Coming Back to Life

"While the seeds of life and the seeds of change were planted 
Outside the rain fell dark and slow 
While I pondered on this dangerous but irresistible pastime 
I took a heavenly ride through our silence 
I knew the moment had arrived 
For killing the past and coming back to life 
I took a heavenly ride through our silence 
I knew the waiting had begun 
And headed straight into the shining sun" Coming Back to Life by Pink Floyd. 


"You're joking right? There is no test." I asked Trevor after he pulled out the key and let himself in the house.

"There is a test Lily. You think we just let anybody in the family? We can't have the bloodline tainted." He said, the corners of his lips turning up in a smile.

"It's not funny Trevor. Stop trying to scare me."

"I'm not kidding." Trevor chuckled, walking into the living room of the house.

I followed after him, looking over the house. It was a simple, clean, ranch style house. The open floor plan with all the windows made the room look so inviting. The furnishings were all wood, the decorations minimal in sky blue. It looked so cozy and comfortable.

"Well what is it? How do I pass?" I asked, stopping my appraisal of the house to look at him.

"Not by cheatin', that's for sure!" A loud voice boomed from out of nowhere.

I jumped like God himself had spoken to us. I looked to see a tall, built man approaching from a back hallway. Trevor and Jimmy shared features: same light colored hair, straight noses and slender chins. That's were the similarities ended. While Trevor was warm and bright, Jimmy came off dark and brooding.

"Uncle Jimmy! We missed you at church." Trevor proclaimed as his uncle joined us in the sitting area.

"Who's we? Your granny? Your mom? 'Cause the only thing they agree on is their dislike of me." He interrogated Trevor roughly.

Trevor laughed. "Fine, just me."

I smiled too when a hint of a smile passed on his uncle's face. His uncle looked me over, and the smile wavered on my face.

"Where's your manners boy? Aren't you gonna introduce us?" Uncle Jimmy turned away from me to scold Trevor.

"Uncle Jimmy, this is my girlfriend Lily."

"Nice to meet you Mr. Tobin." I said, sticking out my hand. I reminded myself to stay cool, calm and collected. I survived my father's criticism, and he pushed for perfection. I could handle Trevor's uncle. And if I couldn't, he wouldn't be able to tell with my poker face.

Trevor's uncle looked at my hand, shaking his head, before grabbing it in a firm grip.

"Just call him Jimmy." Trevor said as I shook his uncle's hand.

"No, she won't need to call me anythin' if she doesn't pass the test." Jimmy said before releasing my hand. "You're off to a bad start if you're tryin' to cheat."

I felt the blood rush to my face. My poker face was non-existent at that moment.

"I wasn't trying to cheat. I was trying to get some details about a test I had no idea about." I said, hoping I sounded as confident as I tried to pretend I was.

"That's against the rules." Jimmy told me.

"Well, now I know. Any other rules I should know about?" I asked.

"I'll let you know when the test starts." Jimmy dismissed me. There was a knock on the door, so Jimmy went to answer it.

"T-Rev..." I moaned. "You can't be serious."

"Yes, it's serious." Trevor confirmed, flopping on the couch.

"Even if it is, wouldn't it be better to wait to take the stupid test?" I said, trying to buy some time. I knew I could get details out of Trevor if I got him away from his uncle.

"It's not stupid. It's tradition. Everyone who wants to be a part of the family has to go through it." Trevor stated.

"That's right." Lisa chimed in, as she came into the house and joined us in the living room, her husband Charles trailing behind her.

"Ok..so shouldn't we wait til we're engaged?" I asked.

"Nope, if you fail, the engagement is off. Why let it get that far?" Uncle Jimmy answered. I sat beside Trevor, defeated and didn't ask any more questions.

