Love Renewed (Love Trilogy) (15 page)

As the doctor walked into the room, Charlotte let out the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding.

“Ms. Reylin. Douglas. I hope I haven’t kept you too long,” Dr. Banks said, smiling at them as he sat behind his desk.

“No, it wasn’t too long at all, but thanks for your concern.” Casting a glance at Douglas, who was oblivious to the doctors entrance and staring avidly at a model of a human body, she looked back at the doctor and smiled back. “I guess I’m ready for the results.”

“Well, after the observations and testings, I can say that Douglas does not have Classic Autism. From all the evidence, it is more likely that he has Aspergers Syndrome. And in addition to these tests, your own testimony and information from his teachers so far indicate that he does well in school but mostly struggles with social interactions and some personal issues at home, such as the changing of routines leading to major meltdowns. Are you aware of what Aspergers is?”

“Yes, I read about it. All that information is correct.”

He looked at Douglas, who was still staring at the model but was now naming the body parts one by one out loud. “Honestly, Ms. Reylin, Douglas is very intelligent and observant. You have obviously been dealing with his…quirks, for the most accurate word…since he was very young. His speech is excellent and rather advanced for a child of only five and you revealed that you have learned to accommodate his need for routines and rituals in order to avoid meltdowns. Other than a recommendation for a behavioral therapist to teach him proper coping skills, I think you are doing an excellent job with him so far.”

Charlotte felt her face heat in reaction to his praise. “Thank you, Dr. Banks. I think the therapist would be a great idea.”

“Ms. Reylin, does your son see a therapist already for dealing with the loss of his father?”

“He was but he has been seeing him less now than at first. I do take him more at certain points when necessary.”

Nodding, Dr. Banks stood up and offered her his hand to shake. “Excellent. I think keeping him in that along with the sessions with a behavioral therapist would help him the most.
 
If you have any trouble though, call this office and make another appointment. I would be willing to sit down and discuss other options with you in case things change to a point where you need assistance.”

Feeling relieved, Charlotte took his hand in hers. “Thank you so much. I appreciate it and I will certainly call you if I need to. Douglas?”

She could see he wasn’t listening to her because he didn’t turn around when she called his name so she raised it just slightly to a higher pitch. “Douglas! It is time to leave.” Throwing the doctor a smile and a mouthed “Thank you” as he left the room, she focused on Douglas.

Looking back over his shoulder at her, he scowled and pointed at the model.. “Why? I wanted to look at this.”

“The doctor is done here so we can go home now.”

His face didn’t change much as he said, “Okay. You told me that it wouldn’t take long and that when you said it was time to go home that you would tell me.”

“That’s right. Good job at remembering. Lets go home and see what Grandma is making for dinner, yeah?”

He just nodded at her and Charlotte felt her heart twist, although she was glad that she now had some information on how to deal with him along with some resources to access for assistance.

Walking outside to the car, Douglas ran over to the car and stood by the back door on the drivers side - something he did every single time. He always sat in the same seat and became upset if she suggested another. It was one of the main reasons they always traveled in her car no matter what. He always freaked out if he had to sit in another car and not in “his seat.”

As she climbed into the car, her phone rang. Seeing Trevin’s name come across the screen, she answered with a bit of excitement.

“Hey Trevin.”

She could hear the smile in his voice as well. “Hi Sprite. How did it go?”

“Well, he said that Douglas has Aspergers Syndrome and gave me some information about a behavioral therapist for Douglas to see so that he could learn some coping skills.
 
We are about to head home now.”

“I’m glad you got some answers, darlin’. I am sure Douglas will be glad for the extra help too.”

“I know I will,” she replied, laughing. “How are you? Did you talk to your dad?” Putting the key in the ignition, she waited to start up the car until the conversation was finished.

“Ha. Yeah, I did. It was very sweet and he was practically blushing while talking about your mother so I told him it was okay even though I still feel awkward.”

“Aww. Well, it’s very sweet that you support him even if you feel weird. I’m sure they will appreciate it and it doesn’t detract from our friendship at all. Does it?”

