After returning from the beach with Truett and Melody, Javier and I disappeared into our room. Truett and Melody were so tired they were out before we changed them out of their beach gear. It was the perfect time for me to get some work done.
I didn't get far before the laughter from the beach caught my attention. I couldn't hold back a snicker as I watched Jason, Zeke, and Chad toss Kelsie, Sharpay, and Taylor over their shoulders. Sharpay was screaming threats at Zeke as he ran toward the water. My heart ached watching my old friends goof on each other like we used to. It seemed like a lifetime ago since I was that close to them.
Javier sat next to me by the window. "Want to talk about it?"
I pulled my gaze away from my friends on the beach. I shrugged with a small smile. "I made some choices because I was afraid of losing my friends. In the end, I think I lost them anyway."
Javier watched me for a second and placed a comforting hand on my leg. "You don't know that for sure. Maybe there's a way for you to still get along, even if things are different."
I sighed. "It doesn't feel like it."
Javier and I turned when we heard a knock at the door.
Neither of us was that popular here, so only one person would knock on our door.
Sharon.
"It's open," Javier turned back to me. "Give it some time."
Sharon came in with some snacks at hand. "Give what time," Sharon took a seat beside Javier and laid her head on his shoulder.
"We were just talking about my high school friends," I replied, narrowing my brow at her. "Are you OK?"
Javier turned to Sharon. "Is something wrong? You look a little tired."
Sharon yawned and brushed some hair from her face. "I'm just feeling a bit tired after a couple of sleepless nights."
Javier and I glanced from Sharon to each other. I was sure we both had the same thought. Javier brushed some hair from Sharon's forehead and felt to make sure she was OK.
"You have any other symptoms," Javier asked, checking for visible signs of bruises and bumps.
Sharon stopped Javier and smiled as she yawned again. "I'm fine. No symptoms, bumps, or bruises; just a little fatigue from insomnia."
Javier gave Sharon another once over before relaxing. "If you start noticing something, no matter how small, you must say something."
Sharon nodded and reassured us. "I will," She handed Javier the bag in her hand. "But you need to take care of yourself too."
We all grabbed something out of the bag and broke into it. As we snacked away, we talked and laughed. The time till Melody and Truett woke from their nap flew by, and I didn't even spend five minutes working. Not that it matters if I had the time since I was sure I couldn't focus.
Being able to hang out with Sharon and Javier worked out even better. It was just what I needed—a way to forget about my friend's anger and cheer up. It was the perfect distraction, and it only got better after Melody and Truett woke. There were even more ways to entertain ourselves after the kids woke up. Exploring the room and seeing the scenery entertained the kids for the better half of the afternoon, and they loved seeing Rowan when she face-timed us.
The five of us were in our own little world and didn't realize the time until there was a knock at the door. Javier answered the door and found Jack on the other side calling a meeting.
We gathered the kids and headed downstairs. The meeting was already underway when we arrived, and no one noticed us coming in. It almost felt like I was a fly on the wall watching everyone discuss dinner options.
"Sharon, Javy, and Gabby, any idea what to eat tonight," Troy's Gram Gram asked, and all eyes turned in our direction.
I backed away, seeing all the dagger eyes. Sharon and Javier stood on either side of me on high alert. I shifted Melody on my hip and gripped Javier's arm. My gaze dropped to the floor.
My voice was just above a whisper when I spoke. "We're not picky. Anything's fine."
Sharpay strut forward like she was a model on a runway. Sharon and Javier moved closer to me like they were guarding me. "You want Elly; you need to get through me," Javier warned when Sharpay stopped in front of him.
The tension in the room froze everyone. Everyone was counting on someone else to make the first move.
Sharpay huffed and folded her arm across her chest. "She not worth the new manicure needed afterward. But since she shouldn't be here, may I advise you to keep your opinions to yourself."
Zeke's eyes widen, and he struts over to Sharpay in two giant steps. He pulled her back and whispered, "Take it easy; Gabby's our friend."
Sharpay shrugged him off. "You mean was."
Javier handed Truett to Sharon and turned to Sharpay with anger flashing in his eyes. He wasn't much of a fighter unless it was about our family. He wouldn't ever stand for someone hurting our family in any way. That has always been Javier's bottom line.
I could hear the anger that was rare for Javier as he spoke with his arms folded across his chest. "If you have such a problem with Elly giving her opinion, maybe you should leave."
"If anyone should leave, it's you and your lover," Ryan replied, stepping closer to Sharpay. "After what Gabby did to Troy, I'm pretty sure she's the last person we want to see, and you're a very close second."
Sharon stepped in between them. "Enough. Clearly, we can't get along and agree. So, why don't we just go down to Fisherman's Wharf and split up? We can all have our pick and do what we want after."
