Disclaimer – Don 't own 'em, don't sue me. I only own Gabby, Mindy, and Jordan. Enough said.
Much appreciation to all who read and for those who took the time to review. By doing so, you've validated my exploring Gabby's path back to enlightenment! Those of you who do not like her, well, hopefully – after this chapter - you will see some light at the end of that long, dark, gloomy tunnel.
Be blessed!
A Time of Reflection
by reinbeauchaser
Chapter 3 – Prelude to the Program
As she looked out through her bedroom window, Gabby let out a long weary breath. For a moment, she regarded the majestic red giants bordering the back of Mike's property. She still marveled at the wondrous trees gracing the perimeter of the estate, still in awe of them, even though she had lived here going on five years now. They towered high into the air at almost impossible heights, dwarfing the oak and even the stately elms Rahab had planted years ago.
The grandeur of these almost prehistoric trees seemed overwhelming to Gabby and, if not for conservationists such as Don Tello, they might very well have become extinct through excessive logging, too.
In any event, the window at where Gabby stood, a French-paned design, had an almost unencumbered view of the huge redwoods. However, Gabby wasn't necessarily interested in admiring the view so much - save for her momentary appreciation.
She was more lost in thought than that.
All she could think about was who would be her sensei tomorrow, who would train her. She recalled too easily how Leo and the others had challenged every fear she harbored the first time they tried training her. She had collected a few more fears along the way, too, what with the battle in the forest shortly before she and Seth married and, then, the near disaster from running away six months ago.
"One would think that would have forced me to understand things," she sighed in frustration. "I just wish I could stop being so – difficult!"
She thought of her conversation with Rahab only two days before. Maybe her mother-in-law was right, maybeLeonardo would have the rest of her family home by Christmas. Maybe if she just accepted things the way they are, he might even send them home sooner?
In either event, Gabby absentmindedlycontinued to gaze out her bedroom window. She thought about how her life had changed in just a few short years. Never had she even imagined living where she was and with a family that was obviously her own. Marriage hadn't even been a dream back when she was living in Connecticut, not when she knew how different she was.
Yet, despite the odds, she was married and with two children, no less. She smiled, realizing how very lucky she was, even though her current circumstances saddened her.
Gabby glanced over at the clock on her nightstand and saw that it was only seven in the morning. It was also Sunday, her last day of freedom. She had been awake for only a little while and as she looked over at her son, she smiled. She was glad he was sleeping in. Of course, Jordan had woken up a couple of times during the night and had fussed a little. It had taken a while before she could get him back to sleep, too. Gabby was certain it was because Jordan missed his daddy and his big sister, Mindy.
Then again, it could have been because he was teething.
Nevertheless, she allowed Jordan to sleep as she turned back and looked out through the window again.
A movement below caught her attention. She glanced down and saw Mike in the garden watering the flowers for Riahna. Where she was still in Japan, he wanted to make sure his daughter's garden didn't suffer for her absence. Although they had plenty of hired help with the estate and all the upkeep, the garden was off limits to non-family members; at least according to Riahna's imposed restrictions. It was her garden, after all, and she decreed that no one outside the clan could touch even a single flower.
As it turned out, Riahna had seen more flowers at Leonardo's ryu than she ever had anywhere else. When Mike and Rahab were planning their leave back to the states, getting their daughter to leave Japan became an impossible task. Although Gaele had left a few days before to resume her work in Don's labs, Riahna didn't have such responsibilities.
"No, I'm staying," she had insisted determinedly, balling her fists in stubborn resolve. Although autistic, she was highly functioning and could articulate quite well when she wanted to.
And she definitely articulated when Mike and Rahab tried to get her to leave with them.
Gabby remembered the scene very well, too, since it coincided with her dismissal from the ryu. As she stood there at the window in her bedroom and recalled the event, she could still hear Leo's words.
"If Riahna changes her mind, I can always send her home - with Cassie as escort, if need be," he had reassured his brother and sister-in-law.
Gabby smiled, recalling at how Riahna beamed after that, quite pleased her uncle would come to her defense.
Despite her autism, Riahna could move mountains when she had a mind to.
She was a very intelligent and astute girl.
Moments before Gabby slipped into the limo to leave for the airport, Cassie had embraced her one last time. What she said to her then had prepared her for what Raphael said later to her, while in route to California.
