Love's Home

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jesse steps out of the cab, wincing a little at the pain in his ribs, waiting while Trey pays the cab driver. He looks around. The driveway to the house stretches far back to the main road, lined by trees on both sides. The front door with its high arch is made of polished wood carved with intricate designs. Jesse can’t help but feel slightly intimidated by the opulence of it all. It’s not that his family is exactly poor, but their house is nothing compared to Trey’s house. Theirs is a simple two-story house, not a palace like this.

“A penny for your thoughts.” Trey bumps his shoulder lightly, mindful of Jesse’s injuries.

“I don’t have any…” Jesse stammers, blushing, suddenly feeling shy.

Trey laughs, low and quiet, and he opens the front door, gesturing for Jesse to enter.

“How many people live here?” Jesse asks as he looks around the huge and luxurious living room.

“Only the three of us, me, Sierra, and Hyde.”

Sierra? His girlfriend? And who’s Hyde?

“Are they home now?”

There’s a sound of a beep and Trey raises his hand, “A moment.”

He fishes his cell phone out of the pocket of his jeans, grinning as he looks at the screen.

“It’s Brent,” he tells Jesse.

“Yo man. Yup, I’m home now.” Trey listens for a while, a small frown creasing his forehead. “Sure, c’mon over. Uhh, Jesse’s here with me.”

Jesse suddenly feels dizzy and he sways a little bit. Trey glances at him, looking worried and quickly cuts his conversation.

“Hey, you okay?” he asks, grabbing Jesse’s arm. “Come, you should sit. I want you to meet my babies.”

Jesse gingerly lowers himself down on the plush sofa while Trey goes out of the room, coming back almost immediately with two huge dogs. “This is my baby, Hyde Brown and my girl, Sierra Lane,” Trey says proudly.

The dogs bark in acknowledgment or so it seems to Jesse, sniffing and slobbering and licking at his hands eagerly and Jesse can’t help but laugh, pain and dizziness momentarily forgotten.

“I’ve had them since they were puppies; got them both from shelters. They’re one of the reasons why I need this house otherwise I would’ve just got a condo or something.”

Jesse nods. “You have a beautiful house.” He can’t help the wistful note in his voice and he sees Trey looking up at him, his eyes soft.

“Want to have a look around? Or would you rather go straight to bed? You look tired.”

“I-I, uhh—” Jesse just wants to lie down but he doesn’t want to be rude, and if Trey wants to give him a tour around the house...

Trey makes the decision for him.

“Come, I’ll show you to the guest bedroom. It’s upstairs. C’mon.”

Trey takes him to a black-iron staircase that skirts a small atrium all the way up to the second floor. Hyde and Sierra follow them.

“My bedroom is downstairs. Here I have my gym, a game room, a studio, and a room to practice lines and stuff.”

“With Brent?”

Trey nods. “Among others.” He gives a big grin then, opening a door to their left. “Hey, I must show you this. This is my studio.”

Jesse’s jaw goes slack. The studio is huge and looks as professional as can be. There’s a mixing table surrounded by wide-screen computers and at the end of the room there is another small room that looks soundproofed. He can see a set of musical instruments inside it.

“You play here?”

“I wish!” Trey laughs. “Nah, I don’t play, not very well anyway. My friends do, usually Brent, sometimes others.”

Jesse looks around him with not a little envy. Everything looks so shiny and expensive. The musical instruments; the guitar especially makes him think of his old friend, Charlie. Charlie would feel at home here. He sighs.

“You play?” Trey asks, startling Jesse.

“Uh, yeah, a little.” Jesse can feel himself blush. He’s not used to talking about himself, much less his barely-there musical talents.

“Hey, that’s great, Jess. You must play for me some time, but not now.” He half pushes Jesse towards the studio door. “Now you go rest and I’ll go get us something to eat. You look like you’re about to drop off. You look so pale.”

Jesse lets himself be guided out of the room, warmed by the fact that Trey had called him Jess again.

* * * *

Trey takes out whole-wheat bread, ham, and cheese from the fridge while Jesse sits on a high stool facing the bar. He has insisted on going to the kitchen for his dinner instead of waiting for it in his room. He already feels awkward as it is, letting Trey do all the work while he just sits there, but Trey was adamant in not letting him help. Hyde and Sierra lie lazily near the door.

“How’re you feeling?” Trey asks as he busies himself with the sandwiches. “Still sore?”

“Uh-uh. Not too much, though. The painkillers are doing their job.”

Trey grins.

“Good, then. Uh, what d’you want for a drink?”

“Coffee is fine,” Jesse says, and adds, “thanks,” when Trey places a plate of neatly-cut ham sandwiches in front of him. “Mmm, this is good.” God, I’m starving.

“Finish them. There’s more where those came from.”

The door to the kitchen suddenly opens, startling them both, making Trey curse and the dogs yelp.

“Damn, Brent. Can’t you at least knock? You scared my dogs.”

“Am I interrupting something?” Brent’s head pokes in through the slightly opened door.

Jesse mumbles a greeting with his mouth full of bread.

“Get in here.” Trey looks a bit impatient. “No, you’re not interrupting anything,” he says though his tone clearly says that Brent just did. “Want a sandwich?

Jesse shifts uncomfortably in his stool, wishing that he’d stayed in the bedroom instead. Brent makes him feel slightly ill-at-ease with the way he appraises Jesse.

