Isabella and Gabriel forced themselves to go to bed earlier at night so that they might rise at the crack of dawn and go sightseeing before the kids tired mid- afternoon. Then, they returned to their cozy villa to take a swim before sending the kids into their room each day for a much needed nap.
These peaceful moments, and the ones following their bedtime, were the only truly intimate moments Isabella and Gabriel allowed themselves, another major difference from their previous excursion. Gabriel seemed to understand instinctively that Isabella would not allow him to behave towards her as he did in Aruba. There he could touch her constantly, and did. As confident as he appeared, she observed sometimes, ever so suddenly, insecurities reared up. And, more surprisingly still, that these insecurities appeared to involve her. Every night Gabriel heaved a sigh of relief when, after waiting expectantly all day, Isabella again became the woman he remembered from Aruba and gave him her undivided attention.
Their week in Florida passed in a whirlwind of activity. One day they might be at Sea World, where they watched dolphin shows, or the Shamus performing. They covered every inch of the place in little time, as the kids were a fount of unbridled energy. Next, several days were spent at Disney, riding all the rides they met the height restriction on. And even more importantly, and most touching for Isabella, they created a special book together for each of the children. It began on their first day in Disney, when Gabriel insisted they wait while he ran into the gift shop.
“I have a surprise for you,” he said enthusiastically upon his return as he handed each of them a gift bag.
Rebecca and Kyle looked at their mother for permission to check out the gift. Isabella nodded and prodded, “What do you say?”
Giggling, both children rushed at Gabriel, throw their arms around his legs and middle, depending on the child, and exclaimed sincerely, “Thank you, Gabriel!”
“You haven’t even opened them yet,” he reminded them, laughing.
They reached into the bags, only to discover a photo album with autograph pages. They looked up quizzically, and so he explained. “We are going to fill them together!”
Gabriel had purchased a camera, not a nice, convenient, disposable one like all the other tourists, or even a nice digital one; instead he pulled from the bag a real quality, incredibly expensive camera that Isabella feared carrying, let alone using. She knew too much about cameras to be cavalier in handling this one. And suddenly it occurred to her that she had been missing some prime photo opportunities the last few weeks. How strange that she hadn’t thought about it before. So all over Disney they would stand in line to meet a character, snap pictures, get autographs in both books, and then move on to the next.
After, of course, came the stop at Animal Kingdom, where if tourists arrived early enough in the morning, before the blistering heat forced the animals to take cover, they might be regaled by the undomesticated beasts. EPCOT, while at times boring for little Kyle, became Rebecca’s dream destination. Like a sponge, she walked from exhibit to exhibit, soaking in newfound knowledge, reading everything available, and questioning anyone who would listen. Isabella, who was accustomed to this side of her daughter, barely noticed, but Gabriel stood back amazed.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said astonished. “Does she do this often?”
“Every chance she gets,” Isabella replied with unmistakable pride.
And then, on virtually their final day, they took a drive to glorious Daytona Beach to collect shells and play in the waves. The sun that day shined brightly, with just enough clouds in the sky to offer periodic breaks from the penetrating rays. They saw jellyfish up close, too close for Isabella’s liking, but excitingly close for the kids.
Finally, on their last day, they decided to try out the amenities the resort promised. They went horseback riding in the morning. Gabriel rode with Rebecca and Isabella rode with Kyle. Then, they proceed to take a brief hike. After that, they enjoyed lunch in their villa. A short swim cooled the kids off before their nap. Isabella prepared to convince Gabriel to lay down with her and relax when an unexpected knock at the door interrupted.
“Why don’t you get it,” Gabriel said while feigning a yawn, to cover up a smile.
Isabella eyed him suspiciously then opened the door. Standing outside were a man and a woman with portable massage tables. “Gabriel?” She questioned in awe.
He instructed them where to set up in the sitting room of their bedroom then wrapped his arms around Isabella as he explained. “I just wanted to share another special moment with you. We leave tomorrow. We’ve been on the go constantly for the past week. This seemed like the perfect way for us to spend our last afternoon.” And with that having been said, they walk into the bedroom for their second couple’s massage.
That night, Gabriel returned from an errand with developed pictures. “I thought we might assemble these together tonight to surprise the kids,” he said eagerly.
Isabella walked over to him, wrapped her arms around him in a warm hug, and smiled. “I think that is a great idea.”
As they work, Isabella noted that Gabriel maneuvered himself into many of the pictures for each of the kids’ books and commented. “My, aren’t we photogenic?”
He blushed. “I just wanted...” He paused, inhaled, then said, “I wanted them to be able to look back at these one day and know I was a part of their lives.”
Isabella shuddered. ‘Was.’ Past tense. Maybe the Disney curse was alive and well.