"You need to understand the importance of belonging to such a family as yours, Gabby," Cassie had said, cupping her daughter's face tenderly, "You are too unique not to embrace your heritage." The woman had looked deeply into the girl's eyes, smiling, yet also offering a bit of warning, too. "Your stubbornness, using it the way you are, is counterproductive. And, Gabriella, you do not set a good example for your daughter!" Cassie had then leaned in and whispered into Gabby's ear, "Trust Leo's decision; he cares deeply for you, but he cannot allow you to challenge Devon's authority as sensei with Mindy!" She had paused before adding, "and - I support his decision!"
Gabby had been stunned, of course, and on the way to the airport, she considered her mother's words. Of course, she was still pretty pissed at Leonardo, but now, as she stood there at her bedroom window, staring out towards the stand of giant redwoods, she realized suddenly how right her mother was. "Maybe I did overreact," Gabby had thought, "Maybe I should have spoken to Devon privately, rather that blow-up at him in front of Mindy the way I did?"
Still, her musings did nothing to quell the overwhelming sense of grief about leaving her four-year old daughter behind, now some eight-thousand miles and fifteen hours of flight time away.
It would have been easier, too, if her mother had come back with her, but Cassandra had decided to stay in Japan just a while longer, until Don recovered a little more. Gabby was disappointed, of course, because she wanted her mother close to Jordan in order to enjoy him – and maybe give her a little support, too.
Then again, her mother was ninja and probably wouldn't have been too sympathetic anyway.
Nevertheless, in the end Gabby was glad her mother had stayed behind. She knew that Mindy would adjust better with her absence if one of the grandmothers stayed behind to help. Although Gabriella knew her mother's business in Carmel might suffer for it, Don had insured that whatever revenue she lost, he would reimburse– and gladly, too.
In fact, if Don could admit to any good coming from his kidnapping, it was because of the burgeoning romance that had grown between him and Cassie. His near-death experience seemed to be the wakeup call for both of them, in fact.
Gabby remembered well how her mother had grieved when the family believed Don had died. Then, to see the joy on her face when they learned he was still alive told Gabriella her mother's heart had softened towards him.
In fact, it had been exactly what both Don and Cassandra needed, to see what had been so obvious to everyone else - and that was a chance for happiness and with someone desperate to be happy.
As she thought more about her mother, Gabby smiled a little. She knew how independent and stubborn the woman could be. It wasn't lost on the girl as to whom else she had inherited that annoying trait from.
She shook her head, wondering how long it would be before she, herself, learned to control it.
"If father could learn, why not me?" she asked herself.
Still, to see her mother grow closer to Don pleased Gabby very much. Of course, she would be the first to admit with being nervous about the idea of them marrying. After all, Don wasn't the most approachable person for her when they first met nearly five years ago.
Not that Gabby could blame him. She was, after all, a spoiled brat back then.
She chuckled lightly, "It seems I still am a brat," and then she leaned towards the window a little more, her hands resting on the sill, now, for balance.
As she watched Mike coil up the hose on the patio, obviously done with his chore, she mused quietly, "Maybe he'll get busy somewhere else so I can slip downstairs and feed Jordan on the patio." It had become her favorite spot, greeting the day as she nursed her baby while they basked in the sun's warming rays. It – reminded her a little of Japan, before things went horribly wrong.
Gabby pursed her lips, then, wondering quietly, "I – don't see Father; maybe he's still sleeping." Then, almost on cue, Raph stepped outside the house and onto the patio where Mike was. As he began talking to him, Gabby muttered under her breath, "Or not."
She sighed and realized she would have to wait a little longer. She watched as her father and uncle talked, with Mike laughing over something Raphael had said. They both looked over at the garden for a moment, obviously the topic of their conversation…or so it seemed.
Nevertheless, she quickly stepped away from the window and out of their line of sight. Gabby knew all too well that if she stared for too long, one of them would sense her and wonder why she was – staring at them. Whether or not they would challenge her, Gabby still didn't care to invite such inquisitions. She had had enough as it was.
And because of that, over the past week or so, she had begun seeking solitude more often, especially where her father never missed a chance to talk with her about Japan and Devon.
As for Mike, he pretty much kept his distance on such matters. He seemed more interested in playing the part of the favored uncle to Gabby and especially granduncle to Jordan; that is when he wasn't working down at the studio.
