Chapter 25
My Friends and Memories
Gabriella was helping her mom in the kitchen while Paul and Greg were watching sports on the living room with the baby on the bassinet asleep when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Greg went to open the door
"Hi Greg…..can I see Gabriella and my son?" he ask shyly
"Sure Troy….come in!" stepping out of the way "Gabie's in the kitchen with mom and Kris is sleeping in the bassinet beside dad on the couch. Why don't you join us….were watching basketball on TV right now!" he walks after Greg to the living room
"Hi Paul!" acknowledging him as Paul wave a hand at him. Troy peeks at his sleeping son and gently leans over and kisses his forehead touching his cheek lightly. Paul and Greg were keenly observing him smiling at each other
"Hey Troy….why don't you join us were watching some basketball games!"
"Ok after I see Gabriella!" he walks to the kitchen where she was busy preparing the vegetable salad with her back on the door
"Hi Maria…..seems like you're having a party?" eyeing the assorted ingredients on the counter just as Gabriella spun around "Hi babe! placing both his hand on her waist planting a kiss on her lips Gabriella blushes as her mother was looking at them
"Hey….what are you doing here? wiping her hands on the kitchen towel as he wipe some sweat off her forehead lovingly staring at her chocolate brown eyes
"To see you and our son…." enfolding her in his arms "I miss you!" he whisper softly in her ear
"Hhrrmm I'm here Troy!" they grin at each other blushing beet red before looking at Maria who was smiling at them gladly "I presume that things are getting better?" they glance at each other before slightly nodding their heads
"What can I do to help Maria?" the crying of the baby permeates to the kitchen "Wow is that my son's cries?"
"Go attend to my grandson I think he's hungry…c'mon both of you go!" motioning them out of the kitchen just as Paul nearly crashes into Gabriella while carrying the screaming baby
"Uhh!" stopping on her tracks with Troy behind her before she quashes the baby on her father's arms "I'm sorry!"
"I think somebody's kind of fussy here maybe a change of diaper or food will do….ssshhh….ok you're mom's here!" Paul gazes at the infant lovingly kissing him on the forehead before handing him to Gabriella
"Come here you cute and smelly baby boy!" nuzzling him on the neck instantly the baby ceases crying and they all laugh as the infant made a gurgling sound
"I think he already knows his mom…..look at him he's not crying anymore just wide eyed!" Maria and Paul admires their grandson as Troy kisses Gabriella's top of the head proudly
"Mom dad were gonna be upstairs I think he needs some diaper change!"
"Just come down soon dinner will be ready in about 20minutes and Troy you'll have dinner with the family!" Maria hollers Troy timidly nods before he rushes upstairs
Gabriella had started to change the baby's diaper when Troy appears on the door the baby was now whimpering "Is something wrong with him…..maybe something aching or hurting?" he looks at Gabriella worriedly "Gabie…I don't like the sound of his cry?"
"Baby your dad's in a panic mode….he's just hungry Troy but I cleaned him first so that he will be comfortable…don't worry he will get his food!" smiling at her boyfriend assuring
He walks and sits on the bed across the rocking chair where Gabriella nurses the baby. His eyes wonders around the room focusing on what seems like a brand new picture frame beside their old one. It was a group picture but what caught his eyes was the guy at Gabie's back with his arms around her bulging belly and his chin on her shoulder. Troy felt blood rushing to his face "Gabriella……who's this guy…you seem to have something...something with him?" irritation was now obvious in his tone
"Huh uh…those are my friends that was taken at the university after classes!" she bit her lower lip mentally kicking herself for flaunting that picture
"I mean this guy…who's he Gabie?" he said quietly the color of his eyes now darkenes. His eyes caught what looks like an album atop her stacks of books. He brought it over the bed immediately begun flipping on the pages. "It looks like you're intimate with him?" he said it a little louder this time
Gabie gulps nervously as she stops the rocking chair reaching out for the album from him "Troy that's mine…..you don't have the right to sift through my things." her voice firm "C'mon and the guy you're asking is Shaun Hoffmann!" he clinches his jaw "One of my closest friend and neighbor!" he looks at Gabriella with fire in his eyes. 'So that jacket she wore the first time I saw them was his.....did she had an affair while they were apart?' Jealously now sipping through his mind clouding his reasoning
"He seems to be all over you and you let him?" he resented pointing madly at the photos "He's even on my son….are you with him?" Gabriella looks at him sternly putting the baby on the crib "What's us Gabriella.....did something happened overseas?!" he was between fuming and crying
"Are you accusing me…..those are my pictures Troy….my memories during those trying times with my new found friends…." she was indignant as tears fall down her face "They gave me their undying support.....you were so so far away Troy......I was lonely and they cheered me up!!!" her voice quavers
"You're pregnant and you allowed this guy to wrap himself around you? What are we….are you and him…. together?" uttering the last word bitterly his eyes now starts to tear up with frustration.
The world seems to stop spinning for a moment as silence envelopes everything. Both felt anger pulsing through their veins. Is this the way they wanted it to be? Nobody spoke each one trying to gather their thoughts. Troy knew that he can't survive without Gabriella he was already devastated when she left him what will happen now if she decides to end this? Gabriella was torn between him and her family. She was miserable when she was away from him yet she thrived to make it every single day with the hopes being with him again but now what if he decides to break up with her?
"We're not together Troy…..we're not even intimate because I never allowed it to happen not even making out….a simple friendly kisses." she scoffed "He loves Kris so much and he likes to hold him every time he comes over to the house…." wiping away the tears in her eyes as she even her breathing "He's the only guy that never shied away from me….he was there holding my hand all throughout the painful ordeal at the hospital…comforting me." wiping away the tears
"You think he's got feelings for you?" she shrugs her shoulders unsure "Do you like him…with the way you speaks highly of him?" the last words came out a whisper as Troy kneels down directly in front of her
Gabriella looks down the floor "He's not difficult to love…..Shaun…he's unselfish and caring he's not even judgmental….." Troy cups her face with his hands his piercing blue eyes appealing to her.