Jay finished taking a sip of his coffee. “Yeah, I’ll say.”
Savannah’s tears ran more freely now. “Ghee, thanks. Way to make me feel better.”
Jay shook his head and sighed. “You know I’m here for you, Sav, but lying isn’t going to make anything better. You know that.”
Savannah nodded as though the effort were
too much. “What do I do?”
Jay shrugged. “You need to give Gabe his space. He’ll come around, and then you can apologize.”
Savannah sniffled again. “But what if he doesn’t?”
Jay snorted. “He will. Trust me. I know Gabe almost as much as his own mother. He’s figuring things out, and he’ll come back. When he does, you’re going to apologize for overreacting. He’ll apologize for making you feel things were different than they were, and voila! Back together again!” Jay slapped his hands together and grinned sleepily at his sister.
“That easy, huh?” Savannah felt doubtful.
Jay nodded. “Yup. Gabe’s a simple guy. Trust me.”
“If you say so.” Savannah fell silent again and stared at her cup of coffee as she pondered her stupidity. She hoped and prayed Jay was right. When it came to Gabriel, he usually was.
Chapter 16
I t’d been the longest week of Gabriel’s life. He felt like an old man as he lay on the full-sized bottom bunk. Rio slept at his side, and Gabriel could hear the soft snores of one of his brothers coming from the bunk above him. A double-twin bunk sat against the opposite wall to house the only other boys still at home.
Gabriel couldn’t sleep, and it had nothing to do with the noises his brothers made or the stifling heat in the room. His father didn’t allow the air conditioner to run lower than 78. He said that was more than cool enough. Gabriel had no choice but to agree to disagree.
Tonight, Gabriel thought about the two women running circles in his head for the millionth time since that awful day. They were so different, and Gabriel knew he was better with Savannah. His mother had been right. The feelings he had for Marissa revolved around their child and the years of history the two shared. While not exactly real, those feelings were hard to get rid of.
Gabriel remembered a lot of bad times with Marissa. She’d cheated on him three times that he knew of, and had tried to run him over with her car once during a heated argument. They’d argued and would follow up those arguments with passionate sex. That had been one thing Marissa was great at – sex. She’d been willing to do anything, and was experienced enough to know how to get him off… and fast.
But to Gabriel, that wasn’t an even trade-off for the instability Marissa brought with her. Still, as far as he knew, she had no job. No car of her own. No ambitions. No nothing.
Then there was Savannah. She was the exact opposite of Marissa, and, no doubt, the better choice. His kitten was soft and sweet, with big goals in life. No, Savannah wasn’t as experienced in the bedroom. But, she was always willing to try things she thought Gabriel would like. She was also great with Rio, and completely supportive of what Gabriel wanted from life. For the most part, Savannah wanted the same things – to own a home, further her career, get married and have a family.
Savannah was kind of timid, but the relationship with her was stable. Few arguments, and limited obstacles – anymore, that was.
Savannah’s parents had been an obstacle, and Marissa was an obstacle. The way Gabriel had thought about Savannah, in the beginning, had been an obstacle, too. But what stood in their way now? If Gabriel could convince Savannah to take him back, convince her Marissa wasn’t a threat, they could get their happy ever after. Maybe.
There was history with Savannah, too. Even more than Gabriel had with Marissa. But it was a very different kind of history.
Gabriel remembered the night Marissa told him she was pregnant. They’d been trying for a baby, which had made it worse when Marissa changed her mind. When she'd left him behind to raise Rio alone. Still, the night he learned he’d be a dad had been a night Gabriel would never forget.
Gabriel returned to the tiny apartment after a long day of work. Marissa greeted him at the door. Smiling, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him heatedly. Her kisses were only ever heated. “What’s got you in such a good mood, Mami?” Gabriel asked, smiling as he leaned in to kiss Marissa again.
“Well… I have big news, Papi.” Marissa smiled and Gabriel ran his hands down her back to grab her firm, round bottom.
“What’s that?”
“I don’t know…” Marissa teased. “You sure you want to know?”
Gabriel snorted and rolled his eyes. “Yes, I’m sure.”
“I’m pregnant!” Marissa breathed the words in a rush and stood grinning with expectation on her face.
It took a moment for Gabriel to fully grasp what had been said. “What?” A pause and Gabriel’s face broke into a grin of his own. “I’m going to be a Papa?” Marissa nodded. Too excited for words, Gabriel spun Marissa around and kissed her passionately. They took their celebration to the bedroom, where they celebrated most things.
Gabriel looked over at the chunky toddler laying beside him. Rio’s hair was crazy, and it stood up everywhere at once as he lay with his face half-buried in the pillow. Becoming a father had been the best thing that ever happened to Gabriel, and he wouldn’t trade it for anything.
One of the most important things Gabriel realized at that moment was that Rio knew and loved Savannah as things were. Marissa might have been his mother, but Rio didn’t even know her anymore.
Gabriel recalled a moment with Savannah not so long ago. It had been two weeks after he’d moved in with her after the house fire. Gabriel smiled, recalling how much love the simple moment had seemed to hold.
Gabriel had worked late. He was always working, and today he’d been running behind after a last-minute call-out. His mother had things to do that day, and Savannah volunteered to watch Rio. Gabriel was nervous. Not because he didn’t trust Savannah, but because all little boys could be a handful and his kitten’s experience caring for children was limited.
When Gabriel walked in the door, it was after seven. Jay sat on the couch, watching television as he usually did after work. “Hey, man. Where’s Sav and Rio?”
Jay looked up and nodded his chin at Gabriel. “Upstairs. Rio was cranky, and Sav went to put him to sleep.”
Gabriel nodded. “Oh, okay. How long ago did they go upstairs?”
Jay shrugged. “Maybe twenty minutes ago?”
Gabriel only nodded and took off his boots so he wouldn’t make too much noise on the attic stairs. Then, he went upstairs, careful to be quiet. The main lights were off, and Gabriel didn’t flick them on as he went up – in case Rio was sleeping.
When Gabriel reached the top of the stairs he glanced first at Rio’s bed, positioned off to the side a short distance from the main bed. The bed was empty. Confused, Gabriel looked at the big queen-sized bed where he and Savannah slept.
Rio lay in the middle of the bed, tucked tightly next to Savannah. Her eyes were open, and she stared at Rio. As Gabriel tiptoed across the attic floor, Savannah finally noticed him. He smiled and gave a small wave. Savannah smiled back.