Chapter 1

A Year and a Half Ago

Troy was usually the first to wake up in the Bolton household, he looked mischievously at Gabriella who was sleeping peacefully, she was the one who liked to sleep in, even though folks who didn't really know that would think it would be the other way around. Troy glanced the alarm clock on the nightstand and saw that it was almost time for Gabriella to wake up anyway, so he took it upon himself to give her a nice wake-up call. She gently climbed on top of her, and leaned in close to her face, he tried not to laugh it was always so funny to him how much od hard sleeper his wife of 13 years is. He blew a raspberry against her cheek which caused her to wake up abruptly, she rolled over on her side and groaned in annoyance which made Troy laugh out loud.

"Troy!" Gabriella moaned sleepily,

"What? I just wanted to wake up my beautiful sexy wife." Gabriella groaned as she sat up.

"You play too much babe, I had three more minutes of sleep."

"Well, now you'll be three minutes early." Troy pecked her nose with a kiss before hopping out of bed.

"I still don't understand how you have all this energy when you perform damn near fifteen-hour surgeries."

"You keep me, young babe." Gabriella rolled her eyes as she climbed out of bed, her nightdress rising slightly giving Troy a view of her bare ass. Gabriella felt eyes on her and smirked.

"I know you're staring at me." Troy chuckled

"I can't help it, babe, your body is so sexy."

"Oh yeah, after five kids with the stretch marks to prove it." Troy walked over to Gabriella and hugged her from behind, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"I find your tiger stripes incredibly beautiful." Gabriella snorted

"Tiger stripes?"

"Your stretch marks, they look like tiger stripes."

"Thanks, babe, you're so sweet now get off so I can get ready. It's the first day of classes." Troy kissed her cheek before letting Gabriella continue her routine.

"I'm gonna go for a quick run babe, I'll be back before you leave."

"Okay, love you."

"Love you too." Troy and Gabriella shared a kiss before he Troy left to go running.

"Good morning Mom," Kadie said as she jogged into the kitchen, she started to favor Gabriella more and more every day. She also has the same mannerisms as Gabriella, they talk the same, they have the same laugh, they even have the same smile.

"Good morning Kadie, how'd you sleep last night?"

"Eh, okay, I'm still sore from cheer practice the other day. We did stunts all practice."

"Oh, I'm sorry sweetie, what hurts?"

"My calves hurt the most." Gabriella frowned

"Did you tell Coach Lonnie?" Kadie shrugged her shoulders

"No, it's not that bad, I'll just pile on some tiger balm." Gabriella looked at Kadie hesitantly before going back to finishing up breakfast.

"Well, alright then, are you brothers up?"

"Yeah, they're all fighting for the bathroom." Gabriella rolled her eyes playfully

"What about Faithie?" Gabriella smiled

"She was already dressed when I got to her room, she's so excited for school, she's playing pretend with her dolls right now."

Gabriella giggled, her and Troy had three children together after they got married, Jackson, Zach, and Faith. They weren't planning on having Faith, when Gabriella got pregnant with it was definitely surprise. Gabriella's pregnancy with Faith was a tough one, she was put on bedrest at five months and then that following month she went into early labor. With Troy being a doctor, he knew the risks of having a premature baby especially a baby born at 25 weeks.

Despite the odds, Faith was born and she survived her first overnight observation, even when the doctors were telling Troy and Gabriella to prepare themselves for the worst. When they were finally able to hold her, they named her Faith.

"Mommy!" Faith comes running down the stairs dressed in her school uniform. Gabriella giggled at her daughter's cuteness.

"Good morning Faithie." Gabriella picked up her daughter planted a big kiss on her cheek making Faith giggle, she placed her back down.

"Are you hungry baby?"

"No, Mommy I'm going to eat breakfast at school with my friends."

"Are you sure? You know Mommy made her famous blueberry pancakes." Faith hummed as she thought.

"Well, my friends can eat without me."

