Because Of Grace and Blue Eyes by Mochamint19
Chapter 2: The Perfect Life
August 27th, 2013
It was sunny and bright, the perfect day for the state of New Jersey. Even though the month was August the temperatures were delightfully only in the high seventies. 'It was going to be the perfect day,' Gabriella thought as she stirred and stretched slightly. Looking over at her alarm clock, she noticed the time was nine thirty and that her daughter would probably be in to wake her up soon. Sure enough, she heard the door creak open softly. As she heard the small footprints approaching, she pretended to be sleeping.
"Mommy?" the little girl whispered as she climbed up onto the bed. "Mommy wake up!" the little girl repeated, now with excitement.
Gabriella faked a yawn and pretended to wake up. "Good Morning Sofie," she said, now smiling as she lifted the comforter and the little girl snuggled in.
"Mommy do you know what today is?" Sofie asked, trying unsuccessfully to hide her smile.
Gabriella smiled, "I believe today is Saturday," she said this playfully laughing at the little girl's expression.
Sofie's eyebrow had shot up. A look of pure shock was written across her face. "Don't you remember? It's my birthday today!"
"Of course I remember, how could I forget?" Gabriella said as she tickled the girl.
Sofie giggled loudly and yelled, "Mommy, you're silly!"
It was silent for a couple minutes as Gabriella remembered the last five years of her life. So much had changed, and Gabriella smiled happily.
"Guess what?" Sofie said bringing Gabriella back to the present day.
"What is that?" Gabriella said matching her daughter's excitement; Gabriella always was good with children.
Sofie giggled, " Daddy said we get to have chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast!" The little girl shouted. She then stopped for a second catching her breath again, "And we get to go out somewhere that is a secret for dinner tonight.
"Wow!" Gabriella gasped copying the excitement again "How about you go get dressed and I will try to see if Daddy will tell me the secret ok?"
Sofie nodded and ran down the hallway towards her bedroom. Gabriella plopped down onto her pillow again thinking about the past. It was amazing how so many things could change. When she first found out about Sofie she was scared to death, but now she loved that little girl more than anything in this world. Placing her hand on her stomach, as much as she would love the other girl that was now a part of her. She knew that her husband and Sofie were the only things that turned her from a frightened immature teenager into the sophisticated twenty three-year-old women she was today. She loved them for that reason as well as more.
Gabriella yawned as she put on her blue and green bathrobe over her pajamas. She waked out of the bedroom she shared with her husband and down the hallway towards the kitchen. Throughout the five years of Sofie's existence they had their share of living places and conditions. Today Gabriella was proud of the four-bedroom townhouse she and her husband owned. Walking through the doorway to the kitchen she could smell the familiar scent of chocolate chip pancakes. Creeping behind her husband she took her hands and placed them gently over the blonde man's eyes, she could feel him ponder and smile. Finally he spoke.
"Well since one of them has yet to be born and Sofie is too short to reach, I don't think it could be either of my daughters. Could it be one of my wives? Now which one was it again?" the man said jokingly turning around and placing a soft kiss on Gabriella's smiling lips.
Breaking out of the kiss Gabriella stuttered softly, "Ryan I think I should stop distracting you, I don't think Sofie will be impressed if you burn her pancakes."
Ryan laughed and nodded. Pouting slightly he shook his head, "You're right." he sighed smiling. "How are my girls today?" he said wrapping one arm around Gabriella's waist and placing the other hand on her stomach.
Gabriella blushed, "We're doing good today," she replied. Even though she had been married for four years, she still loved how just by the sound of his voice made her knees go weak. Just by one touch, her stomach would fill with butterflies and her heart would race. Although there was something more important occupying that place right now, she could still feel them, the butterflies.
It wasn't a sudden thing, her and Ryan, but a slow gradual thing, a friendship that turned into true love. Ryan had been absolutely amazing and wonderful throughout the years and she owed him so much. Ryan and her hadn't exactly been friends in high school. It wasn't that they hated each other, but they never really had anything to talk about, no deep connecting conversations. She assumed that despite being in the fall play as the leads together junior year, before he quit, they never really spoke in detail. Gabriella based it on her relationship with Troy that limited their interaction time. Troy wasn't jealous, it was that Gabriella didn't have any reason to talk to Ryan. With Troy in her life, she was in love and she shut the rest of the world out. It was only the most important people in her life like Kelsi, Taylor and Chad, Zeke and Troy, and her mother that she let in. She had assumed she had the perfect life, she was popular, she was happy, and had all that she thought she needed. Thinking about these days, it would never compete to the life she now held. Looking across the table to man in front of her listening intently to a five year rant about gibberish and her birthday left Gabriella smiling, this was now her idea of the perfect life. She knew she love the two people in front of her much more than anything, the third person who was the closet part of her even more.