Though Isabella and Gabriel had only known each other for four months, and the kids had only known him for a few weeks, they seemed to belong together. Isabella even had a few moments when she forced herself to remember what it was like before Gabriel came into their lives. In her happiest moments, she couldn’t remember. In her worrisome moments, she hoped never to find out what indelible void his abrupt departure might create.
Despite being raised in an environment where he never had to lift a finger, Gabriel had been quick to contribute around the villa. On more than one occasion she had emerged from the shower to discover that he had made pancakes for breakfast. Always he would be quick to load and unload the dishwasher. And one evening as they neared the end of their stay, she returned from tucking in the kids only to find him sorting laundry to be washed.
Although she loved every moment they spent together, Isabella began to treasure their evenings the most. Every night they found each other out on the patio. They snuggled together and talked about what they enjoyed most about each day. Then they reluctantly tore themselves away to climb into their big bed and drift off to sleep.
They returned home three days before school began, and the reality of the situation hit Isabella. She had to return to the studio tomorrow. How would she get all of the school shopping done? Rebecca needed school supplies and fall and winter clothing. Kyle, though in a less desperate situation because he would only be going to day care, still required clothes.
Gabriel had driven them home in the BMW the driver left for him at the airport. Isabella found that to be strange. She had imagined that the driver would deliver them to the Charmant Estate where she would have an opportunity to thank his father again for Aruba before the drive home. Oddly enough that was not the case, but Isabella decided not to ask, not to push it.
He helped them in the door with the luggage, for which Isabella thanked him profusely. She had been making mental lists the entire drive home and now eagerly prepared for their completion. “Well, thank you, Gabriel,” she said distractedly. She expected him to dash off to Montreal, since his classes began the same day as Rebecca‘s. She gave him a warm kiss then walked him to the door.
“Oh,” Gabriel said with surprise. “Am I leaving now? I just thought...”
She looked at him for a moment, trying to read his thoughts. He seemed...disappointed? “I assumed you had to go get yourself ready for classes. And I guess I thought you might want to see your father, since you haven’t seen him for a while.” Isabella continued t
o stare, baffled. She shrugged her shoulders.
“Well,” he began thoughtfully. “I know that you return to work tomorrow. And Rebecca starts in a few days.” He paused for a moment to smile. He seemed already to have formulated his own plan for what he would like to transpire over the next few days. Isabella patiently waited, wondering what he had in mind.
“I thought it might help if I took them shopping for school clothes,” he continued. “You can give me a list if you don’t trust me. Or we can go after you get done work. I can watch the kids so that you don’t have to hire someone.” He paused, but Isabella still had no reaction. “I had even hoped I might stay and put Rebecca on the bus her first day.” He ended with a shy smile.
Immediately, one concept became clear to Isabella. She smiled to herself. Disney curse be damned. He wasn’t trying to run off on them. He didn’t want to leave. He wanted to stay and help. Right now everything involving the children qualified as an adventure for him, but what happened when the newness wore thin?
Alone for the moment, Isabella sorted through mail and listened to her messages while Gabriel ran to the store to buy food for dinner. He was still pulling out of the driveway when the phone rang. She knew who it must be, since Jessie had apparently been calling every day while she was gone to Florida. Her answering machine was full.
“Where have you been?” Jessie screamed into the phone before Isabella could even give a proper greeting.
“Oh, we just returned from Florida about ten minutes ago,” Isabella said lazily, while chuckling to herself.
“I thought you went to Aruba,” Jessie said suspiciously.
“We did. Then when we returned to Montreal, Gabriel had the kids waiting for us in a limousine and we flew off later that night to go to Orlando.”
Jessie gasped. “Did you go to...” She could barely speak the words, so instead whispered, “Disney?”
“Yeah.”
“And?”
“And I lived.” She shuddered for a moment. “We’ll see what happens. Everything is great right now, but...”
“He really likes you, Isabella. I mean Aruba and Florida?” Jessie tried valiantly to comfort her friend.
“Yeah, I know,” she shrugged. She had too much going on to worry about it.
Jessie changed the subject and instantly sounded more like her old self. “So, did you sleep with him?” A devilish tone penetrated the earpiece.
“Yup. We shared the same bed every night.” Isabella laughed.
“You know what I mean!”
“No. We haven’t had sex, or made love, or whatever you want to call it.”
“He takes you to Aruba and Florida and you fail to put out?” Jessie’s exasperation penetrated the earpiece now. “Have I taught you nothing?”
“You sound like his father,” Isabella said with a hollow laugh before sobering completely.
The next few days were particularly difficult for Isabella. She hated having to leave for work knowing that she was missing out on time with Gabriel. The only thought that pulled her through her day was the knowledge that he would still be there when she returned, at least until he started school, but then what would happen?
The first afternoon she arrived home to find school supplies and groceries, but no clothes. Gabriel seemed proud of what he had accomplished, and he did put much thought into every item he bought. He took pride in Rebecca and Kyle as though they were his own.