True to his nature, Mike tried to show a pleasant attitude to Gabby, keeping the mood light and non-confrontational. Whatever opinion he might have had of her he kept to himself, but she knew that Mike was much like a dormant volcano. He could be quiet and unobtrusive for the longest time, yet when it mattered, there was no escaping his opinion or wrath!
As she thought about it, Gabby wondered if maybe Mike was just waiting for the right opportunity to let loose on her, and just maybe that would be Monday morning.
So far, neither her father nor uncle hinted as to which one of them would be her Sensei. It could be either of them– and either one could make her life a living hell if they wanted to.
With that though, she wondered if maybe they were playing her, one showing no indication of how he felt, keeping her guessing; while the other acting like the proverbial opened book, no holds barred!
"Could be worse, I guess," she mused sardonically, "If not for his injuries, Don could have done the honors."
Although her uncle turned out to be one of her biggest supporters – and close friend, Don Tello was still stringent with some things, such as ninjitsu and the clan. Still, even though he never tolerated her stubbornness very well, for some reason he did a better job of unraveling her deepest secrets without ruffling her feathers, unlike how Leo was with her.
And, before Leo had sent her packing back to California, Gabby had spent a good deal of time with Don while he recuperated in Japan. She met with her uncle every other morning for breakfast and Cassie would give them room to talk, too, leaving her daughter in Don's care. The woman knew how troubled Gabriella was and how effective Don seemed to be with her.
Jordan accompanied his mother, too, which seemed to please Don quite a bit. He enjoyed the child's presence, so much so, that Gabby wondered if he had similar plans to start a family of his own, should he marry her mother. Although Cassie was probably well past the childbearing age, her mutation - subtle as it was - could end up proving the deciding factor. It was obvious she and Don both cared deeply for one another. Yet, it obvious to anyone who noticed that Don was more attracted to her, with the way he would watch every move Cassandra made whenever she was within his line of sight.
In fact, one time Gabriella confronted Don about his feelings for her mother.
…………
They had just finished breakfast and were watching the sun as it rose higher into the morning sky. It wasn't quite seven and considerably later than when Don preferred having breakfast, but he enjoyed his niece's company and so he allowed the delay, just to visit with her.
Currently, the two sat on the patio behind Don's personal guesthouse, resting comfortably in lounge chairs. Dirty breakfast dishes littered the table situated between them, but they ignored the clutter, in order to enjoy the morning sun and the warmth it gave.
As the orb rose higher above the tree-lined horizon, its golden rays spread generously over the area. Beyond Don's patio and down at the bottom of the hill from his residence, was the koi pond and footbridge that linked the family side of the compound with the main part of the ryu.
Where his injuries had forced a hiatus from his business, Don tried to enjoy the break from his demanding schedule. Regardless, though, he liked his view, where he could watch the koi fish for hours on end. It allowed him to contemplate his life a bit better, too, to see things more clearly. At least, this is what he told the family.
In truth, he just enjoyed being where he was. He always had liked the ryu and its quiet peace.
Nevertheless, considering what he went through with his kidnapping, he needed time to heal. Consequently, he spent his morning repast every day outside, either with Cassie or with Gabriella.
With summer just beginning, the weather had been pleasantly warm, too.
His leg cast had been off for a full week already, and he was getting around much better, now. Yet, Don still hadn't returned to his normal physical self. It frustrated him, in fact.
Still, he realized he had a lot of recovering to do before he could consider himself completely healed.
If it weren't for Cassie and for Gabby's visits, Don was certain he would have gone stir crazy, as well
As Gabby shifted slightly in her chair, Jordan rested comfortably in her arms. With his tummy now filled with a meal of cream o' rice, he slept peacefully. It wouldn't be too much longer, though, before he wouldn't need to nap as often as he was doing now, so for the moment his mother enjoyed the peace.
Gabby then looked over at Don, paused for a moment as if hesitating, and finally asked, "You - and Mom seem to be getting along pretty well." She knew her mother spent every moment with Don, now, committed to caring for him, ever since his return from the dead. Gabriella smiled at her uncle, offering a curious expression.
Don startled just a bit as he looked back over at her and asked, "Says who?"
Laughing, Gabby shook her head, "Says your face whenever Mom's around you." She laughed, "You practically beam!"
"Well, she has been my nurse while I've been recovering," Don explained as he allowed a small smile, "Isn't it customary for the patient to become friends with their caretaker?"
"Well, if how you've been acting is friendly, I'd hate to see how you would be if you were romantically interested!" Gabby chuckled, "Not for those who blush easily, that's for sure!"
