In Brian’s cabin, after two days contending with their father’s death, during which—who knows why?—Trevor chose not once to smoke even a bit of ganja, for which Brian felt desperate the whole time, he was finally sucking it in. Whoa, how he had craved just a taste of Jacob’s all uplift, no downside, indigo bud!
Home at last, he learned that Hailey was visiting her mother. So no one was around. Or so he thought until Carla knocked, anxious for “a word with Trevor.”
On the phone with Hailey, Brian said he planned to get high more often. And—she said loved him, which she almost never said. (Unlike Carla, who not so long ago had seemingly babbled about her love and affection for Brian whenever a gap developed in the conversation.)
[Click here to read the first episode, or here to read the previous one.]
Here came Carla now from the extra bedroom where she and Trevor had finally reached a loud, rambunctious decision, of sorts. Big and giddy Carla no longer looked at all like the young woman Brian had once loved halfheartedly.
“Merry Christmas two days late,” she said, her big red hand slapping Brian’ shoulder. After her obviously wild sexual consultation with Trevor, she announced she had decided to move back in with Marc Swift.
“Happy New Year if I don’t see ya.” She threw herself into a long, forceful kiss good-bye with Trevor and finally left.
“Her not-so-bright light kinda reassures me.” Trevor grinned, sprawled on the couch, a bit winded.
Two seconds later, he was beaming. “So Hailey comes back tonight. First, though, Brian, you gotta check this.”
How did Trevor know Hailey’s plans? Had he somehow eavesdropped, busy as he was with the always daunting and still expanding Carla?
“No eavesdropping, Brian. I just know, that’s all.”
Bending down, Trevor dipped into his duffel bag and handed Brian a little turquoise box, wrapped with red satin ribbon.
“Give Hailey these for Christmas even if you already got her something.”
Which Brian had not. “Trev, what’s this?”
“Peek inside. From Tiffany’s.”
“When and where did you go to Tiffany’s?”
“Just look.” Opening the pretty gift, Brian spilled gold earrings from a plush turquoise bag into his open hand. Delicate but lovely, a star stud held various length tiny gold chains from which dangled several tiny gold stars.
“Shit, Trevor. How much?”
“A whole heap. But trust me. She gonna be goin’ to bed with dem.”
“They’re beautiful.”
“Just like her, no? Count it as your present too, Brian.”
“I completely forgot about Christmas presents.”
“Wanna give me something?” Trevor asked. “Kaya and Angelina come home tomorrow so I gotta visit the Chief Beast today. Big gift if you drive me there.”
“That’s no gift, Trevor. I’m happy to drive you there. And I was wrong about you staying here while I finished up with Daddy. I don’t know how on earth I would have gotten through that without you—even if for once I needed weed and you weren’t even interested.”
“I-and-I couldn’t live without you either, Brian. In Jamdown, I had Vivi, but I never stopped needing you. She kept tellin’ me, Go back to your brudda, Trev. Vivi truly needed me then but she said I need you—not her. Used to be, Vivi seen truth and more truth, nuthin’ else.”
They pulled into Everett Clay’s driveway mid-afternoon. Trevor knocked hard and yelled, “Hey, Chief Babylon! Know yer dere, Babble-a-Babylon.”
But then Trevor said, “Wait a minute,” and dashed down the porch steps without a sound, leaving Brian standing there alone.
Brian watched a tall oak tree stirring shadows on the driveway. The cold sunlight glinted at odd angles so that the rays seemed to bounce skyward—making Trevor invisible. In a flash or two, however, he was back, smiling at Everett Clay who stood disheveled in his doorway.
“Lauren’s not home. She’s with her mother.”
“Big blessings, Chief.” And Trevor brought a tiny orange kitten out from behind his back.
“What’s this? Where’d you get him?”
“Her,” Trevor said. “Can we come in?”
The television was tuned to a football game. The three men half-watched it as Everett settled the kitten on his lap. “What’s her name?”
“You name her,” Trevor said. “She belongs to you.”
“I don’t know. Maybe she does. Listen to her purring. What do you think of Tango. You think Tango’s a good name for her?”
“Full and right,” Trevor said, shifting his weight so that Brian expected him to produce a mini-spliff. Instead, Trevor said, “So I hear you and your wife split.”
Brian elbowed his brother hard. “Don’t be rude,” he whispered.
“It’s okay. Everybody’s talking about it. She left three months ago. Because of Angelina.”
“But Angelina’s a one-way only lesbian. Not like Kaya.”
“My wife thinks there’s a heart and mind thing between us.”
“But you just want your wife back, I can see that. Have you begged?”
“Trevor,” Brian said, painfully embarrassed. “You’re way out of line.”
“Haven’t begged. It’s not my style. But I surely do miss her.”
“So forget yer style and tell her you’re sorry. You love only her, Chief—her mind, heart, et cetera. Your whole life your lady needs to hear you say that.”
“Worth a try.” Everett was lightly petting Tango.
“Call Lucinda,” Trevor said. “Tell her you were wrong and will never do anything like heart and mind treachery again.”
(Click here to read the next episode)
