She waken up in the bed next to a solid body, she'd never realized how good it could feel to lay down next to someone so muscled and warm. Gabriella moaned in sore aches and pains as she made her way to the bathroom. Once the door was closed behind her she let out a sigh and then looked into the mirror at features, still tired from the long night. They made out for an hour in the car for twenty minutes at the back door and then giggled their way up the stairs with their cold plates of food. They ate in bed they talked and laugh fallen asleep in each other arms. Gabriella let out another sigh, then a giggle, then a swoon. She needed to shower, she needed to get dressed, to be ready for Troy when he wanted to go out on the town.
Troy shifted waking up to feeling the lightness on his side. He smiled as he thought about last night the feel of her warm skin and the scent of her perfume. Hair dark brown curls against the back of his knuckles. He winced as he shifted in the bed, he could feel the burn on his shaft, the small cut from the zipper. He chuckled as he got up from the bed, he hadn't felt this pain since he was in high school and snuck out with some blond. Blond? Troy chuckled, he been missing out.
Gabriella was in the bathroom brushing her hair, today her and Troy we're going to go around the town. She'd checked the weather, she'd shaved her legs, she'd even put on the fancy perfume. Not that she was doing it for Troy, she just wanted to feel special. Gabriella shook out her curls, he like her curls, even found them sexy. Looking back at Lady who was sitting on the bath rug she let out a sigh, "I'm a horrible person." she said. as if in response Lady looked up at her with a head tilt and tail wag.
"I have to break this off with Anthony?" she said with a frown. Looking back in the mirror she let her hair come around her face then looked back at Lady, "You want to look cute for daddy too?" she said in her baby voice as she bent down to scratch lady behind the ear. "Come on let's get you a pretty bow."
When she came down to the kitchen she finally decided to wear her hair down, she also decided on a pair of fitting jeans and cold shoulder light purple top, it was flowly enough to hide certain parts of her and tight enough on top accentuate her breast. Not that she cared if he happened to notice. She smiled as she came into the kitchen to find Troy and her mother laughing as they talked over coffee. Lady who was behind her made her way to Troy who bent down to give her a good morning rub, last night Lady slept on the foot of the bed while Troy and Gabriella slept on opposite ends of the bed.
"She was adorable, she knew everyone's lines and she loved her costume it took about a week for us to finally get her out of It." her mother said with a smile.
"That must have been so cute." He said looking up at Gabriella and flashing her with that smile, the same one from the night she appeared at the nomination ceremony. She could feel her cheeks growing red by the second and decided to busy herself by looking in the fridge.
"When I was younger I didn't really participate in school plays," Troy said a shrug, his eyes bouncing from the coffee to Gabriella. "I tried once, but I ended up a tree and well… that experience was enough for me to shy away from it." Troy chuckled a bit and then brought the cup to his lips. She'd taken longer than usual to get ready this morning. Not that he minded he was enjoying having a normal conversation with her mother. Something he rarely got to do with his own mother.
"But I bet your parents were proud." Maria let out a sigh and smiled as she looked back at Gabriella who had gotten an orange out of the fridge. "I brought all your favorite fruits," she said with a smile, "I know how much you love them." Maria turned back to Troy, "I miss buying fruit, Luis doesn't really eat it, he more or less like his meals cooked or prepared."
"Well you're amazing in the kitchen, and I have you to thank for teaching Gabriella her own way around the kitchen," Troy smiled and placed his cup down, "I'm going to have to bump my work outs into high gear if I want to stay photogenic for the election."
"Oh I can't wait for the election," Maria said with small giggle of happiness. "This has to be huge for you. Your mother must be rolling on cloud nine."
"Well it's not official yet, I'm just in the running to run." He said with shrug.
"Look," Maria said holding out a hand. "Being nominated to be prom queen is exciting, you might not win but not everyone could say they were in the running."
"Point taken," Troy said with smile.
"Where's dad?" Gabriella said looking around and out into the backyard.
"He's still in bed." Her mother let out a sigh, "Now a day's I'm up with the sun and he's up around noon."
Gabriella nodded as she pulled apart an orange slice and brought it to her lips. "Is everything okay?"
Her mother shrugged and gave her best smile Gabriella's way. "He's an old man set in his ways." She said looking back down at her coffee. "He just wants to make sure your okay."
"You both raised a wonderful amazing daughter," Troy said reaching a hand to cover hers. "I don't know what I would have done if she hadn't come wondering into my office."
Gabriella's felt a faint blush raise to her cheeks, that's when she felt her back pocket buzzing. Reaching for it she looked at the caller id and sobered up quickly. "I going to take this in the other room." she said with a smile. "Taylor," she said looking at Troy then disappearing. Once she was out of ear shot she answered the phone.