Don shot a warning and defensive glare at Gabby as he declared, "Really, Gabriella, I HIGHLY doubt we would act like THAT!"
She chuckled, "Any chummier and you would!"
"Would NOT!" he protested.
"Admit it; you care about her – a lot!" Gabby insisted.
Don allowed, "I'll concur with that, I do like your mom!"
Unconvinced, Gabby shrugged, almost challenging him, "Well, it seems you're afraid to admit your feelings, but I understand." She grinned mischievously and raised one eyebrow.
"I am NOT afraid!" Don insisted, "I'm just – cautious, is all." He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, sniffing indignantly, "Besides, it's none of your business what goes on between Cassie and me."
"Oh, HO, I see. So – there IS something going on?" Gabby teased.
Don turned and eyed the girl, counter challenging her, "Are you accusing me?"
"What was your first guess? I'm only stating the obvious, dear uncle!" she smirked.
"Ah, my dear Gabriella," he smirked, hand to plastron, "you certainly know how to worm the truth from me."
"Stop patronizing!" Gabby warned, narrowing her eyes just a little for emphasis.
"I'm not patronizing; and why would I do that anyway?" he chuckled.
"Because you think you're superior!" his niece teased back.
"I don't think I am…" Don grinned, "I know I am…" He laughed then and shook his head when he saw his niece scowl even more. He sighed then, and bowed his head towards her, "Seriously, Gabriella, you do have a way of pointing out the truth."
"A truth that you are more than willing to share, as I doubt very much I could even get you to breathe without your permission!"
"True," Don said easily enough. Gabby laughed and her uncle did the same.
After a few silent minutes, Gabby then asked, "Are you – serious about my mom?"
"Serious?" Don gave her a sideways glance, mildly surprised, as he asked, "What do you mean by - 'serious'?"
Gabby sighed, "AHH! You get on my case for playing games and look at you, Mr. Obscure!"
"I'm not obscure, I'm perfectly transparent!" Don smugly insisted.
"As vapor when you want to be, but you can be quite impenetrable when you feel like it!" Gabby regarded him for a moment and then asked, "So, answer my question, Don. Are you, or are you not, serious about my mother?"
"Hmm…maybe…maybe not…" Don looked once at her and shrugged, "It's really up to her. I've been interested in Cassie since you and Seth tied the knot; she's the one who's been difficult."
"You still didn't answer my question!" Gabby reminded him.
Don was reflectively quiet for a moment as he considered her persistent query.
Finally, "Well, there was a time when I honestly believed I would never again find myself serious with anyone." He sighed and explained, "I didn't have the best of experiences with marriage." Don studied Gabby's inquisitive face. "As you know, my first wife tried to – assassinate me, before she committed seppuku." His niece nodded in understanding as Don continued, "Although I've mostly recovered from the aftermath of that tragedy, where your mother was once a member of the Foot and worked as closely with Saki as she did, it poses a few – concerns for me." He let out along breath and then declared, "Before I would even ask for her hand..."and here Don paused. He looked away, gazing beyond his patio and down towards the pond at the bottom of the hill. From where he sat, he could see several of the large multi-colored koi fish cluster together under the footbridge. It was obvious someone had fed them earlier, as many of them seemed to be searching for leftovers.
Don then pursed his mouth a bit as if considering his answer to Gabby's question. He knew what he needed to do to assure himself about Cassandra's chi, yet he didn't know how much to tell his niece. Not taking his eyes away from looking at the pond, Don explained simply, "She and I would have to - meditate on it together - for a while, with Leo and maybe even with Raph and Mike."
Gabby studied her uncle's face a bit and considered his words. It finally occurred to her what he meant, so she declared, "You're afraid mom might be a - sleeper agent?" Her eyes went slightly wide, too, as it wasn't how she saw her mother at all.
Don turned and looked hard at the girl. He gave a worried smile and realized his niece had learned a whole lot more than what she let on or admitted to.
And maybe that was the reason why Gabby had been so reluctant to accept the ninjitsu part of her heritage.
After a brief moment, Don simply said as he turned back to the warming sun, "Yes," but then added, "However, I doubt very much Cassie is that; too many years have gone by and she wasn't on the list of agents we found anyway. Your mother," Don glanced once at Gabby, his expression flat and serious, "was more 'ninja' than kunoichi when she worked for Saki."
