The Eternity that Follows

by Diane Marie

  Joey pulled her close and started to kiss her sweet kisses. He then pulled away,

  “come on we’ll never get out of here if we keep this up.” Joey said, as he shrugged his shoulders toward the bed. Gabriella grabbed her purse and keys, and met Joey at the bedroom door as he was waiting for her to leave. Joey took Gabriella’s hand, led her out of her room, down the stairs and out of the house. “You drive.” Gabriella said, throwing her keys at Joey. Joey threw the keys back, and reminded Gabriella he didn’t have a valid drivers license. Joey and Gabriella were now on their way to Starbucks with Gabriella driving.

  “You know, I have to get my mustang from my apartment.” Joey said, thinking out loud.

  “And just a few other things?”

  “It doesn’t matter. I have all I want right here.”

  “Oh Joey.”

  “I love you.” Joey said. He then kissed her lightly on the side of her face as she drove.

  “I love you too, cuddle bum bear.”

  “Oh is that my new nickname?”

  “Yes and many more to come, you’re very cute, very good material for a nickname.” Gabriella said.

  They pulled up into the Starbucks parking lot, and Joey informed Gabriella where to park. As Joey and Gabriella got out of the car, Josh was walking over.

  “This is yours Gabriella? Nice!”

  “Yeah it’s mine.”

  “Hey man! Congrats!.” Josh said.

  “Thanks dude.” Joey said. Gabriella caught him blushing. “I didn’t know this was you.” Josh said, pointing to Gabriella’s car. “I was just coming over to see who was driving it. Didn’t expect to see you guys.”

  “Yeah figured we’d get out of the house. You want to pop this hood with me? Mark did the work underneath. I’m dying to see what parts he used.”

  “Yeah of course I’d love to look under the hood.” Josh said, and then he turned to look at Gabriella, “Why haven’t I seen you around here before?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t know anyone that hangs out around here.” “Are you into cars?” Joey asked Gabriella

  “Yeah. I like getting my hands dirty with them.”

  “So you did some of this work under here?” Joey asked, looking underneath the hood of Gabriella’s car.

  “Well sort of, I just kind of tightened and loosened where I was told to.”

  “Oh I see.” Joey said, bursting out with laughter over how cute Gabriella was. “Did Mark teach you about cars?”

  “Sort of. Well I didn’t really pay attention. He’d sit reading car magazines’, explaining how the catalyst converter hooked up to the exhaust and whatever else he tried teaching me. I didn’t pay much attention.” Gabriella said, not about to pretend she knew more about cars then she really did.

  Joey smiled at Gabriella, while he looked under the hood, causing her to blush. Gabriella wasn’t interested in car talk. “Joey, may I have a few dollars to go inside and get something to drink please?” Gabriella asked, not feeling uncomfortable asking Joey for money. Joey gave Gabriella the money and asked for she to buy him a drink too. He gave her his order and told her it was what he always had at Starbucks.

  While Gabriella was walking into Starbucks, Joey wouldn’t take his eye off of her. He watched as all the boys were checking her out.

  “That ass.” Joey said to Josh. “Damn I have problems on my hand.”

  “Yeah you do have problems.” Josh said, seriously, as he too was checking out Gabriella.

  “Don’t be looking at my girl”

  “What? You pointed it out.”

  “Yeah but not for you to look at.”

  “Then for what?”

  “I don’t know. Lets just rip this car apart and throw out all the money Mark put into it.”

  “Your not really thinking about doing that, are you?”

  “And if I am?”

  “Joey, these are good parts. Mark didn’t cheap out or anything.” “We’ll I’ll sell them.”

  Joey and Josh analyzed the car more. Mark put in an after market turbo kit and inter cooler. A blow-off valve and waste gate. A cold air intake system with an after market intake manifold, header and throttle body. An ignition system and fuel rails, aluminum pulleys, and a strut tower brace.

  “Wow.” Joey and Josh said in unison, as they were closing the hood off the engine.

  “You know, he had his hands on your girl too, are you going to rip her to pieces too?”

  “True. I guess I’ll take it as a peace offering gift.”

  “It’s not your car.”

  “It is now.” Joey said, as Gabriella returned with their drinks.

  Gabriella handed Joey his mocha late and asked, “it is now what?”

