Gabby changed out of her work attire this morning in the locker room of 51." Hey babe." Matt walks in stopping at his locker to change himself." Are you tired?"
"No." Gabby gives him a bright smile as she grabs her coat and closes her locker." I have too much to do, to get ready for tomorrow."
"Oh yeah what's going on tomorrow anything special?" Matt teases as Gabby swats his arm chuckling." Oh that's right." He smiles leaning in closer." We're getting married tomorrow." Matt lightly kisses her lips." How would you like to get breakfast now?"
"I think I can fit that in." Gabby wraps her arm around his waist as they turn to leave." One week away from this place." She looks all around as they walk down the hallway." Will you be able to survive?" Gabby says with a hint of sarcasm.
"A week with you in Mexico." Matt looks down at Gabby as she meets his eye's ." Definantly!" They both say in unison." Let's go eat." Matt pulls Gabby towards his truck.
Gabby and Matt slip into a booth at a nearby dinner as they search the menu for what to order. The waitress quickly comes by taking their orders as they sip their morning coffee which was already brought to them." I will be staying at my mom's tonight." Gabby glances up from her cup." I planned on heading over around dinner time." She informed him.
"I should be home by then." Matt gave her a small smile." I have that construction job to get to in a little while but it shouldn't take more then 4 hours, I think."
"Right I totally forgot you told me about that." Gabby shakes her head lightly tapping her forehead." My mind is gone, I think. But I won't leave for my mom's til you get home." Gabby reaches her hand across the table." I want to see you before I go."
"Ok, I'd like that." Matt squeezes her hand smiling at her as the waitress bring over their food now." I guess I'll pack tonight for Mexico after you leave." He tells her before picking up his fork taking a bite of his omlete.
" Oh man, right gotta pack too. There is a ton of laundry I never got to all week." Gabby says getting slightly overwhelmed." I have to find time for that."
"I think my mom did that for us last night while we were on shift."
"Really." Gabby sighed." I don't want your mom feeling like she needs to do my laundry, I feel terrible"
"Look you have enough to worry about, so I asked my mother to help out with that." Matt shrugged his shoulders." I figured you wouldn't have time to get to it today."
"Matt!" Gabby sighed again." You shouldn't have asked your mom to do that now I feel terrible, I don't want her to think I'm taking advantage of her being there." Then Gabby's eye's scrunched up looking at Matt." And why would I not find time to get to my laundry today?"
"No reason." Matt looked away with a guilty smirk." And my mom knows it's been a hectic week for us, she didn't mind." He tried changing the subject.
"Well I'll have to thank her." Gabby gives Matt a curious look, but didn't push." So are you glad you told everyone about your mom at 51 during last shift?" Gabby asked after a few minutes of silence while they ate." I knew everyone would be supportive and not judge you in anyway."
"Yeah." Matt shrugged his shoulders." I just feel guilty putting all the blame on my mother. She has been carrying around this guilt for years, when she's been innocent."
"Matt." Gabby leaned in closer lowering her voice to a whisper." You can talk to me about this anytime you need, but telling people what really happened will not do anybody any good at this point."
"I know." Matt gave her a small smile." It just doesn't feel right if I don't carry some guilt for it, but I love you for understanding."
"I do." Gabby put her fork down." Just promise me you won't let this guilt eat away at you, talk to me about it if that helps."
"I promise." Matt gave her a convincing smile as they continued on with breakfast. When they finished Matt paid and they made the short drive home. "I need to grab my tools inside the house, I'll walk in with you." He tells her getting out of the truck walking around to the passenger side." So what are your plans for today anyway?" Matt smirks as he wraps his arm around her shoulder walking up the steps to the front door.
"I already told..." Gabby started to say as they walked thru the door.
"Surprise!"... Nancy, Kathy, Leslie, Christie, and Laura called out from the living room.
"Oh my..." Gabby covered her mouth in complete shock." I can't believe..." She was at a loss for words when she looked over to Matt who was grinning ear to ear." You knew?"
"Um hum." He nods still grinning." Why do you think we went out for breakfast." Matt whispers in her ear.
