With all the walking they did and the time spent on the beach, Seth and Gabby decided to follow Devon's lead and take a nap. It helped that the day was pleasantly warm. With the sound of waves crashing onto the beach, Gabby and Seth fell into a peaceful slumber. They had picked a spot frequented by sunbathers but was far removed from normal foot traffic. People that came and went pretty much ignored them.
Gabriella dreamt pleasant dreams, mostly about the professor and the good times that they had. Within her dream cycle, she heard music. As sometimes happens in her dreams, Gabby could discern what song it was. But, the music she was hearing was different than what she had heard at the music store. She stirred out of her slumber and woke up.
The song was still there. Gabby strained to hear what it was and realized that it sounded very much like Serena Brightwell's music. It was just the instrumental part, but she would have recognized it nonetheless. Then, someone's voice tried to sing the lyrics. However, they weren't doing a very good job of it. That irritated Gabby to pieces. She had so much respect for Serena's work and felt that to sing any of her songs meant doing a good job! That was always Gabby's motivation whenever she sang any of Serena's songs!
Gabby nudged Seth to wake him, but he seemed to be in a deep sleep. Devon, as well, appeared too involved with his nap to wake. She saw how tired they looked and realized that between the sun and the day in Carmel, they were beat.
Still, the music she was hearing was intoxicating to Gabby. She was hoping that Seth might change his mind and allow her to visit the area where the bar was. She thought that if they would accompany her, he and Devon would keep her safe. They were well trained, after all, based on what her father, Raph, said before they left home. She couldn't wake them, though – not that she tried too terribly hard. Gabby finally decided to let them sleep. In hindsight, she knew that Seth probably would have said 'no' anyway; he was quite serious the first time when she had asked.
Her confidence now at an all time high, Gabby decided to take it upon her self to visit the bar. She remembered that the courtyard was not that far from the beach. She was certain she could slip over there quickly, take a look around, and then return before either Devon or Seth woke up. She started to feel excited at the thought of taking off on her own. The more she reflected upon it, the better the idea sounded to her!
Gabby quietly put her street clothes back on. She looked at her two escorts and saw that they were still pretty deep into their sleep. Confident that they would remain that way, she stole away from them and went to find out who was singing at the bar. She looked back at the two sleeping forms and made a mental note of where Seth and Devon were so as not to get lost.
Gabby thought she could successfully walk among the humans in town. At first, she did well. The people moving along the sidewalk with her were too involved with their own reasons for being there. For the most part, they ignored her. She relaxed a little bit more as her confidence grew.
But at one point, Gabby was pushed into a larger crowd of people. She began to panic. She tried to remain calm, yet it was proving to be difficult for her.
Finally, unable to cope with it any longer, Gabriella bolted free of the crowd at the first available opportunity! She didn't run very far, because soon she realized that she was back in the courtyard.
The crowd at the karaoke bar had grown considerably since she had last seen it. The deejay had pumped up the volume to attract more people, and it seemed to be working.
Someone had obviously asked for a Brightwell song since that's what was playing. Gabby was not impressed with the soloist who tried to sing it, though.
Out of curiosity, she made her way towards the crowd that spilled out of the bar. She tried to stay a safe distance away, but she still couldn't see who it was on stage. The fact that the action was taking place inside the bar didn't occur to Gabby. All she thought about was seeing the person who was ruining a perfectly good song. The song was one of Gabby's favorites and the first song she had sung to Raph, no less!
As she slowly approached the door to the bar, someone spotted her. The next thing Gabby knew, she was being pushed and pulled inside and towards the front where the stage was! It surprised her so much she was stunned. Then, getting her wits again, she tried to resist. But the strength of the hands upon her was too great and she was pushed anyway towards the front. Try as she might to resist and go the other way, hands kept grabbing at her. People were laughing and she could smell the acrid breath from those who had a little too much alcohol.
"Hey, lets' see if Kermit can sing! " someone yelled and the place erupted with laughter. A host of people then pushed Gabby up onto the platform.
She was terrified!! What was she going to do? Where was Seth? In her panic, Gabby had forgotten all about leaving him and her brother at the beach. In that same moment, she realized she had done so deliberately! Now she understood why Seth didn't want her near the bar, but it was too late. She had intentionally disobeyed him and now Gabby wasn't sure what to do. She definitely didn't have the training that Seth or Devon had to push her way off the stage or through the crowd of people, who were now pressing closer to where she stood. All she saw was a sea of expectant faces unlike her own. Over the course of four days, she had accustomed herself to green. Now, she saw a rainbow of hues in varying shades of pink, brown, and black. Gabriella just stood there terrified!
" Hey, can't expect a lizard to sing, now can we?" someone jeered from the crowd.
" Yo, sweetheart, only way off is to sing us a song! What's your pleasure?" another voice asked, but it was not coming from the crowd.
Gabby looked over at the person and realized it was the deejay. She gulped and timidly told him she wasn't suppose to be there
. " Well, you should have stayed home, then! Right?" he replied and then laughed. The crowd followed suit. " You have to sing to get off, that's the rule! So pick a song!"
Realizing that if she did one song, she could get down, Gabby asked for the one he had just played, ' Winter Light'. She also requested that the outdoor speakers be turned off.
He laughed, " Well, sure, we can keep it just between friends, can't we folks?" and he laughed, again, as did the audience. Then, he asked, "Are you sure you want that song, Honey? That's a tough one. The last gal ...." and he stopped as he realized that last gal was glaring at him. " Okay, never mind. Let's get it going, eh!"
And then the music started. Gabby composed herself, deciding that since she was already there, she might as well do her best.
But, the moment she sang the first words, the crowd instantly hushed. Her voice was breathless and precise, scaling the notes with a precision that was not kindred to the clientele that frequented the microphone she was using. The crowd was transfixed as she worked effortlessly through the music. There were some who sat back down at their tables while others moved away from the stage to allow 'room' for Gabby to perform. They had never heard anything so beautiful, other than from the singer who had made the song famous in the first place. Even the last soloist who sang before Gabby was mesmerized.
However, the deejay was so impressed with the performance, that he upped the volume and punched the exterior speakers, contrary to Gabby's request. Carmel had an ordinance that prohibited obnoxiously loud music. But this – this music was not obnoxious. It was enchanting!