Slowly, most of the family made their way to Jimmy's house. I was re-introduced to all of Trevor's aunts, their husbands, his cousins, and family friends. Too many to recall, but everyone was cordial to me. Trevor's mom headed back to Wichita Falls, but his granny stopped by to take a look at the house and trade barbs with Jimmy. From the store to the changes in the house, Jimmy and Helen went back and forth with Jimmy proudly showing off and Helen criticizing him.

"They have a love-hate relationship. Jimmy is my grandfather's younger brother. When my grandfather died, the land went to Jimmy but the house and store stayed in Granny's name. Granny moved to Wichita Falls after his death to be closer to my dad. She left the house and the store under Jimmy's care. He tried to buy them from her, but she refused to sell." Trevor relayed to me as we took a tour of the house after his Granny left. She did give me the macaroni and cheese recipe and I promised I would email the cake recipe to Trevor's mom to get it to her.

"Why not? You think she wants to leave it to you?" I asked.

"No, the will is already drawn out regarding the house and store: Everything reverts back to Jimmy and it will be split equally among my grandfather's kids. Jimmy's trying to do my granny a favor since she doesn't live out here anymore. She likes the little control she thinks she has over him." Trevor said.

"Jimmy doesn't seem like the kind of guy to be controlled." I murmured. "He doesn't have a wife or kids?" I asked.

"No." Trevor answered. "Come here." Trevor said, leading me downstairs to a finished basement. It was BADASS. There was a wet bar area, a refrigerator and microwave, a pool table and two black leather love seats and random bean bag chairs scattered on the floor

"This used to be my uncle's trophy area. The summer before I went to Baylor, I turned it into a mini theatre." He said, pulling down the projection screen that was in front of the couches.

"This is amazing." I smiled, sitting on a bean bag. "You spent the summer before you left with your uncle?" I asked.

"Yeah, I told you my mom and granny wanted me to stay and go to MWSU. Jimmy offered to help pay the difference in my tuition as long as I came out during the summer to help out with the store." Trevor said as he played with the projector.

"So how did you come out here to work, and end up getting a home theatre?"

"He needed a way to get girls to come home with him." Jimmy announced from the stairs.

"Uncle!" Trevor tried to hush him as I raised an eyebrow at him.

"What? I taught you everything you know. I was proud of you. Every girl was prettier than the last."

Now I knew why Jimmy never got married and why Trevor was a man-whore in college.

Mystery solved.

"Stop talking uncle." Trevor covered his face, but I could tell he was smiling.

"You stop stallin' back here. I'm ready to start the test." Jimmy said, crossing his arm.

"Nobody's stalling. I'm gonna set a movie up for the kids so they can eat their candy and play down here."

"Good idea." Jimmy said.

Trevor got "Hop" playing on the projector and all the kids came with their basket of treats. The adults headed outside for my "test". Jimmy led the way across the backyard. The clearing eventually became thick with grass, wildflowers, and an occasional tree. We walked at least 5 minutes away from the house when I turned to Trevor.

"How much further is it?" I asked as my bare legs in my dress kept brushing against the grass and weeds. I would have changed if I knew the test was outdoors in the middle of nowhere. No, I would have fled, but that's beside the point.

"We're almost there, right Uncle?" Trevor asked.

"We're here." Jimmy announced, turning around with a blindfold in his hands.

I looked at Trevor, shocked. Before Trevor could speak, his uncle started.

"Out here, in this field, is a hidden treasure. You have to find it Lily."

"Ok..." I said. I looked out in the field. I didn't see anything, but it was probably hidden in the tall ass grass. I was still confused by the blindfold.

"Being in the family is like a circle of trust." Jimmy explained.

"What is this? Meet the Parents?" I muttered.

"Jimmy is scarier than Robert De Niro." Brett, one of Trevor's aunt's husband, laughed. Everyone else laughed too, including Trevor.

"Ok... what is the blindfold for?" I finally asked.

"That's where the trust comes in. You will be blindfolded and we'll lead you to the treasure. You'll have 45 seconds-" Jimmy said.

