Forgiven (23 page)

He rubs his nose against mine. “I want you so bad, do you know that?”

“Uh huh.” A smile curves on my lips for the first time in what seems like forever.

His eyes turn to icy blue. He softly kisses my forehead, then drops my hands. “Goodnight, Gabby Girl.”

What the hell?
“You’re going to bed?” I ask under my ragged breath.

“Yep.”

“Um. Am I missing something?”

“You’re a smart girl. Do you really need me to spell it out for you?”

I glance up at the ceiling while I take a cleansing breath. My stomach has gone from churning, to rolling, to fluttering, and back again tonight. I don’t know how much more I can take. “No. You’re shutting me out.” Tears well in my eyes, and I walk to the bathroom door and lean into the side of the door. “You’re punishing me?” I ask.

“No, I prefer giving you a taste of your own medicine.” He pulls the duvet back on our bed and climbs in, then glances back to me. “Doesn’t taste very good, does it?”

“That’s not fair.”

“What’s not fair, Gabby? That you can shut me out, but I can’t shut you out?” He scolds me like I’m an errant child and it feels like crap.

“It’s different. I shut you out because you were being rude to my dad. You weren’t acting supportive even if you were trying to be.”

“Oh, making sure that you had hydration because your mouth was so dry you could barely speak? How’s that not supportive?” His voice rises as he speaks the sentence. “Then you completely clam up after I tell you about your dad. I’m about to call the damn therapist and you’re just pissed so you don’t talk.” He throws his hands up in the air. “Gabby, you were a hot mess. I was worried about you. I wanted to help you in the only way I knew how and you wouldn’t let me.”

“It’s the way you went about it.” I look away. “You were mean.”

“
Oh, Gabriella
. You don’t know mean from me. I don’t want to diminish your feelings because I know it’s been a rough day, but I think you’ll feel better in the morning after you’ve had some rest.” He pats the bed. “It’s late. We both have a long day tomorrow. Come to bed.”

I want to buck him so bad, but I know I can’t. I know I have to submit on this. I put my head down as I walk to the bed and climb in beside him and roll on my side. He snuggles in behind me and I hear him inhale. “Mmm, night Gabby Girl.”

I stand at the door after I have closed and locked it while watching them safely get in their car and leave. I remove the key from the door and shove it into my pocket. I finish the clean-up of the shop. I glance back to that table where we sat tonight and shake my head as a tear trickles from my eye. I have made some horrendous mistakes in my life. I never thought I’d have a second chance with my girls. I say a quick prayer as I thank God for the miracle he has placed in my life, my angel. My Gabriella. I pray that she can find a way to forgive me. I pray that we can find a way to build a future and not dwell on our past. A past, which she can’t even remember.

As I walk towards the back of the shop, I pick up the vase of flowers I had gotten for Cindy to bring home. She has been so incredible this morning. She has been a constant source of support since Gabby literally walked back into my life. Provided that Gabby, and eventually Sam come around, I don’t think my life could be any better than it is right now. I have everything I’ve ever wanted. More than I ever thought or even think I deserve.

I cut the lights as I pull the keys back from my pocket. I move the vase to the crook of my arm as I enter in the combination for the security alarm. I swiftly open the door, close and lock it. When I turn on my heel to walk to my car, I am blinded-sided. Everything in my life flashes before my eyes as I see a man dressed in all black holding a gun. He turns and pushes me to the wall of the building causing the glass vase to crash to the ground, shattering into millions of pieces.

“Take whatever you want,” I try to say strongly as I brace myself on the bricks, both of my hands on either side of my head.

“Shut the fuck up,” he barks. “Don’t move or say a word. You do, you’re dead.” He puts the gun to the back of my head. I stand there and wait. Unsure of what to do to get myself out of this situation. I feel paralyzed. I’m unable to move, talk, or even think. He quickly empties my pockets. I can feel his breath, smell the scent of alcohol and smoke.

Suddenly my world goes black as I feel an intense throbbing pain in my head. I feel my legs give way and my body slides down to the ground, hitting my head on the concrete pavement. Warmness flushes through my body as I am unable to keep my eyes open any longer.

I am startled when I hear the phone ring. I jump as my eyes flash open and I realize it’s still dark outside. It’s never a good sign when your phone rings in the middle of the night. “Hello,” I grumble into the phone.

“Gabriella?” The woman says on the other line. I think I hear her sniff. Is she crying? I don’t recognize the voice or the number.

“Who is this?”

“I’m Cindy, Gabe’s wife.”

“Oh,” is all I can mutter. Thousands of thoughts start crossing through my mind. “Is everything okay?”

“No,” she sobs into the phone. I nudge Bradley and perch myself up on my elbow as I listen intently. “He was robbed leaving the shop tonight. He was airlifted to Grady. He’s still unconscious.” I swallow and try to think of how to respond. I am speechless as the guilt consumes me. He was there late because of me. Cindy sniffs. “I just thought you should know.”

I don’t think I can go through this again. I don’t think that I can lose another parent, especially when I was just wrapping my head around him. “May I see him?” As soon as I say it I realize that I am fighting back tears.
Why?
Why am I fighting back tears for this man? He hurt me to the point I don’t even remember him. I don’t know him. He’s a stranger to me. I should consider him dangerous to me like Bradley and Sam say. But I can’t. I shake my head. “Cindy, may I see him?” I ask urgently.

“Please. I don’t know if it will help, but he says you’re his angel. Please come, Gabriella.”

“Okay. I’ll be there soon.” I hang up and nudge Bradley. “Hey, wake up.” I shake him again. He’s so hard to wake up sometimes. “Bradley. I gotta go, please wake up.”

He mumbles and rolls over trying to nuzzle me. “Wake up,” I urge him as I shake his shoulders.

“Huh?” Even in the dark those blue eyes can pierce me.

“It’s Dad. He was robbed tonight after we left the shop.”

His playful, half-awake look turns serious. “Is he okay?”

I shake my head, and as I say, “No,” the tears I had been able to contain on the phone start to flow from my eyes. “He’s at Grady. He’s unconscious.” Bradley uses the pad of his thumbs to brush away my tears. “I want to go see him. Will you drive me?”

“Of course, I’ll drive you.” He kisses my forehead. After our fight, I’m glad to see that he’s being so nice. “Can I get you something?” he breathes onto my forehead.

I learned my lesson earlier. I can’t shut him down or out right now. I need him. I need to lean on him like no other. “Some kind of a pain killer for my headache.” And a small smile curves on my lips. “And some water.”

He grins. “Ah, water, huh?” he asks and then gently takes my lips into his. “Get dressed, and I’ll get that for you.”

I climb out of the bed and open the drawer to the dresser to pull out a pair of black sweats. There is an elastic for my hair on my bedside table. I pick that up and start to gather my hair onto the top of my head and secure it with the elastic.

Bradley comes back into our room with a glass of water and pills. He extends one hand to me. “For the headache.” I smile and put them in my mouth and reach for the glass. He hands it to me. “Drink it all.”

I smile as I take the glass and turn it back to swallow the pills. I look at him as I chug the water. A smile forms around the lip of the glass.

"Atta girl." He smirks and crosses his arms, causing his chest to bulge. He looks so smug as he says, "You know almost all headaches are caused by dehydration."

Smart ass.

I finish it and hand him the glass back. “Almost being the operative word.” I wink and walk away to get dressed. As distracting as the playful banter is, I’m worried and I really can’t get to the hospital fast enough.