It was a struggle for Gabriella to admit that she needed anyone to help her. She felt like a charity case. By April that year Gabriella had turned from perky excited college freshman with a major in Physics and teaching to a sad empty shell, and then to depressed teenage mother. She not only had her teenage emotions but emotions that came with her pregnancy. It was Kelsi that tried to help her first. Taylor was the only one that knew of Gabriella's secret and knew that she needed back up to help her. Kelsi had talked to Taylor throughout February and March and each time it seemed that Taylor would report that Gabriella was becoming sadder and more depressed. She had dropped her science major in February almost as she felt that the science in her life had betrayed her and she wanted nothing to do with it. She just floated throughout life, her A's turned to B's and she lost her luster for things that once made her happy. Gabriella had loved singing but now it just reminded her of how he wasn't going to be there for this. So she sat at home most nights and watched television, sometimes staying on the couch for hours only eating when necessary. Kelsi assumed that Gabi was just missing Troy so in her attempt to make her feel better she came down to New Mexico during Spring Break. Kelsi decided to take Gabriella to a local show for Ryan and Jason's band, which had changed their name to Artificially Flavored after one of the guitarists, quit and they gained a different one. At first Gabriella had refused, but after Kelsi begged endlessly she finally agreed. So one Friday night that April Kelsi drove to the venue where the show would be held and they talked. But even then Kelsi knew something wasn't right, Gabriella's chitchat was secretive and she looked so sad.
It wasn't until later that history would be made. This was where Gabriella figured her life had changed, and she knew now that it was for the better. It was shortly after the show had ended and Gabriella was sitting with the band; twenty year-old Ryan, nineteen-year-old Jason and the two high school seniors that were eighteen and nineteen. Jared and Kyle were great and the best to play with, together they created a cool new rock sound all their own. Gabriella had been feeling nauseous the whole night and was worried that it would get the best of her, when she realized that she couldn't handle it anymore she ran to the bathroom. After becoming ill she came out to find Ryan waiting by the door.
"Are you ok?" he asked looking slightly worried.
"I just don't feel that well," Gabriella said now regretting the fact that she didn't keep her mouth shut. "I'm better not though." She added trying to take the pressure and attention off herself.
"Are you sure?" he said almost as if this was a mystery in a story that he needed to solve. It was a sweet gesture to ask again, but for Gabriella it was just plain irritating.
"Yes!" she said with venom, "I'll be just fine, I don't know why guys think all women are helpless all the time."
"Have you eaten anything?" he said feeling embarrassed for offending her, now trying to make nice conversation.
What people didn't know is that Ryan didn't only quit the plays because of his sister's constant commands and the band. He had always had a small crush on Gabi and it broke his heart to watch her with Troy. He wasn't exactly jealous, but sad that he could never have her. He didn't want to remind himself everyday that he couldn't have her. She really loved Troy and he understood that.
"What is that suppose to mean?" She said coldly.
Ryan looked at her seriously now, as if he were looking at someone else, someone he didn't know or recognize. Something was definitely wrong, but he didn't know if it his business to ask or the best time. "Well," he said quietly stuttering. "The guys and I were just going to order a pizza, you can join us if you are hungry."
"Why?" she said sarcastically, "Do you want that to happen?"
He watched while the sweetest girl he had ever met in high school spoke with spite. It was almost as if she had been drinking, fear stuck him as he wondered if she had. He spoke carefully trying to offend her again. "I just thought that with Troy gone you would…" he didn't even finish his sentence and she was in on him. Speaking with true anger, she started yelling in his face.
"I DON'T NEED YOU! I don't need anyone to fucking feel sorry for me! So swallow your Boy Scout pride and give up, I don't need you to replace him or do a damn thing about it ok!"
Instantly she felt sick again, except this time she felt like she was going to fall. Her vision was blurry and her head felt heavy. Suddenly she fell, quickly Ryan caught her softly, and she had fainted. Picking her up gently he brought her over to a table and sat down. After checking to make sure she was breathing he noticed that she looked so sad and pale. He knew that she was in a lot of trouble and all he wanted to do was help her.
"I'm going to take her home guys," Ryan said calmly trying not to wake the sleeping girl in his arms. The guys nodded and Ryan brought Gabriella out to his car.