Seth woke up and thought he heard Gabriella singing. He looked around and that's when he found that she was gone. He shook the cobwebs of sleep off and then realized where the voice was coming from. Seth was instantly awake! He pushed Devon hard to wake him up and seethed between his teeth, "Gabby's at the bar. We need to get her NOW!!!"
They both grabbed their towels and ran as if their life depended upon it.
Gabby finished her rendition and was pleasantly surprised by the applause. Even the deejay joined in on it! " Hey, that was pretty good!! You want to sing another one, Honey?" he asked her.
Forgetting that she had no business being up on stage, she gathered her confidence and, encouraged by the token of the crowd's appreciation, nodded.
" Another Brightwell?" he asked.
" Yes, please, if you don't mind?" she replied.
" How about 'Timeless?" the deejay offered.
" One of my favorites!!" and Gabby smiled.
The crowd continued being silent out of respect for this 'Kermit' who pretty much dispelled that insult. No way was anyone going to manage a rude response towards her. One man tried and he was quickly hushed by the mob! He glared up at her, but Gabby was too much into the novelty of being on stage to even notice.
The music began and soon Gabby was singing what most people knew as 'Time to Say Goodbye'. She closed her eyes as she visualized the notes, taking care to select the right inflections. She was deep into the song, pulling as much emotion out of her and into the tune as she could with her eyes closed in concentration. She sang the Italian words perfectly. Gabby could hear people talk softly about her, but she couldn't make out what they were saying.
At one point, Gabby thought she was getting a little breathless. There were moments where she thought she saw flashes of light through her closed eyelids. But, she was far into the song was oblivious to those who were snapping her picture!
Shortly after Gabby began singing her second song, Seth and Devon arrived and stole through the crowd. They were shorter than most who were there, so when they crouched and went ninja, they passed through the crowd of people virtually unnoticed. They saw the flash of cameras going and, with only a look at each other, went about collecting the film. As soon as they had a gentle hold of a camera - unbeknown to it's owner - they carefully took the film or the chip out. They began littering the floor with exposed film or broken chips as they went. Even those who didn't use their cameras, lost all their film, both used and unused.
It was a tough decision to make, but Seth and Devon felt the sanctity of their family was of greater importance than memories of a trip or an experience - such as what the crowd was getting with Gabby. The Realm of the Clan prohibited one's picture from being taken. Raph had managed it a few years ago, but the only people that could recognize him were his own family.
Farther back than that, when the four turtles lived in the sewers of New York, they managed to be front-page news in the New York Variety. Their picture was explained away by the deejay that they were actors paid to 'stage' an assault. He actually had no idea who they were and only made up the story to keep his job. Since then, with the exception of Raph, none of them had ever violated the Clan rule. Today, though, could prove an exception as well as a disaster!
The slick way these brothers worked was further helped by Gabby's singing and the hypnotic effect that she had on the crowd. Finally, as she finished the song, the people clapped their appreciation. Seth and Devon had finished with all that they could find as far as cameras were concerned. Hopefully, they emptied all of them. " Have to alert Don. " Seth whispered. He was truly angry over what Gabby had done.
Devon replied, " Yeah. I hate doing that 'cause it's going to get her and us in deep with him." He took a breath and then complained, "What was she thinking, Seth? We told her not to go in here!" He was exasperated. Gone was the day as far as these two were concerned; completely wasted because of one act alone.
Before Gabby could accept another song to sing, Seth pushed his way to the front and let her know that he was fully aware of what she did. Gabby was surprised to see him and was quite mortified. She excused herself from the deejay and climbed down to where Seth was standing. He received her with a long hard look of disappointment. Gabby cringed inside, feeling the heat of his anger through his eyes. She mouthed, "I'm sorry!" and felt hot tears welling up. Seth only shook his head once, not at all sympathetic with her.
Just then, someone tried to grab Seth and put him up on stage but he countered by grabbing the man's hand and turning it in such a way that he cried out in pain. Seth warned him, seething, " Do not touch me! Dig!" and then let him go. The man held his hand and backed away. Fortunately, his hand was only sore and not broken or strained. The way Seth had turned it created only pain yet prevented damage. Acupressure was one of those lessons Leo had taught him years ago, and today it came in handy!
Seth grabbed Gabby by her arm and, placing her in front of him so he could direct her, pushed her through the crowd. He was very unhappy with her at the moment; he still cared for her, but he was very worried about what Don would do once he heard that Gabby's sang at the karaoke club.
" Seth, I'm sorry, please stop pushing! You're hurting my arm!!" Gabriella pleaded, almost crying. Seth remained silent as he maneuvered her through the crowd, but his displeasure was easy to sense.
Just before they made it to the door, someone - possibly the person previously hushed earlier, Gabby couldn't tell - made a muffled and obviously drunken comment that nearly stopped her heart!
" Sh' looks like tha' goon we took out las'h weekend!!" he said.
Gabby looked around for the voice, saw someone sneer at her in disgust. But, he disappeared in the mass of humanity.
Seth said sharply to her, "Turn back around Gabs, NOW!"
Gabriella did as she was told, but made a mental note of what the man looked like. She was locking the image away in her perfect memory. She would compare it later with clues that Raph might have given in his tea-induced coma just days before. Something Raph had said then about a candy and she definitely remembered the word 'beaches'! She filed that away, too, with this man's face. Gabby just had this gut feeling that he was an important link to Raph's beating.
Finally outside the karaoke club, Seth and Devon sandwiched Gabby between them, each subtly grabbing one of her arms. She winced in pain in their vice-like grip; the two making sure she couldn't get free and most certainly making sure no one could grab her. She wanted to protest their rough handling of her, but – wisely – she held her tongue, baring the discomfort.
They easily moved her along as if she had lost the ability to walk herself. The swiftness of their progress amazed Gabby! They were both very upset with her, that was easy enough to discern. Yet neither one of them said a word once outside the bar. Gabriella had the distinct impression, though, that once in the Jeep, she would be getting an ear full!
Cassandra from the music store was walking out of a delicatessen in the courtyard about that time. She saw Gabby being escorted away from the bar. Gabby and the woman locked gazes and Cassandra could tell the girl was in serious trouble - she had a terrified look on her face. She looked back at the karaoke bar and heard shouts of surprise and anger. By the time people started filing out of the building, holding their cameras up in protest, Cassandra noticed that Gabby and her friends were gone from the courtyard.
"WHAT IN BLAZES WERE YOU THINKING, GABBY?" Seth yelled at her. Gabby tried to melt into the back seat as she felt the brunt of Seth's anger. She was shaking and nearly in tears, but she tried very hard not to cry.