  “You.” Joey said. Gabriella took a sip of her French Vanilla late. “I am it is now what?”

  “Mine.” Joey said, kissing her lips. “You are now what it is that’s mine.”

  “Oh well, how lucky I am.”

  “I was not just thinking the same thing.” Josh joked.

  “Oh no? I’m not lucky to have Joey?” Gabriella asked Josh ,then turned to Joey to give him a sad puppy dog face.

  “Nope. You don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into! Good luck.” Josh said, seriously, walking away.

  “Hey what did he mean?”

  “Who knows with him?”

  “Are you hiding something?”

  “Not that I know of.”

  “Hmm. Where’s Anna tonight?” Gabriella asked, noticing there were only a few girls hanging around a crowd of more than twenty guys.

  “I’m not sure.” Joey said, honestly. “She’s usually here.” “Do you think they broke up again?”

  “Who knows with him?”

  “Yeah who knows with him” Gabriella said, making that a new popular line in regards to talking about Josh.

  “Let’s get out of here.” Joey said.

  “Really? But we haven’t mingled yet, or finished our coffee.” “You’d rather stay?” Joey asked, playing with the bottom of Gabriella’s dress.

  “Well. I wanted to look around at the cars.”

  “I’m not in the mood for people. We’ll come back another night.” “Oh all right.”

  “Is it all right if I take her for my first spin?” Joey asked, wanting to take claim of his fiancés car in front of the crowd that had come over to see it.

  “Sure.”

  “Back away everyone.” Joey warned the crowd.

  Joey and Gabriella placed themselves in the car, and then Joey made sure Gabriella was safely in her seat with her seatbelt on. Joey peeled out of the parking lot for the audience that was watching. He pulled out onto the main road, stopped the car with his foot on the break and on the gas, spinning the tires causing rubber to smoke into the air, and then let off of the brake, leaving behind a small strip of rubber on the road. Half a mile down the road he was pulled over. Joey’s heart sank into his stomach. The officer came over, said hello to Gabriella and told Joey to take it easy around his town. Joey was sure the cop recognized him. The cops around town knew him well and not for good reasons. On the other hand, they obviously knew Gabriella and had a liking of her. “How did you know that cop?” Joey asked, still driving as the cop never checked his license.

  “I know almost all the cops in Mandala and Candlewood, Joey. They come out to the bars.”

  “You didn’t sleep with him or anything did you?”

  “No, of course not Joey.”

  “All right, well you never know.”

  “Whatever. Did you want to stop at your apartment and grab your stuff, and drive the mustang over while were out?”

  “Sure. I just want to stop at the ATM first.” Joey said, already pulling into the bank. He took out a few hundred dollars for pocket money. He then handed a hundred and fifty dollars to Gabriella, telling her to use it to go food shopping tomorrow because he didn’t want to eat food her parents had spent money on.

  Joey left Gabriella outside his apartment as he gr
abbed a few of his things. When he came back out, Gabriella was in her driver’s seat singing along to the radio. Joey put his stuff in his car and walked over to Gabriella. He told her to meet him at the first gas station you hit coming out of Candlewood, and into Mandala, so he could play lotto. Gabriella agreed. Joey thought it cute to pass Gabriella over the double yellow line as they drove. Gabriella then drove close to Joey’s bumper after, not wanting to be illegal and passing him. Although she was known for doing so.

  Joey pulled up front at the convience store and Gabriella pulled away to the side in the parking lot. As Gabriella parked she noticed Mark and Melinda hanging out with a few of their friends. Gabriella hoped Joey would just ignore him, but Mark was the one to come up to him

  “Dating my ex, I hear?”

  “Marrying your ex, you heard wrong.” Joey said, catching an attitude.

  Gabriella spotted them talking and came over to Joey’s side.

  “Marrying?” Mark laughed. Joey started to walk away. “I bet she doesn’t scream for you in bed like she did for me.” Mark said. Joey went to punch Mark in the face, but Gabriella held him back.

  “Joey don’t he’s not worth it.” Gabriella said, holding Joey back from fighting.

  “He’s not?” Melinda asked Gabriella, with an attitude. “No. Do you want your boyfriend punched in the face?” Gabriella asked Melinda.

  “Well no.”

  “Yeah he’s not worth it, see.” Gabriella said, pointing out how unintelligent her comment was.

