Resolution (Saviour #2)(87)
The conversation is interrupted by a loud splash from the pool and the sound of the girls shrieking and laughing.
“Don’t bring that kid here again Zac, not until Ava’s at least thirty.”
I can’t stand this anymore. “Gabe, would you just listen to yourself? She’s fourteen and gorgeous, she’s gonna have boys sniffing round, it’s a fact of life, get used to it. And one day, you know what; she will actually have sex with one of those boys. So screw your loaf, do you want her sneaking about in secret or would you rather her develop a relationship, with a nice boy, right in front of us all, where we can keep an eye on what’s going on and where she has Louie there for back up if she ever needs it? Think about it, because mark my words; you come down too strict on her, she will rebel.”
The room falls silent as all eyes turn to Gabe, who’s dragging his hand over his jaw, he looks at Zac. “ODIO quando ha ragione.”
Zac laughs and shakes his head, then patting Gabe on the shoulder says “Solo accettare e funz. Lei `e sempre a destra” And they both start shaking their heads.
Italian. I have two men in my bed talking Italian, no idea what they are saying but it makes me feel like I could just dissolve into a puddle. I need to get Sam and Zac out of here so I can have Gabe to myself for a bit. It doesn’t happen, the boys are on a roll, laughing and joking together and I enjoy watching the banter fly back and forth between them, I hope my children will all grow up to be as close with their siblings, who will be aged between twenty five and zero when the twins arrive. We will make for a very interesting blended family that’s for sure and I actually can’t wait.
I eventually convince everyone to leave the bedroom so that I can take a shower, when I come out to the family room, Gabe and Zac are talking to Cooper on speaker phone.
“Well, I am due some time off, I am supposed to be on holiday this week, I don’t mind flying in for a day for the big meeting on Thursday but that’s it. Me and Zac have carried the load these past couple of months Gabe, I know it’s not your fault and we don’t begrudge you the time you’ve had to take off with the girls but you need to step up now and go to Adelaide, we don’t have the old man to call on any more for this type of thing, it’s just us. It will only be for a few days, it’s not for f*cking ever mate.”
Zac looks at Gabe and shrugs. “I went last time. I’m not going again.”
Gabe’s obviously double stressed, he’s raking his hand through his hair and rubbing at his jaw. “Okay, okay, I’ll go, but it won’t be till Wednesday and I want to be back by the weekend. In fact, Friday night at the latest.”
“No worries, I’ll get Stella to book the flight tomorrow. And Gabe?”
“What?”
“Congratulations man, you and Lauren will be amazing parents to those babies; I really am stoked for you both; the ol’ man would be so proud of you. I love ya man.”
I watch as Gabe’s hands stop worrying his hair and his jaw and rest on his hips as he looks down at the tiles; he has his back to me and I just know that he is trying to compose himself before he can reply to Cooper, I go to him and wrap my arms around him from behind, he brings my hands up to his face and kisses each of them.
“Thanks Coop, I love you too.”
He turns around in my arms and looks at me, pushing the heels of his hands into his eyes, he sobs. “I miss my Dad Lauren, our babies will never know him and I’m so f*cking angry about that.”
“Baby, please don’t cry, I had this conversation with Zac last night. We will make sure these babies know everything there is to know about both their Pops. And don’t be angry Gabe; your Dad wouldn’t want that, sometimes life is just shit with its timing and the hand we get dealt.”
I’m struggling with what to say to him, I know how angry I felt when my Dad died. “Gabe, Laurens right, the old man would be pissed off at you for carrying this around; what’s the point in being angry at things you can’t change, it’s such a waste of energy mate.” Zac pats him on the shoulder as he speaks.
We enjoy what’s left of Sunday. Gabe’s mood lifts and brightens and eventually, he and Zac end up in the pool with all the other kids and they have a noisy game of volley ball. Its freezing and most of them are a nice shade of blue as they hop out of the pool and into the spa. I use tiredness as an excuse when Ava tries to convince me to get in, I am actually exhausted when we crawl back into bed at just after nine on Sunday night, it’s been a great weekend. I feel like our lives are finally settling into a routine, a pattern of just plain old normal. I hope so.
CHAPTER 25
The next few days are really busy, on Monday we drop the girls off directly to school; Gabe and I had a discussion on Sunday night and decided that it’s not good for Ava to keep seeing her parents taking lumps out of each other and until Nina accepts mine and Gabe’s relationship, which is probably going to be never. Especially when she finds out I’m pregnant. Anyway, until a time they can be civil to each other, Gabe will keep his contact with Nina to a minimum. It’s not me being a jealous bitch and forbidding him from seeing her, much. It’s just that we think it’s better for Ava if she doesn’t have to constantly listen to them fighting. After taking the girls to school, we head straight to the hospital for my appointment, where I finally get the cast taken off and replaced by a removable plastic type thingo, that stops at my wrist, freeing up my hand; I seriously cannot wait to get a mani and some shellac going on, I’m an Essex girl, having my nails au naturel these past few weeks has been almost painful but I will wait until I have a day to myself to get them done.