"I - I'm sorry, I really am!!" she replied contritely. Devon remained stoic in the driver's seat, facing forward. But, she could easily see him in the rearview mirror and his expression matched Seth's. He was letting Seth do the honors of reading her the riot act. He'd get his turn later, which was certain!
Seth turned more in his seat so that he was facing her directly. He placed his hands on the seat back, leaned forward over the headrest, and asked her again, but with less volume, " Why did you go in there? Answer me!!" Seth remembered how he felt facing Raph and he knew from that experience what Gabby was feeling. But, he needed her to answer him.
" I - I he-heard the music and - ah," she swallowed, trying to regain composure, " and I knew the song, b- but the person singing it was ruining it. I just wanted to..."
" To show them how it's done? Is that it?" Seth asked, scrunching his face in disdain. " Gabby, it's not necessary to show the world. We know you can sing and that's what's important. What you did back there violated so many Clan rules I've lost count! Hide in plain sight, that's what we practice. Given our physical uniqueness, that makes it VERY hard to do!! Getting up on that STAGE like you did without permission just puts us front and center to the entire WORLD!" He saw her struggle to keep back the tears, but finally the deluge began and then that was it. She sobbed uncontrollably, totally mortified and chastised. She covered her face with her hands to muffle the sound. Seth loved her so much, but at the moment he was livid. He could only imagine Don's reaction!! At the very least, he had prepared Gabby for his uncle's wrath, one way or the other.
Seth asked Devon, not taking his eyes off of Gabby, " Did you get a hold of Don, yet?"
Devon nodded silently.
"And?" Seth inquired as he turned back around in his seat to face forward. He fastened his safety belt.
"What do you think? Number one rule broken and WE WERE responsible for her! Who do you think is going to get it worse? The veteran or the novice!" and he seethed, truly beyond words to express his anger. " I can see my life right now ruined for the next year." He turned back to Gabby, who was still sobbing, " You, of all people, Gabs, should know that Don does not mess around! If you think he was hard on you, just wait and see what he does to Seth and me! I won't be a bit surprised if he kicks both our butts and sends us packing!!" and he leaned into the side of his car door, exasperated and pensive.
" H - he wouldn't do that, would he?" Gabby asked, hiccupping between sobs.
Devon snapped around at her and glared, " YES HE WOULD! He'd spar with us and give us the workout of our soon-to-be-short-little-life! He could disbar us if he chose to! He took Gaele's equipment away from her four years ago and she still has yet to get it back!! FOUR YEARS!! Don is the head of this Clan here in the states and what he says goes, as far as how we behave in public. My old man - your old man - is the only one in this family that has ever escaped Don's judgment and that's because Raph did things for Don that would have discredited him. Raph sacrificed his rep for this family. AND, he's paid for it dearly, let me tell you!"
Gabby stifled her crying as they pulled away from the parking space. She saw people going about their business as if not having a care in the world and in that one fleeting moment, she wanted to be just like them.
About a mile from the main road leading up to the house, Seth asked Devon to pull off to the side along a rest stop. He knew he had a small window of opportunity to talk to Gabby, but he knew it had to happen now, before entering Mike's property.
" Come on, get out. I need to talk with you before we meet Don." Seth implored Gabby. She was hesitant to get out, not knowing if Seth was going to yell at her some more. Finally, he reached in and took her her hand, "I'm not going to yell at you anymore! It's okay! I'm calm, now." So, she allowed him to pull her out of the car.
Devon rapped his fingers on the steering wheel, warning, " Don't take too much time, okay? Don knows how long it takes to get from Carmel to home!"
Seth snapped, " I know, Devon, but this is important! We'll blame traffic or something. Believe me, being on time or late will make little difference now."
Seth led Gabby to the far side of the stop and over to the barrier fence to a lookout that had a view of the ocean. There were Pacific cypress trees growing down below and off to the side. The sun was barely setting and it created a beautiful scene. Seth picked Gabby up, so easily it seemed to her, and sat her on the fence. He looked at her, all red-eyed and no longer the happy free soaring creature she had been only a couple hours ago. He felt sad for her, but he knew that she had created the problem. He was also aware that he and his brother were responsible for her. It would go hard with them once they returned to the house.
" I can't take as much time with this as I would like, but I want you to know that I love you!" He said it so sincerely, Gabby caught her breath between an errant sob that had sneaked up from within her. " I don't know exactly what will happen once we get back to the house, but whatever happens, I want you to be brave! No crying! No excuses! You take accountability for your actions and it will go far with Don. Make up reasons why you did what you did and he will be hard on you. Don't ever make excuses! Always know why you did something!!" Seth paused and took Gabby's hands in his, " Devon is correct in that, because we are ninja and therefore have more responsibility over you, he and I will be severely punished. Probably nothing physical, but if I know my uncle as well as I do, I will probably be going back to Japan - more than likely by this evening. If it goes the way it should, because you are not yet 'Clan', you will be sent upstairs to your room while Seth and I are debriefed. After that, I will probably be sent to my room. Since that first stair step by your room squeaks - listen for it! If I am going to be sent away, Don will let me pack, so that means I'll be coming back down the stairs again. If you hear that step squeak a second time, you'll know. I'm pretty sure Don will not let me see you before I leave."
Gabby started to cry again, but Seth held up a finger to her mouth, telling her with that gesture to stop. She steeled herself and found her resolve. Seth continued. " Devon will probably be banned from going anywhere but to work. It's what happened before when he violated some Clan rule. He was quite rebellious in his teens!" Seth smiled a little. "However, I don't know how long either of us will be restricted like this, if at all, but know that it won't be forever! I will try to leave something for you of greater importance than this before I leave. Look in my nightstand by my bed. You will have to be very careful about going in there since it will probably be off limits to you! If you can make it in there, in that drawer is my Bible. Look for Psalms 8 verse 28. Read it...."
Gabby recited, " And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose!"
Seth was pleased, but he repeated himself. " I don't want you to recite it, Gabby, I want you to READ it! I know you have a quick memory, maybe a perfect one like Don has, but reading it - in fact, read all of that book; it's wonderful - reading it with your eyes helps to open your heart to the Truth! I want you to know the Truth. I may love you with my whole being, but HE who created the world and everything in it loved us so much that He died for us!"