  “Whatever.” Melinda said. Then she turned to Mark and asked, “how come your causing problems with your ex girlfriend’s boyfriend? Do you still have feelings for her?”

  Mark and Melinda started arguing. Joey wanted to stay and hear the answer to Melinda’s question, wanting to know himself, but Gabriella insisted he go inside, and play lotto so they could leave. Gabriella went into the convience store with him, grabbing a pack of gum and putting it down for Joey to pay for. Joey smirked when she did so, he liked spending money on Gabriella.

  When they got back outside, Gabriella noticed that Mark and Melinda had left. They got back into their cars, and Gabriella followed Joey to her house, passing him once just to say ‘I can do that too.’ Gabriella turned Joey on, he wasn’t expecting her to be risky when it came to driving. When they were both out of her car, and in the driveway, Joey couldn’t help himself. He got out of his car quickly enough to make it over to Gabriella to open her door. “Why do you do stuff like that to me?” He asked.

  “Do what stuff?”

  “Things that make me crave you.”

  “Just keeping you on your toes, making sure you don’t cheat.” “Why? Would you cheat on me?”

  “Never Joey.” .

  “You promise?”

  “Promise baby, forever.”

  “Eternity?”

  “Forever and the eternity that follows.”

  “All right, let’s get inside. I want to make you scream my name.” Joey joked, as he started to walk toward the front door of the house. Gabriella held his hand back.

  “You know it’s different with you Joey.” Gabriella said, wanting Joey to know how special he was to her.

  “Different how?”

  “You remember how I told you I never made love to a man the way I have with you?”

  “Yes”

  “I meant it.”

  “You did?” Joey asked, he believed her at the time, and was believing her now.

  “I sure did. I’ve never felt this way before Joe.” Gabriella said, calling Joey something other then Joey for the first time. “Joe?”

  “Yeah, is that okay?”

  “It sure is, but only you.” Joey said, then kissing Gabriella on the lips.

  Joey and Gabriella starting making out in the front lawn, Joey couldn’t loosen his grip when Gabriella tried to bring him inside, and Gabriella had to force him off. “I’m just so in love Gabriella, I just want to hold you all day long and never let go.” “Aww Joey. Come on babe, lets go inside, and you can place your hands anywhere you like.”

  “Anywhere?” Joey asked, raising one eye brow.

  “Anywhere” Gabriella winked, laughing. Joey laughed too.

  Joey still couldn’t let go of Gabriella. He walked behind her holding her tight the whole way to the front door. Once inside, Joey asked Gabriella if he could ‘have her on her parents couch.’ Gabriella hadn’t had a choice in the matter. Joey had scooped her into his arms, and had her naked before she even had the chance to respond. Joey made love to Gabriella saying ‘I love you’ more than thirty times as he kissed her everywhere on her body.

  After, Joey had her put back on her dress, grabbing her bra and underwear, and throwing on his shorts to walk up the stairs. He knew her parents were sleeping since they got home, but he didn’t want them to find them naked in the house.

  When Gabriella reached her room, she went into the bathroom to wash up before going to bed. Joey followed her into the bathroom. He still didn’t want to let go of her, he held her from behind. He followed her, holding from behind the whole way to her bed. Gabriella kicked him out of bed, telling him to go wash up.

  Gabriella made sure the alarm was set for Joey to wake up for the gym and work in the morning. When Joey got back to bed, he kept Gabriella in the position on her back she was laying in, as he put his head on her stomach to be held. Gabriella placed one hand on Joey’s head, and the other holding tightly around his back. Gabriella held him until he fell asleep, and then naturally rolled him off so she could get comfortable to fall asleep. Joey wasn’t happy Gabriella didn’t want to hold him anymore, so he laid on his side, pulling Gabriella onto her side. He nestled his leg between hers, wrapping his arms around her, bringing the side of her face into his chest. Gabriella threw her arms around Joey, thankful that he was holding up to what she said about holding each other all night, ever night.

  Chapter Tweleve

  Joey and Gabriella woke up in the same position they had fallen asleep in. Joey hit the alarm on the side of the bed he was on moments after it went off. He didn’t want to get out of bed, and leave Gabriella. Gabriella stayed awake as Joey held her tightly, letting him sleep for a few more minutes.