She woke up half way though the car ride and fell right back to sleep. 'Where did Kelsi go, wasn't she with Gabriella?' he wondered why all of sudden Kelsi was gone. The answer was that when Gabriella started sitting with the band Kelsi had gotten an urgent phone call from Juliyard and had to leave. It seemed serious so Gabriella didn't press her on it and told her good bye and that she would just find a cab. It felt like a long time, but finally Ryan had pull up to the college dorms. Praying that someone would be there to open the door he knocked, he was surprised to see Taylor answer in a panic.
"What Happened!" She almost screamed, but realizing that Gabriella was sleeping she lowered her voice.
Ryan explained how Gabriella had rudely attacked him and then passed out.
"Do you know if there is anything that is bothering, other than Troy, that would cause her to drink?" Ryan asked cautiously.
"Did you see her drinking?" Taylor said worried.
"No, it's just she seemed kind of drunk and she said she wasn't feeling well. So you don't know anything?"
"Yeah, I don't know anything, but if I do find anything out I'll tell you," Taylor lied.
"She seems fine now, but keep me posted." Ryan said setting Gabriella on the couch.
"Are you ok?" Ryan questioned bringing her back to the present.
"Yeah I'm fine." Gabriella smiled brightly at her husband. She remembered that night at the show, and she knew at that moment that he was always going to be there for her. Gabriella knew that this was the perfect life and she loved him for giving it to her. The memories like many other things in her life made her drift off again.
It was chilly morning and for the month of April in New Mexico this was a little odd. Gabriella opened her eyes slowly, 'why am I on the couch?' she thought. Then her night of yelling at Ryan came back to her; he was just trying to be helpful, she felt bad about snapping at him. There were really no good time for hormones or mood swings. She needed coffee and she knew she wouldn't survive the day without it. The clock read 9:07am and she knew that it was the second Saturday in April and Taylor would be gone most of the day spending the day with Zeke in Phoenix. There was no coffee in the kitchen
"Damn." She cursed. This was not a good week. "Of course lately when have I ever had a good week?" she stated aloud.
She decided that she would shower and go out for coffee. Although she hated spending money on unnecessary things during this critical time in her life, the warm decaf liquid was calling to her. So she washed her hair, got dressed in a warm blue sweater and khakis and walked down the street to the Starbucks by the campus. Walking in she perceived that her luck was not going to change anytime soon. The place was busier than a beehive and she felt like she wasn't going to be able to handle this. Since she usually spent Sundays with her mother she assumed that her mom wouldn't mind if she came earlier and spent the night. It was cloudy and looked like it was going to rain. There was nothing much else she could do and she didn't want to be alone. Walking back to the dorm she got into her blue Mazda and headed towards her mother's house. Her mother wouldn't be home until noon because of the book club she joined for Saturday mornings. Therefore Gabriella figured that it couldn't hurt looking for somewhere to buy coffee and she was really starting to crave it. Passing by a small coffee shop she praised god, maybe her luck would get better. So she pulled into an open spot and walked into the warm atmosphere.
"I will be right with you." She heard a male voice shout as she pulled out her wallet.
"Hey Gabriella, what can I get for you?"
'Was he everywhere?' she thought immediately. Looking up she found herself staring into green eyes that could only be those of Ryan Evans. "I will take a small decaf coffee, can you handle that?" she said coldly. Timing was not on her side, what was with this kid and having to throw up. She felt sick again, really sick. "Excuse me." She said throwing up in a nearby trashcan. Her emotions were now becoming part of the equation and she ran out and towards a nearby bench. Sitting down she let the tears fall. All the emotions that had bottled up inside of her since Troy left. Why couldn't she just make a deal with fate, why didn't she just tell Troy when she had the chance at the movies. This pain was too much, it hurt her to know that she was going to do this alone, she didn't want to do this alone. "Maybe Troy's dad was right," she whispered to herself. As she sniffled she heard footsteps and someone sitting down next to her. It was almost as if he needed to help her, she was in trouble and he knew that being pale and getting sick constantly was not a good sign. He cared too much about her to let her continue like this.
"Bad hangover?" Ryan said trying to make the situation lighter.
"I'm not drunk you idiot," she said upset not looking up.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to assume that." He said sincerely. " If you are sick and need to see a doctor I can take you. I mean I know we don't exactly hang out or know each other that well, but I can help though, don't be afraid to ask."
"You know you don't have to 'save me' I can take care of myself." She said sniffling. "I don't need a superhero to protect me." She looked at him angrily.
"Yeah I know that," he said kind of hurt. "Um… you forgot your coffee."
Gabriella sighed and smiled lightly. "Thank you."
"Decaf, right?" he said contemplating. "Are you sure you are ok?" he said again.
