Save the Last Dance
Chapter 4: The one for my daughter
"Gabi? I'm back." Ramon shouted as he entered their house. He went up and checked on her daughter's room and found it empty. He then went to Alex's room and saw Gabriella placing everything a boxes. "Gabriella Montez. What are you doing?" Ramon asked her daughter.
"I'm cleaning this room." Gabriella replied flatly.
"I know you're doing this but do you have to do it immediately?" Ramon asked.
"The sooner the better." Gabriella replied.
"Gabriella, stop." Ramon instructed her daughter. "I know you're not okay."
"I'm fine, dad." Gabriella answered back her father as she continued to pick up Alex's things.
All of a sudden, the door downstairs banged out loud. Gabriella and Ramon rushed back downstairs. And was shocked to see three guys in masks with baseball bats and knives with them.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Ramon asked them and pulled Gabriella behind his back.
One of the guys suddenly speak, "Just shut up and just give us all your money."
"Please just leave." Ramon told the three thugs. "I'll call the police."
"I'm afraid you can't do that." The other guy said and laughed. "We'll kill you before you can dial a number."
"Okay, get everything, anything. We won't call the police. Just don't hurt us." Ramon offered.
The thugs one by one went upstairs and created the mess taking everything with them. Gabriella and Ramon sitting on the sofa where one of the thugs is looking out at them. Then he suddenly said, "You know you have a pretty daughter. Can I have her?"
This made Ramon shot up and shouted and punched the thug. "Don't you dare touch my daughter, you can get anything but not my daughter!"
The thug stood up and punched Ramon back. Gabriella retaliated and kicked the guy's private part, which made him collapse on the floor with pain. Gabriella took the baseball bat and slammed the collapsed thug with it until he's completely unconcious. Immediately, the two thugs who were ransacking their home came down and saw what happened to their friend. "Why you son of a bitch!" Pulled Gabriella away and slapped her hard in the face and fell down beside her father.
"Don't hurt my daughter!" Ramon tried to stand up but was kicked in the stomach by the other thug.
"This is for hurting our friend." The thug told Ramon. Two thugs kicked Ramon. Gabriella tried standing up to defend her father, but one of the thugs saw her and kicked her stomach to.
Gabriella closed her eyes in pain and told herself, "Alex. Help."
All of a sudden the beatings have stopped, Gabriella opened her eyes and saw Alex unarmed one of the thugs his knife as he whacked him with the baseball back that was on the floor earlier. Then the other one was trying to get the knife from Alex but failed to do so in turn Alex also whacked the thug. Three thugs then were lying on the floor unconscious. Gabriella instantly took her phone from her pocket and dialed the emergency number. After telling what happened she rushed to her father who's lying on the floor.
"Dad?" Gabriella shook her father. She turned him around and saw the he was having another heart attack. "Alex! Help! Daddy's having another attack!"
After tying the thugs hands and feet and heard Gabriella's panicking voice he looked up and saw Ramon breathing heavily, as what Gabriella told him earlier Ramon was having another heart attack. Alex rushed to his side, after a few minutes the police and some paramedics came, they saw the whole situation and the police took the three thugs into their van while the paramedics took Gabriella and Ramon in the ambulance. "I'll be going to the police station to report the incident. You take care of yourself and uncle." Alex told Gabriella with that, Gabriella nodded and the ambulance left their lodge.
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After reporting the incident in the police station, he asked the police if they could drop him off the hospital, which the police humbly agreed to do so. Once he was dropped off, he immediately rushed to the emergency room finding Gabriella sitting on the waiting area.
"Lala, how's uncle?" Alex asked her.
"He's in the operating room right now." Gabriella sniffed. Alex knew she had been crying.
"Uncle's going to be alright, Lala." Alex comforted her as he hugged her tightly. "Don't worry he'll be fine."
Gabriella nodded while brushing her tears away, "Thanks."
"Have you eaten yet?" Alex asked Gabriella.
