Just a Friend (Intro)

"You, you got what I need

but you say he's just a friend

And you say he's just a friend, oh baby

You, you got what I need

but you say he's just a friend

But you say he's just a friend, oh baby

You, you got what I need

but you say he's just a friend

But you say he's just a friend" Just a Friend by Biz Markie

"So tell me what to expect." I asked as Trevor drove to Wichita Falls Thanksgiving morning. I met his mom a handful of times and some of his extended family at his graduation, but never anything like this. His immediate family was just his mom. His dad passed away when Trevor was 14.

"I don't know." Trevor started. "Just normal, I guess. Nothing too crazy at all. It might get boring for you" He grinned.

"Normal sounds great." I smiled.

We spent majority of the drive chatting about plans for our birthdays and the party. When we got to Wichita Fall, he started pointing out the air force base he was born on, the schools he went to, and playgrounds he played on. It was super adorable. We passed the florist shop his mom works at on the way to his childhood home.

We pulled up to a cute, modest home. I was surprised by all the red dirt in the yards.

"Yeah, it's the iron in the soil. It was so fun to play with growing up. We'd make clay forts by the creek and come home with all our clothes ruined." Trevor told me, smiling.

I looked at my brown boots, concerned. I took great care to look casual, but cute. I thought I pulled it off in a shirt dress, nude leggings, and boots. Trevor just grabbed my hand and led me into the house.

"Mom!!!" He called, loudly, as I followed him, pumpkin roll in hand.

"In the kitchen!" His mom replied.

She was in the kitchen, stirring a huge pot.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" Trevor greeted her when she turned to meet us.

"Happy Thanksgiving baby!" She grinned, giving him a hug.

"Happy Thanksgiving Mrs. Tobin." I smiled.

"Happy Thanksgiving to you. Have y'all eaten? Are you hungry? Sit down, I have breakfast" She exclaimed.

"What'd I tell you?" Trevor nudged me after his mom got us set up with plates of eggs, sausage, biscuits, gravy, and baked apples. I complained about him not stopping for food. He assured me his mom would have something, even though she was cooking for Thanksgiving.

His mother returned to the kitchen and after we ate, we sat in front of the TV, watching the Thanksgiving Day parade. Trevor drooled over Meghan Trainor so I made sure to pay extra close attention to Nick Jonas when he performed.

"He looks 12." Trevor commented after I "owww" at Nick Jonas.

"He's legal. I checked."

"Doesn't he wear a purity ring?"

"Not anymore. Are you gonna start wearing one?" I arched my eyebrow at him.

"Way too late for that." He smiled at me.

"Not necessarily, if you're planning to be a born again virgin." I pointed out.

He laughed. "Is that a thing?"

"Yes, for reformed sluts." I nodded.

"I'm not reformed, just discovered something better." He corrected me.

"What?"

Before he could respond, his mom came back in the room.

"That was your granny. We better get going." Mrs. Tobin sighed, collecting the plates and putting them away.

We loaded up the food and headed to Trevor's Grandma's house. It was literally down the road, less than 10 minutes away. When we walked in, everyone was already seated at the table.

"About time!" An elderly, gray haired woman greeted us.

"You said 3 Helen." Trevor's mom said, setting the food down.

"Well, we're ready now. Come give your granny a hug. Least you could do since I never see you no more." Trevor's grandmother commanded.

"Work keeps me busy." Trevor smiled, walking around the table the hug her.

"I bet." She snorted, eyeing me briefly as Trevor hugged her while she stayed seated.

"Who's your friend?" She questioned, as everyone turned to look at me.

"This is my good friend Lily. You met her before-"

"She one of those Hernandez kids up the street? I can't keep up with all them kids." She responded.

"No." Trevor laughed. "You met at my graduation. She graduated with me. You remember?"

"I can barely remember what I did last week. Sit, move over Billy. Every time I see you Trevor, you look more like your daddy." She continued. "Tracy, Lily, take a seat." She said, pointing out the empty seats at the opposite end of the table.

I turned to Trevor's Mom. "Mrs. Tobin, where should I put the pumpkin roll?"

"I'll take it in the kitchen."

"No Tracey, put it on the table!" Trevor grandmother corrected her.

"It's a dessert."

"She just said it was a roll."

"It's a cake." I informed her.

"Why call it a roll?"

"Because the cake is rolled up... with frosting in the middle..." I faded off, as she looked at me as if I offered her dog food souffle.

I shut up and sat down. When Trevor tried to join me, his grandmother stopped him.

"No, Trevor, sit next to me. Tell me what you've been up to while we wait for your mom."

Trevor did just that as we waited. Most of the family gave me polite smiles or nods of acknowledgment. I smiled in return. When Mrs. Tobin came back, Trevor's Grandmother said a prayer, and then the food was passed around the table.

As the food was passed, Trevor introduced everyone to me. I was speaking to his cousin Lisa when his grandmother cut her off.

"So where are your people from?" She asked me.