Gabby swallowed and knew what Don meant by that, too. In short, her mother knew how to kill, and not by using the wiles and charms of her gender, either.
Donatello saw Gabriella's momentary apprehension and he sighed, "Don't worry, Gabby; your mother is well past that lifestyle and she rather enjoys living normally, the way she does now." He chuckled, then, "Although I would like very much to change that!" He grinned now as he saw the girl's smile slowly return. "And…there, my dear Gabriella, you have your answer."
As she stood there and continued to stand by her bedroom window, Gabby would have to say that those were the good times in Japan, times when she could relax and be herself, and not feel as if she were 'bucking the system'. She could talk to Don with just about anything, and Don could talk to her. His calm and unobtrusive demeanor always eased her fears, whereas Leonardo seemed to push all the wrong buttons with her.
At least in Japan he did.
"Why couldn't Don have worked with me?" she wondered, and yet, she had to shake her head at such a foolish thought. Considering how Don was with her when she first arrived four years earlier, maybe he wouldn't have made much of a difference at all, considering the damage she did between Devon and her daughter.
"A jonin has a responsibility that goes beyond the family relationship, Gabby," Raphael had told her, during their flight home. "Leo, Don, Mike, or myself – or even Seth, we would all have to ignore how we feel about you." He had then wrapped an arm around his daughter's shoulder, "That's why you have to 'get with the program' and as quickly as possible, otherwise…" he looked at her compassionately, "you'll never get a break!"
As she thought about what her father had told her during the trip home, Gabby continued to stare out her bedroom window. She sighed and wondered when in deed she would get with the 'program', and if the one scheduled to train her had a plan to help her. She shuddered then, not looking forward to the next morning at all.
She then watched as Mike finished winding the hose into a neat circular pile. Raphael seemed to say something to him and then he headed out towards the forest beyond the perimeter fence. Gabby watched her father as Raph walked towards the back part of the yard and easily hopped the short wooden fence. As he slipped between the trees and into the forest, he quickly disappeared among the shadows there.
"Hmm…going for a walk, it seems." she thought.
Then, a movement down below drew her eyes back to Mike again. She watched as he turned to head back inside the house. It was then Gabby moved away from the window and over to the bedroom door. There she waited, wondering where Mike would go next. She heard the patio door downstairs swoosh open and then, after a quick moment, shut as the striker latched into the doorframe. She leaned against her door, now, with one ear pressed to the wood, holding her breath and listening for any indication as to where her uncle would go. She thought she heard him in the kitchen, where she heard the sound of a cabinet door closing. Maybe he was going to make himself a cup of tea, she wondered?
And then suddenly, like an epiphany, she realized the familiarity of what she was doing.
It was what she had done not too many years earlier, after her musical faux pas in Carmel, before she married Seth. That was when Leo had sent Seth back to Japan. She had pressed the same ear to the same door, just as she was doing now, and listening for footsteps as she had done then. She could remember well how panicky her heart had beat, waiting for Seth and the squeak of the floorboard, his signal to her. She had listened as he slipped past her bedroom, the one floorboard squeaking as planned, as Seth made his way to his room. Then, her heart nearly dropped when he returned the same way, the same board sounding out (and the sign they had decided on beforehand, if his father was sending him back to Japan). At that time and it wasn't so long ago, Gabby had hoped against hope that Leo would allow Seth to stay stateside.
But he hadn't. He had sent his son back to the ryu in Japan, much in the same way as he had sent Gabby back to California two weeks ago.
And for very similar reasons, too – her stubborn refusal to listen to anyone in authority and her tendency to rebel.
Stunned with her revelation and with what it said about her, Gabby stepped away from the bedroom door. She sucked in a breath of sudden regret and began to tremble. As her emotions welled up, she thought about her actions in Japan. The gravity of what she had done there now weighed heavily on her mind and heart. The reality of her misdeed overwhelmed Gabby's momentary reflection.
She realized in that moment that her anger had clouded her mind, again, and had obscured the truth of the matter. Despite her promise that fateful day when she was almost raped, when she promised Leonardo she wouldn't interfere with Mindy's training, in that moment Gabby realized that it wasn't Leonardo who broke his word to her…she had broken her word to him, first!
At that moment, however, Jordan decided to wake up, his small cries disturbing his mother's mortified recollections. Gabby sighed and turned around, going over to his crib as she forced a smile in greeting. She wiped the tears from her eyes and then bent down to scoop up her baby.