He chuckled. “No, I suppose it doesn’t. And speaking of, I was hoping you would go out on a date with me tomorrow night? I hate that I can’t do this in person but I’d like to give you at least twenty four hours notice to have someone watch Douglas.”

She was pleased at his thoughtfulness, her heart beating a little bit faster at the prospect of being alone with Trevin. “Yes, I’d love to. I will let you know for sure this evening.”

“Great! I will look forward to your call. Drive safe!”

“I will. Thanks!” Hanging up, she made sure Douglas was ready to and then exited the parking lot to head home.

~*~

Trevin knocked on Charlotte’s front door the next evening. Her mother had, according to Charlotte, “eagerly agreed” to watch Douglas while they went out this evening. She had seemed rather surprised at her mother’s support which made Trevin assume that her mother still had not told her about the phone call she’d had with him the morning after Charlotte left. He decided that since everything was going so well, it wasn’t really worth mentioning at this point either.

Looking at the flower in his right hand, he was trusting that she would appreciate the meaning of it and with it, they could move forward with their lives - and hopefully, their romance.

Lost in his own thoughts, he jumped when the door finally opened. Feeling unprepared, he was glad to see that it was Anna standing in the doorway.

“Trevin, come on inside! You didn’t have to knock, you could have just come right inside,” she informed him with a smile, stepping back to let him walk past her.

“Thanks, Mrs. Reylin. I didn’t mind waiting, though.” She closed the door behind him as he stood awkwardly in the hallway as he didn’t know where to go.

“Charlotte should be down in a few minutes. She was just putting Douglas to bed since seven p.m. is his bedtime.”

“Oh, great. I wanted to thank you for watching him.”

“It’s my pleasure, even though he will be sleeping the whole time.” Noticing the flower in his hand, she smiled as her eyes lit up. “Is that for Charlotte?”

“Yeah, it is. I hope she will like it. And uh…thanks for making my father happy,” he coughed, not knowing if he had said the proper thing for this kind of situation.

She laughed as if she knew why he was awkward. “It is no problem because your father is a great man. And I should really be thanking you. After all, you are kind enough to let me date your father.”

“What—?” He stared at her in confusion.

She winked at him. “I’m just kidding. You should go have a seat in the living room,” she commented as she walked away, chuckling. “I will let her know you are here.”

Heading to the living room, he shook his head, laughing at her joke as well. He had always liked Anna, even after she had gone off on him after Charlotte had left. She had simply been upset at her daughter leaving and since Charlotte had placed the blame on him at the time, so had her mother. He wasn’t one to hold grudges.

Sighing softly, Trevin took a seat and waited for Charlotte to come downstairs, the flower lying in his lap. He focused on the flower, the memory of the first time he had given her a flower fresh in his mind.

He had given her flowers the night before her first day of high school when they had gone on a date. He had shown up at her door and held them out to her as the door opened.

Her eyes had went wide at the sight of them, no doubt surprised that he would have thought of such a thing. “Are these for me?”

“Yes, of course they are,” he replied, holding them out towards her in order for her to take them out of his hands. “I hope you like them.”

She had taken them from his hands and lifted them up to her nose to breathe them in. “Thank you, I do love them. They are my favorite flower, but you knew that.” She stepped close and gave him a peck on the lips.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t hear Charlotte come into the room until she spoke up.

“Are you okay, Trevin?”

Shaking his head, he stood up abruptly and turned towards her. “Yeah, I’m fine. Hi there.”

Looking her up and down, he grinned as he took in her outfit which consisted of a strapless emerald green dress with a ribbon just under her breasts to accentuate her waist, the skirt just long enough to reach her knees. She wore white dress shoes that were shiny in the lighting and went with the white clutch she held in one hand along with the pearls in her ears. “You look fabulous.” Watching the blush go up her face, he chuckled as she stepped closer.

He held out the flower and she stopped walking, her dark brown eyes widening as they flew up to meet his green ones. “Is that for me?”

“I don’t see anyone else around here to receive it.”