“Bella, I would have bought clothes, but...,” he struggled to find the word he wanted. “All the clothes here were...well, they were ugly.” He spat out the last phrase.
Isabella began to smirk. She had often held the same complaint; that simply not enough good shopping existed for kids in Plattsburgh. “So, what do you recommend?” She asked laughing. “The girl needs clothes.”
Gabriel smiled widely. “I think we should take a little,” he held up his fingers to emphasize the word ‘little,’ “little road trip.”
They piled in the car and drove to Burlington, where Children’s Place and Baby Gap awaited. Isabella spent her allotment on each child then Gabriel added another bag, of what he considered odds and ends. In reality, these were items that he could not pass up, and therefore he considered must-haves.
On the night before school started officially for Rebecca and Gabriel, the kids were sent to bed early to prepare for the big day. This left the adults alone to watch a movie upstairs and talk.
“I remember the last time we did this,” Isabella said nostalgically. “I was so nervous.”
“Me too,” Gabriel admitted, pulling her close.
Isabella pushed back against his chest and looked at him surprised. “You were nervous? About what?”
He sat up on the bed, facing her. He reached out and held both of her hands, brought the right to his lips, and warmly kissed it. Slowly he trailed kisses up her arm, until he reached her neck.
“Are you trying to avoid the question?” Isabella asked as he buried his head in her throat.
“No,” Gabriel said quietly. “I was afraid that you would reject me.” Isabella inhaled and prepared to speak, but he sat up and covered her lips with one finger. He opened his mouth to speak again, but only “I...I...” came out. Isabella wore a stricken look, afraid of what might follow the word ‘I.’ He saw her face and said simply, “I care about you, very deeply. I was afraid you wouldn’t let me be close to you.”
She could tell he wanted to say more, but that he had decided against it because of the potential reaction to what he might say. Isabella sensed a great deal of turmoil within Gabriel, and while she felt that it related to her, she wasn’t sure she understood it yet. What could he be torn about? Was there someone else? What hadn’t he told her?
He changed the subject. “Tomorrow morning I leave for Montreal.”
“I know,” Isabella said apprehensively. What she really wanted to ask was when she would see him again, hear from him even. He was always good about keeping in touch before, but much had changed since then.
“So, I was thinking...,” he began seriously, “from now on...”
Isabella waited expectantly. He seemed to be carefully contemplating his next words, taking an inordinate amount of time to complete his thoughts. Isabella began to fidget. She wanted to scream ‘Spit it out,’ but knew that would be rude. She leaned forward in rapt attention.
Finally, he just inhaled and divulged what he had been considering so deeply for the last couple of minutes. “What if from now on, every weekend that you have the kids we stay here, and the weekends you don’t we stay in Montreal?”
Isabella paused before responding. Was that it? That’s what he labored over? Suddenly she beamed. “I would love that.” It never occurred to her to question why the kids wouldn’t be invited to stay at the Charmant Estate.
So, a new routine evolved. They spoke on the phone every night, with Gabriel calling to tuck her in before bed, always saying he wished he were there. At last Isabella was beginning to believe him. He was always so attentive on their trips that she missed his presence. They spent every weekend together, whether in New York or Montreal.
Isabella grew to know Mr. Charmant better, but never met Gabriel’s friends, or his mother. She would have commented on that, but the opportunity never presented itself, since so much living was packed into such a short period of time.
Before long, Halloween arrived. Jack had insisted on buying Rebecca and Kyle’s costumes. He did rather well. Rebecca had been transformed into the happiest Eeyore ever, and Kyle the quietest Dalmatian. Jack loved Disney, and as the kids still hadn’t stopped talking about their Florida vacation two months later, he decided to indulge them and become a part of it, rather than squelch their passion like the traditional villain would. He had even asked to take them Trick-or-Treating, but found his schedule would not allow for it. So, he simply asked that they stop by in costume in order to see them and give them some candy.
“I’ve never been Trick-or-Treating,” Gabriel remarked as t
hey prepared the kids to visit the mall and select friends and family.
Isabella had been putting the finishing touches on Kyle’s puppy nose, but paused with her make-up brush in hand and looked at Gabriel intently. “You’ve never been?” She asked in awe. “You’ve never dressed up and run from door to door terrorizing the neighborhood?”
“No,” he said quietly. “The nanny was always too old. My parents were always too busy. I used to simply come down to dinner and find a bag of candy waiting for me. I never was able to go out and actually get it on my own.”
Isabella shook her head. “Your childhood makes me sad,” she said seriously. Here he sat, affluent, a world traveler, but never able to enjoy a traditional childhood, robbed of all the ordinary little joys. “Well, you are always welcome to experience all these glorious aspects you missed in your childhood vicariously through my children.”
Second Chances Page 42