Putting things right
Chapter 4: The way home.
Gabriel watched as his father fell before him sobbing in to his hands, a part of him wished his father could be strong with this and not make this any harder than it already was, but then the other part of him felt sorry for his father after all he had just lost his daughter to be now confronted with an image of his dead eldest son must be terrible.
"Father…" Gabriel spoke softly and smoothly as he knelt down to his father and looked him in the eye as his father did back to him.
"Father I'm not here for very long but I am here to help you, I bring love from mother, Susan and Thomas they miss you as do I." Gabriel spoke now in a more normal tone
"Gabriel…But your…You can't be here you died long ago" Benjamin spoke now standing up and coming level with his son. He couldn't believe he was actually standing there talking to him as if nothing had ever happened. Benjamin wanted nothing more than to jump for joy and take his son in his arms, cradling him and touching him for the first time in years. But it wasn't to be…
"Gabriel why do you come here to me, is it my time?" Benjamin asked not able to look him in the eye
"No father, I'm here to help you and to help Aunt Charlotte"
"Help us how? Were fine!" Benjamin spat back hiding his true feelings like he always did. Whether or not he wanted to admit it he new he and Charlotte were having problems that stretched back over pointless pain right back to the day he lost his first son Thomas. He constantly blamed him self for the death of him, even though he tried to stop Tavington; he couldn't reach him in time and that burned on his heart like a red hot flame.
Taking a few steps back Gabriel waved his hand through the corn and watched as his hand passed through it, smiling he turned back to his father and smiled
"I can see it in your eyes as I have done that day I died, your lying to me father…" Gabriel new he had to make his father really angry before the truth would come out and he hated doing it but it was for the best after all. Benjamin felt the emotions well up in his throat and he now finally noticed his dead son was wearing the same uniform he wore when he died it even had a blood stain on it. Angrily Benjamin spat out
"I helped you, you asked for my forgiveness and I gave it you!"
"Stop lying to me father you never forgave me for Thomas!"
"How dare you! After all you put me through come back here and presume to tell me what I did and did not do how dare you!" Benjamin was even angrier now than he could ever imagine being especially at his son, he wanted to throw a punch at him or something to show him how much what he was saying was hurting. Gabriel on the other hand hated him self for saying it he knew his father forgave him, he never blamed him in the first place.
"Father you let me die! You promised me I would be ok and that you were going to take care of me how could you let me die!" That was the worse thing he could ever imagine saying to his father but he knew that was all he needed to push him over the edge and break his tough exterior. Benjamin couldn't take it any more that was it he needed to let it all out
"I'M SORRY I'M SO SORRY ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" He screamed and fell to his knees once more
"I NEVER WANTED YOU TO DIE WHY COULDN'T I HAVE SAVED THOMAS WHY COULDN'T I HAVE FORSEEN WHAT TAVINGTON WANTED TO DO I WANT MY FAMILY BACK, I HATE YOU GABRIEL I HATE YOU! WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME WHY? YOU WHERE MY ELDEST SON THOMAS MY SECOND AND NOW SUSAN WHY IS HE DOING THIS TO ME? WHY!" Benjamin had done it he finally let go and broke down in a sob on his knees, Gabriel felt his heart flutter and he hated him self for putting his father through that but now it was all out and he finally saw his father for who he truly was.
Walking over to his father Gabriel once again knelt to him
"Father…" He tried but Benjamin was having none of it and got up running in to the corn fields just running and running until his legs felt weak and he fell to the floor breathing hard. Gabriel followed his father and had eventually caught up with him, slowly he walked over to his father and for the first time in so long he touched his back and smoothed it. He didn't know how or why god or whatever was allowing him this pleasure but it felt good and Benjamin sat up to face his son
"I'm so sorry father; I never wanted Thomas to get killed or for Susan to die or for me to leave you but it was our time he forgives you father…and so do I…"
Benjamin stared at his son and reached out for him as Gabriel fell into his arms, father and son reunited. Benjamin had never felt so happy and released in his whole life he felt as if all his troubles had been taken away and that god had forgiven all his sins, giving him a whole new outlook on life.
"I love you…"Benjamin whispered the tears now freely falling from his eyes.
"I love you too dad…" Gabriel responded and smiled pulling back a little and standing up helping his father to stand as well.
