Chapter 3 – I Still Believe
Charlie and Zoey were all ready to leave the hospital…they had been there for at least three days (not counting when they were born), which seems like nothing, but to two babies…it was a lot. Gabriella's body had been taken off to the funeral home the previous day and Troy wasn't the same, which could be expected.
"All right you two, you ready to get out of here?" Troy smiled down at his kids on the bed as he finished putting Zoey's pink socks on.
"I think they're ready, daddy." A voice filled the room again, but this time it wasn't his dead wife's soothing voice. He turned and saw his mom and dad coming into the room with a basket filled with stuff.
"We brought you something…" They set it down on the small table beside the bed and his mom pushed her way over to her grandkids. "Hi sweetie pie…" She began to tickle Zoey's stomach and the baby let out a little giggle and started smiling, or tried to.
"Mom, how many times do I have to tell you? I can do this, by myself." Troy snapped as he looked at the contents in the basket…all baby stuff, not that he didn't already have all of the things, but he could've used the extras.
"I know, I just…"
"We feel helpless, Troy. We just want to do something that can help you." his father interrupted as he picked Charlie up and rocked him in his arms. "We can't stand to see you like this and know that we can't do anything about it. Just…let us do something." Troy looked at the desperation written on his parent's faces and sighed.
"I'm gonna need a babysitter sometimes…" he said and their faces lit up. "But, Gabi's mom is gonna help too…it's not just gonna be you two, okay?" They nodded and each smiled down at the designated baby in their arms.
"Here, we'll carry the babies to the car and you can grab everything else, okay?" Troy agreed and then they were gone. He looked back one last time and tears rose up to his eyes. His mind was flooded with the memories of Gabriella on the bed, laughing as she waited to deliver the twins…her smile, her eyes glowing…it was all too distant now. He walked across the line that began the hallway outside and then turned back, breathing a light sigh as he shut the door.
"You okay?" his father asked as Troy packed up his SUV and made sure that the twins had everything they needed. He nodded. "Okay. Well, do you want us to follow you home, just to make sure you get there?"
"No. I said I could do this on my own…you've got to let me try." His parents both had that smirk on their face that meant satisfaction and Troy smiled. He hugged his parents, saying a thank you to each as they parted their ways.
The car ride was silent, that silence seemed to follow Troy wherever he went, but it never affected the twins…they were sound asleep. Finally he couldn't take it anymore and turned the radio on a low volume…he didn't care what song it was, just as long as he couldn't hear himself think.
They arrived at the house within an hour, the twins still asleep as he pulled into the driveway. He yanked the keys out of the ignition and got out of the car, moving over to the next door down to get the twins out. He had one carrier in each hand and kicked open the door once he had unlocked it. Chaos was all that filled his mind as the evening slowly passed by. Luckily the twins had noticed and decided to take turns on their needs. Charlie would cry first and his sister would wait until Troy was ready for her cry of attention…Troy was enjoying it actually.
The twins were in bed by 7:00, comfortingly resting in their bassinets located in Troy's room. He stayed in his room the rest of the night, watching TV from his medium sized hanging in the corner of the room. He channel surfed and stopped at Jeopardy, Gabriella's favorite quiz show.
Oh, mmm, mmm
There are times
I swear I know you're here
When I forget about my fears
Feeling you my dear
He envisioned Gabi lying up against his body, her head resting on his chest as she silently guessed at the questions and usually got them right, especially during high school week.
"In which movie were Demi Moore, Nick Cannon, Elijah Wood, and Martin Sheen cast to help tell the story of one president's brother?" Alex read one of the questions to the girl from a Californian high school.
"Bobby." Troy heard, but saw no one.
Watchin over me
And my hope seeks
What the future will bring
When you wrap me in your wings
And take me...
As 9:00 rolled around, Troy expected one of his kids to make some sort of plea…but no…they were gone for the rest of the night, which happened to worry Troy more, but he shook the nerves away. The TV provided a distraction for him, but it ended up making him think about her more than he planned.
Where you are
Where you and I will breathe together
Once again
We'll be dancing in the moonlight
Just like we used to do
And you'll be smilin' back at me
Only then will I be free
"Dance with me…" The transparent couple in front of him locked hands and swayed to their imaginary music. Troy was dressed in a nice black suit while Gabriella had on the finest white dress, complete with her hair down in tighter curls than usual. It was the date in which Troy had proposed to her…just before he popped the question.
"Gabriella…" Troy pulled away slightly as she looked up into his eyes with anxiety.
When I can be
Where you are
"Troy?…are you okay?" Gabriella pried as Troy stared at her, trying to figure out how to put the question the right way and still have it be romantic enough. "Troy?"