Gabby stated, " God didn't create us, Seth! Man did! He put the chemicals together to form that mutagen and started the circumstances that ended with your father and uncles becoming who they are!"
Seth shook his head, " God is in control of ALL things, even those things that man creates! Without God allowing it, without God giving the intellect AND the natural resources, MAN cannot do anything. The idea that man is in control of man has been the biggest lie of all! Man is not in charge of anything God doesn't want him to be. God created us, you can be sure of that!" And he leaned over to her and kissed her once more and for probably the last time - at least for a long, long while. Gabby hugged him and softly told him, " I love you, too! I'm so sorry about what I did!"
" I know. It'll be all right. It won't be easy, but we'll get through it!" Seth smiled at her.
Devon honked the horn. Seth gave Gabby one more kiss and then helped her off the fence. Then he and Gabby walked back to the car.
Once back on the highway, it wasn't too long before they were winding their way up the main road to the house. Seth decided to sit in the back seat with Gabby since he was sure it would be a long time before he would ever get the chance to again. He was dreading the confrontation at the Clan tribunal. His father and uncles would preside, with Don at the head. He would determine the discipline after conferring with his brothers. In order for harmony to exist, there had to be order, and without order, there would be chaos. The turtles all realized this early on in their youth, thanks to Splinter. The revered Rat had taught them well how to govern themselves, but sometimes Seth felt it was often done with too heavy a hand.
The front gates eased apart slowly and for all it was worth, it felt like the doors of a court of law had been opened to them. Seth noticed Devon had been unusually quiet. But, all things considered, they were both in their own train of thought wondering what was to come. Seth excused himself from next to Gabby, gave her one last kiss and a long look, then climbed back into the front seat. It was better that he was not sitting next to her when they arrived.
As they approached the house, Gabby saw that Don and his brothers - including Raph - were all standing outside across the walkway leading to the front door. Thomas was also there, but off to one side and next to the black sedan that had originally brought her to Mike's. Her heart fell as she realized that their posture was not a welcoming one, but one of formal authority. They stood, feet apart, hands behind their back, their expression serious and judging. Devon seethed under his breath, "Oh man, we're in deep!" Seth concurred with a low moan of anxious anticipation, almost sounding like he would be getting a death sentence. He didn't turn his head, but he made his voice loud enough for Gabby to hear - "Whatever you do, Gabs, do exactly as told. Don't ask any questions, don't turn your head around to look at us, just do whatever Don tells you to do."
Gabby meekly acknowledge, " Okay" Then added very contritely," I'm really sorry!!" and almost started to weep.
Devon admonished her, " Don't cry, either!! They won't be the least sympatric!"
Gabby sucked up the cry that almost escaped, waiting as Devon parked the car. " Now what?" she asked quietly, shuddering.
Seth replied. "We wait! "
About that time, Don walked over, his back straight, his face flat, and motioned for Devon to roll the window down. " Gabby, go to your room." Don said. He noticed her red-rimmed eyes and her damp hair and said quietly, " You may refresh yourself since it will be a few hours before we call you." Addressing his nephews, he said sternly, "You two stay put until Gabby is inside the house!"
Gabby did not want to get out of the car! She felt that old tendency to cower in the farthest corner of the backset, as far as she could get from Don. The look on Don's face was intense and serious; no amount of resistance would be tolerated, that was obvious. Gabby realized in that instant that it would probably be the worse mistake not to comply. Still, she made sure she exited on the opposite side from him.
Walking around the car - and deliberately keeping some distance between herself and her uncle - Gabby slowly made her way to the house. Don barked, " Do not take all day, Gabriella!" With her head down and her eyes avoiding them, she nearly ran passed her father and uncles, finally reaching the front door.
Once she was in the foyer, she met Rahab. " Rahab, what's going to happen?" Gabby sobbed, holding on to her for support. She wanted to just collapse, but Rahab refused to let her.
" What did Don say for you to do?" she asked her niece seriously as she held her.
Gabriella replied quietly, pulling her emotions in, " To go up to my bedroom and freshen up." She felt a tear escape down her face.
Gently pushing her niece away and looking into her face compassionately, Rahab told her, " Then, that's what you should do."
Gabby took to the stairs three steps at a time in her rush to get to her room. Rahab looked after her sadly, knowing that her husband and his brothers were very displeased with her - as they were with Seth and Devon!
Gabby fell upon her bed, sobbing uncontrollably, grieved to realize what a serious thing this had become. Never in her imagination did she think that this could have happened. She had such a great afternoon! The music store she visited and the other shops; her time at the beach with Seth; all these experiences were life changing for Gabby. Then, one act alone ruined it all! She was afraid for Seth and Devon, but she was also concerned for herself, as well. What kind of judgment would they all be given? Would they really send Seth away? Gabby cried for nearly a half an hour.
Finally calming down, she sat up and noticed sand on her bed. Her hair must be filled with it. So, taking Don's advice, she went quickly to the bathroom and prepared to shower.
Gabby felt much better after getting the grime and grit of the ocean out of her hair and off her body! It took several rinses, but she finally managed to get nearly all the sand out of her hair! The salt from the water had dried her skin as well, so she lathered on some body lotion. She felt measurably better, though she was still upset by her current situation. She applied a light amount of make-up and tousled her now dry hair so that it fell naturally around her face and shoulders.
She picked out a light blue rayon dress from the closet, not quite off the shoulders with a scooped neckline. The professor always felt it was quite becoming on her. Considering what might happen later on in the evening, she wanted as much an advantage as she could muster - even though it might be a moot point at best. White slip-on flats completed her look. Yes, she felt quite a bit better!
Suddenly, she heard the floorboard on the first step outside her bedroom creak! Gabby rushed over to the door and pressed her ear to it, hoping to hear Seth. She could faintly hear a single pair of footsteps making their way quietly down the hallway towards his room. A door opened and then closed. From her memory of where Seth's room was, the amount of time it took to hear the door from the creak of the step, it was probably him. Gabby waited. The weight of what she had done settling in the pit of her stomach as she dreaded the possibility of not seeing Seth anymore. Gabby realized from his discussion with her earlier that he was a Christian - and she prayed that his God would keep him here with her.
About an hour later, she heard his door open again and close. The same light footsteps and then - the creak of the floorboard. How she wanted to open her bedroom door and run after him. But, she could just imagine the strong able hands of one of her uncles or her father keeping her back. No, that would only embarrass Seth and she could not do any more harm to his injured integrity. She wanted to cry for him - and for Devon and herself - but she did not want to be called down stairs red eyed and sniffling. It was a tough position she found herself! In that moment, Gabby felt her heart break!
