” When I was a kid I had this unquenchable desire for things. My father gave me everything I wanted on a silver plate, it was always a yes as an answer and never a no.” He rested his hand on the vanity and exhaled.
” Because of that, I grew up with the expectation of getting everything I wanted. One day I came home from school and saw… ” He paused and shut his eyes. ” I saw my mum on bed having s! x with a man that used to be my father’s co-worker. I don’t know why, but I knew at that moment I wanted him dead; I wanted to squeeze him with my bare hands and rip him into pieces.”
” And I did, it felt so good seeing him cry and beg for mercy… Mother explained that she loved him. She said he was the right man for her.” Gabriel scoffed. ” I saw them once, he cuffed her to the walls and hit her like she was his play doll. Again and again, he did; he kept on saying I love you; it’s just the pain that comes with being in love, you piece of shit.”
Gabriel’s knuckles were white with rage.
” I told her to stop but she didn’t listen. I told her I hated her and that she couldn’t go to hell and burn for all I cared and she did. She killed herself. When I tried protecting my wife from that b**tard she was cheating on me with she killed herself.”
He turned to look at Sydney, who stared at him pitifully; something he despised so much.
” And I thought I was protecting you from your husband. You had red hair and looked so naive like they did and I was afraid that you’d end up like them. But I had no idea I was the problem all along; I was ruining you, and I’m so sorry.”
Sydney wanted to stand, but Gabriel drew out a hand, stopping her.
” You don’t have to say or do anything.”
” But Gabriel-”
” I have decided to take your advice and that of everyone else.” He took out an envelope from his pocket and placed it on the vanity. ” I’ve spent the last days gathering every information about Caleb Morgan, including everything he’d done to you and your mother, his illegal practices, and murdering Avery’s father. He’ll be put in the police custody today and everything you need to know about the court hearing is in this envelope.”
Sydney was speechless. She had no idea what to say or what to do.
All that could come out of her mouth was, ” What advice?”
He flashed her a small smile. ” To get medical help, but before I do that, I think I’ll voyage for a couple of months, and I promise to be out of your skin.”
” You don’t have to leave.”
” I don’t have an option or else you’d want me to fall in love with you all over again. You make it pretty easy.” He grinned.
Sydney stifled a chuckle. She didn’t know if she should be happy or sad about it.
” You’ll find another red-haired woman you love, and she’ll love you back. ”
” Hopefully…” ‘Not when you are alive’ is what he wanted to say.
” What about Bla- Gilbert? Sofia said she ended things with him. Are you leaving with him?”
Sofia had been down since the whole break up thing, she’d use her job to take her mind off Gil.
As far as Gabriel knew Gil, he wouldn’t let her go that easily.
______________
” Don’t f**king tell me you are serious?” Gil’s jaws dropped to the ground after Gabriel informed him over the phone about his departure.
” I could switch to video call if you don’t believe me.”
Gil was about to step into the jewelry section of the Beverly Hills Mall a few days after Gabriel’s visit to Sofia’s before Gabriel phoned him.
He had a hard time believing Gabriel but hearing the noises in the background, he knew Gabriel wasn’t pulling his legs.
” You left without telling me? What about the I go wherever you go rule?”
” That rule was established before you had a girlfriend and I don’t want you putting your life on standstill because of me-”
” Do you hear me complaining?”
” You said you loved Sofia a lot and you wanted to have her as your wife, I don’t want my life and what I’ve done affecting the both of you. Your relationship with her is already suffering because of me.”
Gil exhaled and ran a hand through his face. ” How far are you from California? ”
” A couple of miles, why? ”
” Just hoping you were closer so I could kick you in the balls! ”
Some women grimaced at Gil’s outburst. He couldn’t care less.
” You are insane Gabriel, you know?”
” You’ve told me a million times.”
Gil fisted the wall gently. ” I’ve been around you my whole bloody life, how do you expect me to move on… Shit! Gabriel, if this is a joke…” He rubbed his eyes.
” You’ll forget about me when you take that girl of yours down the aisle.”
” At this point, I think my feelings for you are unreciprocated.” Gil hissed.
Gabriel laughed. ” Don’t tell me you are crying.”
” I’ve never cried since fifteen when you smacked my f**king head with a metal door.” Gil wiped his eyes and chuckled. ” Remember when you said you’d turn gay if I never fell in love again?”
” I never meant that.”
” Yeah, and I never believed you.”
The call fell silent for a few seconds before Gabriel’s voice came off.
” Gabriel to Gilbert, do you copy friend? ”
They used to play pretend spies as kids. Gil loved the game terribly much, while Gabriel hated it because they’d have to sneak into bullies’ houses to find out their dirty secrets, but Gabriel pretended to like it because of Gil’s interest in it.
” God, Gabriel I’m in a mall, don’t make me cry like a p**sy.”
” Do you copy friend?” Gabriel repeated.
” Copy, Sargent Blake Patel.”
Gabriel chuckled. ” This is me signing off; the current’s rising; I need full focus to drive this yacht; permission to end the call?”
” Permission granted… ”
“… I’ll see you soon, I promise. “