Stolen Moments (And Then Came Love Book 2) (8 page)

BOOK: Stolen Moments (And Then Came Love Book 2)
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Chapter Nine

April 26th

Trevor came out of the PT office, expecting to see Arianna. He frowned and walked over to her office.

“Oh good, you’re here.” Patty stood and came around to open the door.

“What’s going on?”

“We’ve been trying to get her to go home all morning, she hasn’t been feeling well.” She led Trevor to Arianna’s office.

The office lights were off.

Arianna let out a soft moan.

Trevor walked around her large oak desk and past the large potted fern. He flipped the desk light on.

Her head rested on her desk and she was pale.

He put a hand on her forehead. “You have a fever, babe. The last thing you need to do is expose these pregnant mothers and their babies to that.”

She moaned. “I don’t think I can move.”

Marissa walked in and handed him a prescription. “It’s probably the flu, but here’s a prescription for antibiotics in case it’s not. Don’t let her come in tomorrow either. I’ll call Mom and have her send over her special soup.”

Trevor chuckled. “I’ll call Mom. “ He bent next to her and put his arm under hers to help hoist her up.

Arianna’s eyes drifted open and closed. “I’m tired.”

“You’re sick.” Trevor walked her toward the door of her office. He picked up her purse and coat from the rack as he went by.

“I don’t think I can drive.”

“You don’t have too. I’ll get someone to bring your car home later.”

Patty held the door for him.

“Thank you.” He walked her out to his truck. “Think you can make it up there?”

She shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

Trevor chuckled, pulled open the door, picked her up, and placed her in the seat.

“Thank you.” She slid her seatbelt across her body and rested her head on the seat.

Trevor looked over as he got in the truck.

Arianna was already asleep.

*****

Trevor put cut-up chicken in the hot wok and tossed it. The open concept kitchen was nice. He could move around a lot better than in the tiny apartment kitchen.

The door opened and then slammed shut.

Mina walked into the room and stopped. “What are you doing in our kitchen?”

“Cooking.” Fluorescent lights bounced off the pale yellow walls making the room feel bigger.

“Why?” Mina raised her eyebrows.

“Because your mother’s running a fever and taking a nap.” Trevor opened one of the oak cabinets and grabbed some spices.

“But why are you here? Candace and I could have fended for ourselves. It’s not like we can’t make food.” Mina folded her arms over her chest.

Trevor turned to face her. “But why should you have too, when I can be here to pick up the slack?”

“I don’t get it.” Mina frowned and scratched her jaw.

The doorbell rang.

“Let me get that and we’ll come back to this.” Trevor headed into the other room and opened the door.

His mother stood there with a large container and a smile. “Hello, darling, I brought the soup.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Trevor kissed his mother’s cheek.

She frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“Mina’s questioning why I’m cooking for them, like it’s the weirdest thing she’s ever seen done.”

“She’s never been around someone who would do that for them.” Jackie motioned Trevor to move out of the way and headed for the kitchen.

Trevor trailed his mother.

Jackie smiled at Mina. “Hello young lady.”

“Who are you?” Mina sneered then scowled at Trevor.

“That’s my mother, Jackie.” Trevor shook his head.

His mother adjusted the heat on the stove. “High heat for stir fry, dear.”

“I had to turn it down to answer the door.” Trevor sighed.

Jackie added vegetables to the stir fry and rummaged through the cabinets.

“Does she do this all the time?” Mina’s hands dropped to her side and her eyes widened.

Trevor nodded. “Pretty much. She’ll take over in any kitchen when she thinks someone needs help.”

“I guess I see where you got it from.” Mina looked at the floor. “Mom’s other boyfriends never bothered. Everyone’s always left when they found out about me. Hell, even my own grandmother threw my mother out because of me. Candace’s mother did the same thing.” She motioned to his mother. “This is weird for me.”

Trevor turned to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Any man who can’t accept another woman’s child, isn’t a man at all. As for your grandmother and Candace’s mother, they don’t deserve to be called mothers.”

“But it’s all I’ve ever seen.”

“No.” Trevor shook his head. “You have a wonderful mother, who does everything in her power to make sure that you’re taken care of and that you don’t feel abandoned like she did.”

Mina wiped a tear from her eye. “You really care about her don’t you?”

Trevor smiled. “I do. And in turn I care about you and Candace.”

Mina threw her arms around him in a quick hug and then released him. She turned and headed into the other room.

His mother tapped him on the chin. “Pick your jaw up off the floor, dear.” She winked and walked back over to the stove. “Do you want me to warm up the soup?”

Trevor walked over and leaned against the counter. “I’ll wait until she wakes up.”

Jackie shook a finger at him. “You feed a fever, it’s important for her to eat.” .”

“I’m awake.”

Trevor spun around to see Arianna standing in the far doorway. “I didn’t even hear you get up.”

“I woke up when I heard the doorbell. I may have been listening around the corner.” Arianna sniffed, dabbed her nose, and smiled.

“Oh dear, I’m sorry, I woke you up.” Jackie glided across the floor and pressed her hand against her forehead. “You should get back to bed. I’ll have Trevor bring you soup as soon as I warm it up.”

Arianna’s gaze never left Trevor’s. “I’m glad I woke up when I did.”

Jackie patted her on the cheek and then moved back to the four burner stove.

Trevor stepped over to Arianna. “I didn’t know what to say to her.”

“You did wonderful.” Arianna wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you.”

Trevor kissed her forehead. It was hot against his lips. “Mom’s right, you should be in bed.”

“I need something to drink.” Arianna laid her head against his chest. “Thank you for taking care of me and the kids.”

