Chapter Six

Gabriella watched out the living room window for Taylor. She was going to be picking her up so they could go out to eat, and talk about what was happening. Gabriella would be telling her about her sudden decision to abandon Troy and William without telling anyone anything. Taylor would be telling Gabriella about what had happened in the past decade since she left. It was bound to be an emotion-filled day.
She sat back down on the couch and opened her laptop. She unknowingly spent the next ten minutes responding to work emails. She hadn't started yet but she was keeping herself busy at the training classes, and getting Alicia and herself settled. She was set to meet with a real estate agent Monday, so that was fun.
She was too distracted to even notice a car pull into the driveway and the doorbell ringing multiple times. After a good minute, Gabriella took her earbuds out and went to check the door. "I'm sorry I didn't hear the door." She apologized while letting Taylor inside.
"It's fine. I tend to get distracted a lot," Taylor shrugged. "So are you ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," Gabriella softly smiled and followed Taylor outside. Taylor drove a Masarati, leaving Gabriella feeling jealous since she only drove a Lincoln. "Nice car."
"It's Darian's," Taylor simply said as they got in. "but I'll tell him you like it."
"So, who is this Darian?" Gabriella smiled as she buckled her seatbelt.
"My husband," Taylor flashed her simple diamond wedding band. "We got married three years ago. I don't like wearing my engagement ring. It looks tacky."
Gabriella was about to ask why she wasn't invited to the wedding but then she remembered not talking to any of them after she decided to leave. "That's nice."
"So I was thinking why not cheat on my diet and go to Trombinos?" Taylor laughed.
"Whatever you want." Gabriella agreed.

"So, let's talk," Taylor announced while sipping her wine. "You first."
"I've been living in Seattle since I left-" Gabriella began before being cut off.
"I want to know why you left. You can tell the rest afterwards."
"Okay," Gabriella began again, unsure of how to put her reasons into words. "I really don't know how to put any of this into words."
"Just try, Gabby." Taylor encouraged.
Mothers leave their children for a variety of reasons. Most are involuntary. However in Gabriella's case, it was voluntary. She didn't know her specific reason. She just had her reasons. She thought she wasn't cut out for motherhood yet, or wifehood. She wasn't sure if she wanted to settle down so quick. Mothers leave their children for similar reasons as fathers.
"He was more capable," Gabriella simply said. It was true. Troy was an amazing father from what she remembered. "I don't think I was cut out to be a mom at the time."
"You were a great mother, Gabriella." Taylor assured her.
"I also wanted freedom. Just a bit of time. I've been working my whole life. College was just work. There was nothing fun about it. I was so used to being grounded, and held down. I wanted freedom. Just time for myself." Gabriella felt the tears build up. "I wasn't ready to get married, and be settle."
"I understand. Believe me, I do," Taylor admitted. "That's how I felt with Chad. So I let him go."
"When did you meet Darian?" Gabriella asked.
"I met him at court. We had a brief conversation in the hall and that lead to a friendship. I was more focused on work. So was he. He helped me start my firm. Just in the beginning. We started as business partners. Once I had the firm under control, we were finished. We met again," Taylor explained her past. "and we spontaneously decided to go on a work trip together since our cases were in court the same day. Same hotel. Same floor. I don't know how it happened. The lust just came over us both. And that was the beginning."
"Sounds like a soap opera." Gabriella smiled.
"Miss. Montez, your life has been a soap opera." Taylor laughed.

"We'll call later. Tell the kids I love them." Sharpay hung up her cell phone and glanced at her husband who was reading a novel on their bed. "Babe?"
Troy finished reading his page before marking his place and tossing the book. "Yeah?"
"What do you feel like doing?" Sharpay asked while sitting down on the bed next to him. It had been two days since they've arrived in Vancouver. They hadn't really left their hotel room yet, except to go check out an art exhibit a few blocks away. They were leaving tomorrow and she wanted to go shopping or something.
"Whatever you want to do." Troy answered.
Sharpay sighed. "Everytime it's 'whatever I want to do'." Sharpay air-quoted herself. "You never give your input in anything."
"I'm sorry," Troy apologized and grabbed Sharpay's hand, staring into her eyes. "Let's go for a nice fancy dinner and go watch whatever play is going on tonight."
"Sounds nice." Sharpay leant in and they shared a soft, and sweet kiss.
Troy pulled away after a few seconds and Sharpay rushed into the bathroom to get ready. He glanced around the empty hotel room, wondering how he got so lucky.

