Life With Trent Harmon

Part 27: Decisions

"Just ask them, babe." Trent says into the phone.
"Okay. I will." You sigh "but I know what they're gonna say."
"But it can't hurt to ask."
"Okay I'm going now. I'll call you back in a little bit. Bye."
You start to hang up and hear Trent say "hey." You put the phone up to your ear and he says "I love you."
A smile appears on your face as you whisper "I love you too."
The call ends and you take a deep breath and walk down stairs to look for your mom.
Your dad is sitting in his recliner and you walk by him and into the kitchen and look around.
"Mama?"
"She took Katie to the park," your dad calls after you "she will be back in a few minutes." You sigh and walk back toward the stairs.
"(Y/n)? What's up?" Your dad asks.
"I wanted to ask mama something.."
"Well ask me."
You laugh to yourself and say "I need mama on my side before I ask you this one."
"Come here." He says. When you walk up to him, he says "I might surprise you this time. What's up?"
You look at him and then sit in the floor next to his chair.
"Trent has a dinner meeting in Nashville Tuesday night.."
"That's cool." Your dad says and smiles
"Yeah. And he wants me to go with him."
"Nashville?"
"Yeah. Y'all let me go to the beach with him.. Nashville is closer than orange beach.."
"I mean, i dont have a problem with it, Trent's a good guy. " he says and then quickly adds "but y'all will get home super late and you start your new job sometime next week."
"Yeah I don't start until Thursday." You say quietly "but he has a breakfast meeting the next morning with mr. Scott, so he wants us to say the night in Nashville."
He stares at you and you add "he said we could stay at his apartment."
Your dad laughs and then says "not happening kid."
"Daddy. You just said Trents a good guy. You know him."
"No" he says back, looking you in the eye "you either come back that night or you don't go."
"Daddy. We aren't going to do anything. He has a bunch of rooms in his apartment."
"Are his parents going?"
"No. It's more of a date dinner, but daddy"
"No" he says matter of factly.
"Please just think about it. He can't bring me back that night and be back ready for his breakfast with mr Scott the next morning." You say as tears spring to your eyes. "After he leaves on friday, I won't see him again until next month, and that'll just be for a few minutes each day. Please daddy."
"I just don't think it would be a good idea."
"And like you said I start my job next week, so that cuts down on anytime he is home." Tears fall from your eyes. "Please just think about it. You know me. And you know Trent. We have set our standards and we don't cross them. Ever. Everything is so different and I wouldn't ask for this if I could see a way around it. But please daddy."
You take a deep breath and look into his eyes and after a minute he says "I'll think about it. And I'll talk to your mama. But I don't like it. Not at all. Y'all have only known each other what? 4 months?"
"Five" you snap.
"Five months. I don't want you getting too serious and staying the night with him. I'm doing this for your safety."
"Daddy." You say quietly, interrupting him. "I love Trent."
He stops midsentence and takes a shallow breath.
"Sweet heart.."
"No daddy. I love him. I know I do."
"I don't doubt that you do.. that's why I'm so apprehensive about letting you go. Things happen."
"Nothing is going to happen daddy."
"You don't know that." He says. You just stare at him and then drop your head. "I'll think about it. That's all I can promise."
You take a deep breath and say "thank you."
As you stand up and walk out, your mom comes through the door, holding Katie who is crying.
You walk into your room and flop down onto your bed and the tears come back.
After a minute, you pick up your phone and see a few new messages.
The first is from Ashely "me you RK and the boys. Movies tonight. Okay?"
You smile to yourself and type back "we will be there. Let me know time"
You hit send and click the next message. It's from your friend Hannah from church. "Hey girl. I need to talk. When are you free? I know Trent is home, so if it's not until he leaves again, that's fine. Just let me know!!"
You smile and text her back "just because he's home doesn't mean I don't have time for my little sis. Maybe tomorrow morning? Coffee and pancakes? Before church?" Almost immediately after hitting send, she texts you back "for sure!! Just let me know a time!"
"I'll pick you up at 8!" You send back
"See you then!!"
You smile and then click on the next message. It's from Trent.
"Hey darlin. Let me know when you talk to your parents."
"Hey I just talked to my dad." You send
"And?" He replies back instantly
"He said he will think about it, but probably not.  He wasn't happy. At all."
"Why?"
"I dont know. I guess he doesn't trust us."
"That's understandable." He replies
"Yeah.."
"It's gonna be okay. We will figure this out."
Tears rush to your eyes and you type back.
"I dont know Trent. Maybe this isn't gonna work."
As you hit send, your mama comes rushing into your room looking panicked.
"Katie fell off of the swing at the park and I think she broke her arm. We are taking her to the emergency room."
You hear Trent's text tone on your phone and pick it up, turn it on silent and slip it into your back pocket. "I'm coming too!"
You run down the stairs and jump in the back seat of your parents suburban next to Katie and pull her close.
It isn't until 2 hours later when Katie is being prepped for surgery that you think to check your phone before you can check any messages, Katie says through her tears  "where's Trent? I want him to be here. WHERE'S Trent?"
"I'm calling him now." You say, and sigh as you see all of the missed calls and texts from him- suddenly remembering where the conversation was headed before your mom came to get you.
He answers on the first ring "(y/n)? Baby? What's going on? What do you mean you don't know if this is gonna work?"
"Trent we can talk about that later.." and you tell him about Katie's accident and after you're done he says "I'll be there in ten minutes."
"Okay." You say quietly.
"It's gonna be okay, sweetie. I promise." He says, comfortingly and you can hear the door to his house closing behind him. "I'm getting in my car now." He says Breathlessly.
"Be careful." You whisper and he says "I will baby. I love you."
Tears rush to your eyes and you say "I know. I love you too."
You hear him release a breath and then say "okay I'll see you in 7 minutes."
You hang up and smile.