“No, thanks, I’ve eaten.” Brent nods towards Jesse. “I heard you were here. Feeling better?” Again that cool, assessing look.

“I am, thank you,” Jesse says tersely.

“Jesse’s staying here for the moment, Brent.”

Silence.

Jesse wishes that the earth would just swallow him up.

“Oh?” Brent lifts an eyebrow. “That’s—interesting…”

“Yeah, he—”

“Uh, Trey?” he interrupts, looking imploringly at Trey, hoping that he will get it. Trey is one thing but Jesse does not need anyone else knowing about his pathetic life, least of all Brent.

Trey seems to understand and he gives Jesse a slight nod.

“Ah, yes,” Trey says, not looking at Brent. “He’s still hurt. Not a good idea to stay alone.”

Jesse steals a glance at Brent and looks away quickly when he finds Brent staring at him. Trey clears his throat.

“Sure, whatever.” Brent shrugs. “You’re going to the set, aren’t you, Trey? I’ll wait for you outside.”

“Okay.”

Brent walks out and now there’s an uncomfortable silence between them, the easy mood they had before no longer there.

“You’re not eating?” Jesse asks quietly.

Dumping empty plastic bags into the trash can, Trey only sighs and makes for the door.

“I have to go now, Jesse,” he looks up then, meeting Jesse’s eyes. “Get some rest.” Jesse doesn’t want Trey to leave.

* * * *

The door closes behind him and Trey walks to Brent’s car, making a mental checklist of what he’s given Jesse. He’s lent him his sweatpants and a T-shirt, along with a pair of his new underwear and a toothbrush. That will do for the time being. Tomorrow they will go shopping for clothes and other necessities. Trey hopes he won’t be back too late or he will be totally wasted the following day.

“I almost expected him to kiss you goodbye,” Brent says to break the silence.

Trey looks up, frowning.

“What?”

“Could almost hear the Cosby Show theme song playing just now.”

“What are you talking about, Brent?” Trey’s patience is running out.

“What do you think you’re doing, Trey?” Brent’s voice is sharp, cutting. “What is he doing alone in your house? Are you nuts?”

Trey doesn’t answer him, can’t answer him. He rubs his eyes, wondering if Brent is right that he is nuts. He doesn’t get any bad vibe off Jesse but then he can’t really know for sure, can he? He has never even talked to Jesse before the previous evening.

“Trey?” Brent looks at him sideways. “You with me?”

Trey sighs. “I trust him and don’t you give me s**t, Duncan. I just do, okay? Besides, Hyde and Sierra—they like him.”

Trey winces at the scathing look Brent throws at him. He knows he sounds lame but dammit, it’s not like he needs Brent’s approval for what he does with his life. It’s none of Brent’s f*****g business that he practically adopted an almost complete stranger into his life.

The gentle hum of the car’s engine becomes the only sound between the two of them until they get to the set.

* * * *

Jesse is awakened by a warm lick of the sun slipping through the flimsy drapes over the window. He is a bit surprised to find it is already a new day, having almost no recollection of the night before.

Jesse wonders what time Trey got back last night, or if he even came back at all. The house is silent and feels empty around him.

Rubbing his eyes, he yawns and pushes himself up on his elbows. He should get up and do something, maybe do the dishes, or walk Trey’s dogs. His mama taught him never to let others help him without giving something in return. It’s so hard to make himself leave the comfortable bed though. It feels like years since he last felt this cozy and warm and safe. The linens feel so soft and clean and Jesse wants nothing more than to curl up and drift back to sleep. He inhales Trey’s scent coming from his borrowed shirt and lets his head fall back on the pillow with a thump. He eyes flutters shut and he surrenders. Somewhere he hears someone call his name.

“Jesse, wake up. Hey, you okay there?”

Eyes crusted with sleep, Jesse stretches a little. He blinks up blearily at Trey, his heart skipping a beat as he realizes how closely Trey is leaning into him, his hand on Jesse’s shoulder.

“Hey, Jess?”

“Yes, yes, I’m fine.”

“You slept around the clock. I brought you some snacks last night but you looked so tired I didn’t have the heart to wake you up. Did you even take your meds?”

“Oh God, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize—I didn’t mean,” Jesse stutters, his face heating up. What must Trey think of him? “It’s just—I’ve not had this good a sleep for a long time, and—” He waves his hand at the bed helplessly.

Trey chuckles. He looks happy, relaxed. “You’re pretty comfortable there, I take it?”

“God, yes, and Trey, thank you so much for everything. I—I’ll pay you back somehow.”

“Forget it, man. This is the least I can do.” Trey makes for the door. “You hungry for breakfast?”

Jesse’s stomach rumbles in response and they look at each other, laughing. Jesse feels a little bit embarrassed. He gets up from the bed slowly and cautiously, his body sore all over. Trey looks at him warily.

“And I thought I could take you shopping today.”

“Shopping?”

“You need new clothes.” He gestures at Jesse. “You’re swimming in mine.” Trey clears his throat. “By the way, I told the set manager that you won’t be able to come to work for several days. I got the day off, so I thought I’d look after you today.”

Trey looks at him with something in his eyes that Jesse can’t identify. He doesn’t know what to say. Trey has done so much for him and he has no idea why.