"Mom!" Alicia Montez called into the living room. Gabriella had been speaking to a real estate agent for more than an hour. It was annoying her. She was supposed to be going to register for soccer but of course her mother was busy.
"What, meha?" Gabriella appeared in the doorway of her bedroom, looking a little annoyed. "I'm trying to talk to the agent."
"We were supposed to be at the arena a half hour ago. How long is this going to take?" Alicia asked.
"Not too much longer. Bear with me," Gabriella sighed. "Do you really think I'd like to deal with this right now?"
"Probably not," Alicia nodded and looked back at her book. "Tell me when you're done."
Gabriella sighed and made her way out of her daughters room and into the living room. She sat back down next to real estate agent, Tyrie Pierson, one of Troy's old college friends. "So, the house a little out of the school district...how much is it?"
"The asking price is 195,000, I'm sure I can get it at a more decent price for the size. The fact that it's more updated, and less character will help. People in Albuquerque will pay more for an outdated house these days," Tyrie read through her file, making no eye contact with Gabriella. "outdated houses are more grunge. Grunge is in."
"Isn't it only the teenagers going through the grunge phase?" Gabriella smiled.
"Nope, it's their parents, too." Tyrie closed her folder. "Adults try so hard to be hip these days."
"Not me at least." Gabriella chuckled.
"Well, you look young enough to be Alicia's sister." Tyrie smiled.
"You're making me feel so young!" Gabriella felt her cheeks flush.
"MOM!" Alicia finally had enough with the waiting. "Are we going or not?" She entered the living room.
"Here's the house list. I'll be by to pick you up tomorrow at eight," Tyrie lead herself to the door. "Have a nice evening."
After the brunettes car was out of the driveway, Gabriella looked at her daughter. "I have to work tonight. You're going to have to wait for Abuela to drive you later."
Alicia sighed and ran towards her bedroom, leaving Gabriella alone on the couch.

"It was a pleasure serving you and your Mrs." The waiter flashed a generous smile. Troy always hated the waiters who were rude to customers but as soon as it was time to pay, they turned into the most kindest people. "At the bottom of the check, you'll find a little box where you say how much you'd like to tip."
"I'm not sure if we'd like to tip," Sharpay smiled at Troy and back at the waiter. "You weren't that good of a waiter."
The waiter clenched his jaw and forced a smile. "Very well. Have a nice evening."
Once the waiter was gone, Troy opened his wallet and asked Sharpay to read the check. "How much is it, Shar?"
"One-eighteen," Sharpay simply said. "It was really cheap."
Troy laid out the colorful twenties, tens and fives, leaving a gernerous tip to whomever made his chicken. It was really good. "That should do it."
"Shall we get going?" Sharpay held her hand out for her husband to take.
"Yes, we shall," Troy laughed and helped her out of her seat.
They were never the fancy people. Despite Sharpay being raised in a wealthy household, with numerous amounts of staff, she never picked up on the polite fancy talk.
It was now seven in the evening, and their last night in the urban Canadian city. Vancouver was always their favorite place to travel to. It was where they gave into their lust over a decade ago. Troy never thought they would end up on a flight together. He was only going to a business meeting. Sharpay was going for fun. After a dinner together, the two gave into their sexual desires for one another, and started their more than friends relationship.
Sharpay waved down a taxi, and they got in. "Take us to the Orpheum." She told him.
"Do we even know if there's anything going on tonight?" Troy questioned. It wasn't that big of a deal if nothing was going on, since they could always find something to do around the city.
"I'm pretty sure Handels Messiah is on tonight," Sharpay shrugged, leaning on his shoulder. "Even if it isn't, I'm fine with whatever we do as long as we're together."
Troy responded by entwining their hands and leaving a soft kiss on her head. He loved this woman a lot. He truly loved her. It wasn't the kind of love he had with was different. Maybe it was because they were married, and have spent over a decade together or maybe it was more than that. He loved Gabriella. He loved Sharpay. It was two completely different kinds of love, though.

"Meha, why are you still awake?" Maria Montez asked her daughter, voice full of concern.
Gabriella was sitting on the couch with numerous amounts of photos scattered around her. She looked at her mother. "How could you?"
"Baby, how did you find these?" Maria sighed and sat down on the couch, picking up a few of her grandson's photos. "These were hidden from you."
"The question should be; why were they?" Gabriella was hurt. She didn't think her mother had any contact whatsoever with Troy and Will. She seemed as if she never knew William. "Why do you have all of these?"
"Troy wanted me to have them," Maria's voice was shaky. "He wanted me to know my grandson. He wanted me to be a part of his life. But after you left," Maria paused to contain herself. "I didn't want to be a part of my grandson's life while his mother was not. I asked to be kept in the loop, and know what was happening at all times with him. He sends me monthly updates on your son."
"How come you've never told me?" Gabriella asked, voice getting louder.
"Meha, calm down," Maria rubbed her back soothingly. "I wanted to protect you. I wanted to also protect William."
"You're selfish." Gabriella simply said.
Maria was taken back from this. Her? Selfish? She was the grandmother who wanted nothing but the best for her daughter, and grandchildren. She never wanted Gabriella to leave her family. If anything it was her that was selfish.
"Me?" Maria stood up. "I'm selfish? Gabriella, you're the one who ran away from your problems. You're the one that left your fiance and son. This isn't about me. It's about you. You need to stop blaming every body else for how your life turned out. You could've stayed. You didn't have to abandon your child."
Gabriella looked at her, tears in her eyes. "Mom, I couldn't stay with Troy knowing what I had done."
"What did you do?" Maria looked down at her daughter.
Gabriella took a deep breath and bit her lip. She didn't want anyone to know about it but she blurted it out. She didn't want Troy to find out. She was doing so well with it staying inside of her all these years. She didn't want to bring back the past. She needed to move forward.
It took her a few moments to think it through. She couldn't move forward without letting go of the past.
"I cheated."

AN: Sorry for the late update. It's been nearly a month. I've got good reasons to have taken so long. As some of you know, I've had a rough few months. They've gotten really past this past few weeks and I started thinking very badly. I needed to work on myself before trying to sit down and write. I've worked out my issues and I'm doing somewhat better.
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