As promised, Matt showed up with lunch to the hospital. He had picked up some food along the way, hoping that would like it.
Parking his car, he wasn't sure where he would meet her.
It wasn't a large hospital, it was just outside of the main part of the city. He walked into the hospital where he had yesterday as well.
She walked towards him, waving and smiling.
''Hey, it's good you are here. I just have one more room to check in my round.''
Matt nodded, not minding at all as he knew she was doing good work, and especially as she was working with children here.
''Don't worry, I will wait.'' He smiled as he stood on the hallway, Gabby entering the room.
He waited patiently for Gabby, knowing that she was doing important work. Matt tried not to look at the kids laying in the bed. It hurt seeing them ill, he wished that he could help them. Seeing Gabby with them, he missed the life that they had had with Louie even more. He regretted that they never had the family life that they both had wanted.
''I am so proud of you.'', was all he managed to say as she joined him and they walked outside.
''There are a lot of kids here, I am just happy to help them.'' Gabby smiled as they sat down on the same bench where they had sat yesterday. Matt handed the bag of food to her as they sat down. It was great to see her again, even though he had seen each other yesterday. He was grateful for every moment that they got to spend together.
''Sorry, it's not you, I had to get up early,'' she apologized.
''Don't worry, working this much is tiresome.''
''I leave early in the morning, the show in my house doesn't work well so I shower here and I don't live close.''
''I can take a look at your shower if you'd like,'' Matt offered as he hated the idea that she felt she had to shower at her work and be up early every morning.
''You don't mind?''
''Not at all,'' Matt promised.
''Thank you, I will make dinner for us,'' Gabby smiled. She had had mixed feelings when she had left the bar. It had been so nice to see him, but it had only led to her missing him. She didn't miss Chicago, but she did miss him. For years he had been such a part of her life.
It was a far drive. From the main beach where he was staying, he drove by the airport where he had arrived, only to keep doing. Taking a turn of the main road to smaller one, driving into the green mangrove by the side of the road. The road was bumpy, and he wasn't sure if he was driving the right way. On the side of the roads were some small houses.
As he approached where his phone told him he needed to be, he spotted the brown jeep Gabby had been driving when they had met up at the bar yesterday.
Parking the car next to the jeep, she waiting on the porch for him. Leaning against one of the beams holding the roof up, she smiled at him.
It was a small house, a small porch at the front with a yard that didn't have much in it. It was raised, the ground soggy as it was so near the lake.
''It's not much, but it's mine,'' Gabby said as she let him in. It was a small house, the kitchen opening up to the small living room, with a bed behind a wardrobe in the corner. There wasn't much stuff in the house, but Matt knew that she had not been living here for that long and that most of her stuff was still with Brett in Chicago.
''It's nice!'', Matt smiled as he admired some of the woodwork by the door.
''You don't need to say that to be nice.''
''I am not, it is nice Gabby,'' He assured her. It was nothing like the brick bungalows he was used to in Chicago and it was nothing like the modern condo they had shared together. But it he liked it, it had its charm, especially right here by the water, right in the middle of the mangrove.
She showed him to the bathroom and he looked at the shower. Leaning against the wall, she smiled as he was mumbling to himself, something he always did as he was thinking and working. Although she found it hard to see him here again, she was also happy that he was here. She knew that it had taken a lot of him to get on a plane and see her here.
''Where is the water supply?''
''There is a rain barrel on the roof, I am still working on getting pipes laid.''
Matt nodded and told her he had to get on the roof. Gabby walked after him, concerned as he got up on the rain of the porch behind the house and pulled himself onto the roof.
''Just be careful, okay?'', Gabby said concerned as he climbed onto the roof.
''Did you forget what I do for a living?'', Matt teased her as he moved towards the rain barrel, looking at the connection to the pipes.
Climbing down from the roof, Gabby looked relieved as he was back on the ground safely.
''I will probably need to pick up some more tools and supplies, but I think I can fix it,'' He smiled.
''Matt, you are the best!'', She sighed excited to know that it was something that could be fixed after all.
''Let me know what you need, I can pick it up from the shops.''
''Don't worry about it, I will go look for it tomorrow and if you like I can come over whenever you want to fix it,'' he promised.
''I've got a spare key. I can give it to you so you can take the time you need.''
Matt nodded, just happy that there was something he could do to help Gabby.
