent fully smiles. “Thanks. I can’t really take the credit though. Between Deborah and my grandmother, she was bound to turn into a great kid.”

  “I have to go, but I’ll keep you updated. Thanks again, Trent.” I rush away before any more is said.

  ***

  KAELYN AND GRANNY all but shove me out the door because they’re having a girls’ night. I don’t know if it’s legit or if this is Granny’s way of forcing me out into the real world to mingle. Either way, I’m not supposed to come home until after Kaelyn is in bed for the night. Who knows when that will be because I was told she should be able to stay up late just once. I can’t tell them both no; so her bedtime was pushed off for a few hours.

  I texted some of the guys and Colby, Jordan, and Spencer are out at a bar, watching a playoff hockey game. So, that’s where I’m headed. I’m one of those guys who likes to watch other sports, but I don’t actively follow them. Keeping up with my own game is enough for me.

  When I arrive, the place is crowded. They suddenly cheer, shouting and slapping high-fives. I’ll take a wild guess and say someone scored. I spot the guys and head over. They look mildly surprised to see me.

  “What?” I ask, taking a seat.

  “We’re surprised you actually came,” Colby answers.

  “I hang out with you guys a lot. You shouldn’t be shocked.”

  “You hang out with the team away from baseball as much as I talk to my wife,” Jordan points out. Considering he’s separated from his wife, I’m guessing he doesn’t talk to her much.

  “Leave the poor guy alone. He does have a kid to take care of,” Spencer comes to my defense.

  A round of “Oh!” distracts us for a moment when we look up to see a fight breaking out on the ice. A waitress comes over to take my order, and by the time she walks away, the crowd has calmed down for the moment.

  “Since I don’t hang out with y’all, what’s new?”

  “We’ve been trying to set Colby up with someone,” Jordan says.

  “Anyone really,” Spencer adds.

  “Why?”

  Colby grumbles under his breath. “I made the mistake of sharing how I signed up for this dating website.” I can’t help it. I laugh and Colby glares at me. “It’s y’alls fault. All that talk about how I’m old made me realize I’m also so single. I figured it would be worth a shot.”

  “We told him he has better luck with us as his wingmen. We think he may have a shot with the waitress,” Jordan explains.

  “If he would just flirt with her,” Spencer says with a pointed look to Colby.

  “Don’t rush me,” Colby snaps and I laugh again.

  “Worse comes to worst, Colby, being single isn’t so bad. You could be like me: married but separated and not have to worry about dealing with an emotional woman all the damn time. We’ll be the three single musketeers.”

  “Except you’re not really single,” Spencer adds.

  Jordan shrugs. “Might as well be.” He takes a sip of water. “I’ve said enough. You talk, Trent.”

  I stare at him for a moment. “My life is insane. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

  “With the craziest part,” Jordan tells me.

  Scarlett comes to mind first. Should I tell them about her? Get some insight from someone who isn’t related to me? I clear my throat. “Well, I met a girl.” Their eyes widen just a bit. “She’s nice, seems like a great person, is good with kids, and she’s a good person to talk to.”

  “So, what’s the catch?” Colby asks.

  I sigh and lower my voice, but not too low that they can’t hear me. “Her brother is Dominic Davis.” Saying his name makes me want to vomit. Collectively, their jaws drop. “I didn’t know it at first,” I begin explaining. “They have different last names and are half-siblings. She told me after we went to a wine tasting together.”

  “Wow,” Spencer breathes.

  “Damn,” Jordan adds.

  Colby can’t seem to form words yet.

  “And then, Kaelyn and I ran into her at the ice cream shop and Kaelyn started talking to her. We ended up eating ice cream together. I don’t even know what’s going on, what I’m doing, or what I’m even thinking,” I confess.

  The table is silent as it sinks in. I’m surprised when Colby speaks first.

  “Obviously, you trust her. You let her around your daughter.”

  “But should I? The circumstances around her are terrible, but we keep running into each other and we still run into each ot
her. I mean, we work out at the same gym, so obviously it’s possible, but away from there, I keep seeing her.”

  “Could she be a stalker?” Spencer asks.

  “Wait a second,” Colby holds up a finger. “Is this the girl who came with those boys,” he stops as if he’s remembering something, “Joey and David?” he finishes.

  “Yeah. And I don’t think she’s a stalker. How could she beat me to places that were last minute decisions?”

  “Do you like her?” Jordan asks. When I take too long to answer, he asks another question. “Did you like her after your date? Before you found out?”

  That one is a little easier to answer. “Yeah, I think I was starting to.”

  “Is she loyal to her brother?” Spencer asks.

  “I think she’s given up on him. She said she’s tried to help him as much as possible before, but it never did any good. And then it happened, and she said she thinks he deserves whatever is handed to him.”

  The crowd cheers, someone has scored a goal, tying the game. When the rowdiness settles, Colby says, “Do you want to hear my opinion?”

  “It can’t hurt.”

  “If you like her and if you can deal with who she’s related to, then maybe start taking things slow with her. She shouldn’t have to suffer the backlash if you wanted to explore that option, if she’s as good a person as you say she is. You and Kaelyn are the only ones who matter. If it feels right, if it’s what you want, then no other person should stand in the way. And my god, it’s not like you’re committing your life to her. Keep on and you’ll be like me, too nervous to flirt with a pretty waitress and signing up on dating websites.”

  The waitress comes to our table to check on us, no doubt hearing what Colby said. She smiles and flirts with him for a couple of minutes. We laugh when she walks away, everyone but Spencer.

  “Her brother killed your wife, Trent,” he says, shaking his head. “Maybe she thinks he deserves to be in jail, but she still cares about him. No matter what he does, he’s still her brother. He’s still her family. You can’t overlook that. How would you explain to Kaelyn that her dad’s new friend is related to the man who took her mom from her? It’s a disaster waiting to happen. Even if she’s a good person, the bad outweighs the good in this case. She’s not the only woman on earth who could be your friend.”