Chapter 52
The next day didnt feel any better. People tip-toed around the house, whispering & it was driving Gemma crazy! She decided to go to Jeff's place for some space.
Jeff was making coffee when she walked in.
"Hey babe!" He went to her & gave her a hug. Gemma held him tight, not wanting to let go. "You want a coffee?"
"Yeah please."
"You look tired. Did you get much sleep last night?"
No not really. I just cant get my head round it y'know?"
They sat down & Jeff handed hr a cup.
"Yeah I know what you mean. I remember when Mom died it just doesnt seem real does it?"
Gemma hung her head & started to cry. Jeff put his cup down & lifted her from her seat.
"Come here!" He held her in his arms.
"All Ive done is cry dammit!" She sniffed. "I cant stop fucking crying!"
"It's ok hun! It's good to cry!" He held her chin so she was face to face with him & wiped the tears from her cheeks. "This is what Im here for ok?"
She nodded.
"I must look a total mess!"
"Nah....you look beaut..." He stopped. "You look fine! Besides who cares what you look like here?It's only me!" He smiled & she hugged him again.
******
The day after was equally as awful. The police released Chris's body so funeral arrangements had to be made. Gemma tried to keep busy doing housework & making coffee every 10 minutes. In the afternoon Jeff came over to tell her Matt, Amy & Adam would be arriving that night. They went out onto the porch for some air.
"You gonna tell me about the rock then?"
"The Rock? what's Dwayne got to do with anything?!" Gemma asked puzzled.
"Not that rock you dope!! The one on your finger!!"
"Oh right....erm..yeah its...its from Adam."
She looked away.
"Engagement?"
"Yeah...listen I ws gonna tell you.....what with everything that's going on...I..."
"Dont worry about it I understand! I guess its erm....congratualtions then huh?"
"Yeah....thanks."
They sat in silene for a while. The house seemed to be buzzing with people...relitives, friends of the family, aunts & cousins that Gemma never even knew existed were turing up to see her Dad! The silence out there on the porch with Jeff was a welcome break.
Jeff got hold of her hand & looked at her ring.
"Wow! That's some piece! Must be love!"
Gemma smiled.
"You would think so considdering Im marrying the guy!"
Jeff looked at her.
"That seems so...so final!"
"What do you mean?"
He turned to face her & stroked her cheek.
"You sure about this?"
"Yeah! Jeff! What's goin on here?!"
He smiled & turned away.
"Nothin!"
She looked at him puzzled.
"Ok but stop acting weird! There's enough of that shit around here already!"
He laughed.
"Wanna go somewhere?"
"Like where? Jeff you're acting crazy!!" She playfully dug her elbow into his ribs.
"Hmm....well I was thinking you might wanna go & trash a bit more of your Dad's fence before Adam makes an honest woman of you!!"
She put a hand to her mouth & rolled her eyes trying to surpress a giggle but she couldnt.
"Bastard!" She laughed.
"Bitch!" He winked & laughed along with her.
They both laughed for a few minutes out there on the porch. She was having a laugh with her best friend & it felt good to smile again.
*******
Later in the evening Matt's car pulled into the yard. Gemma went out to greet them, she was so glad they were here.
"Hey babe!" Adam said holding her tightly.
"Adam! Im so glad you're here at last!" She said over his shoulder.
She hugged Matt & Amy & then helped them get Adam's bags outof the car.
After a while of sitting in the kitchen in silence Matt & Amy decided to to go back to Matt's place & Gemma led Adam up to her room. Outside of her door Michael grabbed Adam's hand.
"Listen shitty timing I know! I just wanted to say congratulations!" He shook Adam's hand.
"Thanks Mike. Yeah the celebrations are kind of on the back burner for a little while. Im...Im really sorry about your brother man."
Michael shrugged his shoulders & nodded.
"How's Gem been holding up?"
"She's ok, well she's a little quiet but I guess that's understandable. Listen Adam....well I just wanna say watch over her for me will ya? She's not as tough as she makes out y'know?"
"Yeah sure...I'll take good care of her Mike, you can count on it!"
Michael nodded his head & gave Adam a hug before going into his room.
"What was going on out there?" Gemma asked as Adam came into the room. "Male bonding?!"
"Yeah something like that! Mike's not a bad guy!"
They lay side by side on Gemma's bed, adam's feet hanging over the end!
"Mike's the best! I dunno what Id do without him!" She said snuggling her head into his chest.
"You holding up ok?"
"Hmmm....well I think so! Im just not looking forward to thursday! I just dont know how we're gonna get through this, especially Dad! The doctor's had to sedate him twice already!" She sighed. "God knows how we'll get him through the funeral."
"We'll manage hun! Dont worry!"
Gemma smiled.
"We will huh?"
"Sure! We're a team now! Whatever you go through I go through! I love you!"
"I love you too Adam. Im so glad you're here!" She squeezed him. "Jeff's been great....but I needed you!"
"Jeff's been great huh?"
"Yeah really supportive!"
"I'll bet he has!" Adam muttered under his breath.
"Huh?"
"Oh nothin sweetie......just sayin Im glad he has....y'know been there for you!"
Nothing else was said. They both fell asleep in their clothes curled up on Gemma's little bed.
