CHAPTER 28
It was New Year's Eve night and I was helping Trey get settled on the sofa in our family room. He had been released from the hospital this afternoon with a stern warning from his doctors that he was not to do anything but 'veg' out for the next week until he saw them again. I handed him the remote so that he could surf all of the sports channels while I made snacks and appetizers for our own private New Year's Eve party.
Everyone had been here and gone. Tristan and Gina had a New Year's Eve extravaganza going on at the club with a special dinner, dancing and New Year's champagne toast. The band playing was a fairly popular 80's girl band that had reconvened for the third time. We were keeping Reese; Jean had stayed over to help since I was focusing on Trey's needs.
I had been very strict with him all afternoon to ensure that he did exactly as his discharge papers ordered. He had started calling me 'Nurse Nazi.'
Once he was settled comfortably on the couch watching Sports Center I started a fire in the fireplace and started back to the kitchen to finish our snacks.
"Hey babe, is Preston still up?"
"It's only eight o'clock, Trey. I'm sure that she is, why?"
"I don't know. She seems kind of distant with me. I thought maybe you could bring her down here to play?"
"Sure," I said cheerfully, "I'll go get her."
The truth was I was not sure at all that Preston would be satisfied playing in the family room. She had been extremely reluctant to allow Trey to hold her or be near him. I wasn't sure if it was just a familiarity thing that needed to be re-established or what. I hoped she wouldn't act fussy about it.
Jean had just gotten Preston into her pajamas when I got upstairs to the nursery. I picked Reese up from Preston's crib. He was going to sleep there for the night. We had just bought Preston a twin bed for her room and used one of those portable rails on the side that wasn't against the wall. She was all excited about sleeping in her 'big girl' bed. I figured if Reese was downstairs with us, Preston might not object so much about being around Trey.
It would break his heart if she acted out.
"Preston," I said, "Let's get your play quilt and some toys for you and Reese and go downstairs where Daddy is and play, okay?"
"Kay Mommie," she said happily, scrambling over to her toy box to grab an armful of her toys.
I looked at Jean who held up her fingers crossed. She had picked up on it as well.
We went back down. Reese was sucking happily on his pacifier. I put him into Preston's baby swing that we had set up upon his arrival. He was happy to swing and observe everything that she did. They almost seemed like brother and sister.
Preston and I spread her play quilt out on the floor near the couch. She sat down with some of her puzzles.
"Hey, Baby Girl," Trey said to her, "Can you show Daddy how you can put that puzzle together?"
She looked at Trey for a moment and then broke out into a wide, dimpled grin. "Kay Daddy," she said.
My heart fluttered with happiness. I went back to the kitchen to finish up and listened to them both chatting to each other. It was if nothing had changed. I was grateful.
I put our snacks out and brought a beer in for Trey.
"This is your limit for tonight," I said handing it to him.
"Yes, 'Nurse Nazi," he quipped, smiling at me.
It was so good to have my Trey home. He shared some of the weird dreams he had experienced while comatose with me over the past week. They were quite entertaining. He claimed that my mother was a 'stubborn wench'. He supposedly had unlocked many of the secrets of the universe while eavesdropping on several renowned scientists, physiologists, and philosophers. They all seemed to be of varying generations.
He had rambled on something to the effect that Socrates was a misunderstood war vet turned hippy that willingly allowed himself to be martyred for the good of Athens, Greece; then there was his inside scoop that Galileo had gotten a bum rap from some Catholic pope; that in fact he had not been guilty of heresy. I had listened intently to Trey, nodding my head up and down in agreement all the while wondering what type of meds the hospital had been giving him.
My thoughts were interrupted when I heard Reese grunting from his swing. Preston's head snapped up from the puzzle she and Trey were putting together.
"Doodee, Mommie, she said pointing to Reese.
"I know, sweetie," I said, "Will you run up and get a clean diaper and wipes from Jean?"
"Kay Mommie," she said getting up and running for the stairs.
Trey chuckled from the sofa.
"She is getting to be such a big girl," he said shaking his head. "I wish you could have seen Marley , baby. She is so beautiful."
That was one of the more disturbing stories Trey had revealed after coming out of his coma. He claimed that my mother was taking care of Marley and wouldn't part with her. He said he had hung around in hopes of being able to bring Marley back with him. Head traumas were weird, that was for sure.
"How would you feel about another baby, Trey?"
"Baby, you know how I feel. I'm ready just as soon as my doctor clears me for take-off."
I laughed as I picked Reese up and held him close to me, I kissed his tiny little fingers.
"You don't have to do a thing Trey," I said smiling, "You already took care of it on our cruise apparently."
I saw his face light up with the realization that I was already pregnant.
