“Pull on your trackies, let’s go and get your stuff” Definitely on a mission.
I do as he says and grab my keys and phone. Crap, this has the potential to go so badly wrong, I would hate for Gabriel to come face to face with Jay right now. My husband is a big man and has never had a problem looking after himself but Gabe is younger, fitter and so fucking pissed off right now, I would hate to think of the outcome if he were to get his hands on Jay. He's already out in the Ute with the engine running. I close the front door behind me and jump in, as best I can, considering I have sore ribs and very sore lady bits. But then, I did tell him I wanted him to make me sore!
The sunshine has gone today; it’s warm but overcast. Gloomy, hope that's not an omen, stop with the over thinking Lauren, God, I do my own head in sometimes, never mind what I must do to everyone else around me, my morning high has taken a nose dive and I’m really not sure if going to my former home, with Gabe in tow, is one of my better ideas. I give Gabe directions regardless and we are there in less than ten minutes. Jays Ute isn't on the drive; let's hope that means he's not home. We park and Gabe jumps out and comes round to my side to give me a hand, he obviously noticed my struggle on the way in then!
“Wait here” I order him and go and knock at the front door. I look back at Gabriel while I'm waiting. He's wearing long lose cargo shorts, a T shirt and thongs. His hair is pushed back off his face and his blue eyes look tense. His arms are leaning behind him on the Ute; his long legs stretched out and crossed in front of him. He looks like he's posing for a camera, a perfect male model, tall, trim, toned, and tanned, but he's not here for any photo shoot, he's here for me and I actually feel my breath catch as I acknowledge this fact. My nerves are already a jumbled mess of neurons, firing in all directions; my scalp is prickling with tension. I'm so scared that Jay will be home or turn up but looking across at Gabe is almost enough to send my body into emotional overload and I have to look away and take in a few deep calming breaths.
I put my key in the door and let myself in. The house is silent; I call out for Jay, just to be sure. No answer, so I rush straight into my bedroom and start pulling my clothes out of my drawers and stuffing them into a suitcase I've grabbed from the wardrobe. When this is full I pull it out to the front door. I run back and simply walk through my wardrobe pulling everything off its hanger and bundle it over my arm. I take this to the front door. Gabe has put the case in the back of the Ute so I just leave this lot at the door for him to collect too. I make three more trips, shoes, toiletries, hair straighteners, I had considered bringing these on the night I left but fear of making a noise as I unplugged them stopped me! My laptop and a few photos and personal bits are the last items. I stop at the front door as I’m leaving and look at all of the family photos on the hall table.
“Fuck Jay, what have you done to us? We were always so good, you were my best friend”
I say it out loud to a picture of us laughing into the camera. It was taken on holiday in Bali; we went with Jemma and Max, around fifteen years ago. We look so happy, then it occurs to me, when we got back to our room, the night this picture was taken, Jason had accused me of flirting with Jemma’s husband, we had an almighty blue and he had pushed me. I was holding a glass at the time and I fell, breaking it in my hand. I ended up with six stitches and a ruined holiday; Jason blaming it all on the fact that I'd had too much to drink and claiming he'd only given me a little shove and I fell because I was too drunk to stand. I let out a long breath I hadn't realised I was holding. I feel an overwhelming sense of sadness wash over me. Without even turning around I know Gabe is behind me. It's like a mild electrical current running between us. His arm is over my shoulder and he kisses my hair. I reach up and weave my fingers through his.
“You okay bubby?” he asks. I know if I speak, I will cry so I just shake my head no.
“Come on, let’s get you home” I nod in agreement. I close the front door, lock it and walk away. My emotions are raw and shot to pieces and I'm really struggling not to cry as we get in the car and drive away from my former life, another part of who I was gone.
Gabriel's phone rings and unfortunately for him, it's connected to the cars blue tooth.
“G’Day, Gabriel Wilde”
“Hey baby, how are you? Long time no see, or speak for that matter”
It's a woman, obviously, I doubt that any of Gabe’s mates would call him baby. I keep staring out of the window. Great, just what I need today!
“Who is this?”
“It’s Alyssa, Gabe”
“What can I do for you Alyssa?”
“Well don't sound too pleased to hear from me, will you?”
“Alyssa, you’re on blue tooth in my car and my girlfriend is listening, what do you want?”