Trevon Carter

I was back on that same chair in the empty waiting room. The only things I heard were the slow ticking of the clock, the occasional shuffling of papers and the computer keyboard typing away.

A doctor walked in from the back. I recognized him as the same one that went back initially with Arthur. I stood, but he didn't come to me. He went to the nurse's desk and spoke quietly with her. I could hear their mumbling but couldn't decipher the words.

Then he left her and came to me. "Arthur is stable for now," he said.

I collapsed into the chair as the tension left me. He sat down next to me. "It was poison," he said. "A form of rat poison. One that has an anticoagulant in it. He ingested a very high dose. We have pumped his stomach and given him activated charcoal which will absorb any remaining poison in his stomach. How long since he started complaining of symptoms?"

"I think it was around seven."

"Then there is a possibility too much time has passed for the activated charcoal to be completely effective, but we have also started vitamin K treatments and given him fresh frozen plasma. He might have to continue the vitamin K treatments for several weeks. Is there a possibility he took the poison on purpose? Has he been depressed or shown any thoughts of suicide?"

"No. Nothing like that," I said.

"It seems unlikely that the large amount needed to affect him like this was done accidentally, but do you think that's a possibility?"

"No," I said. "Neither of us have rat poison in our apartments or blood thinner medication or anything like that."

He nodded. "Then do you think it's a possibility that someone did this on purpose to hurt him?"

My insides went cold again just as my eyes burned with the sudden tears. "Maybe." It came out barely more than a whisper. "He said the water in his water bottle tasted funny."

"Did you bring the water bottle?"

"No," I said. "He must have left it at his apartment. He was at my apartment when this happened."

"I think the police should be contacted so they can investigate. You might be a suspect at first as you are his boyfriend and the one with him when this happened. Do you think the police should be contacted?"

I nodded because I couldn't talk past the lump in my throat.

"Do you want us to contact them?" he asked.

I nodded again.

"Then we will. It isn't an immediate threat so they might not send out anyone to investigate right away. It might be when their detectives get in tomorrow."

"Okay," I said.

"He has family on the way?"

"Yes," I said.

"I don't think you had anything to do with this," he said. "And the police will figure that out quickly. Think about anyone you suspect and be sure to let them know."

"I will. Thank you."

"Arthur has not woken up yet, but you can come back to his room now." He stood and I followed him as he led me back and through the corridors, past other nurses stations. "We will be moving him to ICU when we can get a room arranged and a nurse is available to come down and get him. Normally only immediate family members are allowed, but since his parents gave us permission, you will be allowed as well. We just want to keep our eye on him and make sure he doesn't get worse again or there is internal bleeding we haven't found yet."

That didn't sound good and my heart leaped back into my throat. We entered a room. Arthur was on the hospital bed with his eyes closed. He was hooked up to beeping machines. An I.V. was stuck in his arm. He was extremely still. I swallowed hard.

"His vitals are being monitored by the nurses, but if anything changes or you need them, just push this button. He showed me a button on the control attached to the bed. I nodded that I understood.

"He's strong," the doctor said.

I nodded again and didn't watch him as he left. I went to Arthur's side and gently touched the back of his hand. I was afraid if I grabbed it, it would hurt him. I sat heavily in a chair next to his bed. I bent my head close to his ear and said. "Come back to me, my Beautiful Art. I love you." He didn't stir at all. Not even a twitch of his finger.

I called Eva and relayed to her as best I could what the doctor had said to me. She called me about five minutes later to tell me Joseph, David and Marie decided they would stay home since Arthur was stable, but that they would be ready at a moment's notice to travel here.

When we were through speaking, I put my phone back in the pocket of my sweatpants. I slipped my hand lightly in Arthur's. His fingers were cold. I watched the slow rise and fall of his diaphragm and chest as he breathed. The blood had been cleaned off him. He wore a loose hospital gown so I didn't have to see the blood that had gotten on his shirt. I looked around. There was a large plastic sack nearby. I could tell by the bulk of it that his clothes were in there.

"What do you mean we can't go in?" the voice was muffled, but loud enough that I could hear it from all the way back here. My body stiffened. It couldn't be.

"We are his sisters-in-law. You will let us in or tell us what is happening right now," Kylie yelled.

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Shit. I stumbled when I stood up and stubbed my little toe on the edge of Arthur's bed. Pain shot up my leg and throbbed in my toe, but I couldn't let my sisters continue.

"We are lawyers," Leo said right when I rushed back out front.

"I'm sorry," the nurse who had been nice to me said calmly. "But because of HIPAA..."

"I don't care about HIPAA," Brittany said.

"Stop," I pleaded as I rushed between them and the nurses desk. As if this nightmare couldn't get any worse.

"Move aside, Trevy," Brittany ordered.

"No," I said and grabbed the arms of my sisters and pulled them from the nice nurse. "You aren't being respectful and that nurse has been nothing but nice and supportive to me. How are you even here?"

My sisters exchanged a look, but didn't talk to me.

"What's going on with Arthur?" Mark asked me gently. He put a comforting hand on my shoulder.

That simple gesture caused me to collapse onto one of the waiting chairs. I buried my head in my hands as the tears came again. I needed that. I needed the support of people I knew. People I was close to.

"Oh, god," Brittany said. "Is he dying?" And her voice choked as if she was going to cry. But my sisters never cried. I brushed my own tears away to look up at the moisture in both of my sisters's eyes. The tears hadn't spilled yet, but they were there.

I shook my head and took a steadying breath. "The doctor said he is stable for now. I was back with him for the first time since this started and then I heard you."

"What happened?" Kylie asked. She sat in the chair next to me and put her hand on my shoulder. She gave it a gentle squeeze.

"The doctor said he ingested rat poison," I said. I phrased it that way on purpose so they wouldn't jump to conclusions, but it didn't work.

