“Good. She’s smart, son. Been learning a lot lately, I can tell.”
“Yeah, Gabby’s been working on walking a lot with her,” I say absentmindedly, not realizing what I said until I notice my dad smiling at me. “What?”
“Gabby? She spending a lot of time with you two?”
“Dad.”
“Oh come on, I know you’re a grown man. I’m just curious what people my granddaughter is hanging around, that’s all,” he says, grinning.
“Yes. We’ve been seeing each other for almost eight months now, Dad.” A small stretching of the truth to keep him happy.
“Well, I like her,” he says, turning back to the TV.
“Me too,” I whisper, grabbing Hannah out of his arms, and putting her in the baby carrier.
“Bring Gabby back over sometime, okay? You two don’t be strangers.”
“Will do, sir.” I salute him, then nod and head out to my car. The half hour drive home after the day I’ve had is much needed peace and quiet.
Getting Hannah into her crib without waking her up is a challenge I’ve had way too much practice at. By the time I click her door closed and turn on the baby monitor, I’m ready for a beer and some mind numbing TV.
All of that changes when there’s a knock on the door before I’m even able to sit. Opening it without checking, I see Gabby standing in front of me, tears streaming down her beautiful face.
“I’m sorry,” she says, sniffling. She’s so fragile looking right now that I just want to hold on to her, but I have so many other feelings swarming me so I just stand and stare at her. “Can I come in?”
“Oh yeah, of course,” I mumble, moving to the side so she can make her way inside. She looks drained, and I’m worried because, if she’s that drained and sad, why didn’t she come to me?
“So… what’s going on?” I walk towards her, following her into the kitchen, and wait for a response. It never comes though. Her small, curvy figure sits atop one of my barstools as she tucks her legs under her. Her eyes hit mine and I feel a pull to her. Magnetic. Like we’re meant to be together. I see her eyes start to dart around the room, her fingers start playing the band on her wrist. Something’s bothering her. I just wish I knew what the hell it is.
“I uh,” she starts, then stops. Taking a deep breath, she stands abruptly. “I need to use your bathroom.”
Taking off towards the bathroom, I’m left alone in the kitchen, staring in her direction as she makes her way down the hall. What the hell is going on here? Is she drunk? Her eyes aren’t bloodshot, and she isn’t wobbly when she walks. Something’s going on, and I plan on finding out tonight.
It’s all or nothing. If she can’t trust me with everything… with every piece of her… then I can’t keep this game up. Dr. T is right. I need to be able to have a stable and happy life for Hannah. This guessing game shit with Gabby needs to stop. I don’t want it to, but I can’t go on like this.
Before she makes it out of the bathroom, there’s another knock on my door. What the fuck?
It’s after 10PM on a work night, and I’m typically in bed by now. Who would be banging on my door right now? Growling at the strange way this evening is turning out to be, I peek through the peephole to see a very frantic Annaliese, and an incredibly disgruntled Adam.
What the fuck?
“Hey,” I say, letting them in. Adam has to nudge her in the front door just so he can get it closed behind them. What the hell is going on?
“She needs to tell you something,” he grunts, nodding at her.
“I… Gabby…” she whispers, her eyes finding mine finally. She looks scared, or sad… or something.
“What? What about Gabby?” I feel a bit frantic at this point because whatever she came here to tell me obviously isn’t something she’s comfortable talking about, and, if they knew Gabby was here right now, in my bathroom, Annaliese probably wouldn’t tell me why they came here. I have to get it out of her before Gabby comes back. “What is it, Annaliese?” The growl that comes out of me wasn’t meant to be menacing, but Adam sure took it that way.
“Hey now, calm the fuck down. We’re just here to help, Benton. Shit’s deep… I’m not even sure you’re aware of it but she’s got issues. I… we… just want to make sure you both are on the same page. You have a kid, man… you don’t need to be involved with someone that’s going to bring you down.”
“Adam don’t make it seem like she’s a bad person!” Annaliese says angrily. She turns her gaze to me and smiles sadly. “We’re worried about you both because we love you both, Benton.”
“Fuck,” I say, sighing and glancing to the bathroom door. “Just tell me what it is.” I’m pleading, but I have to know. I just want to fix her. We stand in my foyer, staring at Annaliese, waiting for her to say something… anything… but she’s too nervous. Right as she opens her mouth to start to talk I hear Gabby behind me.
Shit.
“Ann? Adam?” Gabby says from behind me.
Fuck.
“Oh God, Gabby you’re okay.” Annaliese runs to her and hugs her while Adam just stands there, stern, shaking his head.
“What the hell is wrong with you, man?” Why’s he look so angry towards her?
“She tell you how she found Gabby today, dude?” he asks.
“No,” I whisper, watching Annaliese fuss over her best friend.
“She’d been calling and texting for days. Ever since she heard of her being ‘laid off’ from the lawyers place, she’s been trying to get a hold of her. Apparently, Gabby shut down, dude. She was out of it when Ann arrived today. Add to it the drama shit that happened to her all those years ago? Chick’s got skeletons, man. I don’t want you unhappy, Benton. Shit, I love the thought of you two together, but you don’t need that drama in your life. She needs to fess up or get the fuck out.”
“Excuse me?” Gabby’s surprised voice comes from behind me, and I want to reach out and slug Adam.
He just doesn’t think about other people’s feelings.
“What? I’m just warning my best friend that his ‘girlfriend’,” he exaggerates with air quotes. “Is a PTSD patient who eats pills for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
Gabby’s face falls. Harder than ever before, I see her façade of being ‘okay’ break and the hurt shine. Fuck.
“Adam, what the hell?!” Annaliese wails on him with her purse. If it’d been under any different circumstances, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from laughing, but the way Gabby is glaring at them, then looking at me, I want to hold her and make the hurt go away. Even if I don’t know what the hurt is being caused by.
“Baby, listen…” Adam sighs, pointing his hand to me. “He needs to fucking know she’s a goddamned mess.”
“Oh, fuck you, Mr. Fucking Chicago!” Gabby screams. “I can’t fucking believe you, Annaliese. One thing I confided in you, and you go and tell the biggest fucking mouth in the city!”
“Gabby, I had to talk to someone,” Annaliese whispers. “I thought my fiancé would know how to keep his big mouth shut!” The glare she sends him tells me everything I need to know.
He’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight.
“Go,” Gabby whispers.
“Gab, no,” Annaliese whispers.
“Just… please, Ann. Just go.” Gabby’s plea is almost silent as the tears start streaming down her face.
I’m so nervous, and so confused, and all I can do is watch as this unfolds right here in my foyer. Hands on my head, eyes wide, I watch as Annaliese hugs her best friend with no reciprocation, then drags Adam out of my place, gently clicking the door shut behind her.
“Gabby,” I manage, bringing her into my arms. Her entire body is trembling, and tears are soaking through my shirt. Son of a bitch, I’ll kill the person that made her like this.
“I’m so sorry,” she hiccups.
Fuck.
“Babe, I need to know what the hell is going on. Every time things get rough, we go through this. You cry, you apologize, then you run. I know you’ve had a rough past, but I need to know details, Gabby. I want to know. I need you to tell me.” I’m trying to keep my voice as calm as possible, but, when her sad light brown eyes look at mine, I suddenly get furious that someone did this to her. Someone made my Gabby feel this way. “Goddamnit, Gabby! Just fucking tell me!”