Mending (26 page)

“Mr. Banks, what can I do for you?”

“I wanted to let you know that I’ve had something come up in South Carolina and I need you to cancel my schedule through Wednesday, please.  I’ll check in Monday with further instructions for you.”

“Yes, sir.
 
Anything else?”

Running his hand through his hair, he exhaled.  “No, that’s it.  Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, sir.  Safe travels.”

“Bye, Sharon.”

By the time the phone conversation had ended he was pulling into the parking garage of his apartment.  He hopped out, shoving the phone into his pocket and rushed inside the elevator that took him to his place.  He grabbed his overnight bag and started grabbing jeans, a couple of tees, sweaters, and some boxers, throwing them into the bag.  He grabbed all of the toiletries he needed and the medication he usually took on a daily basis for ADHD. 

On his way out of his bedroom, he remembered the gift bag he had stored in his closet.  He had planned to give it to her later that evening before everything had gone awry.  He swiveled and turned to the closet, grabbing the bag in one fluid motion.  He stood in place for a moment as he did a mental check of everything he might need.  When he realized he had everything he couldn’t replace in South Carolina if he forgot it, he cut off all the lights and headed back out to his car.  He had decided he would stay in South Carolina for as long as he needed to sort out the mess with Gabby that Veronica and Ian had created.  

Bradley was about halfway into his trip to Columbia.  He had frantically been trying to call Gabby, but no luck.  He couldn’t even remember how many messages he had left for her.  He didn’t want to tell her about Veronica and Ian over the phone, but he was worried about her.  He wanted to at least make sure she was okay.  The other concern was that he was driving to Columbia, but he worried that maybe she had decided to stay in Atlanta or even go to Charleston to see Sam.  Ultimately, it
was not knowing
where she was and whether she was okay or not that worried him the most.  He knew Sam had not been able to get in touch with her earlier.  He really didn’t want to have to talk to Sam again so he had not tried to call her.

He was relieved when he heard the chime of a text on the cell phone.  He wasn’t sure who it was from, but he silently prayed it would be from Gabby.  He reached down and pulled his cell phone from the cup holder in the center console of the compact car.  He swiped the screen and saw that it was indeed from Gabby.

Gabby – 6:17pm

*Got your messages, just got home.*

He quickly punched the button for the voice command and immediately replied.

*What took you so long?*

He waited and waited but nothing.  She never answered him.  She was clearly still upset with him and was giving him full force silent treatment, including texts.  He exhaled running his fingers through his hair, he was thankful she had at least let him know she was home.  He decided he’d give her a little bit of time to get settled and then try to call her again. 

At 6:45pm, he decided he’d try to call her.  His brows furrowed and his face crinkled when he heard a guy’s voice on the other end. 

“Hello.”

“I must have the wrong number.” Bradley fumbled.

He could have sworn there was a small chuckle on the other end before he heard the other guy say, “Who were you trying to reach?”

“Gabby
Gerhart
.” Bradley spoke authoritatively.

“She can’t come to the phone.”

Bradley was fuming at this point.  As his emotions heightened, so did the amount of gas his foot was giving his car increasing the speed.  “Who the hell is this?”

“I could ask you the same thing.  Who the hell are you?”

It was a good thing that Bradley was only talking to the fool over the phone because if he had been anywhere near him he would have slapped the living shit out of them.  He wasn’t just furious at this point, either.  He was concerned.  Who the hell had
Gabby’s
phone.  “I’m her boyfriend, jackass.  Put her on the phone.”

“No, she doesn’t have a boyfriend anymore.  From the sounds of how her day has gone, you’re the jackass.  Have a nice night.” 

The line went dead and Bradley threw his phone into the passenger seat while banging his fists against his steering wheel cursing.  He accelerated the gas even more determined to get to Gabby as soon as possible.

When he arrived at
Gabby’s
apartment, he noticed that her car was in the parking lot.  He didn’t see John’s car in the parking lot and he was 99% sure that the guy on the phone had not been John.  He’d met him a couple of times and they had always gotten along well.  John’s accent was different, though.  His accent was more southern than the guy from earlier.  He really didn’t know any other guy friends that Gabby had.  She really seemed to keep to herself and other than he, Sam and
John,
he didn’t think Gabby had many friends that she hung out with on a personal level.