Gabriella shook her head, "I'm in no mood to eat."
"You have to eat, Lala." Alex told her. "Uncle doesn't want you to get sick to. I'll buy you some food okay? I'll be right back."
Alex then left and went to the hospital's cafeteria. He bought two sandwiches and 2 bottles of apple juice. He then went back to the waiting area and gave the sandwich and juice to Gabriella.
"Thanks." Gabriella said meekly.
Alex nodded, "Now, eat." He commanded her. Both of them ate in silence.
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After four hours of waiting, Ramon's heart doctor, Dr. Steven Nichols came out from the operating room. Gabriella and Alex stood up and went to him. "Doctor is my father going to be alright?" Gabriella asked the doctor.
Dr. Nichols smiled, "It's a good thing that you immediately called emergency. If not he might not make it. He needs some rest, he'll wake up tomorrow."
"Thank you doctor." Gabriella cried with joy. "Thank you."
"You've been taking care of him pretty well Gabriella." Dr. Nichols informed her. "You can go now to his room, it's Room 614."
Gabriella nodded, both Alex and her left the waiting area and headed straight to Ramon's room.
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"Alex, can we talk?" Gabriella asked Alex while walking towards her father's hospital room. Alex nodded and both seated at the bench at the hospital's small park.
"What is it that you wanted to ask?" Alex asked Gabriella looking at her.
Gabriella looked back at him straight in the eyes, "Why did you come back?"
"I-" Alex was about to answer the question but Gabriella cut him off.
"I thought you don't want to be here." Gabriella said and tears are now flowing evidently in her eyes. "I thought you're bored and you want to leave us then why did you come back and saved us?"
Alex brushed Gabriella's tears in her eyes and said, "I realized that I don't want to leave you, Lala. Leave you and uncle alone, and now I couldn't even imagine if I really left you guys, both of you could be dead. And I wouldn't want that. Both of you are the most important people in my life, and I don't want you guys to leave me. I came back because I couldn't bear to be separated from you, Lala. I care about you so much that I'd risk anything just to be with you."
"Why?" Gabriella glared at him. "Why would you risk everything just to be with me? I thought you don't want to be here. You can still leave you know?"
Alex hugged her, she tried to break free by twisting her body but Alex held her more tightly and out of frustration Gabriella just punched Alex's chest while crying on it, "Because I love you, Lala. I love you so much that I couldn't stand losing you."
Gabriella was shocked when she heard it and stopped punching and trying to break loose from his grasps. After calming down, she looked up and saw Alex's sincere eyes bore on her, "I meant what I said. I love you Gabriella and I don't want to lose you. If you don't love me and just love me as a brother, I respect that but my feelings won't change."
Gabriella blinked and looked at him with a smile, "No, Alex. I love you too."
Alex smiled and both shared loving kiss. "Now let's go to uncle's room. Okay?"
Gabriella smiled and nodded and both of them walked hand in hand towards Ramon's hospital room.
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Gabriella and Alex both fell asleep, Gabriella lying on Alex's lap while Alex was sleeping in a sitting position in the elongated couch. Alex's arms draped around Gabriella's petite body while Gabriella's arms were placed under her head.
Ramon groaned and fluttered his eyes slowly, he saw a plain white ceiling, he can hear the machine beeping and he already knew that he was in the hospital he looked around the room until he saw two sleeping figures on the couch. He saw Gabriella and Alex sleeping peacefully, with Alex's protective arms around his daughter. He smiled at the beautiful scene in front of him. It made him remember those moments with Maria, her wife and Gabriella's mother. He smiled at the thought and sighed. He felt bad that he was the one that persuaded Alex to leave both him and Gabriella because he was so scared of what will happen if Alex regains his memories. He then realized that Alex whether his memory comes back or not was there when they're in the brink of death. He saved their lives, and that kind of person was hard to find. He knew Alex wouldn't think twice just to save him, what more if Gabriella was in grave danger. He also realized that it doesn't matter who you are in the past but who you are right now because everything in the world changes. He's happy that he found the right person that he was willing to give her Gabriella. Because he knew that he'll leave this place anytime soon, he was stupid to be blinded by doubts and didn't see that the right person for his daughter is just in front of him and have been living with them for six months. Tears slowly dripped down his eyes, he wiped it immediately afraid that both of them will wake up any minute and notice him crying. He smiled at them again, he knew both of them are so much in love and cared for each other.
