Mending (4 page)

He walked back to the door and opened it
motioning for Veronica to leave.
“Have a good day, Veronica.” 

She stopped at the door and turned back towards him and whispered, “So, that’s it?  Are you going to call me or something?”

Bradley nodded his head.
“Yes, that’s it.  I need some time to process it all.”

A small smile came across her face and she walked away.

Bradley took a long deep breath after he closed the door.  Running his hands through his hair, he exhaled and closed his eyes with his brows furrowed.  When he opened them Gabby was standing in front of him.

“So.”

“It’s nothing I can’t handle.  No need for you to worry about it.  Let’s not let it ruin our night.  Where were we?” Smiling his seductive smile he slowly started walking towards her.

“It was nothing?  The part I heard didn’t sound like nothing.  I thought you weren’t involved serious
ly with any of the other women?”  She put her hands on her hips and hissed, “
You know, what
did you call
it? 
The casual fling or friends with benefits?
  That sure seemed like more.”

“No, Gabby.  You’re more than anything I’ve ever h
ad.  The feelings were
…hell…are
not mutual with Veronica.
I can assure you of that!”

“She’s pregnant?”

“Yes.”

Gabby continued interrogating him. 
“When’s she due?”

“March,
”
Bradley whispered.

“It’s yours, isn’t it?”

“Gabby –
”

“I knew it!  I knew there was no way you could be happy with this situation.  I knew I wouldn’t be enough for you.
” Her voice grew louder and tears filled her eyes.  “
Were you going to wait for the baby to be born before you told me?  Were you ever going to tell me?”

Bradley grabbed her shoulders and pulled h
er close, but Gabby fought him. 
“Don’t,” she hissed. 

He put his hands up in surrender, taking a step back. 
“Gabby, I just found out five damn minutes ago.  Give me a minute to process the information.  I need to sort some things out for myself before I can try to sort them out for you.”

“You can have all the time you need.  I
gotta
get out of here.” Gabby grabbed her keys fighting back tears as she ran for the door. 

Bradley grabbed her arm
.
“Please don’t go, not like this.  We have plans.  You’ve driven a long way and you don’t need to be driving right now.”

She turned and looked up to him
with fierce glowing hazel eyes.
“Let. Me. Go.”

Bradl
ey’s eyes were locked with hers, as if in a battle of wills.  He continued to hold her until she pulled her arm. When she did, h
e released it, defeated.  “Gabby, I want you.  I love you.  Please, don’t go.”

She snapped her head back. 
“You love me?  Did you love me when you were screwing her?”

“She’s due in March
, Gabby.
”  He threw his hands up exacerbated.  “
Do the math.  June, it was June.”

“Thought you said you weren’t with anyone after you met me at the wedding?”

“I wasn’t.”

“So, it was what before you met me?”

“Yes.”

“I want to believe you, but I don’t know if I can.  Would you have told me if I hadn’t come in and interrupted your little intimate moment?”

“Of course, but not like this.  Not today.
” He took a deep breath.  “
I have something so special and I don’t want it ruined with my baggage.”

“Well, it’s kind of late for that Bradley.  Your baggage isn’t the kind that is going away or can be talked through in therapy.  Your baggage is a kid for
cryin
’ out loud!”

“Yeah, I’m
well
aware of this.  I didn’t know Gabby.  She was on the pill.
” He closed his eyes tightly before continuing.  When he opened them, they were fierce with resolve.  “
I haven’t seen her since before the wedding.  I just quit taking her calls.  You have to believe me.”

“I want to, but I just…
I can’t be here.  I can’t be
with you.  I really have to go.  Please, j
ust let me go
.”

“Where are you
gonna
go?  You shouldn’t drive back tonight.
” He took a step closer.  “
At least stay here for the night.  I’ll go stay at my parents if you’ll promise to just
stay and not drive back
.”

Gabby
shook her head and looked away.
“No, I can’t be here.”

“I’ll get you a hotel room, then.  Just don’t drive back tonight
,
”
he pleaded.

“I’ll be fine.  Goodbye, Bradley.” Gabby turned on her heal to leave.

He put his hand up on the door preventing her from opening it. 
“Hey
.  W
hy do I feel like you are telling me goodbye for good?”

