by Diane Marie
Joey felt nausea for a moment, and ran up the stairs to the master bath, tripping up the stairs, making a loud thud. The thud had woken Gabriella up, and she followed where the loud thud was, assuming it must be Joey getting in from his bachelors’ party. Gabriella found Joey on the bathroom floor throwing up into the toilet bowl.
Gabriella went over to him right away, after she grabbed a power towel that she placed in the bathroom from the roll they had purchased at the drug store.
“You okay.” Gabriella asked, when Joey went from his kneeling position to sitting on the floor. Gabriella wiped his mouth for him. “No. They made me drink too much.”
“They made you?”
“Yes.”
“I find that hard to believe.” Gabriella said, helping Joey up, and over to the sink. Gabriella put toothpaste onto his toothbrush she had also purchased at the drugstore.
“Yes.” Joey said, after spitting out the toothpaste. Gabriella then handed Joey mouth wash. “They were pushing drinks down my throat all night.” Joey said, giving his cute puppy dog face. “Aww.” Gabriella said, to Joey’s puppy dog face. “I’m sorry. I guess that’s how guys are at a bachelor party.”
“Guess so.” Joey said, grabbing Gabriella’s hand to lead her out of the bathroom and back to bed. Once Joey and Gabriella were lying in bed, Joey waited for Gabriella to cuddle up in his chest before he told her about the strippers. “They also had strippers.” “Oh.”
“Yes. I told them no strippers. They rented out the bar for the night so they could have them.”
“And?”
“And they forced me into a chair and when I tried getting up they pushed me back down by my shoulders. So I closed my eyes as the girls started to dance.” Joey said, pausing for a moment to gather Gabriella’s reaction.
Joey looked at Gabriella who was looking up at him from his chest. Joey broke their eye contact, and Gabriella kept looking at him. “And they were dancing on me and then they started putting their hands up my shirt and pulling on my belt buckle, so I shot up and pushed them off.” Joey concluded.
Gabriella was pleased, Joey wouldn’t allow other girls to touch him.
“And them dancing on you upset you?” Gabriella asked, trying to figure out what Joey was so sad about it.
“Yes.” Joey said, as tears wear filling in his eyes. “I feel so dirty now.” Joey confessed.
Gabriella could tell there was something more. “What else is there?” Gabriella asked, sitting up.
“Well, Kyle said before you I used to love the strip club, and I never really told you about my going to a strip club.”
“So you used to like the strip club?”
“Not too much when I got older. Well before we meet, I’d go every few months, just to watch the girls dance. I never touched them though.”
“Oh.” Gabriella said, thinking it wasn’t so bad.
“But when I was twenty-one, when I wasn’t out in Mandala, I was out at strip clubs a lot.” Joey said, recalling a number of nights when he hadn’t found a girl to take home for the night, and him and his friends decided to go a few towns over to the strip club. “So how many strippers have you taken home?” Gabriella asked, assuming.
“A few.”
“That’s gross.” Gabriella said, getting out of bed. Gabriella then felt icky for ever having sex with Joey.
Joey knew he should have mentioned hooking up with strippers earlier to Gabriella. He feared it would be a deal breaker, considering her views on sex outside of marriage. As Gabriella left to go downstairs, Joey stayed in bed thinking. He thought about his reasons for getting the ring tattoo with Gabriella, as quickly as he did. Joey was unsure if it was because he couldn’t wait to be married to her, or if it was because she had shared with him, her theories on how the earth was meant for man and woman, and how she really didn’t believe two people should have sex together unless they wanted to spend their lives together. Joey shrugged off guilt being a reason for getting the tattoo as abruptly as he did. Joey knew in his heart, he got the tattoo for all the right reasons. Gabriella was his dream girl, and he fell in love at first sight.
Joey finally got out of bed after moments of thinking, to find Gabriella in the big house. Joey went down the spiral stair case first, figuring Gabriella went to lie on the couch in the family room, but she wasn’t there. Joey then checked the couches in the living room, but Gabriella wasn’t there either. Joey then checked the kitchen, and the dinning room too, to see if she was sitting at either table, but she wasn’t.
