The rest of the meeting became a loud, angry blur after Gabriella told the gang about Melody being my daughter. Chad, Taylor, Sharpay, Ryan, and Kelsie were all yelling at Gabriella until Zeke stepped in, giving her an excuse to leave.
Only Sharon, Zeke, Jason, and Amara had talked to her since that night. Yesterday we all did our own thing for a bit, and Gabriella and Sharon explored Monterey Bay while Javier, Truett, and Melody went with my family to Dennis the Menace Park. We stayed for a couple of hours until the kids started getting tired, and we headed back. Aspen, Melody, and Truett were out cold before we got home. Javier disappeared upstairs with Melody and Truett once we got home. Gabriella and Sharon returned shortly after we did and disappeared upstairs for the rest of the afternoon too. We only saw them again in the early evening for dinner.
Dinner couldn't end fast enough. There was so much tension between Gabriella, Javier, and everyone during dinner. Gabriella and Javier were outcasted again. As soon as we were home, Javier and Gabriella were upstairs with the kids again.
This morning, they were up at the crack of dawn. We saw them for all of five minutes when they zipped in or out. The plan for day three of the trip was for all of us to go whale watching after lunch and then grab some dinner before coming home. Maybe even hanging out at Fisherman Wharf for a bit. But that plan was already hitting some bumps as I struggled to gather everyone. If this were any indicator of our afternoon, today would be a really long day.
"Bro, have you seen Gabby today," I heard Jason ask as I descended the stairs to the kitchen. "I heard she wasn't feeling too well."
I descended the stairs faster, stopping just as I was about to reach the bottom and heard Chad's voice.
"Why should we care if Gabby is sick," Chad scoffed, "It's not like she cares about us."
I tip-toed back up a few steps so they wouldn't see me, but I could still hear them. Slowly and quietly, I took a seat on the steps. Cranking my neck forward, I listened to every word they said.
"OK, now you're exaggerating," Jason stated.
"Why do you two keep defending her," Kelsie asked with anger and annoyance clear in her voice. "Aren't you mad?"
"Why should we be?"
Chad chuckled like Zeke had just told him a funny joke. "You're kidding, right, or did you forget what she did? We treated her as our friend, and she abandoned us. She hurt all of us, especially Troy."
Zeke sighed. "Everyone makes mistakes. She had some things she needed to deal with, and yes, she could have handled it much better. But at least she's trying."
My mind wanders back in time as I listen.
"Remember in high school, when we first met Gabby," Jason reminded them, "We didn't exactly roll out the welcome mat. Sharpay and Ryan, you guys feared that Gabby was stepping on your toes, and it took you both months to warm up to her. Chad, we feared losing Troy as our friend and tried to separate Gabby from him. Taylor, you helped us. Honey, you lied and got us all to participate in the school musical our senior year because you feared Sharpay would turn the show into her personal show. We've all acted in fear."
"That's not the same thing," Taylor defended.
Jason insist that it was.
Zeke decided to try. "Gabby let her fears get the better of her, and so did we. But she forgave us and gave us another chance. So, why can't we do the same?"
"Maybe because she thought the worse of us," Chad answered without a thought.
"And we thought the worse of her," Jason pointed out.
Hearing enough, I cleared my throat as I entered the kitchen. Everyone stopped and froze in silence. We could hear a pin drop as we waited for someone to speak.
Zeke was the first to find his voice. "How much did you hear?"
I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. I replied as I opened it. "Enough," I took a sip before continuing. "Look, I understand why you're all mad. But is it worth our friendship with Gabby?"
Chad stared at me like he was searching for something. "You're really OK?"
I shrugged. "Don't know. I know I'd be worse if Gabby weren't my friend."
Jason agreed. "I miss Gabby's friendship too, more than I'm angry. I never was angry with her, just hurt. It was probably how we all felt. Hurt that Gabby left without a word and that she didn't trust us."
"Things might not be the same," I acknowledged, "but it can't be worse than now."
Sharpay frowned. "She ran because she was pregnant. Taylor was pregnant around the same time; she didn't up and leave without a word."
Jason looked up and turned to Sharpay. "She didn't know she was pregnant when she left. She ran because of some personal things she's been dealing with her entire life."
Kelsie narrowed her brow into a straight line at Jason. "How do you know?"
"Because Zeke and I actually listen to her."
"Forgiveness doesn't always come so easily because it starts with both sides being heard," Zeke explained. "Which then hopefully will lead to communicating and understanding."
Silence took over again as we all let Zeke and Jason's words sink in.
I knew I was as guilty in the communication department as most of my friends were. True, I could talk to Gabriella without things getting heated, but we've never truly talked since we ran back into each other. We've never actually talked about what happened or how we would make things work with Melody once I was back in L.A. Everything was just minor chit-chat.
I shook the thoughts from my mind. "Come on. We're leaving soon. Everyone's going to start wondering where we are."
I started for the door, and my friends were right behind me.
Later that night, the house was pretty quiet, with everyone spread out doing their own thing. I've barely talked to Gabriella all day with Javier around. But, now that Javier was probably busy with Truett and Melody or work, I figured now was a good time to talk with her.
