Thanks so much for the comments! I really appreciate them!! I'm not sure if this will be the end or not…still kind of up in the air at this point. But anyway, I really hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it.
CHAPTER 3
"Helloooo." Gaby announced her presence, still unsure of why she was needed. She carried two small towels and an ice pack as Susan had requested.
"In the kitchen." Susan replied. Bree had calmed down considerably, but was still trembling, burying her head so that all Susan could see was her vibrant red hair, which remained, somehow, perfectly styled.
"Hi." Gaby stood awkwardly in the doorway of the kitchen, looking down at her two friends. "What's um…" She struggled to find the right words. "Did something happen? Okay, stupid question. Obviously something happened. I just um…" She shook her head, realizing that she was babbling. "Susan, help me out here, will you?"
"Okay." Susan took one arm off of Bree's body, and felt the redhead's grasp tighten around her waist. "Relax, I'm not going anywhere." She soothed, speaking calmly and quietly. She looked back up at Gaby, who honestly looked more confused than concerned at this point. "Take one of the towels you brought and run it under cold water." She instructed, watching as Gaby obeyed her orders. "Alright." She sighed. "Have a seat."
Once Gaby was sitting down on the other side of Bree, Susan delicately reached for the redhead's arm, which was pressed tightly against her body. Bree resisted, struggling to keep her burns hidden from Gabrielle. She was already so ashamed, why make it even worse?
"Come on." Susan coaxed, gently pressing Bree's right arm. "We need to cool you down." She was referring to the burns, of course, but did not want to divulge too much information just yet. She would rather wait for Bree to show Gabrielle what happened on her own. Forcing it would undoubtedly cause more harm than good. "Bree, please." She looked desperately over to Gaby, "Talk to her." She mouthed.
Gabrielle dropped the damp towel on the floor, sliding over until she was kneeling in front of her two friends. She studied them for a moment. Susan, who was trying to be so strong for her friend, but nearing her breaking point. And Bree, tucked so tightly into Susan's small frame that if not for her red hair, she would never know who this woman was.
"Bree." Gaby placed a hand on her shoulder, feeling the woman shudder beneath her touch. She couldn't understand how she could be so open and vulnerable with Susan, yet so rigid with her. "Sweetie, why won't you look at me?" She waited for a response that never came. "Okay, you don't have to look at me. That's fine. But please just listen." She took a moment to collect her thoughts. "I guess I'm surprised to see you like this. I mean, I saw you this morning and you seemed fine. But then again, you're always fine. Always pretending everything's perfect." She paused. "You're not fooling anyone, you know."
"Uh, Gaby…?" Susan interjected, hoping that calling her over hadn't been a mistake.
The brunette ignored Susan's remark and continued. "Your husband is in a wheelchair. You're not expected to be okay. It's hard. It's really hard to take care of someone who used to be so capable and independent." She took a breath, noticing Bree beginning to shift. She could see the corner of her eye and knew that she was listening. "I'm lucky. Carlos got his sight back. But for those five years, it was hell. No, he wasn't paralyzed, but he needed me. He needed me for everything. And he was angry…and so was I. I didn't understand why this was happening to me…to us. What did we do to deserve something so terrible?"
"But sometimes things just happen. Things we can't control." She sighed. "And sometimes, when you least expect it, you get a miracle." She watched as Bree slowly untangled herself from Susan's embrace, still clutching her right arm. "But I know how hard it is to wait for a miracle. To wait for something that may never come. I do. And I want to help you." Gabrielle cracked a small smile, looking her friend straight in the eye. "But you have to let me…to let us." She clarified, referring to herself, Susan and Lynette.
Bree stared back at her friend, deeply touched by her words. "I don't know what to say." She whispered.
"Oh." Gaby interrupted. "I also know that you miss Karl." She smirked as Bree's eyes widened. "Oh, come on. I practically knew about the affair before you did. I mean, I didn't know it was Karl until later on. But you were such a joy to be around, obviously because of all the sex you were having. Good sex…which clearly wasn't happening with Orson."
"Gaby!" Bree scolded.
Susan rested her head against the dishwasher and sighed. "You were doing so well, too."
Gaby smiled, pressing Bree's shoulder. "Had to make sure you were still listening."
"While I'm a bit disturbed that you judge my personality based on my sex life, I do I appreciate everything you said." She ran a few fingers through her hair. "But my situation…it's different." She took a shaky breath. "I don't…I don't love Orson. I tolerate him because I have no choice. And I…I hate him for it. But how can I hate someone I've hurt so terribly?" She paused. "It's easier to hate myself." She carefully let go of the arm she had been clutching so tightly, revealing the burn marks she had made. "To hurt…myself."
Gaby didn't react as Bree and Susan had expected. She didn't shrink back in horror or show a display of emotions. In fact, she didn't say a word. Instead, she simply picked up the towel she had dropped earlier and rinsed it off, cooling it back down.
"This might sting a little." She spoke softly, placing the towel around the burns. She took Bree's hand as she grimaced, "I know it hurts, but it's just for a minute, okay?"
Bree leaned back into Susan as Gaby held the damp towel around her arm. "Please don't let me do this again." A single tear rolled down her cheek. She felt defeated, finally giving in and asking for help. "Please." She whimpered.
"Never again." Susan kissed her cheek lightly. "I promise you. And I don't break my promises."
Gaby fought back her own tears. "Oh, honey I won't let you burn anything. If I see as much as burnt toast in those house we're gonna have problems." She couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, seeing that she had caused Bree to smile. Never letting go of her friends' hand, Gaby shifted, resting her head on the redhead's shoulder. "But seriously. I love you too much to let you hurt yourself. Way too much."
