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THE INN
Gabi rolled over sleepily to find Antonio already awake, showered and getting dressed. She pushed herself up against the pillow and admired his sturdy, athletic physique still beaded with water. Antonio felt her eyes on him and lifted his head with a smile. "Good morning," he pulled up his pants and zipped them. Gabi frowned playfully as Antonio stepped toward the bed. "Did you sleep well?" "Mmhmm," she cooed softly. "I love sleeping next to you." Antonio sat down next to her and their lips met in a tender, but brief kiss. "Why are you up and dressed already?" She grazed her fingers over his buff chest. Antonio became suddenly distracted. "I have to go out." He turned away from the bed and reached for his shirt. "I ordered room service and I want you to make sure you eat something." Gabi sat up. "Where are you going, Antonio?" He brought her a cup of coffee and set a plate of fruit on the nightstand. "I’m going to see Ricardo." He waited to see her reaction which was less than agreeable to his plan. "I need to talk to my brother…alone." "Antonio," her voice was hesitant. "I don’t think that’s a very good idea. Ricardo was so upset last night and you two might get into it again. Let me come with you." Gabi started to get out of bed and Antonio stopped her with a firm hand on her shoulder. "No, Gabi. I don’t want you anywhere near him right now." Gabi reluctantly settled back into the bed. Antonio touched her bruise lightly with his thumb. "You were lucky he didn’t hurt you worse and I’m not taking any chances with you." Antonio leaned over and kissed her forehead as Gabi relented with a smile. "I won’t be long…depending on how things go." Gabi raised her eyes worriedly. "I mean, I need go see my mother afterwards." He felt Gabi’s body tense. "She has to know, Gabi and I’d rather she hear it from me." "Maybe I should be with you when you tell her," Gabi offered hoping he would say no. "No, I think it would be better if I went alone." Antonio kissed Gabi’s lips softly then stood from the bed. "I’ll try to get some of your things from the loft. Just get some rest today, okay?" Gabi nodded obediently. "I’ll be back as soon as I can." Antonio ran his hands through his hair and shoved his keys into his pocket. He was nervous about seeing his mother, but it was a discussion that couldn’t wait. In fact, he decided to visit her before Ricardo just to get it over with. Gabi was munching on some cantaloupe and Antonio smiled approvingly. "I love you," he said as he walked to the door. "I love you too," she smiled back, her mouth full of the orange fruit. Antonio laughed and closed the door behind him. MADAME CARMEN’S Carmen’s head was buried in her hands as she sobbed hysterically. Antonio was standing at the table leaning on the back of the chair with his hands. He had been trying to get her to stop crying for the last 10 minutes. "Mama, please," he begged her. "I can’t talk to you like this." "There’s nothing more to say mi hijo," she sobbed. "That whore has ruined both my sons, as I always knew she would." Antonio had only told Carmen that he left the priesthood because he and Gabi were in love. She had no idea yet about the baby. "I can’t let you say those things about Gabi, mama," his anger was beginning to grow. "I love her with all that I am and she loves me the same." Carmen’s head flew up and her eyes raged. "Like she loved your brother, mi hijo? Is that how she loves you?" Carmen stood from the table and made her way around to Antonio. "Dios mio, Antonio." She touched his cheek lovingly. "She has led you away from the church…from God. She is married to your brother, mi hijo. How can you allow her to manipulate you this way?" Antonio’s mind flashed back to Ricardo’s use of the same word. "No, mama!" He shouted at his mother. "I made my own decision. Gabi didn’t ask me to leave the church. I chose to leave to be with her." "And what of her vow to your brother?" Carmen studied her youngest son’s face. "Her marriage to him means nothing to you both? She will just give it up to be with you?" Antonio hung his head. He felt incredible guilt for having an affair with Gabi while she was married to Ricardo. "A marriage is sacred, Antonio. This you know well. You can’t interfere in that. Don’t leave the church for her mi hijo. I beg of you." "It’s done, mama." Antonio looked his mother squarely in the eyes. "I love Gabi and we will be together." "So she can destroy you like she did Ricardo? Never!" Carmen declared with a pointed finger. "I will not allow it…no!" "I’ll give you some time to get used to the idea, mama." Antonio was frustrated and needed to leave before his temper took over. "I’ve made my decision and you’ll have to learn to live with it…or live without me in this family." "Well," Carmen looked at him defiantly. "I believe you’ve already made that choice for me, mi hijo." Carmen turned her back and Antonio felt a crushing weight against his chest. "Your brother will need the love of your sister and I to handle this betrayal. His wife and his brother…" Carmen turned slowly. "She will betray you too, Antonio. You will come back in time, alone." Antonio had nothing to say in response. Carmen walked by her son and touched his cheek softly. "I will always love you, Antonio. You are forever my son." She kissed his cheek and walked out of the room. Antonio stood silently, his spirit broken and his heart heavy. He hadn’t expected the conversation to be easy, but it had been more difficult than he had prepared for. Summoning his strength, he left for the next confrontation. THE LOFT As Antonio walked up the stairs, his heart began to race. He didn’t want to fight with Ricardo again, but he had to see him and get some of Gabi’s things. Making his way to the door, Antonio peeked in the window. It appeared that Ricardo was gone. Antonio knocked and waited to see if maybe he was in the bathroom or the shower. When no one answered, Antonio tried the door. It opened before him and he went inside calling once for his brother. Being back at the loft brought a rush of emotions in him. The sheets on the bed were untouched, in the same disarray they had been after Antonio and Gabi made love. Gabi’s black teddy remained on the floor next to her stockings. As Antonio stepped across the room, the unmistakable