A/N I DON'T OWN ANYTHING! PLEASE GO TAKE MY POLL PLEASE!
They next day Troy and Gabriella decided to celebrate their healing and being back together again with Ashley. All three of them went to the park. They were sitting on the picnic blanket just getting ready to have some lunch.
"What are we having to eat?" Ashley asked.
"Well I could have to peanut butter and jelly sandwich or….I could just eat you." Troy said grabbing Ashley and blowing raspberries on her stomach. She screamed in giggles.
"No daddy! Daddy stop it"
Gabriella smiled as she watched Troy and Ashley fool around.
"Mommy help!" Ashley giggled.
"Sorry Ashley but if I help you daddy will just tickle me."
"Yep no one can beat the tickle monster." Troy laughed tickling Ashley
"Tickle mommy, tickle mommy" Ashley laughed.
"Hmmm?" Troy thought.
"Oh no Troy don't even think….EEEEK" Gabriella squealed as Troy grabbed her and pinned her down tickling her and Ashley both at the same time.
"Tro-Troy sto-stop plea-please"
"Da-daddy sto-stop plea"
"I don't think so. You two need lots of tickle time."
"N-no w-we don-don't da-daddy sto-stop"
"Maybe if you say "Daddy is the best" then I'll stop"
"Da-daddy i-is th-the bes-best"
Troy stopped ticking her but used his other hand to tickle Gabriella making her scream.
"O-ok, ok Tro-Troy plea-please"
"Please what Brie? Huh please what?" Troy asked going up to tickle her underarms.
"Sto-sto-sto-stop Plea-please I can-can't brea-brea-brea….the" Gabriella said laughing and gasping for air.
Troy finally stopped. Gabriella sat up.
"Now I'm hungry."
"Me too. Can we eat now mommy?"
"Sure sweetie."
They continued to eat their lunch together as a family. Once they were done Ashley went to run around on the playground.
"So any news on Mark?" Troy asked.
"I don't even know where to look. How do I contact him?"
"I thought you would know."
"No I have no idea."
"Me neither. Let's go to plan B."
"What's that?"
"I have no idea."
Gabriella sighed. "How can I get answers if I can't even ask the question?"
"I wish I knew what to tell you."
"I wish my parents were alive…even…even in they were in jail I'd be able to talk to them and ask them. They'd be honest with me. I…I really…I miss them Troy" Gabriella whimpered.
"Oh sweetie of course your miss them. Come here" Troy said opening his arms.
Gabriela went into his arms burring her face in the crook of his neck. "I need them Troy. I need to know the truth. I'm so confused." She cried.
Troy just held her rubbing her back soothing her the best he could. How could they find Mark Anderson?
Later on that evening Troy and Ashley were sleeping but Gabriella couldn't. There was too much on her mind. She climbed out of bed and went down the hall. The light in Lucille and Jack's room was still on so she knocked on the door. They allowed her in.
"Mom, dad can we talk?"
"Sure sweetie, what's on your mind?"Lucille asked.
"Mark Anderson."
Jack and Lucille looked at each other, then back to Gabriella.
"Gabriella you haven't spoken of him since you were a teenager and the last time someone mentioned him you almost went catatonic."
"I know but he is the only person I can talk to and get truthful answers out of."
"How are you going to contact him?" Jack asked.
"I was hoping you two would know."
"I do…" Lucille sighed.
She got out of bed and went into her closet.
"When Mark first came here the day of your parents funeral, after you went upstairs. He told me you'd have questions and that he'd have answers so he gave me his card with his number on it. I don't know if it still works but it's all I've got."
Lucille turned and handed the card to Gabriella. Gabriella looked at Lucille.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome sweetie."
They shared and hug and Gabriella went back to her bedroom. She got back into bed and looked at the card. To anyone else it was just a card but to her it was just one step closer to finding out the truth.
Troy stirred and pulled Gabriella closer to him. "Go to sleep." He muttered. She giggled.
"How do you know I'm awake your eyes are closed."
"Because you don't sleep sitting up and I just grabbed your legs. If you were sleeping I'd be able to grab your waist. Now what's wrong?" Troy asked as he sat up next to her.
"I got Mark's number from mom."
"That's great."
"Yeah…."