Gabriella dreamt pleasant dreams, mostly about the professor and the good times that they had. Within her dream cycle, she heard music. As sometimes happens in her dreams, Gabby could discern what song it was. But, the music she was hearing was different than what she had heard at the music store. She stirred out of her slumber and woke up.
The song was still there. Gabby strained to hear what it was and realized that it sounded very much like Serena Brightwell's music. It was just the instrumental part, but she would have recognized it nonetheless. Then, someone's voice tried to sing the lyrics. However, they weren't doing a very good job of it. That irritated Gabby to pieces. She had so much respect for Serena's work and felt that to sing any of her songs meant doing a good job! That was always Gabby's motivation whenever she sang any of Serena's songs!
Gabby nudged Seth to wake him, but he seemed to be in a deep sleep. Devon, as well, appeared too involved with his nap to wake. She saw how tired they looked and realized that between the sun and the day in Carmel, they were beat.
Still, the music she was hearing was intoxicating to Gabby. She was hoping that Seth might change his mind and allow her to visit the area where the bar was. She thought that if they would accompany her, he and Devon would keep her safe. They were well trained, after all, based on what her father, Raph, said before they left home. She couldn't wake them, though – not that she tried too terribly hard. Gabby finally decided to let them sleep. In hindsight, she knew that Seth probably would have said 'no' anyway; he was quite serious the first time when she had asked.
Her confidence now at an all time high, Gabby decided to take it upon her self to visit the bar. She remembered that the courtyard was not that far from the beach. She was certain she could slip over there quickly, take a look around, and then return before either Devon or Seth woke up. She started to feel excited at the thought of taking off on her own. The more she reflected upon it, the better the idea sounded to her!
Gabby quietly put her street clothes back on. She looked at her two escorts and saw that they were still pretty deep into their sleep. Confident that they would remain that way, she stole away from them and went to find out who was singing at the bar. She looked back at the two sleeping forms and made a mental note of where Seth and Devon were so as not to get lost.
Gabby thought she could successfully walk among the humans in town. At first, she did well. The people moving along the sidewalk with her were too involved with their own reasons for being there. For the most part, they ignored her. She relaxed a little bit more as her confidence grew.
But at one point, Gabby was pushed into a larger crowd of people. She began to panic. She tried to remain calm, yet it was proving to be difficult for her.
Finally, unable to cope with it any longer, Gabriella bolted free of the crowd at the first available opportunity! She didn't run very far, because soon she realized that she was back in the courtyard.
The crowd at the karaoke bar had grown considerably since she had last seen it. The deejay had pumped up the volume to attract more people, and it seemed to be working.
Someone had obviously asked for a Brightwell song since that's what was playing. Gabby was not impressed with the soloist who tried to sing it, though.
Out of curiosity, she made her way towards the crowd that spilled out of the bar. She tried to stay a safe distance away, but she still couldn't see who it was on stage. The fact that the action was taking place inside the bar didn't occur to Gabby. All she thought about was seeing the person who was ruining a perfectly good song. The song was one of Gabby's favorites and the first song she had sung to Raph, no less!
As she slowly approached the door to the bar, someone spotted her. The next thing Gabby knew, she was being pushed and pulled inside and towards the front where the stage was! It surprised her so much she was stunned. Then, getting her wits again, she tried to resist. But the strength of the hands upon her was too great and she was pushed anyway towards the front. Try as she might to resist and go the other way, hands kept grabbing at her. People were laughing and she could smell the acrid breath from those who had a little too much alcohol.
"Hey, lets' see if Kermit can sing! " someone yelled and the place erupted with laughter. A host of people then pushed Gabby up onto the platform.
She was terrified!! What was she going to do? Where was Seth? In her panic, Gabby had forgotten all about leaving him and her brother at the beach. In that same moment, she realized she had done so deliberately! Now she understood why Seth didn't want her near the bar, but it was too late. She had intentionally disobeyed him and now Gabby wasn't sure what to do. She definitely didn't have the training that Seth or Devon had to push her way off the stage or through the crowd of people, who were now pressing closer to where she stood. All she saw was a sea of expectant faces unlike her own. Over the course of four days, she had accustomed herself to green. Now, she saw a rainbow of hues in varying shades of pink, brown, and black. Gabriella just stood there terrified!
" Hey, can't expect a lizard to sing, now can we?" someone jeered from the crowd.
" Yo, sweetheart, only way off is to sing us a song! What's your pleasure?" another voice asked, but it was not coming from the crowd.
Gabby looked over at the person and realized it was the deejay. She gulped and timidly told him she wasn't suppose to be there
. " Well, you should have stayed home, then! Right?" he replied and then laughed. The crowd followed suit. " You have to sing to get off, that's the rule! So pick a song!"
Realizing that if she did one song, she could get down, Gabby asked for the one he had just played, ' Winter Light'. She also requested that the outdoor speakers be turned off.
He laughed, " Well, sure, we can keep it just between friends, can't we folks?" and he laughed, again, as did the audience. Then, he asked, "Are you sure you want that song, Honey? That's a tough one. The last gal ...." and he stopped as he realized that last gal was glaring at him. " Okay, never mind. Let's get it going, eh!"
And then the music started. Gabby composed herself, deciding that since she was already there, she might as well do her best.
But, the moment she sang the first words, the crowd instantly hushed. Her voice was breathless and precise, scaling the notes with a precision that was not kindred to the clientele that frequented the microphone she was using. The crowd was transfixed as she worked effortlessly through the music. There were some who sat back down at their tables while others moved away from the stage to allow 'room' for Gabby to perform. They had never heard anything so beautiful, other than from the singer who had made the song famous in the first place. Even the last soloist who sang before Gabby was mesmerized.
However, the deejay was so impressed with the performance, that he upped the volume and punched the exterior speakers, contrary to Gabby's request. Carmel had an ordinance that prohibited obnoxiously loud music. But this – this music was not obnoxious. It was enchanting!
Seth woke up and thought he heard Gabriella singing. He looked around and that's when he found that she was gone. He shook the cobwebs of sleep off and then realized where the voice was coming from. Seth was instantly awake! He pushed Devon hard to wake him up and seethed between his teeth, "Gabby's at the bar. We need to get her NOW!!!"
