Keep On Loving You

It took a little while, but eventually Trent and Tina got all of her things moved in and put into their rightful spots. One night, after Tina finished teaching, she met Trent and everyone at CD’s bar for dinner. She walked into the bar and immediately spotted them.

Trent looked up at her. “Tina you okay?”

She limped over to them and sat next to Trent. “There was a fight between a few kids during recess today. I tripped over someone and screwed up my knee.”

Trent pulled her leg up to rest on his. He rolled up her pant leg and was shocked. “Dear God, Tina, it’s swollen.”

“It’s fine. I just need ice.” she argued and CD came over.

“Thought I heard something about ice.” he handed it to Trent, who rested it on her knee. “Now who wants some food?”

Tina laughed and looked up at him. “Bring me anything, CD.”

He smiled. “Well fine, then.”

He walked away and Carlos took a sip of his beer. “You know, you probably need to have that surgery.”

She shot daggers at her brother. “Carlos!”

Trent looked at his friend. “What?”

Carlos sighed. “Remember when she was in the hospital because of Todd and the doctor told us she would probably need to have surgery later on? Later on is now. This has happened a few times, and he keeps suggesting surgery but she keeps saying no.”

Trent’s face clouded at the memory of Todd and he looked back at her. “Tina.”

She groaned. “Don’t even start, Trent.”

“Tina you need that surgery. Your knee is just going to get worse.” he argued.

She sighed. “It’s fine, Trent.”

“You know, you are no help to those kids if you don’t take care of yourself.” Walker piped in.

Tina sighed. “I know. But I hate the idea of surgery, and hospitals…” she let the last part hang, and everyone knew why.

Trent squeezed her hand but didn’t push. She sighed knowing that once she got home Trent would be all over her, pressing her to do the surgery.

Sure enough, as soon as they got in the door, he sighed. “You need that surgery.”

She rolled her eyes, and limped to sit on the bed. “I don’t want it Trent.”

“I know, but that doesn’t mean you need it.” he said sternly. She didn’t answer and he sighed again, sitting down in front of her, taking her hands in his. “I know that because of everything with Sandi, you are afraid of hospitals. I get that. But you can’t keep letting this happen. It only makes your knee get worse and worse, and pretty soon your knee will be shot.”

She sighed. “I know that! I just…can’t. Trent I really don’t want to.”

He nodded. “I know. But I will not let anything happen to you.”

She didn’t speak, and looked down at her swollen knee. She had known for a while that she would need the stupid surgery, but she continued to put it off. But she knew now that Trent was aware of it, there would be no getting out of it.

She was about to speak again when a shooting pain went through her leg and she cried out. Trent grabbed her immediately and she cried, her knee hurt so bad. He gently massaged her knee for a few minutes before the pain subsided and she clung to him.

“Okay! Okay I will do it.” She whispered painfully into his chest and he sighed. “School is almost over…and then I’ll do it.”

That is not the way he wanted to convince her, but it worked.