“You’re right. That was a silly question,” she remarked as she took the flower from his hands and held it up to her nose. Then she looked at him from underneath her eyelashes. “You remembered what my favorite flower was. I know that I probably shouldn’t be surprised but I am.”

Stepping closer and lifting a hand to cradle her face, he leaned closer. “I would never forget that your favorite flower is a red Poppy, Sprite. Hell, I still remember the time you told me what it was in the first place.”

Her mouth curved upwards as she licked her lips, making him stare at her mouth again with the desire to kiss it. “That day we went on the picnic - the summer before high school started. Then you brought me some the night before the first day of classes. It was the first really sweet thing you had done for me.”

“What?” His voice rose incredulously and only when she laughed did he realize she had been joking. “Very funny. That was good.”

“I know.”

Neither of them moved away from the other, standing close to each other with her head cradled in his hand. He stroked her cheek with his thumb, relishing the ability to touch her once again.
 

Her eyes closed as he leaned in to whisper. “Are you ready to go?”

Licking her lips, she opened her eyes and stared into his. “Yes, I am. Are you?”

He pulled away as he grinned, intentionally avoiding the chance to give her a kiss and she scowled at him. Offering his arm, he winked at her as she took it.

“Let’s go then!”

As they left the house and got into the car, Charlotte asked him, “Where are we going?”

He continued to smile as he shot her a glance full of mischief. “You’ll see. I know that you will appreciate it as much as I do.”

~*~

As they pulled up to the place and parked, Charlotte turned towards Trevin and lifted a brow at him. “We are going to your house?”

He just laughed at her and hopped out of the car, coming around to open her door for her. As she stepped out of the car and then closed the door, he went to the back of the car and opened the trunk. Walking towards him, he closed the trunk before she could see what he had taken out of it.

“Seriously, Trevin, what are we doing?”

Stepping in front of her, he held up his arms and she saw that he was holding a picnic basket. She could feel her face just split into a wide grin, her heart squeezing with the pleasure she felt at his thoughtfulness.

“You are taking me out on this first date to the same place we had our actual first date?”

“Yes. Does that make me really lame?”

“No, not at all. Shall we?”

She wrapped her hand around his arm as they walked on the path towards the lake.

Looking around at the trees surrounding the path, she stopped to stare straight up at the dark sky, stars scattered across it. Trevin stopped and looked sideways at her.

“It’s still amazing, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it certainly is. It was always the most beautiful night sky I had ever seen…and still is.”

They started to walk again and came to the end of the path when he stopped walking this time. “Pick a spot. It’s up to you where we sit.”

Pointing out one that was relatively close to the water, Charlotte pulled off her sandals as they walked towards it. When they got close, she watched Trevin pull out a blanket to spread out on the sand and then take a seat, patting the spot next to him indicating that she should sit next to him, which she did.

Opening the top of the basket, he stuck his hand in and left it there.

“What do you think I brought with me?”

She laughed softly. “I would guess you brought crackers and cheese cubes like the first time.”

“No, although I did think about it. Instead, I brought this,” he admitted, pulling out a container of strawberries and green grapes. “I hope you didn’t suddenly turn allergic to these on me. I figured they were perfect for snacking on in the evening instead of having another meal.”

“That was a good thought and I’m not allergic, so you can breathe easy.” When he chuckled, she poked him in the side. “What did you bring to drink?”

She watched as he took out two wineglasses and then a bottle of sparkling cider, holding it out to her. “Will this do?”

“It looks tasty to me. Do you not drink?”

He shook his head. “No, I haven’t drank in a long time. You?”

“I never did, actually.”

She giggled as his eyebrows rose in disbelief. “Are you serious?”

She shrugged. “You know I never had an interest in it and I never really changed my mind enough to change it.”

“True. Well, we will enjoy this cider and stay totally sober!”

Opening it up, he poured her a glass and then himself, putting down the bottle before opening the container holding the strawberries and grapes. Picking one of the strawberries up, she stared as he put it in his mouth, chewing it slowly and moaning rather loudly as he did so.