"Who would do such a thing?" Kylie asked.

"Don't worry, Trevy," Brittany said as she came and sat on the other side of me. "We'll take care of it. Whoever did this is going to pay."

"The police will investigate, Brit, please stay out of it," I said.

"The police can investigate," Brittany said. "And we'll do our own investigation. We won't get in their way. Don't worry."

"How are you here?" I asked.

"We drove," Kylie said.

"Sped like a bat out of hell," Leo pointed out.

"We didn't get pulled over," Kylie said. "So it is fine."

"That wasn't what I meant," I said. "What about Opal?"

"I sent a message for mom to go pick her up in the morning," Kylie said. "She's fine for now."

"You're fine with mom just going into your apartment like that?" I asked.

"Of course," Kylie said. "Why wouldn't I?"

I gave her a doubtful look.

"Seriously, Trevon," Leo said. "What kind of kinky sex stuff do you think we're into?"

"All sorts of stuff," I said truthfully.

"Nothing that your mother is going to see," he said.

That wasn't reassuring.

"I know we tease you a lot," Brittany said. "But we love you and we'll always be here for you."

That didn't explain how they knew I needed someone at this moment. Or which hospital to even go to. Or that Arthur was even in the hospital.

"We will fight anyone who stands in our way," Brittany said and then to the nurse she said, "Did you hear that? We won't let anyone or anything stand in our way."

"Brittany," I said and tugged on her arm. "Stop it. I'm sorry," I said to the nurse. "I'll apologize on their behalf."

"Don't apologize for us," Kylie said.

"Someone has to," I bit back. She frowned at me, but didn't say anything.

"What poison was used?" Brittany asked the nurse.

"Because of HIPAA," the nurse started.

"I don't care about HIPAA," Brittany interrupted.

"Brittany, please," I said. "I'll tell you everything I know. Stop harassing her."

"We're not harassing," Kylie said. "We're simply trying to figure out what happened so we can completely crush whoever did this to our little Arthur."

"Arthur isn't little," I mumbled.

"Was that a reference to his dick?" Mark asked me. "Are you making light of this situation?"

I sighed. "No," I said.

"You should be grateful we came so you have someone to be with you right now."

"Arthur's family is on their way and..." I had to call Vincent and Alex and tell them not to come. Not while my sisters were like this. "I'll be right back," I said. I stood up and went into the men's bathroom where I proceeded to call Alex.

"Don't come," I said as soon as the call was answered.

"Why?" Alex asked.

"My sisters are here."

"Did you call them and tell them?" Vincent asked.

"No. I have no idea how they found out. Unless, they've been spying on me all along. But still do they have my apartment bugged or my phone? Why would they do that? I just can't figure out how they know."

"We can still come," Alex offered.

"No. They are on a warpath. Their fiances too. Don't come."

"Do you know about Arthur?" Vincent asked. "Is he okay?"

"It was definitely poison. The doctors said he must have drank it. I don't know when. I think something was slipped into his water bottle. He's stable. He's going to live. He'll be fine. I just don't understand how this happened."

"Do you think it was your ex girlfriend?" Alex asked.

I had purposely not been thinking about it even though it was something the doctor suggested.

"Or maybe there was a rival in ballet? Like some twisted movie," Alex said but that was more of an effort to not make me worry rather than something any of us believed.

"I don't want to think it was Alice," I said, "but I don't think anyone else would do it. She has no idea who she has messed with. My sisters are going to go crazy." I couldn't even imagine all the ways they were going to make her life a living hell.

"Did you ever get ahold of his family?" Vincent asked.

"I couldn't get ahold of his parents so I called his sister who lives with them. She didn't answer the first time I called, but she answered the second time. She and their parents are on their way here. She told their other siblings and they were all going to come at first, but when they learned he was stable, the others decided to stay and wait for an update."

"We're still willing to come," Vincent said, "even if we're afraid of your sisters."

I had the best of best friends. Just hearing their voices soothed me greatly. "I know," I said. "There are going to be a lot of people here now and I don't want to add anymore. And my sisters are scarier than I've ever seen them. You don't need to see this. Go home and get some rest. I'll tell Arthur you were worried about him and were willing to drive all the way out here."

"Okay," Alex said.

"Keep us updated on Arthur's condition," Vincent said. "It doesn't matter how late or early it is."

"I will," I said. "Thanks, guys." Maybe it was because of what had happened with Arthur that night. Maybe it was because my emotions were already wrecked but I said, "I love you guys."

"We love you too," They said at the same time.

"Okay," I said. "That's enough of the mushy stuff for one night. But really, thank you."

I breathed a little easier as I went back out to face my sisters. "Why don't you go rest at my apartment," I told them. "I'll call the concierge desk and tell them to let you in."

"We're not leaving you alone," Brittany said with finality in her voice.

I sighed. "Please, Brit. I just want to go back and be with Arthur. I don't want to be out here making sure you behave. I promise I will call you to keep you updated. And I won't be alone for long. His parents and sister are coming."

"Then we'll wait here until they arrive," Kylie said gently. "We won't cause any more trouble. We'll just be here to let you know when his family arrives, alright? And then we'll go to your apartment."

"Okay," I said.

"Go on back and be with him," Brittany said.

I took a step away from them, but Mark grabbed my arm. He was looking at the back of my feet. "You're not wearing socks," he said.

"This isn't really the time to care about that," I said.

"But you're getting a blister," he said.

"Thank you for your concern, but at this moment, I don't care if I get blisters or not."

He let go of me and I went back through the corridors until I arrived at Arthur's room. I took a deep breath and went inside. Arthur was as still as he was before. I sat in the chair next to him. I took his hand in mine and squeezed it. There was only silence.