The next day didnt feel any better. People tip-toed around the house, whispering & it was driving Gemma crazy! She decided to go to Jeff's place for some space.
Jeff was making coffee when she walked in.
"Hey babe!" He went to her & gave her a hug. Gemma held him tight, not wanting to let go. "You want a coffee?"
"Yeah please."
"You look tired. Did you get much sleep last night?"
No not really. I just cant get my head round it y'know?"
They sat down & Jeff handed hr a cup.
"Yeah I know what you mean. I remember when Mom died it just doesnt seem real does it?"
Gemma hung her head & started to cry. Jeff put his cup down & lifted her from her seat.
"Come here!" He held her in his arms.
"All Ive done is cry dammit!" She sniffed. "I cant stop fucking crying!"
"It's ok hun! It's good to cry!" He held her chin so she was face to face with him & wiped the tears from her cheeks. "This is what Im here for ok?"
She nodded.
"I must look a total mess!"
"Nah....you look beaut..." He stopped. "You look fine! Besides who cares what you look like here?It's only me!" He smiled & she hugged him again.
******
The day after was equally as awful. The police released Chris's body so funeral arrangements had to be made. Gemma tried to keep busy doing housework & making coffee every 10 minutes. In the afternoon Jeff came over to tell her Matt, Amy & Adam would be arriving that night. They went out onto the porch for some air.
"You gonna tell me about the rock then?"
"The Rock? what's Dwayne got to do with anything?!" Gemma asked puzzled.
"Not that rock you dope!! The one on your finger!!"
"Oh right....erm..yeah its...its from Adam."
She looked away.
"Engagement?"
"Yeah...listen I ws gonna tell you.....what with everything that's going on...I..."
"Dont worry about it I understand! I guess its erm....congratualtions then huh?"
"Yeah....thanks."
They sat in silene for a while. The house seemed to be buzzing with people...relitives, friends of the family, aunts & cousins that Gemma never even knew existed were turing up to see her Dad! The silence out there on the porch with Jeff was a welcome break.
Jeff got hold of her hand & looked at her ring.
"Wow! That's some piece! Must be love!"
Gemma smiled.
"You would think so considdering Im marrying the guy!"
Jeff looked at her.
"That seems so...so final!"
"What do you mean?"
He turned to face her & stroked her cheek.
"You sure about this?"
"Yeah! Jeff! What's goin on here?!"
He smiled & turned away.
"Nothin!"
She looked at him puzzled.
"Ok but stop acting weird! There's enough of that shit around here already!"
He laughed.
"Wanna go somewhere?"
"Like where? Jeff you're acting crazy!!" She playfully dug her elbow into his ribs.
"Hmm....well I was thinking you might wanna go & trash a bit more of your Dad's fence before Adam makes an honest woman of you!!"
She put a hand to her mouth & rolled her eyes trying to surpress a giggle but she couldnt.
"Bastard!" She laughed.
"Bitch!" He winked & laughed along with her.
They both laughed for a few minutes out there on the porch. She was having a laugh with her best friend & it felt good to smile again.
*******
Later in the evening Matt's car pulled into the yard. Gemma went out to greet them, she was so glad they were here.
"Hey babe!" Adam said holding her tightly.
"Adam! Im so glad you're here at last!" She said over his shoulder.
She hugged Matt & Amy & then helped them get Adam's bags outof the car.
After a while of sitting in the kitchen in silence Matt & Amy decided to to go back to Matt's place & Gemma led Adam up to her room. Outside of her door Michael grabbed Adam's hand.
"Listen shitty timing I know! I just wanted to say congratulations!" He shook Adam's hand.
"Thanks Mike. Yeah the celebrations are kind of on the back burner for a little while. Im...Im really sorry about your brother man."
Michael shrugged his shoulders & nodded.
"How's Gem been holding up?"
"She's ok, well she's a little quiet but I guess that's understandable. Listen Adam....well I just wanna say watch over her for me will ya? She's not as tough as she makes out y'know?"
"Yeah sure...I'll take good care of her Mike, you can count on it!"
Michael nodded his head & gave Adam a hug before going into his room.
"What was going on out there?" Gemma asked as Adam came into the room. "Male bonding?!"
"Yeah something like that! Mike's not a bad guy!"
They lay side by side on Gemma's bed, adam's feet hanging over the end!
"Mike's the best! I dunno what Id do without him!" She said snuggling her head into his chest.
"You holding up ok?"
"Hmmm....well I think so! Im just not looking forward to thursday! I just dont know how we're gonna get through this, especially Dad! The doctor's had to sedate him twice already!" She sighed. "God knows how we'll get him through the funeral."
"We'll manage hun! Dont worry!"
Gemma smiled.
"We will huh?"
"Sure! We're a team now! Whatever you go through I go through! I love you!"
"I love you too Adam. Im so glad you're here!" She squeezed him. "Jeff's been great....but I needed you!"
"Jeff's been great huh?"
"Yeah really supportive!"
"I'll bet he has!" Adam muttered under his breath.
"Huh?"
"Oh nothin sweetie......just sayin Im glad he has....y'know been there for you!"
Nothing else was said. They both fell asleep in their clothes curled up on Gemma's little bed.