I looked up at Trevor, wide eyes.

"Hey, she's supposed to have a minute." Trevor contested.

"Yeah, but I think you cheated." Jimmy argued.

 "This is crazy! How could he cheat if I'm blindfolded?" I complained.

"Fine, 1 minute. Better get one last kiss. It might be the last." Jimmy said, handing over the blindfold.

I gave Trevor my best "please don't make me do this" look.

"Don't worry. I'll be cheering you on the whole time." He said, before kissing me softly on the lips. Everyone awwwed at us. It pissed me off.

"No, you're supposed to help me." I snapped. It was bad enough the weeds were up to my knees, and I would be blindfolded. I needed all the help I could get, not cheers.

"He can't. Those are the rules." Jimmy said. I glared at him before Trevor put the blindfold over my eyes. When he tightened it and I couldn't see a thing, I was *this* close to saying fuck the test, when Trevor whispered in my ear.

"Still trust me with everything?"

Fuck, he was using my own words against me. I slowly nodded.

"Good. I love you. Good luck." He said, with one last kiss on my ear.

I felt him leave my side and I took a deep breath.

A few moments went by before Uncle Jimmy spoke again.

"Alright, start the time on the clock Chelsea. On your mark, get set, go!"

Everyone started yelling incoherently. I definitely heard "straight ahead" so I went forwarded, my arms outstretched. I heard "to your right." so I turned that way, reaching in the grass, thrashing around to feel something. Anything.

"You're nowhere close. 3 o'clock." Jimmy's voice bellowed out over everyone. I bit my lip, debating whether I should trust his advice. But Trevor trusted him, and I trusted Trevor...

"45 seconds!" Chelsea screamed out.

It imagined 3 o'clock in my mind and took off in that directions.

"Warm, warmer!!!" Everyone yelled out, and I kept going, picking my knees up as far as they could go in my dress.

"30 seconds!"

I sped up, jogging through the grass.

"Stop!"

"Cold!"

"Left!"

"15 seconds!!!"

I stopped in my tracks and took a step back.

"Warmer!"

I back tracked slowly until I heard everyone yell, "Left Left!!!"

I turned to the left and took a small step, feeling out with my arms and legs.

"10, 9, 8..."

"Just go Lily, go!" Jimmy hollered at me as everyone started the countdown.

I took off this time, running.

"7, 6..."

I kept running, wondering how the hell I was going to find it if I was just running. Maybe Jimmy was trying to fail me...

"5, 4, 3..."

The thought passed my mind that this was a cruel joke, and I would be running towards a cliff or pile of mud. Regardless, I kept going, probably looking like a dumbass, until I crashed into a something. It wasn't hard enough to be a tree, but it was solid and I instantly went backwards. A pair of arms engulfed me, bringing me into a familiar embrace. Everyone started cheering and I breathed in relief, a smile forming on my lips.

"You passed." Trevor laughed, pulling the blindfold off my head.

"Thank God." I caught my breath before pressing my lips against his. Our kiss was passionate; probably too much for a family event, but I was glad I found him. I pulled back, still smiling.

"Welcome to the family." Jimmy said, a broad grin destroying his menacing demeanor. 

 "Thank you, but where's my treasure?" I asked, cheekily.

"Right here baby." Trevor gestured to himself. I flushed, excitedly, burying my head into his chest.

"I was wishing for a golden egg." I teased.

"Will you settle for a Cadbury egg?"

"Absolutely."


After I earned my place in the circle of trust, the rest of the day was great. Jimmy's attitude was like night and day.

"I had to give you a hard time. He's been talking about you for so long." Jimmy smiled as he grilled hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill. After having a beer-hunt (beers hidden in the yard instead off eggs), we sat around, drinking beer and chatting with everyone.

"Well yeah, I had to wait 8 years to get a kiss from her." Trevor commented.