Gabby narrowed her
eyes and shrugged her shoulders.
“I don’t know.”

“Well, are you?”

“I said I don’t know. 
I can’t think around you right now.  I need some time.”

“
We’ll get through this, we have to
.”

“I don’t know about that.”  Gabby paused as the tears started streaming down her face.  “
You’re having a child with a woman who obviously loves you and you clearly felt something for her or she wouldn’t be pregnant.”

“No, I didn’t.  I don’t feel anything towards her.”

“Whatever, I need to go.
” Gabby swiftly walked out of the door and pressed the button for the elevator. 

Leaving the door to his apartment open, Bradley followed her waiting for her to respond but she jumped in the elevator too quickly pressing the
button for the doors to close.  “Gabby!  Wait.  W
hat do I have to do to get you to not leave tonight?”

“Nothing,
” was all she said as the doors closed and Bradley stood there knowing that by the time he got down the stairs she would be gone.

She was right.  There was nothing he could do to stop her from leaving.  He leaned back against the wall behind him and s
lid down with his knees bent.  Leaning his elbows up against his knees, he thumbed
through his hair, sighing at how quickly his plans for that night had been thwarted. 

Chapter 4

August
, 2010

The
Past
  ~
  Gabby

Gabby couldn’t contain her excitement as her smile stretched across her face the entire time she got ready.  Granted, the
re was no need to get dolled up,
as she had only planned to take Bradley to her favorite restaurant, A.W. Shucks.  She still couldn’t help but notice that she was putting in far more effort than usual to look casual.  No matter what she had done all day, the kiss she had shared with Bradley was not far from the front of her mind.  She
kept having
to remind herself that they had to walk before they ran and there was no way that they stood a chance if they didn’t take the time
to get to know each other first.  B
ut
,
she still couldn’t push the thoughts and the warm tingling they brought to her body out of her mind for long.  While she was scared, she knew that she had never felt this way before, not even about Ian.  Maybe th
at was what scared her the most.  She knew
the hurt Ian had caused and the feelings were not even as intense with him as they were with Bradley.

Gabby glanced at the antique alarm clock on her old wooden dresser as the doorbell rang.  Bradley had called her earlier and confirmed he would pick her up at 7pm, and even though he had said he was always late like Gabby, she had not
yet
experienced his tardiness.  It
was 7pm sharp.  S
he grabbed her things as she smacked her lips together to spread her lip gloss. 

“Gabby,” Sam hollered as Gabby hurried into the living room. 

“I’m right here!” Gabby laughed and looked up to see Bradley standing in front of the door. 

Sam had let him in and he was dressed casually in a white linen button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows showing
his tanned muscular forearms. 
How could arms be so sexy
, she wondered?  They
were dusted with black hair.  His sh
irt was tucked into khaki pants, which wer
e hanging perfectly from his narrow hips.  Gabby took a deep breath trying to contain the blush that was surely washing over at the moment as
she drank in his divine existence
. 
How had she ever gotten so lucky that this man would be standing in her tiny house waiting on her
?  She briefly closed her eyes as h
e
embraced her,
softly kissing
her cheek
.  He handed
her more flowers.  T
his time there were a dozen yellow long stemmed roses. 

“You look beautiful.  T
hese are for you. 
Yellow for friendship, as promised
.
  Y
ou know, we have to walk before we run,” he whispered.

“
They’re beautiful,” she softly spoke as she brought them to her nose to smell.  “
I’ll just be a minute, let me put them in some water.”

“Okay, no hurry.
” Turning to her sister, he said, “
Sam, good to see you again.  Thanks for sharing her with me again today.” Bradley nodded to her.

“Bradley.” Sam
acknowledged
.  “No problem.  She’s the happiest I’ve seen her in some time.” It was clear that there was an underlying implied warning Sam’s comment.

Gabby walked back in
to the room smiling at Bradley. 
“You ready?”

“Yep!”
 
Bradley waved
with one arm as he placed his other in the small of
Gabby’s
back
.
  “
See you later, Sam.”

“Y’all have a great time,” Sam said as they were walking out the door.

Gabby turned her
head with a huge grin and giggled.
“
Thank
,Sam
.”