"Maria, can you see that?" Ramon told to himself silently, "I think I found the right person to leave our Ella with. And he's right there protecting our daughter, his name is Alex." With that, Ramon smiled inwardly.
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Ramon was released from the hospital three weeks after the incident. During those three weeks, Alex and Gabriella took turns of taking care of him. It's been two weeks since Ramon got home from the hospital, he decided to tell Alex something while Gabriella was out of the lodge as she went and drive the guests to the airport and off to buy some medicines for her dad. Alex just finished placing the used bed sheets in the washing machine when he heard Ramon called him. He then left the laundry area and went out to the porch.
"You called?" Alex asked Ramon.
Ramon nodded and patted the chair beside him asking Alex to sit down. "I want to talk to you."
Alex nodded and sat beside Ramon, "What do you want to talk about?"
"First and foremost, I wanted to apologize for being hard on you, telling you to leave and forget your feelings for my daughter. I'm sorry for that." Ramon replied.
Alex shook his head and smiled, "Uncle, if that's you're worried about then don't even bother. Because I understood it completely, you're just protecting Gabriella of getting hurt."
Ramon smiled, "Ever since her mom passed away from giving birth. I gave everything for Ella. She's the only reason why I'm living, if not for her I might've committed suicide before. She's been a spoiled daddy's girl, but even though she is she is selfless. During my first attack, she's the one who took care of me. She stopped going to college just to take care of me and with the expenses from the hospital and from my medicines we couldn't afford her tuition. She was the one who told me that she'd stop for the meantime. Being a father, I obliged but looking our savings which is just exact for all of my expenses I have no choice."
Alex nodded, "Why are you telling me this?"
"Alex, the doctor talked to me a while back." Ramon informed Alex.
"What did the doctor say?" Alex asked.
Ramon smiled and replied, "Everyday, my conditions keep getting worse. Even though the doctor didn't tell me about it. I know it's getting worse every time. I'm lucky to have survived from the heart attack five weeks ago."
"Why are you telling me this? Does Gabriella know?" Alex confusingly asked Ramon.
"No I didn't tell her. If I did she would be hurt. I wanted to spend the last days of my life seeing the cheerful smile on her face." Ramon told Alex. "In that way, I can leave with a peace of mind."
"Why are you saying that uncle?" Alex replied. "Don't say such things. I wouldn't allow it."
Ramon smiled at the young boy. "Alex, even if you'd never allow it to happen, if it's my time to leave. It's time."
"But Gabriella will be sad." Alex explained, "She will be very sad if you leave her. She also didn't know your real condition. Dr. Nichols told us that you're in good condition and she's really happy about it."
"I told the doctor to say those things to her. As I've said, I want to see her happy." Ramon explained. "Which is why I asked to sit down here, I want to tell you something."
Alex nodded and looked at Ramon intently. Ramon smiled at him again, "I know that you love my daughter very much and you would protect her from anything. You make my daughter happy that she always has this glow in her face and so do you. I've known you for almost eight months now and I realized that you're a decent young man."
"Thanks for the compliments uncle. I truly love your daughter very much." Alex replied.
"Which is why I have one last request." Ramon answered. "Would you do this for an old man like me Alex?"
Alex nodded, "If you want me to leave again then I would."
Ramon laughed and shook his head, "That's one of the things I've regretted. Letting you leave. It was so harsh for me to do that. Ever since I've had my first heart attack two years ago, I've known that my life wouldn't be that long. I prayed to God and to my wife that one day, I'd find a rightful young man who would take care of my daughter and would love her more than I loved her."
