The gallery (2013)

chapter 6

The week continued the silence between them. Now and then he gave in, allowed her to reach through and bring him back. They began preparing for the holidays, inviting Joan over for an early Christmas Eve dinner before she headed to Peoria to be with Denise and her family, and agreeing to go to Aunt Nina’s on Christmas morning.

Getting closer to the holidays brought Trevor back to being himself. He overdid the gifts for their kids, despite Jenna’s fussing that there wasn’t room for all of it. But she sighed and gave in. And she enjoyed the extra attention he paid her, and the fewer hours at the bar. They would go there together for New Year’s Eve, leaving the kids with Nina.

- - Add – Trevor buys small indoor trees to place around the apartment - -

Jenna had loved being back there, acting as a new couple as they had when she first started dating him. He hung on her, danced with her, teased her with mistletoe, and requested their song.

She slept late the first day of the year, letting Trevor go by himself to pick up the kids. He’d kissed her before getting out of bed, telling her to go back to sleep, to just take the day to unwind and be lazy. Jenna didn’t argue. She laid there, enjoying the silence of the apartment, the memories of the night before, reaching out beside her and still feeling the warmth the bedding had drawn from his body.

The noise of Trevor and the kids coming home again made her stir and she forced herself up to sitting, pulling her robe around her. The surrounding air was chilled, causing a shiver. It was after twelve, much too late to still be in bed. Pushing herself to standing, she turned at the bedroom door opening.

“Good morning, again.” Trevor grinned at her disheveled condition and closed the door, ambling closer and wrapping cold hands around her back.

“You’re freezing.”

He pressed cold cheeks against hers. “It’s nippy today. Thought you’d still be asleep.”

“I am.” She shivered again but pressed closer against the freshness of the air clinging to his clothes.

“Go take a shower.” He kissed her neck. “I’m making brunch.”

She held tighter. He’d been himself again for the last week or so, just enjoying hanging out and enjoying where they were. She wished she could thank him for that without risking making it an issue again. Instead, she stayed quiet and just held him.

He eventually wiggled out of her arms.

Jenna showered quickly, not wanting to make brunch wait for her dawdling. And it smelled wonderful. She stepped into the main room, intending to comment on the scent making her stomach rumble, but stopped, allowing her jaw to drop. Trees. There were trees in her living room. Not actual trees, like Maples, but …

“Happy New Year, Jen.” Trevor took her side. “They were as close as I could get to your trees that would survive in an apartment. And they’re supposed to be easy to maintain – just give them a drink now and then. If you want, I can always paint their leaves in the fall, pull them off in the winter, and hope to hell they grow back again in the spring.”

She threw her arms around him. “You’re too much. How did you do all this so fast?”

“With some help.” He nodded across the room at Nate and a couple of guys she recognized from the bar who were entertaining the kids. “And I promised food in return, so I guess I better get back to that.”

“Trevor…” She shook her head. “You’re too much.”

“Do you like them?”

“Yes, it’s wonderful, but … the kids….” She could see them knocking them over and pulling off leaves to chew on.

“All non-toxic, and they’ve been told to leave mommy’s trees alone.” He went back into the kitchen, talking so she could still hear him. “I asked Alan about which to get and he gave me instructions for not letting them die.” He picked up the spatula and flipped pancakes.

She stood staring while he ran the kitchen, listening to the guys across the room tease him about wearing the apron in the family. Trevor grinned, raising the egg whisk, suggesting they didn’t irritate someone about to serve them food. Then he looked over at Jenna and asked if she was just going to stand there or go in and sit down.

She caught his eyes. “I love you, you know.” She also knew the guys could hear her, but she didn’t care.

Neither did he. “I know.” He winked, and grinned, then returned to beating eggs.