A chorus of 'Yeah' and 'Sure' floated around the room. It didn't take long to figure out the carpool situation. Lucy fought about Melody riding with them, but she finally gave up when I reminded her of my nonnegotiable rule with Melody. I could see from the look on her face she didn't like it, though.
"I've seen some mother hens in my day, but you have to be the top. Melody will never learn any independence if you don't stop sheltering her," Lucy slipped her sunglasses on. "Come on, Sharon. You're riding with us."
Sharon was hesitant to follow her, but Lucy didn't notice. She chased after Lucy when we nodded to her. Eventually, we all pulled out and headed to Fisherman's Wharf.
Fisherman's Wharf wasn't too packed when we arrived. Some couples were strolling around, and a few shoppers were wandering around.
"So, who wants what," Jack asked when we gathered around. "And who's going with who?"
"Do we really have to split," Jason asked with a frown. "Isn't there some way to get along?"
Kelsie smacked Jason in the arm, causing him to groan. She gave him a stern look, and he shrank back a little. I tried but couldn't hold back a smile, seeing the dynamic between Jason and Kelsie.
Troy's Granddad agreed. "Can't we find someplace with everything? We're all under one roof for the entire week. We can't be splitting up for everything we do. This is supposed to be a family vacation."
Jack sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Dad, I know this isn't ideal…but….."
Troy's Granddad stopped him. "I know what you're going to say. But it's all in the past. Isn't it about time we move on and stop letting past events dictate our lives?"
Silence.
I wasn't sure what everyone else wanted, but I knew what I wanted. It didn't matter what I wanted, though. It was their call, not mine.
Zeke cleared his throat and said. "Look, Granddad's right. Like it or not, we're all here, so let's make the best of it."
"We're willing to try if you are," Javier replied sincerely.
No one said anything as they exchanged doubtful glances. The silence seemed to last forever until everyone agreed. But only because it's what Troy's Granddad wanted, and this trip was for him.
It took some back and forth, but we finally agreed on a place for dinner. Deciding where to dine was nothing compared to the musical chairs we played, trying to get everyone seated. We had so many people in our group that it was like we were our own little party. Then everyone had an opinion about where they liked to sit and who with. It felt like we would never be seated.
"Is that all," The waiter asked as he finished taking our orders.
Jack took all our menus. "For now. Thank you."
The waiter left, and Madyson gave me an ice-cold stare that sent a chill down my spine. "You and me outside," She demanded coldly, standing up.
What could she want?
I got an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach as I stood, nearly knocking over my chair. Heat flared in my cheeks when all eyes landed on me. I hated being front and center. Ducking my head, I followed behind Madyson. I didn't take more than two steps before tripping and stumbling.
Sharon and Javier simultaneously reached out as they stood. "You OK," Javier whispered, tightening his grip on my arm.
I nodded as I straightened myself. "Yeah, I'm fine."
Sharon nodded enough for Javier and me to notice. We locked eyes, and I saw the warning and worry. The corner of my lips went up momentarily as I gently nodded back. Javier reluctantly let go of my arms.
'Be careful,' Sharon mouthed, letting me go.
Madyson cleared her throat and commanded in a harsh tone. "I'm sure we all have eyes to see you're fine. If you love birds, are quite done…outside."
Madyson headed for the front door, and I hurried after her. Behind me, I heard Braydon whisper, "I wonder what that's about."
Picking up my pace, I ignored the feeling of sadness and aching in my heart.
Madyson was already outside when I rushed through the door and accidentally rammed into her. I let out a gasp as my face turned red as a pepper. Anger burned in Madyson as I froze, still gripping her arm.
Madyson rolled her eyes and gently shoved me. "I'm not your crutch. Learn to use your eyes and walk on your own or get yourself a walker," She stated coldly.
I pulled my arms back. "Sorry," I stuttered, avoiding her eyes.
"Save your apologizes," She scoffed, taking a step closer to me. "I know what happened between you and my little brother, so why don't you just tell me what you want from us?"
I titled my head, confused by her comment. "I don't understand."
Madyson folded her arms across her chest, glaring at me. My heart pounded hard against my chest as I silently thanked God looks couldn't kill.
"Fine, I'll spell it out for you," She replied in a sharp voice as her eyes turned dark. "You might have weaseled your way into this trip, but hear me when I tell you, you're not family. You're nothing, but a selfish heartbreaker, who only cares about herself. And if you think for a second you can get anything from my family, you have another thing coming."
I swallowed the breath of air and whispered in a shaky voice. "I'm not trying to get anything from your family."
She huffed, laughing sarcastically. "You think any of us still trust you? We weren't born yesterday, and we are watching your every move. And if you do anything to hurt my little brother again, no matter how small, I'll be the first person you'll have to deal with."