When Joey got up the main set of stairs, he figured out immediately where Gabriella had gone, having a feeling she had gone into the nursery. When Joey walked in, he found Gabriella rocking in the rocking chair. Joey walked over to her immediately and knelt down on one knee in front of her.
“I love you.” Joey said, it was the only thing he had to say.
Gabriella had been off thinking too, and she knew how much Joey regretted sleeping around when he was twenty-one. She realized, his friends had a huge influence over him after hearing tonight how they were forcing shots down his throat, and hired strippers against his will. Though, she wasn't too sure how much he was forced to drink, over how willing he was to drink the shots.
Gabriella wondered what it was like for Joey when he was twenty-one, and his girlfriend had cheated on him with Mark. Gabriella couldn’t be mad Joey took home a few strippers in his time, though the thought still made her icky. The whole thought of girls stripping for money wasn’t what upset her. Gabriella always found exotic dancing to be an art, considering she loved to dance herself. What Gabriella couldn’t stand was how many girls Joey watched, dancing topless, giving her the icky feeling.
Gabriella also wondered what Joey looked like when he was twenty-one. She was sure the strippers wouldn’t leave to sleep with just any customers. Also, Joey had mentioned he never got any girls numbers when he was twenty-one, and they were all one night stands. Gabriella grew curious if Joey failed to mention sleeping with strippers, did he also fall to mention that they weren’t all one night stands?
“Did you ever sleep with the same stripper twice?” Gabriella said, after a few moments while Joey was waiting for her to say something, anything.
“No.” Joey answered, honestly.
Gabriella felt a little bit better.
“Did you ever go back for the same girl and she wasn’t there?” “Gabriella, I wouldn’t have been able to point them out the next day.” Joey said, and Gabriella squirmed.
“You’re gross.”
“I was young and drunk.”
“Whatever.” Gabriella said, taking a look around the room she was in. She then took a look down at her ring finer, feeling sort of stuck. She figured maybe it was a good thing because she loved Joey, and just wanted to be in his arms.
Joey was scared to question what it was exactly that was upsetting Gabriella. He figured it could be a few things. It could be that he hadn’t told her he slept with strippers before, as Joey remembered Gabriella didn’t want too many details of the women he had taken home. Or It could be that Gabriella was mad Joey used his good looks to hurt so many girls, or that she was simply jealous. Joey figured it was a combination of all three as other possibilities ran through his head. Joey just wanted to be in Gabriella’s arms, where he felt safe and loved.
Joey didn’t reply back to Gabriella’s response of ‘whatever’ and instead put his hand out for her to take. Gabriella took Joey’s hand, and let him lead her upstairs. Gabriella laid in bed with Joey, he wanted to prove to Gabriella how much he loved her body, how much he loved her. He knew asking for sex would make him out to be the same person he was when he was twenty-one.
As Gabriella gestured for Joey to hold her tighter, he was tempted to push for sex. He needed to assure Gabriella, he loved her, and she was the best he ever had in bed. He wanted to assure her, she meant more to him then the girls from his past relationships. Joey also wanted to make sure, everything was all right between them, and
that Gabriella forgave him for not mentioning he had slept with stripers
Joey decided it would be very wrong of him to try and make love now, and fell asleep at ease, feeling their love had won.
Chapter Thirty-Two
When Joey woke up, Gabriella was lying on her stomach with her hands folded over Joey’s chest with her chin on top of her folded hands. Gabriella noticed his eyes open.
“Do you use protection with the strippers?” Gabriella asked, quickly after Joey opened his eyes.
“Yes.” Joey replied, again with honest.
“Okay.”
“You think I’m like that not to use protection with a stripper?” “I didn’t say that.”
“Then why are you asking?”
“You said you didn’t even remember what the girls looked like the next day, how are you suppose to remember using a condom or not.” Gabriella said, moving away from Joey and off the bed.