Trevor motioned with his head to his mother. “Do you think she would have let me get away with anything less?”

Arianna chuckled. “I highly doubt she would have.”

Trevor pulled a lemon-lime soda out of the refrigerator. “I picked this up when we stopped at the pharmacy.” He poured her a glass and handed it to her.

“We stopped at the pharmacy?”

“You were pretty much out of it. You mumbled what pharmacy you used and I then I called you from the window to get your birthdate to pick it up.” Trevor chuckled.

“I don’t remember any of that.” Arianna shook her head. She sipped at her drink.

“Go back to bed. Everything is taken care of here.” Trevor kissed her cheek.

Arianna nodded.

“I’ll bring you soup in a little bit.”

“Thank you.” She mumbled and headed back to her bedroom.

*****

Arianna sat on her bed.

Her cell phone rang. She picked it up from her night stand. It was Marissa. “Your brother is the most wonderful person I’ve ever met.”

“Does that mean you’re feeling better?”

“Emotionally yes, physically no.”

“Okay, so what did he do?”

Arianna moved into the bed and pulled the covers up to her chest. “He’s taking care of the kids and me.”

“That’s nothing weird.”

“To Mina and I, and I’m assuming Candace as well, it is weird.”

“What about Mina’s grandparents? I thought they were good to you two?”

“They were, but it was different. I always thought they took care of me because of the obligation to their granddaughter. They loved me and they did what they could, but they were more like grandparents then they were parents.”

“Honey, this is something completely natural in our family. I’m surprised he hasn’t called Mom for some of her soup.”

Arianna laughed. “He did, she’s in my kitchen.”

Marissa chuckled. “That’s my mother for you. If she thinks someone needs to be taken care of, she’s there, taking over.”

“I’m not used to any of this. It’s so weird.”

“Doesn’t it feel nice though?”

“It feels more than nice. It makes me feel special.”

“Good,” Marissa said. “Boss’s order. Stay home tomorrow too, get pampered, and get better. You’re in excellent hands.”

“Thank you.” She hung up the phone and laid back on the pillows.

There was a knock on the door.

“Come in.”

The door opened and Trevor stood there holding a tray. “Ready to eat?” Three of her bedroom walls were a light baby blue, with one brighter blue accent wall.

Arianna nodded. “You’re amazing.” She sat up in bed.

Trevor shook his head. He put the tray on her lap. “It’s nothing.”

“Yes it is.” Arianna smiled. “I can’t believe you called your mother for soup.”

“Try the soup, you won’t be that shocked.” Trevor sat on the bed next to her.

Arianna dipped the spoon in the soup and took a bite. “Oh that is good. It’s chicken soup, but different.”

“There’s a lot of ingredients that go into that soup.”

“There’s a slight spice to it, but it’s not overpowering. It’s soothing as strange as that sounds.” Arianna took another bite and moaned around the spoon.

Trevor shifted on the bed. “Who knew you could make eating soup sexy, while sick?” He rested his back against the wooden headboard. There were matching oak end tables on both sides of the bed.

Arianna blushed and stuttered. “I-I, um ...”

He kissed her cheek. “You’re sexy no matter what you’re doing or how you’re feeling.”

She lowered her head and leaned her head against his shoulder. “You’re a sweetheart.”

“Don’t tell anyone, you’ll ruin my reputation?” The light of the setting sun shone through the light blue lacy curtains behind the bed.

“You have a reputation?” Arianna gave him a sideways glance.

“Since the last time I was home was High School, I believe the words nerd and geek were mentioned in my reputation.”

She laughed. “With a body like that, I doubt either of those words would come out of anyone’s mouth now.”

“You haven’t met my brothers.”

“To someone besides your family.” She rested her hand on his leg.

“Eat your soup.”

“It is great. Really great.”

Trevor grinned. “The first time my parents came to visit me on base, my mother tried to take over a military kitchen.”

Arianna laughed. “Somehow I can see her trying that.”

“It didn’t work, but I had a couple friends who lived off base. We all ended up there and Mom cooked for about fifty soldiers. After that anytime they came down to visit it always ended up at someone’s off base housing and she spent more time cooking then she did visiting.”

“Did you get any time in with her?”

“Only if I stood in the kitchen with her while she cooked. Which I didn’t mind, because it kept me away from Dad.”

She placed the bowl on the end table, turned to face him, and folded her legs. She pressed her lips together. “What is wrong with you and your Dad?”

“I don’t know. I’m not sure how to approach him. I feel bad about the way I felt about him when I was a kid.”

“That’s not a reason though. Tell me why there’s a problem.”

Trevor furrowed his brow. “You can’t make things easy on me, can you?”

“My father has barely ever been in my life. My mother kicked me out when I was fifteen. I’d give anything to have two parents who cared about me, as much as yours do about you.”

Trevor looked sheepish. “Everything I could say sounds petty when comparing it to your childhood. Did I tell you about the twins?”

“No you haven’t.”

Trevor ran a hand through his hair. “They were kidnapped from the hospital right after they were born.”

“What? That’s awful? How in the hell did someone get away with that?”

“It was the late seventies. Things weren’t as secure as they are now. And it was a nurse who took them.”

Her mouth made an ‘o’ shape and her nostrils flared. “If I even suspected a nurse of thinking about that, I’d have her job in a heartbeat.”

“Mom and Dad would have been happy to have a doctor like you.” Trevor squeezed her hand. “Mom had to be rushed for emergency surgery and no one was there. The nurse walked in and took the boys.”

BOOK: Stolen Moments (And Then Came Love Book 2)
11.68Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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