They both grabbed their towels and ran as if their life depended upon it.
Gabby finished her rendition and was pleasantly surprised by the applause. Even the deejay joined in on it! " Hey, that was pretty good!! You want to sing another one, Honey?" he asked her.
Forgetting that she had no business being up on stage, she gathered her confidence and, encouraged by the token of the crowd's appreciation, nodded.
" Another Brightwell?" he asked.
" Yes, please, if you don't mind?" she replied.
" How about 'Timeless?" the deejay offered.
" One of my favorites!!" and Gabby smiled.
The crowd continued being silent out of respect for this 'Kermit' who pretty much dispelled that insult. No way was anyone going to manage a rude response towards her. One man tried and he was quickly hushed by the mob! He glared up at her, but Gabby was too much into the novelty of being on stage to even notice.
The music began and soon Gabby was singing what most people knew as 'Time to Say Goodbye'. She closed her eyes as she visualized the notes, taking care to select the right inflections. She was deep into the song, pulling as much emotion out of her and into the tune as she could with her eyes closed in concentration. She sang the Italian words perfectly. Gabby could hear people talk softly about her, but she couldn't make out what they were saying.
At one point, Gabby thought she was getting a little breathless. There were moments where she thought she saw flashes of light through her closed eyelids. But, she was far into the song was oblivious to those who were snapping her picture!
Shortly after Gabby began singing her second song, Seth and Devon arrived and stole through the crowd. They were shorter than most who were there, so when they crouched and went ninja, they passed through the crowd of people virtually unnoticed. They saw the flash of cameras going and, with only a look at each other, went about collecting the film. As soon as they had a gentle hold of a camera - unbeknown to it's owner - they carefully took the film or the chip out. They began littering the floor with exposed film or broken chips as they went. Even those who didn't use their cameras, lost all their film, both used and unused.
It was a tough decision to make, but Seth and Devon felt the sanctity of their family was of greater importance than memories of a trip or an experience - such as what the crowd was getting with Gabby. The Realm of the Clan prohibited one's picture from being taken. Raph had managed it a few years ago, but the only people that could recognize him were his own family.
Farther back than that, when the four turtles lived in the sewers of New York, they managed to be front-page news in the New York Variety. Their picture was explained away by the deejay that they were actors paid to 'stage' an assault. He actually had no idea who they were and only made up the story to keep his job. Since then, with the exception of Raph, none of them had ever violated the Clan rule. Today, though, could prove an exception as well as a disaster!
The slick way these brothers worked was further helped by Gabby's singing and the hypnotic effect that she had on the crowd. Finally, as she finished the song, the people clapped their appreciation. Seth and Devon had finished with all that they could find as far as cameras were concerned. Hopefully, they emptied all of them. " Have to alert Don. " Seth whispered. He was truly angry over what Gabby had done.
Devon replied, " Yeah. I hate doing that 'cause it's going to get her and us in deep with him." He took a breath and then complained, "What was she thinking, Seth? We told her not to go in here!" He was exasperated. Gone was the day as far as these two were concerned; completely wasted because of one act alone.
Before Gabby could accept another song to sing, Seth pushed his way to the front and let her know that he was fully aware of what she did. Gabby was surprised to see him and was quite mortified. She excused herself from the deejay and climbed down to where Seth was standing. He received her with a long hard look of disappointment. Gabby cringed inside, feeling the heat of his anger through his eyes. She mouthed, "I'm sorry!" and felt hot tears welling up. Seth only shook his head once, not at all sympathetic with her.
Just then, someone tried to grab Seth and put him up on stage but he countered by grabbing the man's hand and turning it in such a way that he cried out in pain. Seth warned him, seething, " Do not touch me! Dig!" and then let him go. The man held his hand and backed away. Fortunately, his hand was only sore and not broken or strained. The way Seth had turned it created only pain yet prevented damage. Acupressure was one of those lessons Leo had taught him years ago, and today it came in handy!
Seth grabbed Gabby by her arm and, placing her in front of him so he could direct her, pushed her through the crowd. He was very unhappy with her at the moment; he still cared for her, but he was very worried about what Don would do once he heard that Gabby's sang at the karaoke club.
" Seth, I'm sorry, please stop pushing! You're hurting my arm!!" Gabriella pleaded, almost crying. Seth remained silent as he maneuvered her through the crowd, but his displeasure was easy to sense.
Just before they made it to the door, someone - possibly the person previously hushed earlier, Gabby couldn't tell - made a muffled and obviously drunken comment that nearly stopped her heart!
" Sh' looks like tha' goon we took out las'h weekend!!" he said.
Gabby looked around for the voice, saw someone sneer at her in disgust. But, he disappeared in the mass of humanity.
Seth said sharply to her, "Turn back around Gabs, NOW!"
Gabriella did as she was told, but made a mental note of what the man looked like. She was locking the image away in her perfect memory. She would compare it later with clues that Raph might have given in his tea-induced coma just days before. Something Raph had said then about a candy and she definitely remembered the word 'beaches'! She filed that away, too, with this man's face. Gabby just had this gut feeling that he was an important link to Raph's beating.
Finally outside the karaoke club, Seth and Devon sandwiched Gabby between them, each subtly grabbing one of her arms. She winced in pain in their vice-like grip; the two making sure she couldn't get free and most certainly making sure no one could grab her. She wanted to protest their rough handling of her, but – wisely – she held her tongue, baring the discomfort.
They easily moved her along as if she had lost the ability to walk herself. The swiftness of their progress amazed Gabby! They were both very upset with her, that was easy enough to discern. Yet neither one of them said a word once outside the bar. Gabriella had the distinct impression, though, that once in the Jeep, she would be getting an ear full!
Cassandra from the music store was walking out of a delicatessen in the courtyard about that time. She saw Gabby being escorted away from the bar. Gabby and the woman locked gazes and Cassandra could tell the girl was in serious trouble - she had a terrified look on her face. She looked back at the karaoke bar and heard shouts of surprise and anger. By the time people started filing out of the building, holding their cameras up in protest, Cassandra noticed that Gabby and her friends were gone from the courtyard.
"WHAT IN BLAZES WERE YOU THINKING, GABBY?" Seth yelled at her. Gabby tried to melt into the back seat as she felt the brunt of Seth's anger. She was shaking and nearly in tears, but she tried very hard not to cry.
