This will more than likely be the final installment between Delylah and Gabriel. I sincerely hope you enjoyed my first two chapters, which were both my very first submissions to the site. Thank you for reading, I truly appreciate it. Feedback is widely accepted. Once more, thank you to all who have read this short series.
*****
SIX MONTHS LATER
With a small, sad sigh, I place my phone back on the table, watching it vibrate steadily across the smooth surface. This was certainly not the first time Gabriel had called. In fact, he had called more times than I would want to count. It hurts terribly to know how much pain I must be causing him . . . how much pain it's causing me.
Of course, we had stayed in touch for three months after our first real sexual encounter. It was amazing; he was everything I had ever wanted and more. The tenderness, the passion, the kindness . . . the incredible sex. So many nights of closeness, nestled against his strong chest with his arms around me.
It was I who ended the relationship in such a shitty way. I offered no explanation, no closing words. I just stopped answering his phone calls and expertly avoided him. For the last three months, I've become rather recluse, and have somehow managed to evade him entirely. Several times, he had come to the salon, but I ducked in back and waited until he left. Any time he would knock at my door, I would hide in my bedroom closet with tears on my face.
At that moment, a sharp, painful kick caused my hand to move to my swollen belly. Gabriel's daughter was steadily growing within me, healthy and strong. This was the reason for my sudden cease-communication. I was terrified of what he would do, frightened from rejection or worse. Perhaps it wasn't fair, but I had no idea how to tell a 60 year old man he was expecting a baby from someone thirty-four years his junior.
My phone starts to vibrate again, dancing across the table with Gabe's name displayed on the screen. He had been calling at least three times a day for the past few months, and today was no exception. Eventually, he left a voice mail, so I picked up my phone to listen to the message. It wasn't the first time I had heard an anguished voicemail from him, but it had been several weeks since I listened last.
"Delylah, please answer the phone. You have no idea how terribly I miss you. It hurts . . . please? What did I do wrong? Did I not love you enough? Call me back. I love you," Gabe's voice sounds beautiful in my ear. His words bring tears to my eyes. I can't hide this baby forever, but I know that we could never be the same after this. Perhaps that's what scared me the most. Perhaps it was the fact I wanted this baby and feared he wouldn't.
Shakily, my finger hovers over the CALL button. With a held breath, I lower my finger to the screen, but I end up putting my phone back on the table.
My poor, pained Gabriel. His words brought fresh tears to my eyes and my throat burned unpleasantly. Crying had become sort of a failsafe system of avoiding a complete meltdown these last few months. At almost six month pregnant, it was difficult to hold anything together anymore. Hearing Gabe's anguish twisted at my insides. I buried my face in the couch cushions and sobbed uncontrollably.
SOMETIME THE NEXT MORNING, I awoke with a sore neck. With a yawn, I stretch out and sit up, groaning. Guiltily, I recall Gabriel's voicemail. "What did I do wrong?" rang in my ears painfully, and tears threaten at the back of my throat once more.
"I'm so sorry," I mutter to nothing. However, I had to get to work, so I swallowed my misery and made my way to the shower.
An hour later, I'm dressed and ready to go. My makeup is on, and I'm dressed in new, cute maternity clothes. With a small smile, I admire my backside and rest a hand on our daughter.
TWENTY MINUTES LATER
"You look adorable," Curtis, my boss and very dear friend, grinned as I enter the salon.
"Thank you," I blush, walking to the break room and shoving my purse on the assigned shelf. I turn to see Curtis leaning in the doorway.
"When are you going to tell him, Del?" he asks, his eyebrows knit together in concern. Curtis is the only person who knows of Gabriel and I.
"I don't know," I shake my head sadly. "Have you spoken with him recently?"
"He's worried about you. It's hard to not tell him about the baby," Curtis says. "Del, he deserves to know this. That man loves you."
"Claire will eat him alive when she finds out about what we have done. Greg won't speak to him anymore; you must know that." I run my fingers through my hair nervously.
"Does he really need that sort of negativity in his life? You know what their relationship is like." it's Curtis' turn to shake his head. "Greg only talks to him if he needs money, and Claire is a bitter and vengeful bitch."
"Curtis, I don't want to come between them any more than I already have. I feel so stupid. I never meant to wait this long to tell him; I could never find the words to say. He means the world to me, but how can I tell him that when I've caused him so much pain?" tears threaten my eyes, but I force them away.
"Talk to him. Please," Curtis turns and walks away, leaving me to feel worse than before. I deserve it, though. What kind of a woman keeps a man from his own kid?
TEN MINUTES BEFORE MY SHIFT ENDED, I see Gabe's truck pull up to the salon. My heart hammers as I turn to Curtis.
"I can't let him see me now," I whisper to him urgently.
"You're already cleaned up. Just grab your things and go. Nothing needs to be done tonight," Curtis gives me a small, encouraging smile, and I nod nervously. "You'll be all right."
"Thank you," I say, and quickly retrieve my purse from the break room and make my way to the door.
Gabriel is already out of his truck when I exit the salon. For a few moments, I can't read his expression as his eyes fall to the obvious mound on my torso. I take in a deep breath and walk tentatively toward him. His eyes meet mine and he shakes his head. At that moment, I feel myself falling apart. However, he steps toward me with an unreadable expression.
"I've missed you," he whispers hoarsely before gathering me carefully to his chest. "Goodness, Del. I've missed you."