Madyson's harsh words were like a bitter pill to swallow. Tears started welling in my eyes as I struggled to control my emotions. Each shaky breath took effort as the constricted feeling in my lungs formed a lump in my throat. Squeezing my eyes shut, I dropped my head to avoid her gaze.
I wasn't sure how long the silence lingered between us until I could choke out my words. "I promise all I want is to amend my past mistakes. I'm engaged and only looking forward. If Troy's still in that future as my friend, and we can find a way to co-parent Melody peacefully, then that's wonderful. But I'm not hoping or looking for more. I know I lost that privilege when I broke up with him."
"You mean when you broke his heart," She corrected. "But at least you know where you stand. Just remember where the line is if you know what's good for you."
She turned on her heels, leaving me stunned in a sea of unsorted emotions. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I wiped a couple of loose tears rolling down my cheeks. Positive, I had control of my feelings I headed in after Madyson.
Taking a couple of steps into the restaurant, I was slammed hard with waves of nausea. Each wave came harder than the last, and my legs started dashing for the bathroom in the back on their own.
I felt someone pull my hair back for me as they rubbed my back. Another gigantic wave of nausea came at me so hard I started hurling my stomach content even faster.
When I finally stopped and caught my breath, I lifted my head. Turning, I saw Amara, Troy's cousin, with some paper towels.
Giving her a weak smile, I took the paper towels. "Thanks," I replied weakly.
My eyes bulged as another wave of nausea hit me hard. In one swift motion, my head was back in the toilet as I continued to hurl my guts out. I didn't realize anyone else had come in until my stomach finally settled.
"Are you OK," Amara asked, handing me another watt of paper towel.
Define OK.
I nodded, taking the paper towel.
"Do you need to take anti-nausea meds," Sharon asked, noticing my pale face.
"I have some if you need it," Amara offered, reaching into her bag.
I shook my head when my breath slowed. " I should be fine now," I replied in a soft raspy voice. "Thanks."
"OK," Amara shrugged and put the mini medicine jar back in her bag. She pulled her make-up kit out and set it by the sink. "How about adding some color to your cheeks?"
The corner of my brow went up in confusion. "Huh?"
She shook her head with an amused smile. "Trust me," She dug into her make-up kit.
Amara started applying the makeup, which I wasn't making easy because I couldn't stop fidgeting. Sharon noticed and decided to help me.
She moved next to me and slipped her hand into mine. "Amara, why are you willing to help Gabby," Sharon asked. "Aren't you mad at her?"
Amara paused for a second and asked her own question. "Why should I be?"
"I broke up with Troy end of our Sophomore year of college," I reminded her. "I've been hated by your family since."
Amara chuckled and corrected me. "We don't hate you; my family still talks about you when my cousin isn't around. Now why would we talk about people we hate? We do have lives to live."
I was sure I'd heard her wrong. The hostility between us had been evident since the moment we ran back into each other. If this was how they showed someone they cared, I was actually fearful of how they treated someone they hated.
"No offense, but it's tough to believe with how your family treats Gabby."
Amara sighed, putting the makeup aside. "Just cause I said my family doesn't hate you doesn't mean they like you or agree with how you treated my cousin. Give them some time to understand you, and things will improve."
"And why aren't you treating me like your family does," I wonder, looking at myself in the mirror.
I didn't look too bad. There wasn't a lot of make-up added. The most was the blush, which hid my pale cheeks really well. The light touch of eyeliner and mascara drew attention away from my cheeks to my eyes, making them the main focus.
Amara pulled out a new lip gloss and applied just a touch on my lips. "I don't agree with how you treated my cousin, but I don't exactly agree with how they treated you either. Two wrongs don't make a right. Good as new; take a look."
I turned back to the mirror and beamed. I really didn't look half bad. The lip gloss really tied the entire look together.
"Thank you," I stated with honest sincerity as I took the lip gloss she offered me. "For this and for helping me."
She smiled and zipped her bag back up. "Think of it as a peace offering. I'm not big on enemies, and if we're going to be seeing each other because of Melody, it's better for everyone if we can say more than three words without some sort of battle happening."
I chuckled and nodded. "True, and I say we're off to a pretty good start."
The three of us laughed. "It could be worse," Sharon commented when we stopped laughing.
Amara turned to Sharon with a serious look. "I know why I'm not treating Gabby like she's my enemy, but Sharon, what about you?"
Sharon scrunched her face, confused by Amara's question. "What about me?"
"My Aunt and Uncle said you're my cousins' new girlfriend. Ex-girlfriend meets current girlfriend. I would think there's some jealousy or rivalry or some sort."
Sharon and I exchanged glances debating how to explain.
"I'm not big on enemies either," Sharon shrugged, "Plus, why do I need to be jealous?"
Amara smiled broad enough to show her teeth as she patted Sharon on the shoulder. "I like you already. Come on; I bet everyone's wondering what happened."