"I - I'm sorry, I really am!!" she replied contritely. Devon remained stoic in the driver's seat, facing forward. But, she could easily see him in the rearview mirror and his expression matched Seth's. He was letting Seth do the honors of reading her the riot act. He'd get his turn later, which was certain!
Seth turned more in his seat so that he was facing her directly. He placed his hands on the seat back, leaned forward over the headrest, and asked her again, but with less volume, " Why did you go in there? Answer me!!" Seth remembered how he felt facing Raph and he knew from that experience what Gabby was feeling. But, he needed her to answer him.
" I - I he-heard the music and - ah," she swallowed, trying to regain composure, " and I knew the song, b- but the person singing it was ruining it. I just wanted to..."
" To show them how it's done? Is that it?" Seth asked, scrunching his face in disdain. " Gabby, it's not necessary to show the world. We know you can sing and that's what's important. What you did back there violated so many Clan rules I've lost count! Hide in plain sight, that's what we practice. Given our physical uniqueness, that makes it VERY hard to do!! Getting up on that STAGE like you did without permission just puts us front and center to the entire WORLD!" He saw her struggle to keep back the tears, but finally the deluge began and then that was it. She sobbed uncontrollably, totally mortified and chastised. She covered her face with her hands to muffle the sound. Seth loved her so much, but at the moment he was livid. He could only imagine Don's reaction!! At the very least, he had prepared Gabby for his uncle's wrath, one way or the other.
Seth asked Devon, not taking his eyes off of Gabby, " Did you get a hold of Don, yet?"
Devon nodded silently.
"And?" Seth inquired as he turned back around in his seat to face forward. He fastened his safety belt.
"What do you think? Number one rule broken and WE WERE responsible for her! Who do you think is going to get it worse? The veteran or the novice!" and he seethed, truly beyond words to express his anger. " I can see my life right now ruined for the next year." He turned back to Gabby, who was still sobbing, " You, of all people, Gabs, should know that Don does not mess around! If you think he was hard on you, just wait and see what he does to Seth and me! I won't be a bit surprised if he kicks both our butts and sends us packing!!" and he leaned into the side of his car door, exasperated and pensive.
" H - he wouldn't do that, would he?" Gabby asked, hiccupping between sobs.
Devon snapped around at her and glared, " YES HE WOULD! He'd spar with us and give us the workout of our soon-to-be-short-little-life! He could disbar us if he chose to! He took Gaele's equipment away from her four years ago and she still has yet to get it back!! FOUR YEARS!! Don is the head of this Clan here in the states and what he says goes, as far as how we behave in public. My old man - your old man - is the only one in this family that has ever escaped Don's judgment and that's because Raph did things for Don that would have discredited him. Raph sacrificed his rep for this family. AND, he's paid for it dearly, let me tell you!"
Gabby stifled her crying as they pulled away from the parking space. She saw people going about their business as if not having a care in the world and in that one fleeting moment, she wanted to be just like them.
About a mile from the main road leading up to the house, Seth asked Devon to pull off to the side along a rest stop. He knew he had a small window of opportunity to talk to Gabby, but he knew it had to happen now, before entering Mike's property.
" Come on, get out. I need to talk with you before we meet Don." Seth implored Gabby. She was hesitant to get out, not knowing if Seth was going to yell at her some more. Finally, he reached in and took her her hand, "I'm not going to yell at you anymore! It's okay! I'm calm, now." So, she allowed him to pull her out of the car.
Devon rapped his fingers on the steering wheel, warning, " Don't take too much time, okay? Don knows how long it takes to get from Carmel to home!"
Seth snapped, " I know, Devon, but this is important! We'll blame traffic or something. Believe me, being on time or late will make little difference now."
Seth led Gabby to the far side of the stop and over to the barrier fence to a lookout that had a view of the ocean. There were Pacific cypress trees growing down below and off to the side. The sun was barely setting and it created a beautiful scene. Seth picked Gabby up, so easily it seemed to her, and sat her on the fence. He looked at her, all red-eyed and no longer the happy free soaring creature she had been only a couple hours ago. He felt sad for her, but he knew that she had created the problem. He was also aware that he and his brother were responsible for her. It would go hard with them once they returned to the house.
" I can't take as much time with this as I would like, but I want you to know that I love you!" He said it so sincerely, Gabby caught her breath between an errant sob that had sneaked up from within her. " I don't know exactly what will happen once we get back to the house, but whatever happens, I want you to be brave! No crying! No excuses! You take accountability for your actions and it will go far with Don. Make up reasons why you did what you did and he will be hard on you. Don't ever make excuses! Always know why you did something!!" Seth paused and took Gabby's hands in his, " Devon is correct in that, because we are ninja and therefore have more responsibility over you, he and I will be severely punished. Probably nothing physical, but if I know my uncle as well as I do, I will probably be going back to Japan - more than likely by this evening. If it goes the way it should, because you are not yet 'Clan', you will be sent upstairs to your room while Seth and I are debriefed. After that, I will probably be sent to my room. Since that first stair step by your room squeaks - listen for it! If I am going to be sent away, Don will let me pack, so that means I'll be coming back down the stairs again. If you hear that step squeak a second time, you'll know. I'm pretty sure Don will not let me see you before I leave."
Gabby started to cry again, but Seth held up a finger to her mouth, telling her with that gesture to stop. She steeled herself and found her resolve. Seth continued. " Devon will probably be banned from going anywhere but to work. It's what happened before when he violated some Clan rule. He was quite rebellious in his teens!" Seth smiled a little. "However, I don't know how long either of us will be restricted like this, if at all, but know that it won't be forever! I will try to leave something for you of greater importance than this before I leave. Look in my nightstand by my bed. You will have to be very careful about going in there since it will probably be off limits to you! If you can make it in there, in that drawer is my Bible. Look for Psalms 8 verse 28. Read it...."
Gabby recited, " And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose!"
Seth was pleased, but he repeated himself. " I don't want you to recite it, Gabby, I want you to READ it! I know you have a quick memory, maybe a perfect one like Don has, but reading it - in fact, read all of that book; it's wonderful - reading it with your eyes helps to open your heart to the Truth! I want you to know the Truth. I may love you with my whole being, but HE who created the world and everything in it loved us so much that He died for us!"
Gabby stated, " God didn't create us, Seth! Man did! He put the chemicals together to form that mutagen and started the circumstances that ended with your father and uncles becoming who they are!"