"Alright, do you want one pancake or two?" Faith tapped her chin in concentration which made Gabriella giggle

"Two!" Faith practically bounced with excitement.

"Syrup or butter?"

"Syrup!"

"Okay, serious question. Apple juice or orange juice?"

"Apple!"

"Alright, Ms. Faith, here's your breakfast."

"Thank you, Mommy!" Faith bounced

"Mom, can I ride with Dionna to practice tonight?" Kadie asked with that sweet smile that she knows her parents can't resist. Gabriella playfully rolled her eyes.

"Did you ask Dionna's mom?" Kadie eagerly nodded her head

"Yes Mom, she said she was okay with it." Gabriella nodded her head Kadie squealed happily and hugged Gabriella.

"Thank you, Mom!" Gabriella returned the hug and kissed her cheek.

"Alright, go and eat some breakfast please."

"Yes, Mom." Gabriella continued to make her lunch and just as she finished she heard footsteps running, more like tumbling, down the stairs. She knew her boys were rowdy but sometimes she wanted a peaceful morning.

"Boys, can you please walk." Gabriella scolded

"Sorry, Mom," Jackson mumbled Troy and Gabriella had Jackson about two years after they got married. Everyone was ecstatic, especially Troy, this was his first child, he was a father figure to Kadie and Ethan but this was something different. As excited Troy was, he was also nervous. Gabriella could remember the nights were Troy would lie awake asking about scenarios that never happen or the days he would spend hours on end working on the nursery to make sure each and every detail was perfect. As soon as Jackson was born on that cold December night, all of Troy's nervousness flew out the window. Then three years later, Gabriella and Troy were pregnant again with Zach. The pregnancy was surprisingly easy for Gabriella, she didn't have much morning sickness, she didn't gain a lot of weight she even worked in the courtroom up until the day she went into labor, even her labor was easy.

"Mom, Ethan hogged the bathroom again!"

"No, I didn't Zach, Mom he's lying."

"He was probably fixing his hair for Olivia." Jackson teased

"Olivia?" A booming voice questioned the kids looked up and saw their Dad. Gabriella loved how the kids looked at Troy like he was Superman, man of steel.

"Dad!" Ethan stressed as he tried to hide his face.

"Who's Olivia, Ethan?" Gabriella asked amused. Toy grabbed a pancake and grinned as he watched everything unfold.

"She's nobody," Ethan said blushed

"Aw, he's blushing." Kadie joined in as she pinched her brother's cheeks. Ethan swatted her away and Kadie laughed at her little brother's annoyance.

"No, I'm not! Leave me alone!" Ethan was frustrated and Gabriella decided to end the conversation.

"Alright you guys, leave him alone and eat your breakfast." Troy leaned down to place a sloppy kiss on Gabriella who pushed him away.

"Ew, Babe you smell and you're sweaty."

"Just one kiss, before you go off to work." Gabriella gave in and let Troy get a quick kiss before she made his breakfast plate.

"Do you have any surgeries today?"

"Two, a knee replacement and the last surgery for my broken hip."

"Will you be done in time to get Ethan from practice?"

"Uh…" Gabriella smiled gently

"I'm guessing that's a no."

"I'm sorry, babe I'll make it up to you this weekend."

"Fine, fine, no huge surprises though, you always make me feel bad when you do that." Gabriella tapped his nose before they both sat down to eat breakfast with the kids.

"Hey, Dad!" Jackson said

"What's up, man?"

"Can you come to Career Day at school?" Troy noticed that a pang of hurt on Gabriella's face.

"Don't you want to ask your Mom? She was a really cool lawyer." Troy said trying to cheer Gabriella up.

"But you break bones for a living Dad and then put them back to together. I already told my friends you were coming." Jack pressed

"Jackson, I would love to come but my schedule is so unpredictable buddy. So, if I can't make it, Mom will step in, okay?"

"Okay." Troy winked at Gabriella who playfully rolled her eyes in return.

