Living Proof

Chapter Nine (Down Hill)

The following month, Trey and Kasey were out getting food and party items for Thanksgiving. "Do you eat pork?" Kasey asked wondering to get pork or turkey for the dinner. "I would rather eat my fingers down to the numb than to eat pork." Trey responded. They laughed. "All you had to say was no." Kasey picked up a fat turkey and that concluded their shopping. "Tomorrow will be our first Thanksgiving together as a family." Trey sounding all thrilled. "Yes. I cannot wait; you, Corbin and myself." Kasey added. Trey flashed her a dirty look. "I believe you are forgetting someone." Kasey played dumb. "Who am I forgetting?" Trey placed the items on the converter belt that lead to the cashier, "girl you forgot about Bonez." Kasey looked away. "I didn't forget him." Trey stared at Kasey; something was off. "Kasey what are you not telling me?" Trey asked. Kasey looked at Trey, "I think he likes me." Trey laughed and Kasey pinched his arm. "Ouch!" Trey rubbed the sore spot of his arm. "I think Bonez have fantasies about me. Like, he doesn't like me, but wants to experiment with a trans woman." Kasey voiced. "Trans women are not a fantasy nor are we people to fuck just to say you tried it out." Trey understood what she was saying. "We are humans and have feelings just anyone else in this world." Trey hugged her, "I apologize for laughing." Kasey wiped her tears on her shoulder. "It's cool, you didn't know." They smiled, but it was interrupted by the cashier. "That's sweet and all, but the total is $115.35." They laughed and Trey paid for the groceries. "Have a good day." The cashier shouted as the two friends exited.

Corbin and Bonez were at the apartment preparing the decorations for the dinner. It was three o clock, "We are back." Trey greeted. "We come bearing gifts." Kasey chimed. "We are in the living room setting up for tonight." Corbin announced. Bonez watched as Kasey bent over to grab some decorations from the floor. Trey cleared his throat, "Bonez, could you help me with the streamers over here, please?" Bonez nodded. Corbin and Kasey slipped off into the kitchen to start the meal prep for the turkey. "You two bought up the whole store didn't ya'll?" Corbin teased. Kasey snickered, "shut up." The two were now a newly couple and they couldn't be happier. Staring in disgust, Bonez stopped what he was doing and headed to his bedroom. "Bonez?" Trey called out to him. Five seconds later, Bonez returned with a hammer. "The streamers won't stay up if we don't hammer a nail or two to keep it from falling." Trey smiled. "Okay smarty." It was now going on six thirty and the apartment was ready for a Thanksgiving dinner. "We did that." Trey stated sounding all animated. "You are so damn country." Bonez laughed. "Shut up!" Trey laughed along with him. "I have one last thing to grab." Corbin announced as he headed to the door, "Trey could you come with me?" Trey glanced at Kasey. "Why don't you go, Kasey?" Trey stammered. He remembered what Kasey told him earlier that day. "Go on. I'll be fine." Kasey insisted with a smile. Trey nodded and grabbed his jacket.

Down the street at a pawn shop, Corbin and Trey were looking at jewelry. "I think you should get her this bracelet." Trey pointed to a silver and gold diamond encrusted bracelet. "Naw...I was thinking about this necklace here." Corbin pointed to a royal blue diamond with silver trimming. "That's the one." Trey agreed. Trey's phone started to ring. "Let me take this call." Corbin nodded. "Hello." Trey answered. "Hi, is this Trey Campbell?" Trey looked at the number and it was unknown. "Yes. This is he, who may this be?" Trey questioned. "This is Dr. Morrison, here at Grady Hospital. I was calling to give you your test results." Trey had a relieved look on his face, "okay. Cool. I was nervous at first. Is everything okay?" Trey asked. "I am afraid not. Your test results revealed that you have contracted HIV from your rapist." Dr. Morrison continued, but Trey tuned him out. Back at the counter, Corbin wrapped up his transaction. "You ready Trey?" Corbin asked, but he seen tears falling from his eyes. "Trey? Are you there?" Dr. Morrison asked. "Yes, but I have to go now. Thanks for the update." Trey hung up his phone. "Trey, who was that? What's wrong?" Corbin sounded concerned. "I...I have HIV." Trey expressed. "Your brother was HIV positive and he transmitted it to me." Corbin dropped his gift for Kasey. "Trey, I am so sorry. I honestly didn't know." He did his best to comfort his friend. "Trey. You are still this strong man that Kasey and I grew to love. Things will and are going to get better. Kasey and I are here for you. Don't you worry." Corbin cried a few tears but wiped them away to remain strong for his new brother.

Back at the apartment, Trey waited outside and dialed his mom's number, while Corbin went inside. The phone rang. "Hello?" Someone Trey didn't recognize answered. "Um...hi...who is this??" Trey questioned. "You must be Trey. Your mom told me all about you." The stranger announced, "I was your mom's nurse, here at Huntsville Hospital." Trey thought about what she said, "wait...was?" "Is she there now? I have to tell her something." There was a pause. "Hello?? Where is my mom?" Trey voiced cracked. "She is no longer with us. She passed away this morning due to a heart attack." The nurse gave her condolences. This was just too much for Trey to bare. "Thanks for the information." Trey hung up the phone and burst through the front door to see a horrifying scene. Bonez had Kasey in a choke hold with a gun to her head. "What the fuck is going on?" Trey screamed. "Bonez apparently have feelings for my fiancé." Corbin blurted out. "Fiancé?" Trey repeated. "Yeah. I proposed to Kasey while you were outside, and she said yes to the ring and Bonez got heated and pulled out his gun." "This is too much shit going on!!" Trey yelled. "I just found out that I am HIV positive and my mom died this morning." Trey cried. "Bonez, please let Kasey go. I can't lose her, too." Bonez thought about it and released her. She ran towards Trey, and that's when a gun shot went off.