"Guys, have you seen Gabby," I asked, wandering into the living room. "I've looked everywhere."
Gram Gram looked up from her card game with Granddad, Grandma, and my Step-Gramps. "Try outside."
I gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Gram Gram."
Stepping outside, I found Gabriella sitting on the porch swing, staring at the ocean. My heart stopped the second I saw her, and I forgot how to breathe—memories of being with her play in my mind.
Slowly I walked over to the swing. "Mind if I sat," I pointed to the empty seat.
She looked up at me and moved over a bit. We sat in comfortable silence, listening to the crashing waves. It was soothing, and I closed my eyes to take in the calming feeling I felt.
"Gabby, why don't you trust me? You didn't trust me three years ago, and you don't trust me now." I asked, unable to take the silence between us. "But you are able to trust Javy?"
There was distance in Gabriella's eyes as she stared at the ocean. She stood and walked forward toward the ocean. She stopped in front of the fence, leaning on it.
Her voice sounded just as distant when she spoke. "I do trust you, Troy. But that doesn't mean we can't have secrets. I'm sure you trust your family. Can you say you've never kept any secrets from them?"
"Guess not," I admitted as I stood and approached her. "But why are you able to trust Javy so easily?"
She turned to me. "Javy's different than you. You can leave without so much as a word anytime you want. Javy can't."
Confusion hit me hard. "Not sure I understand," I replied, confused.
She closed her eyes and took in a breath. When she opened her eyes, she tried again. "I trust Javy with everything because he's one of my best friends; I've known him my entire life, and he's my family."
That strung. I've always thought of Gabriella as my family. Was I, not hers?
I frowned, searching for some sign in her eyes. "Have you always loved and trusted Javy?"
"Yes," Gabriella answered without hesitating. "We instantly connected, and we've been besties since."
"I guess it's easier to trust someone you've loved your entire life," I commented, failing to hide my jealousy.
Gabriella forced a smile like she was trying to hide something. She placed her hand on mine, and my nerves went into overdrive as electricity pulsed through my body. "It's not like that, Troy. You and Javy are both very important to me," Her voice was calm as she spoke.
"Just not important enough," I grumbled, not even attempting to hide the bitterness in my voice. "You're guard and paranoid. Are there people you can trust besides Javy?"
I didn't know why I was so angry. But I was, and I knew that Gabriella knew it too.
"There are people I trust….and I'm not just talking about Javy," Gabriella replied with annoyance in her voice. "I trust my family and some very close friends. And I don't have any problems leaving Melody in their hands if that's what you're asking."
"Don't you think you're overprotecting her," I replied, "You completely sheltering her away from the world and everyone unless they meet your high standards."
She huffed, drawing her hands to her hips. "And suddenly, you're a parenting expert after a week and a half of taking part in your daughter's life."
I shook my head. "No, but I know kids will be kids and fall and injure themself as they explore the world around them. But that doesn't mean we should be stopping them. You need to trust the people around you and stop seeing the world as a death trap."
Her mouth dropped open, and I'd never seen her so angry. "You don't know everything, Troy. For your information, I've never once held Melody back from anything, even if I'm being extra careful. Yes, I don't have an army of people lined up I could trust with her, but sometimes it's not the quantity but the quality that's most important."
I threw my hands up in frustration and let them fall to my sides again. "Maybe I don't know because you have a giant wall up that only a very, very special group of people can get through. And clearly, I'm not part of that group, so forgive me if I don't know as much as I'd like to about you or our daughter."
Her expression changed. She stood staring at me with a blank look on her face. I could see the hurt in her eyes as tears appeared. She closed for eyes for a moment.
She spoke in a shaky voice. "There were a few complications when I was pregnant with Melody. I had to have an emergency cesarian at thirty weeks. Over the last two years, we've had more than a few scares."
My jaw dropped open in disbelief. I tried saying something, but nothing came out. My mind was whirling with so many thoughts; I wasn't sure what to say. Closing my mouth, I frowned.
The crashing waves filled the silence between us as I took in what Gabriella said. The more I thought, the worse I felt. Maybe she did have her reasons to be so protective. I shouldn't have judged her soon.
"I'm sorry," I apologized, not knowing what else to say. "Melody doesn't look sick."
She narrowed her eyes at me. "Haven't you ever heard the phrase, don't judge a book by its cover? Looks can be deceiving."
She spun on her heels and was headed back inside when the door opened. Gabriella stopped just before she was about to bump into Sharon. Sharon stepped out and instantly noticed the tension between us.
Her glance darted from one of us to the other. "Everything OK?"
I nodded, "Yeah, we were just talking."
Gabriella refused to look in my direction, and I knew I'd really upset her. I groaned to myself. Great, I try to talk to her and let my jealousy take over. Now she's not only mad at me, she's not talking to me.
Sharon smiled softly at Gabriella. "Javy has the kids. How about a run to take your mind off of things, and we can talk."
Gabriella nibbled at her lip in thought. "I don't….."
She didn't even finish the thought before suddenly taking off. Sharon was laughing and calling out behind her as she took off. I watched as the ladies took off down the beach. Something about them reminded me of me and my siblings.