Sitting down by the table by the kitchen as she was making the food, it took him back to all those evenings they had shared in Chicago. It was something they often did, spend time in the kitchen together. Although Matt didn't touch anything in the kitchen, it was nice they spend the time together and having dinner together. The times they actually talked to each other.
''What are you doing with your stuff in Chicago if you move here? Anything I can do to help?''
''I will probably sell my car in Chicago if I stay here. I left it with Laura, I've been in contact with her a bit more. '', Gabby smiled, referencing to her brother's ex-wife.
''How are the kids?''
''Apparently Eva has been driving it around. Can you believe how much she has grown these last years?''
''Violet recently mentioned she started looking at college's, never felt so old in my life,'' Matt laughed.
Matt turned around as he heard a car drive by that seemed to stop, but it soon continued it's way.
''You lock the gate at night? Is it safe out here?'', he asked a bit concerned.
Gabby looked at him a bit upset.
''I wasn't being judgmental nor did I want to imply anything, I am just worried about you, that's all,'' he assured her, ''you know where I grew up.''
''I know. Yeah, I lock it at night and it's very safe here, there is a police station close by too,'' Gabby answered him. She knew that he meant it well and it meant a lot to her that he was still to concerned and caring about her.
Seeing him sit in front of her, she couldn't help but think back about all the happy memories that they had shared together. Although a lot of marriages ended with a big fight and hatred, theirs hadn't. Instead, they had just wanted different things in life. It made it even harder to reconcile her feelings about him with the reality for the situation.
''It looks and smells amazing,'' Matt complimented her, awakening her from her thoughts.
''Come on, let's sit outside,'' Gabby offered as she took the two plates and waved at him to get the two beers from the table. Sitting down on the steps of the back porch, they enjoyed the sun setting and the waves crashing into the shore in front of them.
''I missed this food, it's amazing.'', Matt smiled as he dug in.
''You lost some weight,'' she commented, something she immediately had spotted when she saw him at the hospital.
''Just haven't been feeling great these last few weeks,'' Matt admitted, as he had been feeling ill and missing Gabby so much, he hadn't been eating much.
''There is a great restaurant downtown, we can go tomorrow – I can show you around San Juan a bit.''
''I would really love that Gabby, but only if you have the time,'' he said, not wanting Gabby to sacrifice her own time for him.
''I would love to, wanted to ask you something else too,'' Gabby said and Matt nodded, eager to hear what she wanted to ask.
''I am going to one of the villages about a two hours' drive from here on Saturday for relief work – if you wanna come along, you can. I know you could help as well with your training, both medically and organizing the supplies being given out.''
''I would love to if you would have me,'' Matt said as he took another sip of the beer.
'''They'd be lucky to have you.''
They say in silence for a second. Looking at the ocean crashing into the shore in front of him, the warm breeze blowing through his hair and the girl he loved so much beside him. Gabby lived near the shoreline of a lake and across he saw the lights of the tail of the airport runway.
A plane was descending as it was on approach to the airport.
''I hope those people had a better flight than I did.''
''Was it that bad?'', Gabby asked concerned as they looked at the plane descending and finally landing.
''I threw up on the plane.''
''No way,'' Gabby laughed for a second, ''it was your first flight, right?''
''Yeah,'' Matt chuckled, ''Closest I've ever gotten was that plane that landed on the highway, remember that call?''
Gabby nodded, looking over the ocean as she thought of those calls. Those calls when she had not even dared to think where they would end up. When Shay had still been alive.
''I don't think me and planes are going to be friends any time soon.''
''Don't need to fly in Chicago,'' Gabby smiled at him.
''Who says I would be in Chicago,'' Matt said as he looked over the water. He had no idea what he was going to when these two weeks were over.
''Matt-''
''I know it is dumb Gabby, living here – it isn't me,'' he admitted. ''But I am not sure what I am going to do without you.''
''You wouldn't be happy away from Chicago,''
''Not happy without you either, I don't – I don't know if I am going to stay here, I just know I wanna be here with you these 2 weeks.''
Gabby smiled, moving closer to him. She laid her hand over his as they looked out at the lake.
Thank you so much for reading again. I hope your holidays were wonderful. This will be the last chapter of 2020 but I will be back with more next year. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please let me know what you thought and hopefully till next year!