Alex kept quiet and listened to Ramon very intently. Ramon started to speak again, "When you got into an accident and we adopted you, at first I was scared that you might be a psycho killer before you had your amnesia, but as the days passed by, I realized that you are a good young man. Even though we don't know anything about your past, I can still see it that you're a fine young man with dreams."
"But that didn't stop me from worrying, I saw you and Gabi became pretty too close and I had this feeling that both of you are falling for each other. I was so scared that in the end you might leave her when you're cured with your amnesia that's why I asked you to leave. But when I saw my daughter a few minutes before the incident, how depressed and sad she looked, she tried not to cry and cleaned your room. I realized I made a huge mistake, seeing my daughter with red puffy eyes and pretending nothing happened was the worst feeling I felt inside, I felt guilty."
Alex still didn't interrupt and just nodded to Ramon. "I woke up in the hospital the next day and saw both of you sleeping peacefully and you're arms around her body. Just by seeing that I knew that you would be there to protect my daughter at any costs even sacrificing your life just for her to be safe. Both of you looked peaceful and I felt happy that you came back."
"I came back because I couldn't bear the thought of leaving both of you behind. Especially Gabriella." Alex answered. "Even if I told myself to get in the bus, my heart felt like it was being stabbed into a million pieces."
Ramon nodded and continued, "You know what I realized when I saw both of you sleeping? I realized that it didn't matter who you are in the past. The only thing that matters is that you're there when my daughter needs someone the most. I realized that I've already found the right person for my daughter, I told myself how stupid I am not to realize that you're the one I've been looking for and yet I told you to leave. I sighed in relief when you didn't leave if not I would've regretted doing it and leaving Gabi alone."
"Alex, this last favor. I hope you would do this not for me. But because you want to." Ramon told Alex.
Alex nodded. Ramon smiled at him. "I want you to marry my daughter."
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"Why are we climbing up here, Alex?" Gabriella asked as Alex pulled her.
"Because I have a surprise for you." Alex smiled as they continue to climb up the slope beside the lodge. "We're here." Alex informed Gabriella as they stopped.
Gabriella nodded confusedly, "So what's up here?"
"Look at the tree in front of you." Alex instructed her.
"There's a birdhouse." Gabriella told him.
Alex nodded, "Open the door of the bird house." Alex again instructed her.
Gabriella followed Alex's instruction and opened the birdhouse. She gasped as she saw a velvet box inside. "Take it." Alex told her.
She nodded and took it out. "Now open it." Alex told her. Gabriella opened it and was shocked to see a beautiful white-gold necklace. Her eyes widened and looked at Alex who was beaming. "I've bought that using my salary from the lodge."
"What's this for?" Gabriella asked him still in awe with the beautiful necklace in the velvet jewelry box.
"This necklace has something in it." Alex explained and Gabriella looked at hi quizzically. Alex took out the necklace and opened it- inside there was a roll of paper. He took out the paper from the necklace and rolled it out. He looked at Gabriella intently and started to read. "Even if I don't have memories from the past or even if my memories come back. If fate separates us, I will find you. I'll be willing to find you even if I need to go to the ends of the earth. I will always love you and cherish you for all eternity."
Alex looked at Gabriella and smiled at her. She smiled back wiping her tears that was about to fall down. She was touched by the message given by Alex, she looked at him and said, "It's beautiful. I love you too, Alex."
Alex smiled and placed the paper back in the necklace and placed the necklace in Gabriella's neck. Both shared a long-heartwarming kiss, Alex smiled at her and said, "I have one the same as well." He unbuttoned one button of his polo and showed the same identical necklace to Gabriella. "No matter what. I'll always be here for you."
Gabriella hugged Alex as he hugged her as well tightly. "There's one more thing."
"What is it?" Gabriella asked him.
"Marry me, Gabriella?" Alex said. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."