Chapter Nineteen
Bianca, Reese, Kendall, and Zach arrived at The Chateau Restaurant to celebrate their baby news. They were seated by their waiter as they chatted and looked over their menus. "I am starving," Reese announced.
"Me, too," said Kendall.
"Let's let the pregnant ones eat," Bianca said with a laugh.
"Everything sounds so good," Kendall said, her eyes on the menu.
"Zach," Bianca said. "I have something to tell you about Gabrielle."
"How's Gabrielle doing?" Zach asked, looking up from his menu.
"She was feeling a little bit better, but I am afraid she's had a setback," said Bianca as she explained the recent events and how they had affected Gabrielle.
"We'll get a therapist to help her, IF we can persuade her to leave the house," Reese stated.
Zach clenched his hands in fury when he heard the latest news about Gabrielle being tormented by her sadistic attackers. "I wish I could find those rapists myself, then I'd..." Zach spouted off.
"Zach," Kendall reminded quietly. "We are in a restaurant."
Just then the waiter returned to take their order. Kendall took Zach's hand in hers, trying calm him. Meanwhile, Reese and Bianca were placing their orders. "Could I take your order, Sir?" the waiter asked Zach after jotting down Reese and Bianca's.
Zach managed to place his order, even though he was furious about what had happened to Gabrielle.
Kendall placed her order, then the waiter left the table. "I am sorry, Zach," Bianca said. "I know this is so hard."
"It's not your fault. No one is to blame - no one but the sleazy jerks that hurt our girl," stated Zach.
"We all love her so much. She's going to be okay," Reese said in reassurance.
"God, I hope so," Zach said as he reached for his glass of water.
Meanwhile, AJ and Miranda were dealing with the fallout of Gabrielle seeing the article on the front page of the newspaper. "I just wanna die!" Gabby cried out. "What they did to me... And now EVERYONE knows."
"No one knows it's you, Gabrielle," Miranda said soothingly. "They just said 'a teenage girl.'"
"But when people look at me, then they'll know," Gabrielle sobbed. She felt dirty, nasty, and disgusting.
"It's not your fault," AJ said. "Those guys - they were dicks. And the girl who drove the van that night - she's a total bitch. You're so much better than that Gabrielle. Don't let them take everything good from you."
"I'm never leaving the house again!" Gabrielle said as she rushed up to her room and slammed the door behind her.
Miranda and AJ looked at each other as a tear rushed down Miranda's cheek. "Ohhh AJ," said Miranda as she went into AJ's arms. "I just want my little sister back. I want this nightmare to be over."
AJ held Miranda close. "I wish I could help in some way," he said regretfully.
"You do," she said as she pulled back a fraction to look at him. "You're here for me. You're my best friend. I couldn't do this without you."
"I'll always be here for you," he promised as he led her over to the couch.
Xxxooo
After a delicious lunch at the restaurant, Zach was leaving along with his wife and his sister-in-laws. He caught a glimpse of the latest edition of the newspaper on a table near the front the door. "What the hell is this?!" he shouted when he picked it up and saw what happened to Gabrielle smeared all over the front page. The headlines read - "Local Teen Girl is Savagely Raped."
Bianca and Reese came over to see what Zach was looking at. "How did they find out?!" Bianca exclaimed. "Gabrielle can't see this!"
Kendall caught a glimpse of the paper her husband held, her eyes going wide. "Ohhh no! We have to get to Gabrielle. What if she's already seen the paper?"
Zach spoke to Kendall, Bianca, and Reese. "I'm going to the The Pine Valley Bulletin. I am going to find out exactly WHY they would publish this - this rubbish!" he growled.
Before the ladies could stop him, he dropped the paper, left the restaurant, and drove off in his car. Bianca was shaking as Reese and Kendall, both heavily pregnant, helped her outside. "Zach's right, honey," Reese said to her wife. "We need to get to Gabrielle. She's going to need us... if she's seen that paper."
Just then, Reese's cell phone rang. "I gotta get that. It's Miranda."
Reese raised the phone to her ear. "Is everything okay?" Reese asked, fearing the worst.
"No, Mom, it's not. Gabrielle is extremely upset. You better come home."
"We're on our way," Reese promised.
"I'll come with you guys," Kendall said.
"Alright," Reese replied as they headed toward Bianca's car. They entered the vehicle and Bianca drove.
Xxxoo
Zach arrived at the newspaper office, demanding answers. He asked to speak to the chief editor of The Pine Valley Bulletin. When the man came out of his office, Zach let him have it. "How dare you embarrass an innocent teenage girl who was raped just to sell a story for your goddamned paper!" he exploded.