As she brought Jordan to her and looked at him, his tired eyes met hers and he smiled a little. She tried to smile back in response, saying with a voice thick with emotion, "Good - morning, Jordy! Did you sleep well?"
The baby yawned expansively and then began to fuss a little. He was obviously very hungry – and quite wet. Gabby checked his diapers and knew she would have to change him first, which would probably not please the baby. He was a very impatient feeder first thing in the morning, wet diapers or not.
Still, he needed changing first and so she went about the business of getting her son cleaned up.
A few minutes later and with only a little fussing from him, Gabby had Jordan diapered and changed into his day clothes. She picked him up from the changing table and decided not to go downstairs just yet. Where her emotions were still running strong, Gabby chose to feed Jordan in the privacy of her room, instead of out on the patio. She quickly made herself comfortable in the rocking chair and prepared herself, bringing her baby up for feeding.
Rocking now as Jordan nursed, Gabby tried to enjoy the motherly feeling that came with it. It was a mystery with how she could be on the very cusp of crying her eyes out, but the moment she began nursing her son, a wonderful mood would come over her. Don had said it was prolactin that caused the good feeling, or as he liked the call it, the 'mothering hormone'. Whatever it was, Gabby soon found her depression lessening just a little bit as she began to feel somewhat better.
Yes, she thought to herself, she could talk to Don about anything. But, considering his agreement with Leo about sending her home without Mindy, Gabby found it frustrating. Still, she didn't hold it against him, Don was – after all – only aligning himself with the clan and – if there was one thing consistent with being part of this family – she knew they were always in agreement with such issues as unity.
It was all a moot point anyway, where she was still too far from them to continue her vocal protest. With what she had just come to terms with a moment ago, she wouldn't want to, anyway. It seemed it took an act like the one Leo had made in sending her home to get through to her.
And some time to reflect - definitely that.
After she fed Jordan and burped him, Gabby placed him in his crib. She didn't expect him to nap anymore, where he had just woken up. Unlike when he was first born, he was staying awake for longer periods during the day, which she expected. This, of course, produced the challenge of teaching him how to entertain himself, so he wouldn't depend on others to amuse him.
So, Gabby quickly grabbed up a stuffed animal from the toy basket, plopped it into the crib with Jordan, just a little beyond his reach. She then went to get dressed.
Jordan was on his stomach, so when he saw his favorite stuffy, the child worked his way over to it. Grabbing it eagerly, he squealed in delight as if it were his best friend. He began chewing on the tiger, making babbling baby sounds, as he tried to talk to it.
Devon had given the stuffy to him as a gift, when his nephew was first born. It was a present from both him and Rama, in fact, and – once again – it forced Gabby to recall much of what had happened during that time.
Yes, she realized, her father and mother were indeed correct. Getting with the program, being on the same page, and facing her demons were things she knew she had to do. Despite her anger at Leonardo's decision, not to mention how badly she missed her family, becoming arrogant and defiant would do her little good.
It would only prolong her separation and reunion with her husband and daughter.
When she was dressed and finally ready to go downstairs, Gabby picked Jordan up from his crib. She made sure that his favorite stuffed tiger went along with him, too. The baby had chewed along the fluffy head of the toy, making a drooling wet mass of its ear. With a mouth full of tiger, Jordan looked up at his mother and smiled hugely at her.
In reply, Gabby couldn't help but smile back at him. Her son's good mood suddenly overcame her own sullen one, and replaced her depression with something more upbeat.
How could she remain so unhappy when the happiest person in the family was in her arms?
Jordan then babbled loudly, his voice a happy squeal, almost as if agreeing with his mother's train of thought. "Yes, Mom, how can you be so sad?" he seemed to say to her.
She wondered, then, if Mike had somehow influenced his grandnephew's cheerful attitude with his own.
In either case, she took a deep breath to prepare herself and then eased out of her bedroom, closing the door softly behind her. Why announce herself when she didn't have to?
Anyway, as she headed towards the stairs, Gabby felt much better, emotionally, and seemed ready to enjoy what was left of her freedom, before her training began the next day.
Taking the stair steps one at a time and with a babbling Jordan in her arms, Gabby knew that whatever happened tomorrow, she felt much better about it.
She also knew that she had to make amends somehow, although how she would do that when she was so far away from those who needed to hear it, was her problem.