"California." I answered simply, before munching on corn on the cob.

"Lots of Mexicans out there." She said.

I almost choked on the corn I was eating.

"She's not Mexican. She's mixed." Trevor told her.

"With what?" She asked me.

"Mostly Dominican." I replied.

"Do they speak Spanish?"

"Some do." I answered, noncommittally.

She shook her head like that's all she needed to hear. When she moved on to harass one of her daughters, Mrs. Tobin turned to me.

"Be glad you’re not getting the girlfriend treatment. She ignored me the first time her son brought me home for dinner." Mrs. Tobin said softly, as she sipped her punch.

I tried to hold my laughter; it came out as a snort that drew Trevor's grandmother's attention.

"What was that?"

"I was telling Lily how Lucas got the turkey and deer." Mrs. Tobin lied.

I took a bite of the turkey. I didn't know what the other meat was. Now that I knew it was deer, I was glad I avoided it. I was an adventurous eater, but I drew the line at game meat.

"Yes ma'am. The deer was easier than hunting the turkey. I think they know it's that time of year." Lucas, one of Trevor's uncles by marriage responded with a laugh.

I swallowed the turkey down with my drink. I know it's silly: All meat eventually has the same fate. It's just different when I know who and how it was hunted down. Maybe the anonymity of buying meat made me feel better about it, because at the dinner table, I was freaked out.

Of course, Trevor grandmother picked up on it, because she entertained us with stories of Trevor's dad taking him hunting and the details of killing and cleaning the meat. I officially lost my appetite.

Thankfully, the dishes were cleared and dessert was served. I got rave reviews on the pumpkin roll. Trevor's Grandmother wasn't able to try it, she was afraid of it being too much for her diabetes. She did enjoy her 7-Up cake with a scoop of ice-cream.

"So what do you do? Computer stuff like Trevor?" Trevor's Grandmother asked me as she sat in the rocking chair across from Trevor and me on the couch. We just took a selfie to post on Facebook.

"No. I'm a physical therapist." I said, keeping my voice cheerful. I was hoping she was done with me. No such luck.

"I had one of em. When I had to get my hip replaced. He was an evil little man." She said, rocking in her chair.

Trevor laughed, but stopped when I glared at him. "I try to make it fun for my patients."

"I'm sure you do." She said, dismissively. "Your dad hated how much you played on em computers."

"I remember. He wanted a football player. I'm sure he's throwing a fit in hell-" Trevor joked.

"Don't talk about your daddy or the dead like that! What's gotten into you?" She cut him off, making sure to glare at both of us.

Trevor's dad was an asshole. Not a drunk, not abusive, just mean for no reason. He belittled Trevor and his mom. His dad passed away from colon cancer when Trevor was 14. He made amends, but it didn't erase all the damage he inflicted on Trevor or his mom. Trevor told me he felt guilty about being relieved when he passed. I really didn't blame him.

"You're right. Sorry granny." Trevor said, apologetically.

"You're forgiven. Don't be forgetting where you came from. You were raised better than that." She said, giving me a look.

I returned her look this time. I eventually broke contact to go to the bathroom. I made a pit stop outside to get some air. I noticed Jake called me. I called him back.

"Hey, where are you?" He asked.

"Trevor's family in Wichita Falls."

"Oh, ok. I'll let you go." He said.

"It's no big deal. I'll be over there next. What's up?" I asked.

"Nothing. I'll see you when you get here." Jake said.

"Alright. See ya." I ended the call.

"Who was that?" Trevor asked me, stepping out on the porch with me.

"Just Jake." I said, putting my phone away.

"I'm ready to go when you are."

I nodded and went back in the house. I thanked Trevor's grandmother for her hospitality and his mother walked us out.

"Thanks for your patience Lily." Mrs. Tobin said, as I gave her a hug.

"No problem." I smiled, good-naturedly, and I meant it. Trevor didn't come home that often, so it wasn't a big deal to me.

"What's up with Granny? She was more cranky than normal." Trevor asked his mom when I pulled away.

"She'll calm down, when you settle down and bring her a blond hair, blue eyed lookalike great-grandchild. You're her only hope to carry on the Tobin name." Mrs. Tobin smiled, hugging Trevor close.

I turned away from them, that comment really bothered me.

"Bye mom. Talk to you later." Trevor waved as we got in the car.

I was deep in my thoughts as we drove home.

"Are you ok?" Trevor asked.

I nodded.

"I'm sorry about my Granny-"

"Don't apologize. Really. It's ok." I told him, truthfully. None of his Granny's comments bothered me as much as his mom's...

"Then what's wrong?" He asked.

"Just hungry." I shrugged.

"Why didn't you eat?"

"Um, I kept picturing you hunting down our food!"

Trevor laughed at me. "I hated hunting with my dad. It consisted of being told to shut the hell up or move out of the damn way. The only reason I went was so my dad would shut up about it."

I smiled. "I still feel like you should have given me a heads up before I ate it."

"Really? This coming from the same person that makes me try new food?..."