"Excuse me? Who are you?" asked the man who had decided to print the story.
"I am the girl's uncle... and I'm about to become your worst nightmare."
"Stop with the threats or I'll have to call the cops," said the editor as he reached for the nearest phone.
Zach stopped him, blocking him physically with his body. "It is you who should be arrested - printing such filth about a traumatized young girl."
"The girl's name was purposely omitted from the article due to her being a minor, therefore, no crime has been committed. The statements in the article are facts. I have checked my sources thoroughly. Nothing printed in that article was sensationalized. I'm sorry, Sir, but what happened to that poor, unfortunate young girl was a horrific crime. The parents of Pine Valley need to be made aware of the incident so they can protect their own kids. I hope that no one else is hurt by those vicious perpetrators."
"You have no clue the damage you've inflicted on someone so innocent. She's already been through enough hell. Now you're putting her through more," said Zach as his voice broke.
Xxxooo
Meanwhile, back at Reese and Bianca's, Gabrielle's mothers and her aunt were trying to console her. All their attempts to comfort the crying teenage girl did little to assuage Gabrielle's deep pain and humiliation. "I just want to die," Gabby said in a sob. The three women passed worried looks between them. They were truly worried about Gabrielle.
Bianca hugged Gabrielle; she didn't know how to make this better.
Kendall managed to settle Gabrielle down in her room, so that she could rest in her bed. Kendall held her niece's hand as Gabrielle fell asleep.
In the hallway, Reese and Bianca talked in hushed voices. "Reese, we need to call a therapist who will see Gabrielle," stated Bianca as worry stamped her face. "If we don't, we may lose her."
"Do you think-?" Reese couldn't even say the words.
"I fear that Gabrielle might try to harm herself if we don't take action right away."
"Alright. I'll call to find someone," Reese promised.
Before she could, Kendall entered the hallway. "How's Gabby?" Bianca asked.
"She's sleeping," replied Kendall.
Xxxooo
Zach had left The Pine Valley Bulletin. He was feeling horrible and struggling with his feelings of inadequacy. When he arrived at the home of his sister-in-laws, he was greeted at the door by Miranda, who hugged her uncle tightly. "How's Gabrielle?" Zach asked.
"I don't know," Miranda said, dabbing at her tears. "She's upstairs now with my moms and Aunt Kendall."
Zach headed upstairs and saw the three women talking quietly in the hallway. "Excuse me, Reese and Kendall," he said. "I need to talk to Bianca alone."
Reese and Kendall looked at each other in surprise. Why did Zach need to talk to Bianca in private?
Bianca's heart broke anew, seeing Zach's strong shoulders trembling as he cried. "Come with me," Bianca said, taking his hand in hers and leading him down the hallway toward the family room.
Hearing Zach's voice, Gabrielle awakened. When she cried out, Miranda and AJ went to sit with her. Miranda gently took a seat at her sister's bedside. "Gabby, I'm here," Miranda said quietly. AJ stood at Miranda's side.
Gabrielle didn't utter a word. She was staring off into space as though she had checked out into another place where no one could harm her. With tears in her eyes, Miranda looked at AJ. She was so scared that she was losing her little sister.
Xxxooo
"Why did Zach want to talk to Bianca alone?" Kendall asked Reese.
"I don't know."
"He's so upset. I wonder what he found out at the newspaper..."
"I don't think it was anything good. He really looked shaken up."
In the family room, Bianca asked Zach, "What did you need to see me about?"
Zach filled Bianca in on what had happened at The Pine Valley Bulletin. Tears slid down his cheeks as he tried to articulate his feelings. "She's a part of me," he spoke. "I've tried just being Uncle Zach, but after this... after what's happened, I just can't anymore. I need to protect her. There has to be something I can do."
Pulling Zach into her arms, Bianca attempted to console him. "None of this is your fault. We all want Gabby to be okay. I know this is hard, but we'll all have to pull together for her sake. Reese and I are going to contact a therapist to get Gabrielle the help she needs to make it through this."
Bianca pulled back from their embrace, giving Zach a tender kiss on his cheek. She tasted his salty tears. "I'm forever in debt to you for the gift you gave to Reese and me in our daughter Gabrielle, but you are right, she's a part of you, too. She needs you, Zach."
"I love her so much," Zach choked out. "As much as I love my boys."
"I know you do."
"I better get back to Kendall. We need to get home... to the boys."