"Yes! How many times do I have to tell you." She said warningly.
"So…" he said awkwardly. "How far are you along?"
"What!"
"You are pregnant, aren't you?" he said looking seriously at her. " I mean why else would a college student get a decaf coffee?"
"You have to be kidding right?" She said defensively, "I'm not pregnant." She laughed hollow and unconvincingly.
"Well there is one other reason I know." He said pausing slightly trying not to bring the memory back. He said this almost sadly; she could the sense features of his face fall. "It is the same things that I saw when my mom was pregnant. Sharpay and I were nine. We we're really worried when she got so sick, but then they explained that we were going to have a new sibling, she was going to have a baby."
"I didn't know you and Sharpay had any siblings." She said this afraid, already sensing something was not right.
"We don't," he said swallowing hard. "She had a miscarriage in her third month. I think this is the point when Sharpay became so cold. I guess she thought we could act our way out of reality."
" Four months." Gabriella said softly. "I am four months pregnant, but please don't tell anyone. Not your sister, not Jason, not Kelsi, not anyone. The only one who knows is Taylor."
Ryan smiled at her genuinely. "I never would, scouts honor."
Gabriella laughed for the first time in four months. " I think I may actually trust you Evans." She loved how he didn't ask questions, didn't wonder why she didn't tell Troy, he didn't care about what had happen, but he wanted to be her friend now. This moment started an amazing friendship.
By the time Gabriella was six months pregnant Ryan and her were inseparable. Then something happened one night in July. Most Friday nights Ryan would come over with a rented movie and they would pig out together. It seemed a lot less embarrassing shoving your face, when the boy next to you was doing the same. They would laugh and analyze the films and have a fun hang out time. This Friday was different; previously that week Gabriella had gotten the news that she would be having a little girl. It was at this time that she told the gang and explained everything that had happened. She told them the reason she didn't tell Troy and why he could never know. She told them how important to her that all of them keep this secret and answered all their questions. Tonight's movie was 'Wedding Planner' and two things in her life changed abruptly. The first thing that had changed was, Gabriella being inspired by the previous week's movie 'Almost Famous' deciding to become a music journalist. Even though that was important to Gabriella the second change was more significant. She was laughing at something Jennifer Lopez said and putting a chip into her mouth when she felt this weird bubbly feeling. It kind of hurt a little, or maybe it tickled, but despite what it felt like she put her hand to her stomach. This wasn't a bad thing, but a small little kick.
"What's a matter?" Ryan asked anxiously worried.
Quickly she didn't care about anything else. Not about how odd this could have been for both of them, but she grabbed his hand and placed it firmly on her stomach.
"I don't know if I should be…" he said nervously.
"Shh," she said quietly almost childlike. "Feel this."
Then he could feel it too, the soft kick of a now very real little girl and he smiled at her. "That's nice," he said hazily.
By seven months they had started dating. After that night of the kick, it seemed that Gabriella was starting to fall for him. It was weird for everyone at first, but eventually everything fell into place. Gabriella found herself falling in love with him. Each time he would bring over ice cream or take out, it wasn't just the cravings, she really would fall deeper and deeper into love.
Then one hot day in August they were hanging out at his apartment for another movie night. The movie tonight was Spiderman and they were settled in and it was the perfect moment. She had this small nervous feeling in her stomach, it had been there all night, but she kept it to herself, she didn't want him to feel like he was making her nervous.
"So what do you think of the movie?" He asked quietly in case she had dozed off.
"It is good." She said wincing slightly.
"Hey are you ok?" he tended to ask her this a lot these days. It is almost as if his constant worrying went into overdrive these past few weeks and with more intensity since she had became his girlfriend.
"Yeah," She said faking a yawn. "I am just going to get a glass of water in the bathroom, ok."
Almost has soon as she entered the bathroom and turned the water on the nervous feeling turned into intense pain. Suddenly she knew that this was nothing to take lightly as her water broke. She had felt so embarrassed, but forgetting this for a moment she walked into the living room trying to appear calm. She spoke softly.
"Hey Um…Ryan?" she said forgetting the calm thing now, she was scared.
"Yeah?" Ryan said looking up.
Gabriella took a long deep breath and let it out. It took him a moment, but instantaneously he knew.
"Sorry if this is a stupid question I am kind of new to this, but are you in labor?" He said quickly trying not to shout.
Gabriella shook her head and he jumped up. "Are you sure?" He said wide-eyed. "How do you know this isn't a false alarm?"
She looked at the blonde boy in front of her and laughed slightly "Because my water just broke in your bathroom."