Seth shook his head, " God is in control of ALL things, even those things that man creates! Without God allowing it, without God giving the intellect AND the natural resources, MAN cannot do anything. The idea that man is in control of man has been the biggest lie of all! Man is not in charge of anything God doesn't want him to be. God created us, you can be sure of that!" And he leaned over to her and kissed her once more and for probably the last time - at least for a long, long while. Gabby hugged him and softly told him, " I love you, too! I'm so sorry about what I did!"
" I know. It'll be all right. It won't be easy, but we'll get through it!" Seth smiled at her.
Devon honked the horn. Seth gave Gabby one more kiss and then helped her off the fence. Then he and Gabby walked back to the car.
Once back on the highway, it wasn't too long before they were winding their way up the main road to the house. Seth decided to sit in the back seat with Gabby since he was sure it would be a long time before he would ever get the chance to again. He was dreading the confrontation at the Clan tribunal. His father and uncles would preside, with Don at the head. He would determine the discipline after conferring with his brothers. In order for harmony to exist, there had to be order, and without order, there would be chaos. The turtles all realized this early on in their youth, thanks to Splinter. The revered Rat had taught them well how to govern themselves, but sometimes Seth felt it was often done with too heavy a hand.
The front gates eased apart slowly and for all it was worth, it felt like the doors of a court of law had been opened to them. Seth noticed Devon had been unusually quiet. But, all things considered, they were both in their own train of thought wondering what was to come. Seth excused himself from next to Gabby, gave her one last kiss and a long look, then climbed back into the front seat. It was better that he was not sitting next to her when they arrived.
As they approached the house, Gabby saw that Don and his brothers - including Raph - were all standing outside across the walkway leading to the front door. Thomas was also there, but off to one side and next to the black sedan that had originally brought her to Mike's. Her heart fell as she realized that their posture was not a welcoming one, but one of formal authority. They stood, feet apart, hands behind their back, their expression serious and judging. Devon seethed under his breath, "Oh man, we're in deep!" Seth concurred with a low moan of anxious anticipation, almost sounding like he would be getting a death sentence. He didn't turn his head, but he made his voice loud enough for Gabby to hear - "Whatever you do, Gabs, do exactly as told. Don't ask any questions, don't turn your head around to look at us, just do whatever Don tells you to do."
Gabby meekly acknowledge, " Okay" Then added very contritely," I'm really sorry!!" and almost started to weep.
Devon admonished her, " Don't cry, either!! They won't be the least sympatric!"
Gabby sucked up the cry that almost escaped, waiting as Devon parked the car. " Now what?" she asked quietly, shuddering.
Seth replied. "We wait! "
About that time, Don walked over, his back straight, his face flat, and motioned for Devon to roll the window down. " Gabby, go to your room." Don said. He noticed her red-rimmed eyes and her damp hair and said quietly, " You may refresh yourself since it will be a few hours before we call you." Addressing his nephews, he said sternly, "You two stay put until Gabby is inside the house!"
Gabby did not want to get out of the car! She felt that old tendency to cower in the farthest corner of the backset, as far as she could get from Don. The look on Don's face was intense and serious; no amount of resistance would be tolerated, that was obvious. Gabby realized in that instant that it would probably be the worse mistake not to comply. Still, she made sure she exited on the opposite side from him.
Walking around the car - and deliberately keeping some distance between herself and her uncle - Gabby slowly made her way to the house. Don barked, " Do not take all day, Gabriella!" With her head down and her eyes avoiding them, she nearly ran passed her father and uncles, finally reaching the front door.
Once she was in the foyer, she met Rahab. " Rahab, what's going to happen?" Gabby sobbed, holding on to her for support. She wanted to just collapse, but Rahab refused to let her.
" What did Don say for you to do?" she asked her niece seriously as she held her.
Gabriella replied quietly, pulling her emotions in, " To go up to my bedroom and freshen up." She felt a tear escape down her face.
Gently pushing her niece away and looking into her face compassionately, Rahab told her, " Then, that's what you should do."
Gabby took to the stairs three steps at a time in her rush to get to her room. Rahab looked after her sadly, knowing that her husband and his brothers were very displeased with her - as they were with Seth and Devon!
Gabby fell upon her bed, sobbing uncontrollably, grieved to realize what a serious thing this had become. Never in her imagination did she think that this could have happened. She had such a great afternoon! The music store she visited and the other shops; her time at the beach with Seth; all these experiences were life changing for Gabby. Then, one act alone ruined it all! She was afraid for Seth and Devon, but she was also concerned for herself, as well. What kind of judgment would they all be given? Would they really send Seth away? Gabby cried for nearly a half an hour.
Finally calming down, she sat up and noticed sand on her bed. Her hair must be filled with it. So, taking Don's advice, she went quickly to the bathroom and prepared to shower.
Gabby felt much better after getting the grime and grit of the ocean out of her hair and off her body! It took several rinses, but she finally managed to get nearly all the sand out of her hair! The salt from the water had dried her skin as well, so she lathered on some body lotion. She felt measurably better, though she was still upset by her current situation. She applied a light amount of make-up and tousled her now dry hair so that it fell naturally around her face and shoulders.
She picked out a light blue rayon dress from the closet, not quite off the shoulders with a scooped neckline. The professor always felt it was quite becoming on her. Considering what might happen later on in the evening, she wanted as much an advantage as she could muster - even though it might be a moot point at best. White slip-on flats completed her look. Yes, she felt quite a bit better!
Suddenly, she heard the floorboard on the first step outside her bedroom creak! Gabby rushed over to the door and pressed her ear to it, hoping to hear Seth. She could faintly hear a single pair of footsteps making their way quietly down the hallway towards his room. A door opened and then closed. From her memory of where Seth's room was, the amount of time it took to hear the door from the creak of the step, it was probably him. Gabby waited. The weight of what she had done settling in the pit of her stomach as she dreaded the possibility of not seeing Seth anymore. Gabby realized from his discussion with her earlier that he was a Christian - and she prayed that his God would keep him here with her.
About an hour later, she heard his door open again and close. The same light footsteps and then - the creak of the floorboard. How she wanted to open her bedroom door and run after him. But, she could just imagine the strong able hands of one of her uncles or her father keeping her back. No, that would only embarrass Seth and she could not do any more harm to his injured integrity. She wanted to cry for him - and for Devon and herself - but she did not want to be called down stairs red eyed and sniffling. It was a tough position she found herself! In that moment, Gabby felt her heart break!
