~Trevin's point of view~
It's Wednesday. I decided to work from home. Well, Serenity's home. I haven't left her side at all. I don't need to; We did go get clothes for me to wear. Not that she lets me wear them much. I don't see how Luke keeps up with two of them. She has worn me out. I'm not complaining at all. I missed six months; I don't want to miss anymore.
The best feeling in the world is feeling my children kick. I know it hurts her sometimes, but to me, it's magical. I never thought I'd ever have a biological child. Let alone two. It's the best feeling in the world.
I'm lying here just watching her sleep. It's not even six am. I know what I need to do. I decided that after feeling my babies kick that first night. I knew six months ago that I needed to this her doorbell rings. I run my fingers down her cheek.
Trevin: "Hey, Sweetheart...."
Serenity: "Hmm?"
Trevin: "Someone is at your door."
Serenity: "What time is it?"
Trevin: "Six."
Serenity: "Who the hell is here this early?"
Trevin: "Let's go find out."
We both get up. She grabs jogging pants and a t-shirt from her dresser. I slide my jeans on and throw a t-shirt on. It's obvious we both just woke up.
We head down the stairs. I stay back a bit while she opens the door.
Serenity: "Dad?"
Fuck.
Dasher: "Hello, Sunshine."
Serenity: "It's early. Why are you here?"
Dasher: "I know you've been home alone. I was worried about you."
Serenity: "I haven't been alone."
Oh, this is going to extremely bad.
Dasher: "Luke and Bridgette are gone. Who's been here with you?"
She slides the door. His eyes lock on mine.
Dasher: "What the fuck are you doing here, Trevin?
Trevin: "I've been staying with her since Luke left."
Dasher: "Why?"
Trevin: "Luke is my son..."
Dasher: "What's that got to do with you being here?"
Serenity: "Dad..."
She says, but he ignores her.
Trevin: "She's pregnant, Dasher."
Dasher: "Don't play that bullshit with me. I know those babies aren't Luke's. He's stepping up, but he isn't their dad."
He steps closer to me.
Dasher: "Don't lie to me. Why are you here?"
Trevin: "I'm in love with your daughter."
He clocks me in the jaw.
He turns and walks towards the door.
Serenity: "Dad."
Dasher: "Later Sunshine."
He leaves. She goes to the kitchen and comes back out with a baggie of ice.
Trevin: "I'm ok, Sweetheart."
Serenity: "He shouldn't have hit you."
Trevin: "He is your dad. I'm his best friend."
Serenity: "Still, he shouldn't have hit you."
Trevin: "Why didn't you ever tell him?"
Serenity: "I tired. He said Luke was all they needed."
Trevin: "Do you feel that way?"
Serenity: "You know that I don't."
Trevin: "This could cause major issues for you."
Serenity: "He accepted my relationship with Bridgette and Luke. I don't understand why he has an issue with you."
Trevin: "I am well was his best friend. I'm also older than you."
Serenity: "That doesn't bother me."
This is something that I didn't think about. I'm twenty years older than her. I'll be seventy when my children are twenty.
I'm not bragging at all. I look good for my age; I've always taken care of myself. This is something that should have been talked about before any of this happened. It's too late now. I love her; she's having my babies. I'll deal with Dasher.
Serenity: "Can we lay back down for a while?"
Trevin: "Absolutely."
We head back upstairs. I lay down with her. I wait until I know she's asleep. I quietly get out of bed. I take a quick shower in the other bathroom and head to my house to get my car.
I make my way across town. This may turn out to be a disaster, but I'm doing it anyway. I pull into the driveway, sit, and stare for a minute before I get out. I knock on the door. I know I'm taking a chance. I have to for her. I have to for my babies, the door opens.
Dasher: "Go away, Trevin."
Trevin: "We need to talk. I'll tell you everything. I just need you to listen."
He steps back and lets me in. He leads me to his study, which makes me nervous because that's where he keeps his guns.
He sits on the couch. I find a chair; he stares at me.
Dasher: "You didn't come here to listen to me breath."
Trevin: "No, I didn't."
Dasher: "The babies belong to you, don't they?"
Trevin: "Yes."
Dasher: "How long has it been going on?"
Trevin: "We were together for a month. Then it ended."
I tell him every sordid detail.
Everything.
I figured being honest was the best way to go. I'll deal with whatever the outcome is. Once I'm done, he sits silently for a while.
Dasher: "Wow."
My heart is pounding in my chest. He's been my best friend for decades. I knew he had a daughter. I had never officially met her. We lived on different ends of the country. He would come alone, or I'd come here, but he never introduced me to her.
Dasher and I met through Serenity's mom. Serenity's uncle was my friend. Joanne was already with Dasher. Joanne and Jock were fraternal twins. You usually didn't see one without the other. Joanne was with Jock and my sister when the accident happened. They were driving across a bridge when is it gave out. The three of them were trapped in the car and drowned in the water. Their funeral was the one, and only time I had seen Serenity.
Luke was the product of a one-night stand with a married man. That man wanted nothing to do with Luke. I was a twenty-seven-year-old man with a four-year-old kid; Dasher talked me through the hard times. We were already friends that brought us closer. He had Serenity, and I had Luke. He was a single dad of a seven-year-old, and a four-year-old had just been dropped in my lap.