"What do you want?" Gabriella said walking over to the window almost afraid he might be standing outside.
"How's the family?" the sound of his voice made her stomach turn.
"Fine," Gabriella said crossing her arms. "What do you want?"
"So quick to just assume I want something," he paused and Gabriella remained quiet as she watched the stairs for her father and the kitchen doorway for Troy. "Did you get the plan?"
"No, not yet." She said looking down for a moment. "I don't know his password."
"So ask him," he said with an exasperated sigh. "You're his wife tell him you have to check your e-mail."
"This needs to stop Anthony, I'm serious, I'm going to tell Troy." she said in a low voice her eyes looking back up at the entry ways.
"Don't be stupid," he took a breath, "Troy is going to leave you once all of this is exposed, let's not think for one moment that after you tell him that you've been sneaking around behind his back and giving all his information to me that he's just going to forgive and forget."
"I love him," Gabriella said, "I don't want to hurt him." she looked outside at the car in the drive way, memories of last night. She had to tell him the truth, she had to come clean.
"Then your best bet is to not tell him, he'll never be able to trust you again." Anthony voice was soft, "You know, you're a very special to me,"
"Go to hell," Gabriella whispered.
"Honey, I'd be nice if I were you, let's not pretend you don't have a gold plated seat on that bus as well." he said in low voice.
Gabriella heard a noise from the stairs and turned to see her father emerging. "At least there not a bus in my name." she said slamming her phone shut. She had to tell Troy, consequences be damned.
"Good morning," her father said as his feet came in contact with the landing. "Sleep well?" he said shoving his hands in the pocket of his robe.
Gabriella tucked the phone in her pocket. "Like a baby." She said with a smile. "You?"
"Like a father whose daughter was making out in the drive way all night like some wild teenager." He said arching brow.
Gabriella smile fell as she held her hands up over her lips. Fear and embarrassment running through her as she thought of her father watching her last night. Her body tensed and she felt her breathing stop. She was about feel light headed, until her father face broke out into a smile.
"Well at least it won't be long until I have a grandson." He chuckled and extended an arm her way.
Gabriella felt a wave of relief and new fear run through her body. "Sorry daddy." She said offering an embarrassed smile.
"I was young once," he said lifting a finger towards her. "And I remember what's it's like to be a newlywed."
Gabriella followed her father into the kitchen were Troy and her mother were still talking. At the sight of them both Gabriella's mom smiled, "I'll start your breakfast," she said getting up from the table and collecting her and Troy's empty mug.
"And we should get going," Troy said with a look at Gabriella who was now staring off into the distance. "Ready?"
Gabriella looked up at him and nodded, "Yeah I'm ready, I just need to get Lady's leash from the car."
"I'll get it," Troy walked past her with lady on his heels as he walked out the front door.
Gabriella stood in the kitchen watching as her parents slipped into their life style, her father reaching for the paper as he sat down and her mother pouring him his coffee. Gabriella felt a tug at her heart strings as she thought about her own morning routine, making a pot of coffee for two, making sure there was a little extra food in case Troy decided to eat. Gabriella felt her phone buzz in her pocket and she let out a breath as she turned to follow Troy out the door. She was going to have to tell him about Anthony today.
Troy held the leash as Lady sniffed each tree and leaf on the side walk, Gabriella walking quietly besides him. "Your mom is nice,"
"Thanks," Gabriella said with a small smile.
"Your dad on the other hand," Troy said watching her closely.
"He's a great guy," Gabriella said looking ahead of them at people walking around town. "Really, I mean before high school he was the best dad ever then I guess I grew boobs and we became distant." Gabriella shrugged and let out a sigh.
"Not only that but he seems to have high expectations" Troy said pulling her closer to him, "along with be old fashioned,"
"According to my dad I should be the one running for president and still put a dinner on the table every night." Gabriella said with a shrug. "I think it's why I'm such a disappointment." Gabriella looked at the windows as they walked by stores. "He has me on this pedestal that's so high I can't even hang on to the edge."
"Maybe you just need to talk to him," Troy said.
Gabriella let out a laugh. "You don't know my father, he not a talker." Gabriella paused to look at the toys in the store window, " I mean when it comes to talking about nothing at all he and I are fine, but I don't a conversation longer than five minutes between us and one of wants to kill the other."
"So why did you leave?" Troy asked with a sigh, he turned to glance around their surroundings he noticed a family walked by, he smiled and waved and so did they. The little girl smiled as she waved back and caught up to her parents. "I mean other than to get away from him."
This was it. Gabriella felt the cold sweat break through her. She had to tell Troy. "I have alcoholic hepatitis," she said not taking her eyes off the store display. Her eyes traced the doll house's edges, taking time to zoom in on the colors and textures. The windows were painted white; the small door had a red welcome sign painted with tiny flowers. Christmas was two months away.