In the hallway, Reese and Kendall continued to worry. They were uncertain of what was going on with Zach and why he needed to speak to Bianca alone. "Could I speak to Gabrielle?" Zach asked.
"Sure," Reese replied.
Zach walked into Gabrielle's bedroom. "Hey," Zach said to Miranda and AJ. "I'd like to talk to Gabrielle a few minutes."
"Okay," said Miranda as she stood up and took AJ's hand. Quietly, AJ and Miranda left Gabrielle's room, gently closing the door behind them.
"Gabrielle," Zach spoke softly, touching the teenager's hand. "I just want you to know, I'm here for you, anytime of the day or night. I love you and I am always here for you."
Gabrielle didn't respond. She looked almost catatonic. The expression on her face put fear into Zach's heart. "Gabrielle?" he coaxed.
The girl did not or could not speak. A silent tear ran down her pale face. She was trapped in her own little world now, in a place where no one could possibly hurt her.
Xxxooo
After Zach and Kendall left, Bianca got in touch with a therapist. "I found someone," she told Reese. "Her name is Miss Winters. I think she can help Gabrielle and she's agreed to come over to the house, so that Gabby will feel more comfortable."
"That's great," said Reese, placing her hand over her rounded stomach, feeling their baby boy kicking vigorously inside her. "Bianca, what did Zach need to talk to you about?"
"He is hurting a great deal," Bianca stated. "He's struggling with his emotions, considering he is Gabrielle's biological father."
"I figured it was something like that. I hope - I hope he isn't having regrets."
"No, he just wants more of a role in her life and not just as her uncle. All of this is hard on him, just as it is for us."
"We'll get through this, Bianca; it's just going to take time." Bianca nodded as she went into Reese's loving arms.
Kendall and Zach were on their way back home from Reese and Bianca's. "Kendall, please try to understand," said Zach. "I don't just have a daughter on the way. Gabrielle's a part of me, too and the fact that she's been hurt is killing me."
Kendall lay a loving hand on Zach's arm as he drove. "I understand. I now know how conflicting it was for you to agree to become a donor for Bianca and Reese, not just once, but twice. Zach, I gave you such a hard time for deciding to do that, and I want you to know, it only makes me love you more that you would do that for my sister and her wife," Kendall said.
"I love you, too, Kendall. More than anything."
Xxxooo
It was the evening of the Spring Dance. AJ and Miranda prepared to go to the school. "How do I look?" Miranda asked as she gazed at AJ in his fancy duds.
"You look beautiful," AJ said softly.
"You're looking pretty damn hot yourself, Ace."
AJ grinned at Miranda and took her hand. "Let's go dance the night away," he said as he lead her outside to his sports car. Moments later, they were headed off to the Spring Dance at the high school.
When they arrived, the noticed Heather with her two dates, Bobby and Paul. "There's the lesbos' daughter," Paul smarted off. "Don't like pussy like your mamas, huh?"
AJ didn't even think twice about it. He punched Paul before they could even walk into the school. As Paul attacked AJ, Heather smacked Miranda across the face. "That's for taking my boyfriend away. AJ was mine until you opened your legs to him," Heather said hatefuly.
"My God! She's such a bitch!" Miranda exclaimed as Heather ran off with her two minions.
"I gave Paul a black eye."
"Yeah, but Ace, your mouth is bleeding," Miranda said as she looked at him in concern.
She tugged AJ close and softly caressed his bruised cheek. His blood was dripping all over Miranda's lovely dress. "Let's get out of here," AJ said, taking Miranda's hand and leading her out into the parking out.
"Where are we going?" Miranda asked.
"Back to my place. No way do I want to be around Heather, Bobby, and Paul."
As AJ held Miranda's hand in his and walked with her toward his sports car, they overheard Heather and her goons talking as they sat in a big white van with the windows rolled down, smoking joints. They were discussing Miranda's once extra-tight, virginal sister. "Not so virginal after we fucked ALL her holes," Bobby said with an evil chuckle.
AJ and Miranda looked at each other in horror as awareness overtook them. "Paul and Bobby raped Gabrielle... and Heather helped them. She drove the van," Miranda said quietly to AJ.
"We have to get out of here, Miranda. We can't let them know we overheard them," AJ said urgently as he lead Miranda toward his car.
"Ace, what are we gonna do?"
"I'm not sure. But right now I just want to get you home where you'll be safe... away from those creeps. If they ever try to hurt you -."
"I'm safe," she said. "Let's go back to your place."