  “Come on, you got to get up sleepyhead.” Gabriella said. Joey wouldn’t move. “Joey come on, get up. I’ll make you breakfast.” “No. I don’t want to go to work today! I want to cuddle.” “We can’t cuddle all day sweetheart.”

  “Just one more hour? I’ll skip the gym!”.

  “All right, if that’s what you want.” Gabriella said, liking the idea. She didn’t want to get out of bed either.

  Joey set the alarm for another hour and feel peacefully back asleep. When the alarm went off again, Joey still didn’t want to get out of bed.

  “Come on Joey, you can’t throw away your business just to spend one day home with me in bed.”

  “I’m sick.” Joey complained. “Feel my forehead.” Joey pleaded, Gabriella felt Joey’s forehead.

  “Doesn’t feel warm to me.”

  “It’s my tummy, my tummy hurts.”

  “Don’t lie to me Joey.”

  “All right fine.” Joey said, getting out of bed. “But don’t think your making me breakfast or anything. I want you to stay right here and hold that pillow all day pretending it’s me. I’ll grab a roll on the way into work.” Joey said, while Gabriella felt he was being awfully cute.

  Gabriella tried getting out of bed anyway. “I meant that.” Joey said. Gabriella then laid back down in bed, and then Joey got back in.

  “Joey get up this instant, and get your butt to work.”

  “I’m not going to work today and that’s final, Gabriella.” “Well if you don’t go to work today then I’m not sleeping with you tonight.”

  “Fine. We’ll have sex all day instead.”

  “Joey!”

  “What?” Joey asked. He looked at Gabriella, but Gabriella wouldn’t look back.

  “Go to work.” Gabriella said,
stern, she wasn’t going to let his irresistible cute face get to her.

  “I hate work on Wednesdays.”

  Gabriella didn’t know what else to do, she forced Joey off of her, and went downstairs to make him breakfast. Gabriella brought breakfast up to bed for Joey. Joey sat up and ate, and when he was finished, Gabriella forced him to get up and go to work. Joey did so, being his business was even more important to him now that he had Gabriella to think of too. He thanked Gabriella for the food, claiming it was his fuel, giving him the energy to make it to work.

  After Joey had left, Gabriella found her mother in the kitchen. Her mother said, she hoped they’d go to the church and to Mandala Palace to place a down payment on the wedding date. Gabriella huffed a little over not being ready to pick the date. Feeling forced to, Gabriella went upstairs to her calendar. She looked at the open dates both places had in common, and selected her date. When she announced her date to her mother, she said they would then go dress shopping, and then out to lunch. Gabriella told her mother about her idea of having her dress custom made, and her mother said ‘well see,’ assuring Gabriella she would find the perfect dress today to put that thought behind her.

  On the ride into work, Joey thought mostly about his business, with Gabriella on the back of his mind. He wanted to wait for a full walk through of the house before selling his masterpiece, but debated, if he should try to sell and build the blueprint sooner then anticipated. He developed his thoughts until he was at the point of confusion, regarding money. He wanted to use the money he had saved for rent on a ring for Gabriella, but he was calculating if he could also afford to hire another employee as well. Joey clinched his confusion, decididing he’d buy the ring first, take a look at where he was with his money, and then arrive at a verdict.

  When Joey got to work, it was the last place he wished to be, he plainly didn’t want to be there. He missed Gabriella too much, but he knew if he went home, she’d be mad at him. Instead, Joey went to greet his workers, giving them orders for the day, answered all their questions before he left, and told his employees he’d be back later. He then went back to his apartment, to pack up the rest of his clothes. He grabbed his safe that held his gun, his checkbook, important papers regarding his business, and also his prized blueprints. He then clenched all his movies, CDs and the few other of his belongings. Joey didn’t have much lingering in his apartment, since his last landlord threw all of his stuff away on him. He then strategically placed all the stuff he packed into his truck, mapping it to fit with his street bike he kept stored in his landlords garage. He went back inside, sat down at the kitchen table, grabbing the pencil and paper he placed out of his safe before packing it into his truck, and began to designing an engagement ring for Gabriella. He spent three hours making sure the image was perfect to his own taste, while also trying to match Gabriella's attractiveness. He then got into his truck, and drove to the jewelry store two towns north of Candlewood, whom he knew made personalized jewelry. It was around eleven in the morning when he arrived.