GIL’S HEART POUNDED in his chest at Sofia’s silence.
It was approximately twenty seconds since he proposed the question.
21. 22. 23.
Gil was sweating in the cold.
He detested rejection more than anything else. He was a mess after his ex left him. He nearly jumped into the ocean when his family disowned him.
He told himself he’d end his life if she said no.
“Baby…” Gil gave a crazy drawl. “I understand that it is early, but-”
Gil was caught off guard when Sofia wrapped her arm around his neck and gave him a big wet kiss.
She put her forehead on his and drew her lips away.
She was smiling, blushing, crying.
“What if I said no?” She teased.
“Next week would be the date of my funeral.”
Sofia laughed and kissed him again. “I love you, and yes, there is nothing I’d want more than for you to be my groom.”
“Oh, boy.” Gil sighed and pulled away.
With trepidation, he removed a ring and placed it on her ring finger.
“Perfect fit.” He laughed and pulled her into a short kiss before pulling away and taking out the other ring.
“My turn.”
Sofia collected the ring and slipped it onto his finger.
She poked out her tongue and waved the ring-wielding hand.
“I’m going to be a Mrs.-”
“To this Mister.” Gil completed. He touched her stomach and kissed it. “We’ll be a family soon.”
________________
Sydney had been in an excellent mood since Sofia called and told her about Gil’s proposal.
She felt like a proud matchmaker. Indeed, her Cupid arrow worked after all!
Sofia said she wouldn’t be returning, so Sydney was left home alone since the kids were going to spend all day with Gavin.
Gavin called in the evening and asked if they’d go to the cinema tonight instead. He said he’d drop the kids off at Jaxon’s.
Sydney did not mind the change in plans.
She’d make up her mind to enjoy whatever came her way.
She threw her flight ticket to Seattle into her drawer before heading to the front porch where Gavin’s Rolls-Royce was parked.
Gavin was sitting in the driver’s seat, wearing casual clothing that was concealed by a large brown coat.
Hands on the steering wheel, he watched her walk to the car.
She sent a small smile his way before entering the passenger seat next to him.
She wore a white coat over her clothing as well.
“How long do we have to wait in line to get a ticket this time?” Sydney asked as she put on her seatbelt.
Gavin started the car. “Not as long as our first date.”
Sydney shot him a look, and he chuckled feebly. “Don’t worry, I’ve already gotten a ticket.”
All the tickets, to be exact.
He needed some alone time in a nostalgic setting with her.
It took half an hour to get to the cinema . Sydney felt a twinge of nostalgia just stepping into the cinema.
Back in her high school days, most teenagers came to the cinema.
Most couples preferred to watch a romance movie together so they’d have a good excuse to make out, but Sydney went for Fast and Furious instead.
“What movie are we watching?” As they went along a hallway, Sydney glanced at movie posters.
“A horror movie.” Gavin replied untruthfully.
“I would rather watch a romance movie.” Sydney showed her disinterest.
They went to an auditorium where a poster for the film Kingdom of the Planet of Apes was displayed on the wall next to the theater door.
“The kids said you wanted to watch this movie but didn’t have the chance to.”
Sydney looked at him with a tinge of affection. “They know about this?”
Gavin scratched his neck. “They were keen on helping me out ever since I told them I wanted to take you out.”
Sydney’s mouth hung open. “Those conniving kids.” She laughed. “Come on, let’s go in.”
To Sydney’s complete shock, the theater was empty. No one was in there except them.
Sydney looked at him in awe.
“Where’s everyone?”
“I paid for all the tickets; I needed to talk things out alone with you.”
Sydney wanted to count the number of seats in the theater. Undoubtedly, Gavin was wealthy, but it was a bit too extreme to pay such an amount to get privacy.
But, Sydney did not complain.
Gavin guided her to the middle seat in the middle row while entwining his fingers with hers. He sat next to her and didn’t let go.
Sydney sat up, excited. She was a sucker for action movies; she wasn’t herself after watching a good action movie. The feeling was like the rush of alcohol in her system.
She glared at Gavin, “No spoilers.” She warned.
He couldn’t shut up about a movie he had watched. At the climax of movies, he’d tend to reveal what would happen next, which landed him in huge trouble on their eleventh date.
“My lips are zipped.”
“Good.”
In no time, the projector and speakers came to life. Sydney had already begun to cringe in anticipation at the introductory music.
“This should be on Spotify if it isn’t.” Sydney proposed.
Sydney was screaming, shouting, tearing her hair off, hitting Gavin, and sending curses as she watched the movie. She had always tied her emotions with every movie she watched.