I have to take Faith to school, so I won't be here when the bus comes to pick you up. Mommy loves you guys, I hope you have a great day at school. I'll see you guys later on." Gabriella kissed her older children bye before rushing to the front door.

"Come on Faithie, let's get you off to school."

"Coming Mommy." Faith came hopping down the stairs and the two were off to that their day.

Gabriella rearranged her pile of syllabi for the tenth time, two years ago she decided to leave the courtroom. She was tired of the endless cases and the stress was weighing on her. So, she stepped down from her firm and took a year off. During that year she interviewed with U of A and they hired her as a full-time professor for the Law Department. She looked at her time on her wrist, it was 9:15, her class started in fifteen minutes, then a few students walked in. They were chatting among themselves, she figures they knew each other from the previous semester. Then at 9:30 she felt that all of the students were in attendance.

"Good morning class, my name is Professor Bolton and this LAW 250, Family Law. I start my class promptly at 9:30 if you come after that, you are considered late."

"Alright, guys next week we will continue our discussion about child abuse. Have a nice day. Oh! Before I forget, make sure you guys buy the textbook we have our first assignment next week." It was four o'clock and Gabriella was done for the day. She reached for her phone and saw a missed call from Ethan, she furrowed her brows, Ethan never calls her around this time. He's supposed to be in soccer practice. Gabriella closed her office door and returned her son's call.

"Hey, Mom."

"Hey, bud what's up? Was practice canceled?"

"Yeah Mom, it's too hot outside." Gabriella sighed heavily

"Okay bud, I won't be there for another 20-30 minutes. I just finished my classes."

"I can ride home with Matthew," Ethan said eagerly

"I don't know Matthew that well Ethan, I'm on my way bud. Just hang out in the school until I get there."

"Okay, Mom."

"See you later bud." Gabriella ended the call and decided to call Troy, but an intern answered the phone instead.

"Mrs. Bolton?"

"Oh, is this an intern?"

"Yes ma'am, I'm Dr. Trenton, Dr. Bolton is in surgery right now, there was an emergency. Would you like to leave a message?"

"I figured, tell Dr. Bolton that I'm picking up Ethan from school, soccer practice was canceled and that I'll see him when he gets home and I love him."

"Do you want me to say everything?"

"Dr. Trenton, I can tell you now, tell him exactly what I said verbatim."

"Yes ma'am, is there anything else you want to say?"

"Nope that's all, thank you, Dr. Trenton."

"Who was that Dr. Trenton?" Troy asked not looking up from the surgical table as Dr. Trenton entered the room.

"It was your wife sir, she told me to tell you that Ethan's practice was canceled and she's picking him up. Then she said she'll see you at home and that she loves you." Troy's surgical team exclaimed like teenagers

"Alright, alright, let's get back to work. Saw, please."

When Gabriella pulled up to the school she saw Ethan sitting on a bench talking to a girl, she smiled warmly and she honked her horn signaling that she was there. Ethan started to blush and waved at the girl before rushing off to the car. When he got in the car, Gabriella was smiling at him and he rolled his eyes.

"What? I'm just smiling at my son. How was school today?"

"Fine, I got an A on my physics test."

"That's great Ethan, so, was that Olivia you were talking to?"

"MOM!" Ethan whined

"I'm just asking a question, can't I ask a question?"

"It's embarrassing!"

"So that means it was her?"

"Mom, can we change the subject?"

"For what it's worth, Ethan, she's very pretty."

"Mom!"

"Okay, okay I'm done. We have to go get your sister and then we'll head home."

Gabriella opened the door and Faith and Ethan rushed in.

"Get out of your school's clothes and get started on your homework."

Gabriella walked further into the house and saw their nanny, Kendra, helping Jackson and Zach with their math homework.

"Alright, Jackson you're dividing fractions? Already?" Kendra asked shocked

"I'm in a different math class, I and a few other kids take middle school math."

"Alrighty, so what seems to be the problem?"