"I'm fine." he responded quickly. "Gabi, from the moment I met you…well, I've always known that you were different…" She looked at him weirdly, "but a good kind of different…" She nodded in approval. "You've been the one to push me into things where you know I'll succeed, but I'm too stubborn to pursue them. You've been the one to help me in crisis' and you've been the one to give me the best laughs that I've ever had." He took a deep breath, sighing as her eyes shined with delight and confusion. "Now I want my turn. I want to give you everything you've ever wanted…including a lifetime of happiness and love. So…" He got down on one knee, taking her hand down with him and looked up at her smile. "Gabriella Montez…will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
And I can see your face
Your kiss I still can taste
Not a memory erased
"Yes!! Of course!" Gabi exclaimed, watching Troy smile with joy as he slipped the ring on her finger and pulled her into the longest kiss ever. When they pulled away, neither one could believe what had just happened.
"We're getting married!" Again, she smiled and he looked at her with his sultry blue eyes as a tear slid down her perfectly lit face. Taking his hand, he stopped the tear with his thumb just before it hit her glossy upper lip and then pressed his lips against hers again, catching her off guard, but she returned it, deepening it.
Oh, I see your star
Shining down on me
And I'd do anything
If I could just
Be right there
Troy got up off of his bed and stood by the window that overlooked Gabriella's garden in the backyard. The natural lighting of the sky and stars illuminated the roses and the other assortments of flowers perfectly. He looked up at the sky and could see her smile drawn out in the stars, bringing him to soft tears.
Where you are
Where you and I will breathe together
Once again
We'll be dancing in the moonlight
Just like we used to do
And you'll be smilin' back at me
Only then will I be free
"Gabriella…" The priest motioned for her to take her turn in saying her vows. Troy and Gabi had chose to write their own vows…to them it was that much more special.
"Troy…" she stated, smiling through the joyous tears in her eyes. "Troy, Troy, Troy…I don't know where to begin." The guests laughed, causing Troy and Gabi to crack a small smile amidst all the seriousness. "When you proposed to me, you said that you wanted to give me everything I've ever wanted." She paused and grabbed a tissue from Taylor behind her. "You're all I want…and ever since we met, you're all I've ever needed. You're there by my side when I need you the most, you wipe away my tears, and you joke around to cheer me up….there's nothing else that I could ever ask for…no girl in this world would ever ask for anything more. You're sensitive, but in a manly way, and yet you're serious when it's necessary." Troy stared into Gabi's glassy eyes, drowning out the small laughs from behind him just so he could indulge himself in his soon to be wife's words. "We've had our so called "bumps in the road", and what couple hasn't?…but we've been able to survive them, our love growing stronger with each obstacle. When I'm with you, I know everything will be okay…and that nothing can destroy us, we're invincible." Another pause and then it was time for the home stretch. "I love you Troy Bolton. And I promise to give you what you've always wanted….just like you have promised me. I promise to care for you when you need it….but most of all, I promise to love you. For two will always be stronger than one. And love will always be the guiding force in our lives….for tonight we announce to the world of feelings long held, promises made in the sacred spaces of our hearts."
Then I will be free
So take me where you are
Now baby there were times when selfishly
I'm wishing that you were here with me
So I can wipe the tears from your eyes
And make you see
That every night while you are dreamin
I'm here to guard you from a far
And anytime I feel alone
I close my eyes and dream of
He walked quietly by the bassinets and through his memory back over to the bed. Lying down, he rolled over on his side and curled up into a ball as he finally let the tears take over. Sobbing silently, he wished that she would come back and tell him everything would be okay, he needed to hear those words…everything would be okay, combined in the same sentence.
"Gabi…" he called out softly, not wanting to wake up the twins. His hands covered his face and then he reached for a pillow to rest his head on. But instead, he ended up throwing it out into the hallway.
Where you are
Where you and I can breathe together
(and we will breathe together baby)
Once again
(oh, we'll be dancing in the moonlight)
We'll be dancin in the moonlight
Just like we used to be
(and you'll be smilin back at me)
And you'll be smilin back at me
(only then will I be free)
Then I will be free
He got up and walked out into the hallway to retrieve the pillow and once in his room again, he shut the door quietly. With the pillow still in his hands, he slid down the door, finally crashing onto the floor. Troy pulled his knees closer to his body and laid his head on his kneecaps, crying uncontrollably.
"Oh Gabriella…" Tears ran down his face like rivers and he found a picture of them on the floor beside her bedside table. Looking at it, he remembered that day…it was the day of their first wedding anniversary….they had gotten someone to take the picture along the ocean in New Jersey. "It's beautiful.." he remembered her saying as she looked over the ocean horizon just as the sun set and the pinkish orange sky lit the boardwalk.
Baby I still believe
Oh I've got to believe
I will touch you that sweet day
That you take me there
Where you are
I still believe
Oh I've got to believe
I will touch you that sweet day
That you take me there
Where you are
Oh where you are
I've got to believe
I'll always be waiting here
That sweet day yeah
Only wanna be where you are
I still believe
"I love you Gabriella…" he muttered in between cries. "I always will…"