The Secret

This is a continuation of:

"The Argument"   by Slayter

         “Mama,” a soft, new voice floated through Trevor’s closed door, “what’s wrong?” Trevor recognized the angelic voice belonging to his sister.

         “Everything’s fine, baby. Simon and I were just talking.”

         “Oh,” Hope said in a speculative tone, “Well can I talk to Trevor?”

         “Of course, Hope,” Simon replied, “C’mon, Sam, let’s get lunch started.”

         Trevor could hear the rustling of clothes as Simon helped his mother to her feet in the hallway. He did not feel like talking to his sister and waited for her to bang on the door so that he could tell her so. A few seconds passed and there was still no knocking at his bedroom. Trevor waited a moment more and finally yelled, “Go away!”

         He listened for either a voice of acknowledgement or the sound of her little feet skipping away from his room. He heard neither. Getting up from his unmade bed Trevor made his way across the room, stepping over scattered magazines and onto piles of strewn laundry so that nobody could hear him coming near the door. Once there he leaned his ear against the dragon poster covering the door--listening for any sounds outside. Still, he heard nothing.

         “Hope,” Trevor called out softly while still straining his ear for any sounds. The only sound he could hear was the faint clang of dishes and pots every few seconds from across the house.

         Trevor started to wonder if maybe Hope had gone to help his mom and Simon with lunch. He did not intend to hurt her feelings and was starting to worry that maybe he yelled too harshly. Hope had not done anything wrong and did not deserve to be hurt—not by him, that man trying to be their new father, or anyone else. Now he was feeling guilty that he had made both, his sister and mother, cry.

         “Are you out there, Hope,” Trevor asked again timidly. And again there was no reply.

         He got down on his knees and scooted back a little way from the door pushing papers and clothes behind him. Lowering his head to the floor Trevor closed one eye and peered with the other through the space between the floor and the door. He just wanted to know if she was still in the hallway or hiding somewhere in tears because of him. On the other side of the door Trevor saw one bright blue eye staring right back at him.

         “I know a secret,” the blue eye whispered at him from under the door.

         “What secret,” he asked maintaining his one-eyed gaze on the floor.

         “You have to let me in first,” Hope whispered back.

         “If you tell me the secret,” Trevor said in a hushed tone, “I’ll let you in my room.”

         The little sky filled eye on the opposite side of the door blinked and quickly said, “Nope.”

         “Fine,” Trevor said in an irritated voice, “I don’t care about your stupid secret anyway.”

         “Oh, yes you do,” Hope replied mockingly, “It is a secret so secret that it can change everything.”

         “Then tell me,” Trevor demanded in hopes of forcing whatever it was from her.

         “Only if you let me in your room.”

         Knowing that she could go back and forth like this all day if given the chance, Trevor said, “Okay, but you have to promise to tell me.”

         “I promise,” the sparkling eye said excitedly.

         “Pinky swear,” Trevor told her.

         “Pinky swear.” And with that a fleshy, pink finger came as far under the door as it could reach. Trevor extended his own small finger under the door and the two of them curled their digits together, gave three little shakes, and each leaned over and kissed their own thumb.

         “Now open sesame,” Hope squealed with the excitement of having won over her big brother.