"It's confusing, I don't get dividing fractions."

"Ummm…"Kendra scratched her head in nervousness and that's when Gabriella made her presence known.

"I think Mom can help, my teacher taught me this years ago," Gabriella walked over to the table and sat beside Jackson. Kendra looked at Gabriella gratefully and started to help Zach with his homework instead.

"So, you don't divide fractions, you have to multiply them, but to get the answer you would get if you divide, you flip the second fraction in the equation, the reciprocal, you learned that right?"

"Yeah, Mom."

"OK, and then you multiply across and then you have an answer."

"This is too hard Mom!" Jackson whined

"Come on, let's try it together. Number 5 is 2/3 divided by 4/6. So first thing first, what you do change?"

"The sign?" Jackson said unsure

"yes, so rewrite the equation but stop after changing the sign." Jackson did as Gabriella said and then looked up at her

"Okay, now what?"

"You tell me."

"Flip the fraction?"

"Yes, so what is the reciprocal of 4/6?"

"6/4?"

"Yeah, so write 6/4 and then multiply."

"I got 12/12,"

"Okay and that simplifies to…"

"1."

"So, 2/3 divided by 4/6, is one."

"How did you remember all of that?"

"I taught myself a rhyme, that how I remembered all of my tough math equations and things that I struggled with."

"What's the rhyme?" Jackson asked eagerly.

"Don't tease your Mom okay? This was a long time ago, it goes like this. You don't divide, you multiply and flip."

"That's corny Mom." Jackson teased

"I told you it was a long time ago, but it helped, every time I came across a problem like dividing fractions."

"You don't divide, you multiply…"

"and flip," Gabriella added, she ruffled Jackson's hair.

"Thanks, Mom."

"Anytime bud." Gabriella kissed her son's foreheads before going to the kitchen to get dinner started. She decided she was going to make grilled barbeque chicken wings for dinner with green beans and rice.

By the time she was finished marinating the chicken, Kendra walked into the kitchen with her bag on her shoulder.

"Thanks for the help with Jack's homework, I haven't done that kind of math in a long time."

"No problem, so I will see you on Wednesday?"

"Yes, ma'am Mrs. Bolton."

"Okay, did Troy pay you for last week?"

"Yep, he had a check on the table by the door."

"Great, I will see you Wednesday."

"See you later." Kendra let herself out and Gabriella continued making dinner. Just as Gabriella was finished with dinner, Kadie came in the house.

"Kadie!" Faith ran down the stairs and grabbed her sister's legs, making her stumble back slightly.

"Hey Faithie, I missed you too." Kadie bent down to Faith's height, "How was your first day of school?"

"It was great! We made dolphins today."

"That's awesome, Faith you have to show me later."

"Okay," Faith ran back upstairs and Kadie made her way to the kitchen and hugged Gabriella

"Hey, Mom."

"Hey sweetie, how was practice?"

"Good, Coach Lonnie was on some other stuff today."

"He was tough on you guys tonight?"

"Yeah, he was picky about everything."

"Well, you're home now, get cleaned up and dinner's almost ready."

After dinner and all the kids were in bed for the night, Gabriella noticed that Troy had not returned her call. She used to him not being home for dinner but he usually calls back or has his intern call her. She pulled out her phone to call him and she's transferred to his office voicemail.

"Hey Dr. Bolton, just wanted to let you know I have a plate for you in the fridge whenever you get home. Hopefully, it's before midnight, I love you and I'll see you later." Gabriella ended the call, she got in bed and not even five minutes later, she was asleep.

The sound of her cell phone ringing woke her up, she sleepily sat up and checked the time on the alarm clock it read 3:00 AM, she blindly reached for her phone and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Mrs. Bolton?"

"May I ask who's calling?" Gabriella cleared her throat.

"This is Dr. Leaks from Living Waters Memorial Hospital. Your husband, Dr. Bolton was in a severe car accident. I suggest you come to the hospital as soon as you can."