He looked through the rear view mirror smoothing his hair into place.  He couldn’t help but think that he looked like crap, but then again, who wouldn’t
given
his situation.  He shook his head from side to side when he thought about how differently his day had gone than he planned.  It was all still very surreal, as if he were watching his life unfold before him.  As if he was in a movie watching some actor go through these terrible motions.  He reached over and grabbed his cell phone.  He’d be lucky if that dang thing survived the day it was having.  He couldn’t help but smile at thinking of how many times the phone had been thrown over the course of his nightmare.  He climbed out of the car and made his way up the steps thinking he should have stopped and at least gotten her flowers.  But, he also had not wanted to waste time getting her flowers when he was worried that she could be in danger. 

When he got to the door, he knocked and no one answered.  He put his ear up to the door to see if he could hear anything.  Nothing, it was completely quiet in her apartment.  The lights were all off and the front porch light was on, as if she wasn’t home.  This time, he punched the door with his fist.  “Gabby, let me in, it’s Bradley.” 
Still nothing.
  Finally, a neighbor who had heard his banging opened their door.  An older man opened the door, “Hey man, she’s not home.  She was just leaving when I got home about twenty minutes ago.”

Bradley frowned and sighed.  “Do you know what he looked like?”

“No, sorry.”

“Well, do you know if she looked upset or anything?”

“She looked content.  I’m sure they’ll be back in a little bit.”  The man chuckled.  “I just didn’t want you to bust your knuckles up banging on her door.”

“
Hmph
, thanks, I guess.”  Bradley turned and walked back to his car.  He was defeated and exhausted from emotional ups and downs of the day.  The more he thought about it, though, the more sure he was that he’d wait on her to get home.  He’d give her an hour and if she wasn’t back by then, he’d call Sam and have her track her sister down for him.

He decided to move his car a more distant parking place, but one where he would still be able to see the stairs to her apartment.  He listened to music, much of which painfully reminded him of Gabby.  He played stupid games on his phone, wrote a couple of work emails, but nothing he did could get his mind off of her for the time he waited.  Every time a car drove by him, he perched up with anticipation that maybe it might be her.  Finally, he watched a Camaro pull into the parking lot and saw Gabby get out of the passenger side.  He rolled his eyes at the prick
who
didn’t even have the decency to open the door for his girl. He waited a moment and then got out of his car, giving them a little lead.  He couldn’t get a good look at the guy, but he had his suspicions as to who it was.  He cringed at the thought of him putting his hands on his Gabby.  While he wanted to give them lead time, he didn’t want to give them too much.  He didn’t know how long he could stand seeing her with someone else.  Besides, what the hell was she doing
with another guy already, anyway?  That was a little fast.  He wondered if she had secretly been seeing someone else this entire time. 
Surely, not
, he thought.

They had already rounded the corner of the upstairs landing when he started climbing the stairs.  When he turned the corner he could have never prepared himself for what he was seeing. 

Gabby was standing at her door with her hands together and crossed in front of her, obviously trying to stay warm.  All he could think of was how he wanted to hold her in his arms and try to warm her.  How he wanted to carry her over that threshold and take her inside and tell her it was all going to be okay. 

He was even more livid as he got closer and heard the words coming out of Gabby’s mouth.  

“Ian, it was nice to catch up with you.  Thank you for tonight.  It was a very nice distraction from my life.”

He caressed his knuckles down her cheek, “Gabs, I want to see you again.”  He leaned in and began to kiss her. 

That was it.  He could handle a lot of things, but he couldn’t handle watching another guy touching her. 
Especially not this prick.
 

Chapter 18

January 14, 2011 ~ 8:02pm

The Present

Gabby

Bradley was taking swift long strides towards Gabby and Ian.  “I have been waiting for the day I would get to do this.” Bradley spat through gritted teeth as he pulled Ian from Gabby and slung a punch square in his jaw. “And, to think I w
as worried I wouldn’t have a good
excuse.
”  He shoved him, “
You best
never
touch her again.  Do you understand me?” 
He spat as he
punched him again knocking him to the ground.

“BRADLEY! 
Stop!”
Gabby shouted. 
She had never seen him like this.  He looked like crap.

Ian was getting up swinging to punch Bradley, but Gabby lunged in between the two of them and Bradley quickly grabbed Ian’s fist before it hit her
square
in the head.