Trent was so happy to see Nathaniel and George. The nurse had initially objected to George being there too, since Nathaniel had claimed he was Trent's only family, but Trent had asked her to let him stay, and she wasn't about to refuse him much in his distraught state.
Once she was out of the room, Trent said, "I am truly sorry I disturbed your date. I just really need a friend right now."
Nathaniel sat down in his chair; George sat on Nathaniel's lap, glaring pointedly at Trent.
"She came in and just…. She did apologize for putting me in here, but then she went on a rant about… you know… how much she doesn't want me." He swallowed. "I don't understand. I'm in here now. I'm no threat to her. And even if I wasn't in the hospital, I would never have gone through with…. I just wanted her to understand how much pain I was in, back then. I wanted her to sympathize with me and take me back."
"By pulling a knife on Nathaniel?" George asked incredulously.
"It's not that different from her leaving a fake ransom note in Josh Chan's work locker making him think she was going after his mom when they were really just having a girl's day at the carnival."
Nathaniel rested his hand on Trent's. "It sounds like she came in here to apologize to you and got off-track trying to justify herself," he said. "She's not the best at taking responsibility. I also think— and don't quote me on this, but— maybe she's trying to convince herself that she doesn't want you, and it's harder now that she thinks she can't have you."
Trent sighed. "Why does everything about love have to be so messy and complicated?" he asked. "The saddest part is, I still love her so much that if she suddenly decided she wanted to be with me, I'd be by her side in a heartbeat."
George hated to admit it, but he could relate. "Trent, do you know what a 'pick-me' is?" he asked.
Nathaniel frowned and almost pushed George off his lap. "Be nice," he scolded.
"I am being nice! I'm saying we have something in common," he explained to Trent. "The way you love Rebecca, the way I love Nathaniel, we'd do anything for them, and they know it, and it kind of works against us sometimes."
Trent had to admit that George had a point. "So having the nurse send her away was the right call?" he ventured.
"Yes," said Nathaniel. "Now she can't see you, and she doesn't like being told she can't do something, so she's going to obsess over it until she finds a way to see you again, and finish whatever it was she was going to say before she had to leave."
Trent made a face. "I don't know if I want to hear the rest of it. She was being pretty mean."
George scoffed. "That's what this is about? You called our boyfriend for moral support because the girl you've been obsessed with was mean to you?"
Trent blinked his tear-filled green eyes up at George's brown ones. "Yes," he said unabashedly.
George was taken aback by Trent's utter lack of shame. He didn't try to justify himself or go on the defensive; he didn't ask George what he would do if Nathaniel was unkind to him. He really must not have anyone else in his life.
"And we're glad to be here for you," said Nathaniel firmly.
"I guess," George relented.
Trent gave a small, watery smile. "Thank you," he said. "George, I know you don't like me very much, and I know I cut into your date night, so how about tomorrow, you and Nathaniel just go out right after work? My cast should be coming off so I'll be in physical therapy anyway."
"Your cast is coming off tomorrow?" George repeated. Trent's cast coming off meant he'd be discharged soon, which meant no more alone time for George and Nathaniel; they'd only ever see each other at work; they might even have to break up from the strain of it all….
"If all goes well!" Trent chirped. "I'll be in physical therapy for a little while, and then they'll send me home, and I'll go back to LA."
George breathed a sigh of relief. Trent lived in LA. Surely he and Nathaniel wouldn't drive back and forth to see each other every day, right?
"My parents live in LA, too," said Nathaniel.
George frowned and nestled closer to Nathaniel.
xoxo
Trent felt much better by the time Nathaniel and George left. Nathaniel was sweet and really helped put things into perspective. George still disliked him, but they seemed to have come to an understanding. Strangely— or maybe not so strangely— George was fully in favor of Rebecca changing her mind and giving Trent a chance at a real relationship.
His sleep was mostly untroubled, but he wished he had the ability to cuddle with Nathaniel, or at least a pillow.
xoxo
The next morning at work was awkward, to say the least. Rebecca explained to Maya and Paula what had happened. They were sympathetic to a point, but didn't really care one way or the other what went on in Rebecca's love life anymore. Maya also thought it was inappropriate for Rebecca to show up at someone's bedside to tell them off, especially someone in such a vulnerable position as Trent. Nathaniel was cold to her because she had upset the man he'd come to care for, and George was angry that she'd ruined his date with Nathaniel. George even none-too-gently suggested Rebecca get over herself and give Trent a chance… so that he could have "his" Nathaniel all to himself.
"That's a little selfish of you," Rebecca objected.
"So is everything that comes out of your mouth," George shot back.
"Wha— hey! That's not true! That's not true, is it? George?" But George had already gotten back to work.
xoxo
Trent was pleased to be able to move again, and to have medical support this time rather than roughing it in the wild. Physical therapy was a breeze for him and he got compliments on his hardiness. He would be all set to go within the next few days. He thought about texting Nathaniel, now that he could, but he didn't want to steal time from George again. He knew how George felt and could empathize with him.