"What?" Troy watched her as she eyes faded, it was like she retreated into herself, leaving him outside. Troy looked at the doll house in the window then back at her, Lady sat down looking up at both of them. Everything went mute.
"I had a drinking problem in high school," Gabriella looked up into Troy's reflect as he watched her. "At first it was just peer pressure, I was drinking because everyone else was." she said shrugging her shoulders. "Then I was drinking to relax, drinking to take the edge off, drinking get past sitting at the dinner table, drinking to get past the day." Gabriella paused, "My father has substance dependent personality, he's addicted to gambling, it's how he lost his job. It's why he works at home doing carpentry."
"I don't understand?" Troy said looking at her with confusion.
"It's a genetically handed down gift," she said with a short laugh, "I'm an alcoholic Troy,"
"No you're not." Troy said with a shrug, he was quite for a moment, flashes of every event they'd been to, every wine glass left untouched, every offered turned down. She wasn't an alcoholic, she couldn't be an alcoholic. "But you don't drink."
"I use to," Gabriella turned around his eyes were a darker blue, his lips pressed together in a small grim line and there in the distant back drop she could see it. Disappointment. "I Stopped for a little while then it started again, I've been sober for three months, the last bit of alcohol I had was the one glass of Champaign on our wedding night." Gabriella let out a breath.
"What about the alcoholic hepatitis?" he said looking into her eyes, "Are you alright?"
"It's a swelling of the liver because of alcohol. If I can abstains from alcohol for some months, alcoholic hepatitis is usually reversible but In some cases abstention has to go on for years," she said with a brief nod. She looked away from him, I sometimes just feel pain or tenderness in the abdomen, I get tired and I use to go 2 to 3 days before eating." Her lip quivered and she took a breath.
"Gabriella," his hands were warm on her even through the fabric of her clothes. He rubbed his hands back and forth on her skin. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I wish that was all I had to tell you," Gabriella said feeling a sob escape from her throat.
"It's okay," Troy said taking her hand in his, "I'm here." He pulled her close as they began to walk again Troy smiled as onlookers waved his way, people were beginning to look and Troy knew they had to keep moving or risk a crowd. "Gabriella, I not going to judge you on something you did when you were younger." He said while maintaining his smile. "If I would have know I could have made things easier for you."
Gabriella watched lady walk ahead of them, her mind going miles a minute as she thought about what she still had to confess. Just as she was about to speak again a man bumped into her and she turned to say something but froze in her tracks. Her eyes blinked, her breath quicken. She felt the blood drain from her face.
"Watch where you're going," Troy said coming to her rescue in her lack of reaction, Troy looked at Gabriella curiously wondering why she hadn't said anything. Her eyes were wide her breathing still, she wasn't moving. "Gabriella what's wrong?"
"Jason?" she said in low whisper.
"You know him?" Troy looked at the man who stared back at him.
"Gabriella," The man said with a smile, when she didn't respond he let out a chuckle and held up his hands."It's me Jason Cross."
Gabriella quickly nodded her head and then jerked back to life. "I know who you are." Gabriella said looking back at Troy then at Jason. "What are you doing here?"
"I work down at my dad's hardware store." Jason said with a smile. "I heard you got married."
"Someone want to tell me what's going on?" Troy said looking back and forth.
Gabriella let out a breath as she looked back at Troy then at Jason. "We went to high school together." She reached out a hand to Jason and he took it. Her eyes looked down at the hand, it was warm, dead hands were cold. He was not dead.
"Hey, is this that husband/soon to be president?" Jason chuckled. "Nice to meet you," He paused and looked around then at her.
Gabriella let out a breath and then looked over at Troy. Words were slipping from her, all her thoughts were racing. Her palms sweaty, her heart slowed. "So you're running the store?"
"Kind of," he said looking around as people walked by them, "My dad owns it, he loves it there I'm just like an assistant manager for now until he retires."
Gabriella smiled, "So you're okay?" she said catching a glimpse of a scar over his left temple
"Yeah, I mean I married, got twins on the way." Jason said shoving his hands in his pockets and then looking at Troy, "I mean not as great as you with marrying a soon to be president?" he said with a smile.
"I don't know about that, I mean you're a father to be" Troy smiled. "And people don't hide in your bushes to take photos."
"All good points," Jason said with a laugh. "So what brings you back home, last I heard you were racing out of here."
Gabriella shook her head, "Just needed something new, I guess."
"Well it was nice see you, if you're still around you come on down to the Randy's tonight, Kelsi and I are celebrating a baby shower." Jason said as he waved to someone walking by.
"I think-"
"We'd love too." Troy said cutting Gabriella off.
Gabriella looked at Troy, her mouth caught in mid sentence not able to make it past a simple word. How much more complicated did things have to get.