"I'm tired of you telling people that. It's not true. I was in love with you for the first 4 years of college and you ignored me." I blabbed, a little tipsy. Apparently, I am a great treasure and beer hunter.

"I didn't ignore you..." Trevor denied when Lisa "aww"-ed sympathetically.

"When Trevor first came to stay with me, he was this scrawny, pale boy that couldn't talk to girls unless it was through a computer screen." Jimmy started.

"Alright Jimmy, shouldn't you focus on the food? We're hungry!" Trevor tried to stop him.

"No, please continue." I said, loving a inside perspective to Trevor before Baylor.

"So I put him to work at the store; had him ringing up customers to give him some social skills, lifting boxes to put on some weight, away from the computer to get some sunlight." Jimmy continued while I cracked up laughing.

"Eventually he got a date. What was her name?" Jimmy asked Trevor.

"I don't remember." Trevor shook his head.

"Something with an E... I saw this girl all the time; She came into the store every month with a new guy. So I figured, it's alright. Let him get his feet wet-"

"Something wet." I smirked.

Jimmy laughed a loud, deep laugh. "That too. I figured he's not going to get attached, he's moving in a few months..."

"Let me guess? He got attached?" I smiled while Trevor looked embarrassed.

"Of course! To the first girl who laughed at his jokes and watched movies with him. And the next month, she brought a new guy to the store and he's heartbroken." Jimmy answered. "I told him to have fun, sow his oats, and don't bring any girls around here unless they can pass the test." Jimmy concluded

"See, I didn't ignore you Lily. I was listening to my uncle." Trevor smiled.

"Sure Trevor." I smiled back.

We left after we ate. We stopped by Trevor's mom house to say goodbye. We stayed and watched "It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown" with her.

Trevor also told her how I passed the treasure hunt test.

"Your uncle is still giving that test?" She made a face.

"He sure is." Trevor turned to me. "Mom failed, but she still married my dad. It was doomed from the start."

"It's a silly test. It doesn't mean anything." She bristled.

After the short movie ended, Trevor gave his mom a hug and a kiss. I gave her a hug too and I told her I would be sending the coconut cake recipe for her to print out for Trevor's Granny.

"I wouldn't worry about it. She's not a baker." She told me.

"A deal is a deal. She already gave me the macaroni and cheese recipe." I replied.

We left and headed back to Dallas.

"Did anyone say anything we need to talk about?" Trevor smiled as we drove.

"No... well, yes. I wanna hear more about your scrawny, pale, pre-Baylor days." I teased him.

"I try not to remember." He groaned.

"I can't picture you being anything other than goofy, outgoing and friendly."

"Before my dad died, all I wanted to do was escape and play on my computer. After he died, everyone felt bad for me. Moving away where no one knew me was the opportunity to be whoever I wanted. So that's what I did."

I nodded. I knew exactly what he meant. You had to let the past die so that you can start again.

"I understand. Like a restart."

"Exactly. Kinda weird how I still fell for the first girl to laugh at my jokes and watch movies with me." Trevor smiled.

I smiled too. "8 years later..."

"I was making sure you could past the test."



 I nodded off on the drive home while listening to him sing along to classic rock. We got back to my apartment and I was wide awake because of the nap I took in the car. Trevor went to bed, but I stayed up and started a load of clothes. While they washed, I uploaded pictures on Facebook and Instagram and sent out late Happy Easter texts to everyone. I also sent the cake recipe to Trevor's mom.

Ethan texted me back, asking if I was busy. I told him no, so he called.

"Hey, how was your Easter?" I asked.

"It turned into Brandon and Rocky's engagement party, but it was ok. How about you?"

"It was great. What's up?' I asked him.

"I need to ask you something."

"Ok..." I said, worriedly.

My first thought was Rocky and Brandon. Ethan noticed my original, less than thrilled reaction after Brandon proposed. He was super observant like that...

Did he know something was wrong?