"But," he said, "I thought the depo-whatever . . ."
"Yeah - about that," I said, "It seems like you need to go back periodically and get another shot."
"When?" he asked, excitedly.
"Sometime around your birthday in August it would seem."
Preston returned to the room with a clean, disposable diaper and the dispenser of baby wipes. I laid Reese down on her quilt. She wanted to help.
I was nearly finished cleaning him up. I asked Preston to hand me his clean diaper. She gave it to me and giggled, pointing at his plumbing.
"Dinky," she said, laughing. (Holy shit - not this again.)
"Yes, Preston," I said very matter-of-factly, "Boys have dinkies. That's just the difference between you and Reese."
I looked over at Trey giving him a nod. I didn't want to belabor it. I knew how weird he was about that previously. Perhaps he had forgotten.
"Preston has who-ha," she said just as matter-of-factly.
"What?"
"Preston has who-ha," she repeated, pointing to her crotch.
Before I could say anything Trey burst out laughing. I looked over at him, stunned. I expected him to ask me where the hell she learned that 'trash talk.' He didn't. He found it extremely comical.
(Gina strikes again. . .)
"Come here to Daddy," Trey said to her. She immediately flew into his arms as he hugged and kissed all over her. She was giggling with happiness.
Once I got both of the babies down for the night, I cuddled with Trey on the sofa. We had so much to talk about.
I filled him in on everything concerning Matthew and Karen. The 'loose ends' that my father had tied up after Trey's accident involved a suicide letter that Karen Deeny had mailed to him from Atlanta the day she tried to mow me down. She had relayed how by the time he received the letter I would be dead. She admitted to having a key to our home; of stalking us and cutting up my clothes. She admitted nothing further. We would never know for certain who had changed Trey's computer passwords and cancelled his credit cards though we were fairly certain still it was Amber.
Tonya, Trey's P.A. had visited Trey in the hospital once he was out of his coma. She informed him that Amber had been let go due to behavior not fitting of a partner. She had apparently moved on to Mr. Pierce and had attempted to blackmail him with purported evidence she threatened to show his wife. He had called her bluff. She finally agreed to resign so that a termination would not be on her record and was given a severance.
"Trey," I said, leaning against him, "I think we finally have all of the whack jobs out of our lives."
"I sure hope so, baby," he replied, kissing my neck.
"Hey," I said glancing up at the clock. "It's one minute until midnight. I think I'm going to call Dad and get his ass out of bed to wish him a Happy New Year!"
"Go for it," Trey said smiling.
I grabbed my Blackberry off of the coffee table and hit his name on my 'contacts' list.
"He's probably been in bed since 9:30," I joked to Trey.
His phone rang several times and then someone picked up. It was a woman's voice.
"Hello?"
(Holy shit! Did I call the wrong number this late?)
"Ahh, hello? I was calling Judge Tylar?"
"Well hi there, Tylar. This is Brenda. How are you doing?"
(Oh. My. God.)
"Brenda? Oh, I'm doing just fine, and you?"
I looked over at Trey and saw the look of pure amusement on his face. He made a 'humping' gesture with his hips.
"Here’s your daddy, honey," she said, "Happy New Year to you, Trey and that beautiful Preston."
"Yeah, you too," I replied still in shock.
"Tylar?"
"Uh, yeah. Hi, Dad. Trey and I wanted to wish you a Happy New Year."
"Well, Happy New Year, daughter," he replied cheerily.
(My dad is buzzed! My dad - the Judge is BUZZED!)
"Dad - is there something you need to tell me?"
"I don't think so, Tylar. Listen - please tell Trey I wished him a Happy New Year and kiss Preston for me?"
"Yeah, sure. I'll do it, Dad. I love you."
"I love you too, darling."
I ended the call and looked over at Trey in disbelief.
"What?" he asked, smiling.
"Aren't you the least bit surprised that your cousin, Brenda and my dad are - well, you know?"
"Boinking each other?" he asked, laughing.
"Trey, stop. That's my dad. He wears a judicial robe for crying out loud!"
"Sweetie," he said, pulling me close to him and kissing me softly, "That doesn't mean he checks his gnads at the door."
"I know," I said with a shrug. "It's just difficult for me to think about him like that with someone other than my mom."
"I think Marla would approve," he replied, snuggling his face into my hair.
"You do, huh? You act as if you know her?"
"We spent some time together," he replied. "I know how she rolls."
"Oh Trey," I said with a sigh, turning to face him. "I love you so much. I am so thankful to you for having the strength to pull through for me and Preston."
"I love you, too, baby; and I love Preston. But don't thank me," he said.
I looked up at him quizzically.
"Thank the 'one with the answers'."