"Dad I think it's about time we headed back, I know Charlotte will be worried. I saw her on the porch to the house before I came out here looking for you, she seemed upset."
Benjamin nodded and the two headed back towards the house. As they neared the house he saw Charlotte sitting there and ran up to her, Gabriel stood at the bottom of the steps smiling holding his hat in his hands.
"Benjamin I was so worried…" She cooed in to his shoulder as he picked her up and swung her around before placing her back down and kissing her passionately
"I'm so sorry for what happened and what I did; you know I would never hurt you Charlotte…" Benjamin softened and kissed her cheek.
"I know…" Charlotte replied glad to see him so happy for such a long time.
"You'll never guess whose here…" Benjamin said turning around to look at Gabriel, but he was not there. Worried he ran down the steps and looked around but there was no sign of him anywhere, Benjamin sighed and closed his eyes putting his hands on his hips and looking down at the ground where he saw two sets of prints in the mud one was his and the other…smiling he shook his head and looked up into the sky…
A few days had passed now and Benjamin had neither seen nor heard from Gabriel, as he sat on the porch all his family tucked up in bed for the night, Charlotte appeared around the door coming to him and sitting in his lap.
"You still think you really saw him?" She asked generally and kissed his cheek, he wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes
"I know I did Charlotte…I just wish I had a chance to say goodbye properly not whilst he was on his death bed." Smiling she curled in to him and shut her eyes too.
Beautiful dawn - lights up the shore for me.
There is nothing else in the world,
I'd rather wake up and see (with you).
Beautiful dawn - I'm just chasing time again.
Thought I would die a lonely man, in endless night.
But now I'm high; running wild among all the stars above.
Sometimes it's hard to believe you remember me.
Gabriel rounded the corner of the house he once knew so well, it wasn't the original but it was his home. He checked in on his brothers and sister he wanted so much to wake them up and have good laugh with them like what he used to, but that wasn't why he was here…Leaning a little round the corner he saw then sitting together and smiled…Although Gabriel knew Benjamin had a love for his mother it wasn't the same as what he had for Charlotte…he loved her truly…
Beautiful dawn - melt with the stars again.
Do you remember the day when my journey began?
Will you remember the end (of time)?
Beautiful dawn - You're just blowing my mind again.
Thought I was born to endless night, until you shine.
High, running wild among all the stars above.
Sometimes it's hard to believe you remember me.
Gabriel stared at the sky he knew he had to leave soon and he really wanted to do this before he left…
Walking closer he lent against the railings and crossed his arms holding his hat in one hand
"I guess this really is goodbye…" Gabriel spoke trying to keep his tears from surfacing. Benjamin opened his eyes as did Charlotte- who at this point is in complete amazement. Both of them stood up and Charlotte ran across to him first kissing his cheek and hugging him as tight as she could
"Gabriel is it really you?" She questioned staring in to his eyes he laughed a little and hugged her again
"Yes it's really me" He said laughing through tears
"Are you staying?" She questioned again hopeful but his reply was a pull back and a shake of the head. Tears now stained her face too as turned back and looked at Benjamin who stood there forcing the tears back too. Turning back she looked at Gabriel at whispered to him
"Thank you for everything Gabriel…" She trailed off and walked away, both of them followed her with their eyes and she left them two alone. Quickly coughing and wiping the tears from his face Gabriel turned to face the corn fields and folded his arms again, walking up to him Benjamin stared at him
"Guess I best go huh?" Gabriel said his voice now cracking; he really didn't want to go but he new he had to. Benjamin couldn't believe he was loosing his son again but knew he would see him again someday which filled him with hope and love and made him a stronger man…
"I'll miss you Gabriel…" He said his voice cracked and tears now stained his face once again. Gabriel turned and fell in to his open arms
"Say hi to everyone from me…" He trailed off and Gabriel nodded smiling through his tears. Putting his hat back on Gabriel walked round him and down the steps Benjamin followed his every move and walked to the top of the steps
"Gabriel…" Benjamin said and Gabriel stopped to look back
"Yeah…"
"I'm proud of you…"
"I know..." He smiled and walked off in to the distance fading in to the night…
Will you be my shoulder when I'm grey and older?
Promise me tomorrow starts with you,
Getting high; running wild among all the stars above.
Sometimes it's hard to believe you remember me
The End.
Hope you enjoyed it guys sorry it took so long to update please read and review……….