"Isn't it? I thought it's what you wanted?"
"It is what I want…I mean it was…I mean…I think it is."
"Brie what's going on?"
"What if I ask the questions but don't get the answers I'm looking for. What if Carlos was right? What if I'm setting myself up to get hurt again?"
"What did Carlos tell you?"
Gabriella sighed even after everything that happen Gabriella hadn't told anyone what Carlos said.
"Carlos told me that my father never loved me or my mom and that he didn't even want me. He left home because he was too stubborn to ask for help so he left. He stayed with my mom because it was the right thing to do. That's why he abused me, let strange men touch me, and shot my mom, because he never really loved me in the first place. He said that my father planned his own murder. He wanted the cops to shoot him that day and everything he told me before he died was just so I'd forgive him."
"Do you believe him?"
Gabriella shrugged.
"That's not an answer Brie. Do you believe Carlos I mean really believe him?"
"Not one bit."
"So don't worry ok. Tomorrow we can call Mark and arrange a meeting and you will get your answers if…now that a big IF, if you don't get the answers you're hoping for I'll be right by your side helping you through it."
"Thank you Troy."
"You're welcome Brie. Now get some sleep."
"Good night."
"Night Angel I love you."
"I love you too."
They both laid back down and closed their eyes letting the darkness take over.
The next morning Lucille and Jack took Ashley out so they could call and meet Mark. Gabriella took a deep breath and dialed them number that was on the card.
"Hello?" a man answered
"Um…I'm looking for Mark Anderson."
"Speaking who is this."
"Gabriella Montez."
"Gabriella it's good to hear from you. How can I help you?"
"I have questions. You're the only one who can give me answers."
"Ok where do you want meet?"
"Starbucks Coffee Shop on woodpine."
"When?"
Around noon?"
"Ok I'll meet you then."
Gabriella hung up and looked at Troy.
"Please tell me I'm doing the right thing Troy."
"You're doing the right thing."
"Say it like you mean it."
Troy pulled her into his arms and kissed her head. "You're doing the right thing Angel I promise"
Gabriella took a deep breath and just prayed she was doing the right thing.
Around noon Troy and Gabriella met up with Mark. They didn't waste any time before getting down to business.
"What were my father's parents like?"
"Abusive. They treated your father like he was bug under their shoe."
"Was he thrown out or did he leave on his own?
"He left on his own to get you away from the abuse."
"But then he ends up abusive?"
"That was my fault. I told him it was the only way. Your father really didn't know any better. He didn't know any other way to handle a child."
"Why did he let men touch me? Why did he kidnap me? Why did he shoot people in front of me?"
"All those answers led to me. I told your father to do all those things to keep you in line. I knew he was getting soft so I told him to do all that. He didn't agree right away but I told him if he didn't I'd kill you. Why do you think none of those men went far enough to actually rape you? It was your father saving you"
"You wanted to kill her?" Troy asked.
"Yes but don't worry I won't hurt her."
"Did my parents love each other?"
"More than I've ever seen two people love each other. Gabriella the bottom line is your father did everything he did because he was sick. He was mentally sick in the head and should have gotten help the second he left home. Instead he got involved in the mob. Offering your father that job was the worst mistake I ever made and I'm so sorry. I know that will never be enough but I am. I'm sorry. Your father was sick and needed help that's what is comes out to Gabriella. everything your father did was because he was sick in the head."
"Did he plan his own death?"
"No, he did plan to turn himself in but not get shot. He couldn't live with what he had done to you and wanted to make it right so yes he planned to go to jail but he did not plan to get shot the way he did."
"Thank you for being honest."
"It's the least I could after all I've done. Do you have any more questions?"
"No you've answered them all. Thank you again."
"You're welcome. Enjoy your life Gabriella be happy. It's what they would have wanted."
"I know thank you."
Mark left without another word. Gabriella looked at Troy.
"Are you ok baby? You look a little pale." Troy said.
"Yeah I just need to let everything sink in. Can we go home?"
"Sure sweetie."
They got up and headed home. Still in the back of Gabriella's mind she still had a small part that doubted Mark and that he was telling the truth. How could she get rid of that?
A/N next chapter is the last…that's all I can tell you without spoiling anything so it will all be a surprise. PLEASE GO TAKE MY POLL!