Excerpt Day: Saving Trevor by Steve Sampson
Saving Trevor by Steve Sampson
Release Date: April 7, 2009
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Publisher Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/novellas.htm#Saving_Trevor_
Amazon Kindle: Saving Trevor
Blurb: Eric Folke and Nick Bertolli share a fulfilling life together, balancing romance and passion, until the night they rescue fourteen-year-old Trevor, kicked out of his home because he is gay. Trevor wants to stay with them, and Eric and Nick want to help, but there are complications. They have no legal right to keep Trevor, and neither of them is sure they're ready for the changes taking Trevor in will mean to their lives.
Excerpt:
Eric stepped out of the bathroom drying his buzz cut hair with a thick white towel. Another towel was wrapped around his waist. It was late in the evening and the household was preparing for bed.
As he walked by he looked in the open door of Trevor’s room. He saw the teenager sitting cross-legged in the middle of his bed. Trevor was wearing red boxers and a white t-shirt. Eric stopped and stood in the doorway. Trevor looked lost and younger than his fourteen years.
“Hey,” Eric said.
Trevor looked up.
“Hey, Eric,” he answered.
“You look like a man deep in thought,” Eric said.
Trevor turned his face from Eric and looked at his dresser. When he spoke his voice was low and hesitant.
“Can I ask you something?”
Eric walked into the room carrying the towel he had used to dry his head. He sat on the bed next to Trevor.
“What’s up?” Eric asked.
Trevor looked at his lap.
“When I talked with Tom in the park he told me about how some Christian guy tried to poison you.”
“Okay,” Eric said.
“Is that true?”
“Yeah, it’s true,” Eric answered.
“He said you were in the hospital for a long time and they said you might not ever walk again.”
“Yeah, that’s all true.”
Trevor again looked at his dresser.
“Did you…did you?” he asked with an unsure voice. “I mean when you were in the hospital and you didn’t know what was going to happen and stuff. Did you ever want to stop it? End it?”
Eric felt cold fingers deep in his gut. In that instant he realized Trevor’s hurt and fear were deeper than he or Nick had realized. Eric knew the statistics. He knew the hate that spewed from the mouths of Evangelical bigots chased far too many teenagers to the most lonely of acts.
“No,” Eric answered. “I had Nick. He was always there. I never felt alone.”
Trevor returned his gaze to his lap.
“Are you feeling like that now?” Eric asked. “Are you feeling you want to end things?”
“Kinda,” Trevor answered in a very small voice.
Eric put his hand on the back of Trevor’s head. Softly he caressed the short brown hair.
“You’re not alone, Trevor,” he said.
Trevor looked at Eric. His face was tired. Eric knew Trevor was carrying far too much heartbreak and betrayal. His large strong hand slide to the back of Trevor’s neck.
“You’re not alone Trevor,” Eric repeated. “Nick and I are here. You’re not alone.”
“I thought you got lost,” Eric heard Nick’s voice from the door.
He looked at Nick. He was wearing gray sweat shorts and a white T-shirt.
“We’ve been talking.” Eric answered.
“What about?” Nick asked.
He came into the room and sat on the bed facing Trevor.
“Trevor says he sometimes feels he wants to end things,” Eric said.
Nick put a hand on Trevor’s bare knee.
“Is that true?” he asked.
Without looking at either man, Trevor pointed to his dresser. Nick got off the bed and walked to the dresser. He picked something up and turned around. In his hand he held a utility knife.
“I was going to take a real hot bath,” Trevor said.
“With this?” Nick asked.
“I was thinking about it,” Trevor answered.
Nick put the knife where he had found it, returned to the bed, and sat down.
“But, you didn’t,” Eric said. “You decided to talk instead.”
“I didn’t want to make no trouble for you guys,” Trevor said.
“I think you also want to stay around for awhile,” Eric said.
“There’s a lot of things waiting for you,” Nick said.
‘What kinda things?” Trevor asked.
“Life,” Nick answered.
“I don’t know what to do,” Trevor said.
“One thing you can do is help Eric and me,” Nick said.
“Help you? How?”
“You can help us grow up,” Nick answered.
“How can I help you grow up?” Trevor asked. “Ain’t you already done that?”
“Up until now we only had to worry about each other,” Nick answered. “Now we have to learn to care for someone else.”
Trevor laughed.
“You guys are crazy,” he said.
Eric rubbed the top of Trevor’s head.
“Hey, Nicky,” he said. “Tell him about the Center.”
“I’ve checked things out at the West Michigan Gay and Lesbian Resource Center,” Nick said. “They still have their teen program. It’s the place where I met Tommy. Besides the dances they now have a drop-in lounge and they teach self-defense and they have a lot of other programs. You can meet gay kids your age. You want to check it out?”
Trevor looked first at Nick then at Eric. Slowly he smiled.
“Yeah,” he answered. “I do. I really do.”