crunch of glass under his foot brought his eyes down to find the two roses he had brought for Gabi lying amidst the broken vase. He picked up the roses and set them on the table. Antonio went to the closet and retrieved Gabi’s suitcase. Pulling her clothes hastily from the hangars, he packed her belongings. Moving to the dresser and eventually the bathroom, he gathered as much of her clothes and necessities as he could find. He was thankful Ricardo hadn’t been at home…he wasn’t ready to face him again. His discussion with his mother had taken a heavy enough toll already. Glancing around one last time for anything he could find of Gabi’s, he made his way to the front door. He picked up the two roses from the table and left. THE INN "Gabi, I’m back." Antonio set down her suitcase just inside the door of the hotel room. "Gabi?" When she didn’t answer he called out again. He knocked on the bathroom door and opened it gently. He laid the roses on the desk as he checked for a note she might have left. Maybe she went to the pool or for a walk on the beach, he thought to himself as he went to the balcony to take a look. His eyes scanned the beach as far as he could see, then decided to talk a walk himself to look for her. THE CAR Gabi was getting nervous as the car took her further and further from Sunset Beach. Ricardo was clutching the wheel tightly staring straight ahead at the road. She was beginning to regret agreeing to talk with him and even more, getting into the car with him. He hadn’t said a word since they left the hotel. "Ricardo," she began trying to sound calm. "I thought we were just going to get some coffee." She peered out the window. "Where are we going?" "I told you, I just want to talk." His voice was distant and cold and his eyes never left the road. "It won’t be much longer." Gabi felt her mind panic as they drove up the coast. There were no stoplights on the highway, not that she would have made a run for it anyway. Ricardo had surprised her at the hotel just after Antonio left. He said he looked everywhere for her and the Inn was just a hunch. Ricardo had begged her to talk to him, to try and figure everything out. Reluctantly, she had agreed. Besides, he had seemed so sincere and willing to be rational…she never thought it strange that he wanted to go somewhere else to talk. Gabi thought Antonio would probably be returning to the room soon and wondering where she was. Ricardo had been so insistent on leaving that she hadn’t had a chance to leave him a note. He would have been upset anyway that she met with Ricardo on her own in the first place. She wanted to say something to Ricardo about him looking for her, but she decided it probably wasn’t a good idea to bring him up just now. They drove on in silence, farther up the coast. THE INN Returning to the room, Antonio slammed the door behind him and went immediately to the phone. "Front desk," the clerk answered. "Yes, are there any messages for room 530?" He waited impatiently while she checked. "No, sir." "Thank you." He hung up the phone in irritation. He had searched the entire beach twice and she was nowhere to be found inside the hotel either. Why would she have left when he told her he wouldn’t be gone long? Surf Central. Maybe she went to visit Vanessa. He made a friendly phone call. "Hello?" Casey answered. "Casey, it’s F...Antonio," he almost slipped out of habit. "I was just wondering if you had seen Gabi today?" "No," he replied casually. "Did you try the loft?" "Yes," Antonio sighed. "If you see her, could you please tell her I called. Thanks." They hung up and Antonio sat down heavily on the bed. "Where are you Gabi?" he mumbled to himself. It was all starting to feel a little strange. THE CAR Gabi couldn’t keep quiet any longer. They were a few hours from Sunset Beach and Ricardo’s subdued mood was frightening her. "Ricardo, don’t you think we should head back to town?" She looked at him carefully. "It’s getting kind of late." "Don’t worry, Gabi," he glanced in her direction for a quick second. "We’re almost there." "Almost where, Ricardo?" Now she was worried. "You’ll see." Ricardo smiled and turned back to his driving. Gabi felt a sickness wash over her and became suddenly lightheaded. She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. Ricardo noticed her face growing pale. "It’s okay, Gabi." He placed his hand over hers. "I’ll take care of you." With her eyes still closed, a tear slipped down her cheek. She had made a very big mistake and now, she knew it. THE INN Antonio paced the room like a madman. It was getting dark outside and he still hadn’t heard from Gabi. He had been back at the hotel for almost five hours and never left the room. He made one last round of phone calls searching for her even calling the station to see if maybe she had gone there for some reason. At his wits end and feeling very restless, he picked up his keys and headed out to his car. He drove at breakneck speed to the loft. Spence was locking the door as Antonio climbed the stairs. "Spence," he called out. "What are you doing here?" "Oh hey, Antonio." Spence finished locking the door and turned around with a smile. "I was just dropping off some stuff for Ricardo." "Have you seen him today?" Judging from Spence’s behavior, he knew nothing of what had happened. "No, he called in this morning, though." Antonio sighed. "He said he and Gabi would be going out of town and that I should just drop off the report that he was expecting." Antonio’s heartbeat accelerated and he felt a huge knot forming in his stomach. "Out of town…today?" "Yeah, he said they’d be gone for awhile." Antonio felt his head begin to pound. "He said he was taking her on a very romantic and secluded honeymoon." Spence slapped Antonio on the shoulder and headed down the stairs. Antonio remained standing in front of the door, his body shaking furiously. Ricardo must have found Gabi at the hotel and taken her away with him. That would explain why he hadn’t heard from her and no one had seen her all day. Antonio’s heart sank as he suddenly realized that Gabi might be in danger. Ricardo was obviously completely irrational right now and if he had taken her against her will…Antonio didn’t even want to think about that. He came down the stairs two at a time and ran for his car.
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