She hurried out of the bathroom with us trailing behind.
Amara's not like her family. Maybe we could get along.
The food started to arrive when we returned. I quickly planted myself back in my seat next to Javier and Melody. Troy's family did most of the talking the entire meal. Mostly the talking was about ideas for this week and catching up with the family who still lived in Albuquerque.
Javier and I were the opposite, barely saying two words. Amara and Sharon were friendly enough to try to include us in their conversation, but no one else really tried to talk to us. In a way, it felt like I was back in high school and trying to fit in with people I didn't.
When dinner was finally over, we decided to explore Fisherman Wharf a bit before heading back. It felt great to take an after-dinner stroll in the cool night breeze. I could smell the fresh salty sea air with every breath I took. It brought back memories of coming here with my family when I was younger.
Javier and I started lagging behind with Melody and Truett. No one noticed, though. Everyone was too busy talking to notice what was happening outside of their little makeshift groups.
I smiled, watching Truett and Melody walk down the wharf hand in hand. Melody wasn't steady on her feet just yet, but she was walking. If someone held her hand, she wouldn't be as shaky on her feet. But I was hopeful she would fully recover, and I was looking forward to that day.
I stood dazed as we passed by an ice cream shop. It was the same ice cream shop our parents took us to as kids when we came to Monterey Bay. I could picture running around the place with my siblings as kids.
"Hey guys, how about getting some ice cream for dessert," I called out, causing everyone to turn.
Immediately the kids in the group started chanting ice cream. Shrugging, the adults gave in, and we piled into the shop. It was a marathon trying to figure out who wanted what and how much of one flavor to get. It didn't help that the kids were indecisive and asked for one flavor than changing their minds moments later. I felt like we were losing control when everyone started talking over each other, and no one was listening to each other.
Clearly, I wasn't the only one who felt like we were losing control. Glancing over at Troy with Sharon, I noticed Troy looked frazzled.
Sharon blew out a clear whistle that silenced the entire shop. "OK, to make things easier, if you know what you want, line up to the left. If not, line up to the right."
Everyone started moving as they whispered and mumbled. Javier and I shuffled to the left with Melody and Truett.
"Who put her in charge," Madyson whispered to Joel. "Who does she think she is?"
I could see the anger spark in Javier's eyes as he glared at Madyson. Javier was already ticked at Madyson for threatening me earlier. Now this, with Sharon, I knew Madyson was stepping on Javier's bottom line.
I bent down to Truett and Melody's level. "Guys, let cheery Uncle Javy and Daddy up by giving him a hug."
They pulled on Javier's leg and reached up. He stared at them for a moment and turned to me. I shrugged, giving him a sneaky smile. He tried to stay angry but failed.
Picking them up, he snuggled them as I gave him a side hug. "Nicely played," He praised, handing Truett to me.
"I try," I took Truett and sat him on my hip.
He wrapped his free arm around me. "You're cold, and you weren't feeling that well earlier; maybe we should just share one."
I felt a pair of eyes staring at me and turned to see Troy with Sharon. But Troy didn't seem to notice Sharon's grip on his arm. His only focus seemed to be on Javier and me. Something flickered in his eyes, and I stepped back.
"You OK getting the ice cream while I grab a seat with these two?"
Javier nodded, and I took Melody. Picking an empty table in the back, I slid into the seat after the kids. It didn't take Javier long to return with the ice cream. I handed Melody to him, and he took a seat on the other side of the table.
"Thinking about the last time we were here," He pointed out as he spooned Melody the ice cream.
The corner of my lips went up a little, and I nodded. "The last time we were here was just after Cruz was born."
"I remember you felt bad for Cruz because she couldn't have ice cream. So you tried to give her yours when you thought no one was watching."
We both laughed. My eyes landed on Troy, and the feeling of jealousy bubbled in me seeing him with Sharon. Javier noticed the change in my expression and turned to see what I was watching.
"You know, if there were anything between them, we'd be the first to know," Javier pointed out.
"I know," I replied, giving Truett the last bite of ice cream. "Doesn't make it easier, though."
"If you still have feelings for Troy, you should work it out now," Sharon advised approaching us. "Better than handing Trey divorce papers after you two are married."
Javier scootched over, making room for her. "Smiley's right. If you're not a hundred percent sure Trey's the one, now's the time to work it out."
I glanced back over at Troy, and a feeling of warmth bubbled in the pit of my stomach. It wasn't like anything I had with Trey, not even close. This kind of attraction was different. It was the same attraction I felt on New Year's Eve the moment Troy and I locked eyes on the stage.
My hand went to my stomach. I thought about everything that's changed in the last three years. Everything that happened was my fault. I knew what I was giving up, and I have to live with it now.
I have a wonderful fiancee who loves me. It's time to move forward.