Joey followed Gabriella to wherever it was that she was going.
“I thought I asked you not to walk the steps without me?” Joey asked, placing his hands around the frame of Gabriella’s body, while she walked down the steps of the master bedroom to the second floor.
“Joey, I’m not going to fall, lay off.” Gabriella said, giving Joey the sense, she was still mad at him.
“I know I used a condom with them because I remember the sex, I remember the bodies. I just can’t recall the faces.” Joey spoke honestly, not caring if his honesty would put him in a deeper hole.
Gabriella thought about the art of exotic dancing, and a younger Joey out for a good fuck. Gabriella felt disgusted being she was carrying his baby inside.
“Joey, can you please just leave me alone for the day.” Gabriella eventually replied, as she was making her way down the home’s main staircase.
Joey was tempted to throw her abortion in her face until he remembered, Gabriella was a pretty innocent person. Joey left her alone.
Gabriella sat down at the kitchen table, wanting to be alone in her thoughts. Gabriella thought back to their first night together, and how she had thrown away her vow to herself in one night for him. Gabriella thought how Joey was the vision of her perfect dream man she had, and how she had been charmed by his looks. At the end of Gabriella’s thoughts, she concluded she was lucky to have Joey, more importantly she was lucky to be the girl he was coming home to every night. She figured if a younger Joey was once out for a good fuck, the him now must want one too.
Joey went back to his bedroom after Gabriella asked to be alone, letting a few tears stream down his face. He took one look around the room, and asked himself, ‘where’s she going to go.’ He then took a look down at his ring tattoo, and felt warm over the reasons he thought about last night in regards to why he got the tattoo. He was in love, Gabriella was in love, this; Joey was sure.
Joey was making the bed when Gabriella walked into the bedroom, pushed him down onto the bed, undressed him, and then lifted her night gown up over her head and sexily dropped it to the floor. Joey was shocked Gabriella wanted to do this with him now, he thought that it would take an hour long conversation for him to regain Gabriella’s trust to have sex again. As Gabriella straddled Joey, and started on him rough and heavy, Joey was into it.
When Joey realized she wasn’t making love, he tried to slow her down, but she wouldn’t let up. Joey thought about pushing her off, but remembered their baby inside. He then thought about asking her to stop, but her stamina felt too good.
Gabriella was taking all of her feelings and emotions, and placing them deep down behind her heart. She pretended to Joey, she didn’t care who she was with, as she used him to hit her pleasure spot. Gabriella let her feelings come back, realizing it was Joey who had found her pleasure spot for her, but then pushed her feelings away and continued on.
Gabriella, who was already pregnant, rode him hard and fast, without thought of who she was with, until he moaned out in pleasure. When she was done, she hopped off of him, put her night gown back on, and went into the master bathroom.
Joey was shocked, thrilled but shocked. Joey thought for a few moments, and then he became upset and angry. He felt in Gabriella’s heart, she was moments away from cheating on him. Joey had just witnessed how sex didn’t need a strong, intimate interaction, filled with feelings for her to enjoy the act. Joey laid in bed, feeling used, and pondering why Gabriella would come and do that to him.
When Gabriella got out of the master bathroom, she walked back into the master bedroom, notcing Joey pacing back and forth by the sitting area. Gabriella called out, realizing he was upset with her,
“I was jealous.”
Joey stopped pacing.
“Huh?”
“I’m wasn’t mad that you had sex with strippers. It’s the same as you sleeping with the girls from Mandala. I was jealous because I pictured you younger and out for a good fuck. I thought the girls were lucky to have you. I don’t have a stereotype on strippers that they’d sleep with just anyone. I was jealous that I couldn’t be them” Gabriella said, shocked she was able to get her words out.
Joey didn’t know how to respond, he stood a few feet away from her, just looking at her. Gabriella started walking toward the steps to the master bathroom again, slipping off her night gown just before she started up the steps. Joey stood and watched her, turned on by her backside, and then Gabriella called out to him, “I have to get ready for my bridal shower.” and then she went up the steps.