"I can't believe you guys did all this." Gabby steps into the room further looking around at the decorations hung on the walls and the gifts lined up on the coffee table." I never would have guessed." She starts hugging everyone.
"Here." Shay places a tiny veil on her head." For the guest of honor." She chuckles causing Gabby to blush from the attention." OK no boys allowed." Shay turns to Matt shoeing him out." Kelly is waiting for you at our place to do what you guys do on these occasions."
"You better not." Gabby points her finger at Matt trying to glare at him, but a smirk creeps on her face." Well I guess I won't see you later." She moves closer giving him a kiss." So have fun."
"I'll call you later." Matt smiles as Shay shoes him out the door." I love you." He mouths before walking out the door as Gabby blows him a kiss.
As she turns around all eyes are on her with wide grins." What?" Gabby blushes in embarressement.
"You guys are really cute together." Laura steps forward wrapping her arm around Gabby's shoulder moving her to the chair by the front window." But it's girl time now, so take a seat. It's time to get into wedding mode."
"Here." Christie hands her a mimosa." Enjoy."
"Let's sttart with your gifts." Shay moves to the packages as all the women took seats around Gabby holding their own drinks." We can start with mine." Shay says excited grabbing her tiny box from the table handing it to Gabby then sitting on the arm of the chair next to her.
Gabby started unwrapping the box smiling from ear to ear." This is so nice what you all...Leslie!" Gabby spats as she pulled out this white skimpy lace teddy." Oh my god!" She quickly dropped it back in the box blushing a deep amber on her cheeks.
"That's for Casey, more then you." Shay chuckled." We all know what honeymoons are for here."
"Only you." Gabby snakes her head grinning as she put the box down next to her." I think we can move to the next gift now."
"Ok." Nancy stood." This can be your something old and something blue on your wedding day." She hands her the next gift from the table.
Gabbyunwrapped it finding a blue hanky inside a clear box." This is." She opens the box taking it out." Is this Matt's?"Gabby looks up with tear filled eyes running her fingers over the embroided initials.
"It is." Nancy nods." My mother gave that to me the day he was born, now I'm giving it to you."
"You can tie it around the handle of your bouquet tomorrow." Christie offers her suggestion." That way it's with you."
"Thank you." Gabby stood hugging Nancy." I will cherish this."
"I know." Nancy smiles back.
"Well since we are doing the wedding traditions here is my gift." Laura stood now handing over her gift bag." Here is something borrowed ." Gabby pulls out a garter to be worn around her thigh." That was mine from my wedding day, and the other thing." Gabby pulled out a small package with a single penny in it." That is for good luck, a penny to be worn in your shoe." Laura informs her.
"This is all amazing thank you."
"This is from Violet and myself." Christie hands over her gift." This is something Violet was dying to get for you when she saw it." She tells her as Gabby pulls out the white hooded zipper sweat shirt that said ' Bride-to-be' on the back.
"So cute." Gabby smiled as she slipped it on then pulled a matching pair of pants the also read the same 'Bride-to-be' just below the waist line on the back as well." I will wear these tomorrow when I'm getting ready so Violet can see. I love it." Gabby zips up the sweatshirt as she admires it on herself.
"Lastly." Kathy stands handing Gabby a tiny box." This was something my mother gave me on my wedding day. Now I'm giving it to my daughter." She starts to get choked up, as Gabby opens it pulling out a locket on a chain." Nancy helped me with the content inside."
Gabby's tears began to fall as she opened the locket finding one side empty but the other side had a picture of Gabby and Matt together as kids." I can't believe...this is so perfect." Her tears continued to fall." Thank you." She looked at both mother's who had tear filled eyes as well now.
"I thought you could fill the other side with your wedding picture from tomorrow." Kathy pointed to the vacant half of the locket.
"Or you could eventually add a picture of your own children." Nancy adds.
Gabby stands hugging everyone one at a time." I can't thank you all enough, this is all so thoughtful." She looks around and all her gifts." Thank you, tomorrow is going to be the perfect day."