"Well then we have to get you to a hospital! Right?" The shouting thing was catching up on him.
"This can't be happening," Gabriella said wincing again. "I'm three weeks early, I don't think I can do this. I'm not ready for this." She started to cry.
Helping her out to the car he said the first thing that came to his mind. "I think you are ready for this, you will make the most amazing mother." It sounded stupid to him but she smiled. It was almost as if at this time maturity hit the two young adults and all the confusion went away. It was learned that Gabriella's contractions were coming every sixteen minutes. She could be in labor for awhile, but after all of the stress and fear at 3:47am August 27th, 2009 her daughter was born. As she held her daughter for the first time she knew it would not be the last time she thought of 'him', the little girl's already present piercing blue eyes would always remind her of him. But it would be, she knew, the last time she would love him. It would be the final time she would think of them together, because in reality that didn't matter anymore. In reality she didn't need him, she would finally be able to say goodbye. At 3:47 that morning she had more important things in her life.
At seven O' clock that morning Gabriella woke up. She was still sore from the effects of childbirth. She had decided awhile ago that she didn't want her child to be altered or drugged up by drugs when she was born. So she decided on a natural childbirth and damn it hurt. She opened her eyes and smiled as she saw Ryan sleeping soundly on a chair. Even though the doctors said he wasn't allowed to come in with her and she really didn't mind considering how long they had been dating. She decided her mother would come into the delivery room with her so she wouldn't be alone. She was happy now that they let him sleep in her room that night. Gabriella was about to close her eyes again when she heard the door creak open.
"Good morning." A young nurse no older than her early twenties came in with a small clear box, inside held a small pink wiggling bundle. Gabriella felt like crying, but composed herself so she could hear what the woman was saying.
"Would you like to hold your daughter?" The women said softly. Gabriella still couldn't believe that she had had a baby. She shook her head and the nurse turned on the lights. At this time Ryan woke up and rubbed his eyes. Gabriella was nervous at first, the little girl was so fragile. Then she could feel her heart leap with fright, she always knew that this question would come up, but when the nurse asked her for a name she felt almost unprepared. She knew the name would be Sofia Anne, but nervously she hesitated. Almost as if sensing her fear in this Ryan spoke up."
"Sofia Anne Evans." He said with no regret or feeling he had to do this in his voice.
The nurse shook her head approvingly and left them alone. Gabriella started to cry, wiping her eyes she kissed the little girl's forehead.
"Do you want to hold her?" She said stuttering and Ryan shook his head. Gabriella knew that she didn't need anything else in this world to make her happy, she was fulfilled. They were a family, Sofie and her, and if Ryan wanted to join them then that would be perfect.
It was three months after Sofie was born; it was a typical movie night except for there was one more viewer and the movies had to be appropriate. That night Gabriella wanted to watch Peter Pan, but Ryan had decided to pick out a movie and went to go make the popcorn. Suddenly the screen went blank.
"Hey I think there is something wrong with the movie?" Gabriella yelled into the kitchen. She stopped as she noticed the song that started to play for the television set. It was the song that Ryan had written dedicated to Sofie called "Sofie" of course. So far that was the most requested song on the set list and Gabriella had never heard it. Then the screen started to display the words to the song's chorus.
"Sofie Sofie please, tell you mom to marry me. She knows I love her and always will. She is in my thoughts constantly and is my thrill. If you trust me and think I'm sweet. Then tell your mom I would be my treat." Then on the screen the words "Gabriella, Marry me please," passed. Tears welled up in her eyes and she knew that this December would be different and maybe this year was better then she thought it was going to be. The New Year to come would be unimaginable.
"You have been nothing but good to me, even when I was so horrid to you, why me?"
"Because you and the little girl have given me faith. I always wished you were mine in high school and now I have a chance to have you forever. I would never give that up."
Gabriella couldn't hold out much longer and as she shook her head the tears started to fall. "Yes." She whispered.
Gabriella smiled as she remembered that night. She simply just stared at her husband in disbelief. Ryan gave her a funny look.
"What?" he said self-consciously. "Do I have something on my face?"
"No, I just love looking at you, and I guess I think it has been awhile since you and I had a movie night." She said smiling.
"Ok?" He said confused.
" I guess I was just thinking in the past. I mean it seems with our busy lifestyles these days we don't spend much time together anymore. I mean when was the last time we had a movie night, just the two of us." She questioned rhetorically.
"Seven months ago when Sofie was staying with Sharpay and Chris." He said smiling slyly.
She threw a piece of toast at him and he caught it. She loved this life, she loved her husband, she loved her daughters and she loved her job. She had the perfect life.