Gavin remained silent and watched her as she displayed her talents.
It was always an amusing thing to behold.
Soon, the movie came to an end.
Sydney released a breath she didn’t know she was holding.
“That was exciting! So many plot twists, I wanted to rip my hair off.” She laughed.
She glanced at him. “Good of you to keep your mouth sealed for almost two hours.”
“That’s because I haven’t watched the movie.” Gavin said matter-of-factly.
He grasped her hand once again and lifted it for a clear glimpse.
He brushed their wedding ring on her finger.
“You are still wearing this?”
He felt ashamed. He’d taken his away and thrown it away the day he’d slept with Avery.
“I, uh, just put it on today.” She stuttered. “Just for fashion since it means nothing now.”
Gavin felt stabbed in the chest.
He dropped her hand and turned around and pointed at two seats in the last column.
“Thirteen years ago, remember? We were sitting there on our first date.”
She’d never forgotten it once.
“Watching Fast and Furious, you got mad at me because I said Paul Walker was the hottest man created.” She added mirthfully.
Gavin looked at her. “I didn’t intend on ever remembering that.” He said, and she laughed.
Her laugh turned bleak. She let out a breath.
“Whatever happened to us, Gavin?” Her question ripped his heart into pieces. “We used to be so in love, so happy. Why did it all change?”
“I let my anger and pride ruin us.” He ran a hand through his face. “When I think about those days and how unstoppable we were, I feel like smashing my head against a wall for ruining it.”
“Remember in high school when John Bright and Cody Smith used to tell you I’d break your heart one day because I’m a hypertensive lecher who goes completely insane when he’s angry? I f**ked their faces and assured you I’ll never hurt you. God…”
Gavin buried his face in one palm and shook his head.
“I didn’t realize I was hurting you from day one. You were right; I never put you first. I always thought through my anger; I never cared to know how you felt about the things I did or what was going on with you.”
” Dad told me countless times to let you go before I ruined you and myself, but I didn’t listen. I impregnated an eighteen-year-old, got married to you with my immaturity, and made stupid decisions that tore us apart.”
He looked at her through his hair.
“You didn’t deserve to be with a man like me; that was the first mistake I made. I shouldn’t have taken advantage of your naivety and waltzed into your life.”
“Despite knowing Avery’s mother was gone, I made the stupid, inconsiderate decision to seduce her best friend into loving me. I should have known she would come for revenge. I shouldn’t have given in to her; there is no excuse for what I’ve done, and there is no excuse for treating you like you mean nothing to me. You have every right to leave me; it was all my fault.”
Head bowed, he was in tears.
Sydney wanted to add more to the list of what he’d done wrong, but she knew she would be a hypocrite doing that.
“It wasn’t all your fault, Gavin; I’m not far off the blame. I’ve let my insecurities affect my relationship with people for years. If I’d been smart enough to know what Avery was up to, I wouldn’t have fallen into her trap. I wouldn’t have deprived you of your rights, I wouldn’t have talked to you so brashly, and I would have sat down and talked things out earlier.”
Her hand went to his face, and she cleaned his tears. “We were both wrong. But I just didn’t understand why you never wanted me to go to college and get a job.”
Gavin looked at her.
The last time he wanted to tell her the truth, Ethan got shot; he didn’t know what move Alejandro would pull off next if he told her the truth.
He wanted to tell her everything, but then again, he didn’t want anyone harming her and his kids.
He cupped her cheek and smiled faintly, “I was afraid you’d get too focused on your work to care about me.”
“That’s a stupid thing to think of.” Sydney shot straight.
“I know things can’t be the same again, but all I ask is that you forgive me; I can live peacefully after that.” He stroked her cheek.
“I have no right to not forgive you; that’s if you are willing to forgive me.”
Gavin sighed internally. Taking her hand, he drew her onto his laps.
“I’ve forgiven you months ago.”
He wrapped his arm around her affectionately.
She smiled grimly and ran a hand through his hair.
“I’m leaving for Seattle next week with the kids.”
“They told me. They said they do not want to go.”
“You can come with us, so you don’t have to be distanced from them.” Sydney suggested as she drew back from the hug.
The offer was good, but Gavin would be signing a death wish moving to Seattle.
He held the back of her neck.
“I’d consider.” The proposal had been thrown into the shredder already.
There was a brief moment of silence.
“Do you still love me?” Gavin asked almost silently.
With a smile, Sydney kissed the corner of his lips and said, “I had never stopped loving you for a second.”