Shortly after, my brother's and I decided to move from Tennessee to California. Dasher would come out to visit. He had a female friend there. He never wanted Serenity to find out. The visits were frequent until Dasher's mom died. When that happened, he focused his energy on his company and Serenity. I don't know if he's been with anyone since Brenda.
Dasher: "My daughter owns a strip club?"
He broke the silence.
Trevin: "A very successful strip club."
Dasher: "I always wondered how she afforded the things she has. She's never asked me for anything."
Trevin: "She's smart, Dasher. Your daughter is incredible."
Dasher: "She's exactly like her mother."
I can't help but laugh. Joanne and my sister were lovers. Dasher lost not one but two women he loved that day. Dasher thoroughly enjoyed the time with them.
They kept that life safely hidden from Serenity and Luke both. Funny how they ended up together.
Dasher: "It amazed me that she ended up with Luke. He's in the same situation I was in."
Trevin: "I was just thinking the same thing."
Dasher: "Why didn't you tell her who you were?"
Trevin: "We didn't start out on the best terms. She didn't like me."
Dasher: "You purposely gave her a hard time."
Trevin: "Dasher, every time I looked at her, she gave ME a hard time."
Dasher: "Didn't need to know that."
Trevin: "I'm being honest. She's your daughter. You're my best friend. I couldn't come to you and tell her that I wanted your daughter."
Dasher: "Probably would have been better than me walking in on morning after sex."
Trevin: "We actually didn't do anything last night. Yesterday yes, last night no. She was in pain."
Dasher: "Why?"
Trevin: "One of the babies was kicking her ribs."
Dasher: "You're the father of my grandkids......."
Trevin: "I am Dasher. I love Serenity. I've only known about the babies since Sunday, but I know that I want in their lives."
Dasher: "You abandon them; you'll get more than what you did this morning."
He points to the shotgun on the wall.
Trevin: "I deserved it."
Dasher: "What happens with her relationship with Bridgette and Luke?"
I explain all that to him.
Dasher: "Again, she's exactly like her mother."
Trevin: "In every single way Dasher."
Dasher: "I know you, Trevin. Can you handle that?"
Trevin: "I'd do anything for her. It's pretty much been that way from the beginning."
Dasher: "I'll be right back."
He leaves the room.
I'm sitting here staring at the shotgun on the wall. I know that the bullets on the shelf under it have my name on them. The door opens, and he comes back in. He stops at my chair and hands me something. I look.
Dasher: "It's Joanne's. Do the right thing, Trevin. Let her live her life, though. Let her be who she is."
I knew what it was as soon as I saw it. Joanne was adamant if something happened to her that it goes to Serenity.
Trevin: "I knew Sunday that her life is what I wanted."
Dasher: "Don't hurt her anymore, Trevin. The only reason I showed up this morning was to check on her. I didn't know it was you, but she was mourning the loss of her of the love of her life. I know that she loves you. It was just a shock at first; I'm fine now. Just take care of them. All of them."
Trevin: "That won't be a problem. I love Serenity. You know how I feel about Luke. I care about Bridgette. She and I need more time together."
Dasher: "Be patient with her. She's younger than all of you."
Trevin: "I know it."
My phone rings.
Trevin: "Its Serenity."
Dasher: "Answer it."
~Phone Conversation~
Trevin- "Hello, Sweetheart."
Serenity- "Hey, where are you?"
Trevin- "With your Dad."
She's crying.
Serenity- "I thought you me left again."
Trevin- "Never. I didn't think to leave a note."
Serenity- "Are you ok?"
Trevin- "I'm great. I'm about to head home."
Serenity- "He didn't hit you again, did he?"
Trevin- "No. We're good. I'll be home shortly."
Serenity- "Ok. I love you."
Trevin- "I love you too."
~End phone conversation~
Dasher: "Go home, Trevin. She doesn't need to be alone."
Trevin: "I don't like it either. This needed to be done. She loves me. You're her dad; she needs us to get along. She didn't see that this morning."
Dasher: "We're good. Go home."
I stand up.
Trevin: "Thank you, Dasher."
Dasher: "Sooner than later, Trevin."
Trevin: "Whenever she's ready."
With that, I leave.
I feel bad that she thought I left her. I drive home with Joanne's ring in my pocket. She rushes to me the moment I walk in the door. I wrap my arms around her the best I can.
Serenity: "Don't ever do that again."
Trevin: "I won't. I'm sorry. It was bugging me."
Serenity: "He's good now?"
Trevin: "He is."
She steps back after I kiss her.
I'm not waiting.
Trevin: "Serenity, I love you. The moment I walked in your door Sunday, I knew I'd never leave again."
I drop to my knee and pull out Joanne's ring.
Trevin: "Serenity, will you marry me?"
Tears fall from her eyes.
Serenity: "That's my mom's."
Trevin: "It is."
Serenity: "Yes."
I slide the ring on her finger. I stand up I pull her into a kiss.
Trevin: "I love you, Serenity."
Trevin: "I love you too."
She doesn't have a clue that she is going to marry me sooner than later.
I can live this life. I can and will be there for her, Bridgette, and my children.
It will be until the day I die.