Joey was tempted to hop in the shower after her, to ask how she could be jealous of the girls who came before her, and also so he could cop a feel of her butt. Mostly though, he wanted to show her, he was hers, and no one in his past had ever mattered to him. Joey sat on the bed, and began to think, concluding, Gabriella must have realized in the kitchen, she was lucky she was the one to win him, and tie him down. Joey thought back to the words she had just said, realizing what drove her to leave him feeling used, he fought back tears of happiness that their love was still strong and growing.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Gabriella left for the bridal shower, after giving her mother a quick tour of the house. Linda was shell shocked, after seeing the house, when they left. Gabriella gave Joey a warm and loving kiss goodbye, followed by a hug sealing their vow of eternity together before leaving. Joey wouldn’t let go of her hug, he had so many feelings inside of him, wanting to explore them while he inside of Gabriella.
Gabriella left Joey with the address to the restaurant where the bridal party was. She asked him politely to please meet her when it was over, in his work truck, to bring home her presents. Joey arrived at four o'clock, right on time like Gabriella had asked. Joey was dying for another hug from Gabriella, he missed her terribly. Joey came into the restaurant as the ladies in his family were clearing out. They of course yelled at him that he wasn’t suppose to be there, but he assured them, he was just helping to bring the gifts home.
When Gabriella saw Joey, she leaped into his arms, and gave him what felt like a hundred kisses all over his face. Gabriella had been missing Joey all day too, but she kept well with her guests, not letting Joey occupy her mind too much.
Joey loaded every thing into the truck, not letting Gabriella touch a thing. When they arrived home, Joey wanted to leave everything in the work truck, and get Gabriella inside. Gabriella insisted, it may rain, and everything had to be brought inside right away. Joey unloaded the truck, leaving everything in the foyer. When Joey was done, he looked around and couldn’t find Gabriella. The last he saw, she was there waiting for him. Joey thought to look in the kitchen first, figuring she would be putting her gifts away, but she wasn’t in there. Joey knew just where to look next, the nursery.
“I knew I’d find you in here.” Joey said, opening out his arms for another hug. Gabriella gave Joey a huge hug, squeezing around his neck tightly, in return Joey squeezed around Gabriella’s waist tightly.
“Hey be careful.” Gabriella said, wiggling away from Joey’s hug. “Oh. S
orry little one.” Joey said, kissing Gabriella’s stomach. “I like it in here.”
“I can tell.”
“I got the Mickey and Minnie Lennox today from Sara. She wrote in the card. ‘I knew you were pregnant.’” Gabriella said, laughing. “Remember how I told you she thought that’s why we we're getting married?”
“Yeah, I remember. Come with me please?”
“Let’s go.” Gabriella said, while Joey hovered over Gabriella, walking the stairs to their bedroom. “Let’s christen this bed properly.” Gabriella told Joey, after he had undressed her with gentle care.
“Oh no, we can’t take back the first one.”
“Hey, we never went to church nor confession.”
“And we’re still yet to say grace.” Joey said. “Thank you lord for this women I’m about to make love to. Let her know how thankful I am to have such a wonderful women in my life. Lord, thank you for giving her a beautiful body that I am very, very attracted to. Please bless this woman, and the baby she holds inside. Thank you lord, amen.”
“Did you just say grace over my body?”
“I sure did. You have no clue how thankful I am to have you.” Joey said, taking away all of Gabriella’s worries with his words, she had over the women that had come before.
Joey made slow, intimate love to Gabriella, while he rested her mind, she was his one and only, and he did mean that for life.
Joey and Gabriella then went down to the kitchen. Gabriella had on a silk white rob, and Joey was just in his boxers. Gabriella made a quick dinner for the two of them, with the groceries from the list she left for Joey. When they were through with dinner, they went into the family room and watched a movie together. They found it nice cuddling on the couch rather then being stuck in their old bedroom at Gabriella’s parent’s house. The novelty of living in an oversized home hadn’t worn out for either of them.