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THE HOSPITAL
Ricardo was practically chasing Gabi down the hall to Antonio’s room. He had been at the station when the call came in from the beach patrol. They had found Antonio unconscious on the beach and taken him to South Bay. Ricardo immediately retrieved Gabi from the loft and brought her to the emergency room. She cried hysterically all the way and was now sprinting down the corridor to find Antonio. Blowing through the door like a fierce wind, Gabi tossed her purse to the floor and ran to Antonio’s side. His eyes were closed and for a moment, she felt even more panicked. The large knot on the side of his head was visible through his dark hair. Gabi gently touched his cheek and his eyelids opened slowly. "Hey," she said, smiling through her tears. "I can’t leave you alone for a minute, can I?" Antonio smiled weakly and winced at the pain shooting through his head. "Hey, T." Ricardo called out from the foot of the bed. "Glad to see you’re awake. Do you remember what happened?" Gabi clutched Antonio’s hand as he groggily recounted the events on the beach. "I was…heading back to…the loft when," he swallowed hard. "I turned around and this…punk kid was pointing a gun at my head." Gabi swiped away her tears as Antonio squeezed her hand. "He started yelling for me to give him…my wallet. I could’ve taken him…in the first round," Antonio chuckled then moaned from his injury. "If he hadn’t had that gun." Ricardo laughed at his brother’s egotistical remark while Antonio readjusted his position in the bed. "So, I was reaching…into my pocket when he heard the patrol shouting. I turned my head…and the next thing I knew, he slammed the…butt of the gun into the side of my head…and everything went black." Gabi caressed his cheek softly and smiled at him. "You were very lucky, Antonio," she said quietly. "He could’ve killed you." "No," Antonio closed his eyes for a second. "He was just a scared kid…the gun probably wasn’t even loaded." "You’re right," Ricardo added. "The patrol caught him a few yards away and there were no bullets in the gun." Gabi heaved a sigh of relief and kissed Antonio’s cheek. Ricardo smiled and put his hand on Antonio’s foot. "I’m just glad you’re alright and that you remember what happened." Antonio looked slyly from Gabi to Ricardo and back to Gabi. "What I don’t remember," he challenged lifting his left hand to Gabi and touching the wedding band, "is just exactly when you and I got married." Gabi looked at Ricardo then back to Antonio who was grinning sheepishly. "It’s pretty amazing since I’m fairly sure you can’t be married to two men at the same time in California." Gabi’s eyes sparkled with fresh tears and Ricardo’s mouth hung open slightly. "You mean…you remember?" Ricardo stared at Antonio in amazement. "That you took Gabi to Chief Smith’s cabin and I came looking for her." Antonio smiled widely at his brother. "Yes…but what I don’t understand is why I’m wearing your wedding ring and living at your loft with your wife?" Gabi let out a loud sob and threw herself across Antonio’s chest wrapping her arms around him. "Oh my God, Antonio…you remember." Antonio held her tightly as Ricardo watched from the foot of the bed. Antonio closed his eyes for a moment as he embraced Gabi, then opened them and looked to Ricardo. Ricardo shoved his hands in his pocket and dropped his head. "Ricardo." He raised his eyes to his Antonio. "Thank you." Ricardo smiled as he watched Gabi holding Antonio for dear life. Antonio closed his eyes and buried his face into her neck, reveling in her jubilation. Ricardo decided to give them some privacy and left the room. After a moment, Gabi sat up at Antonio’s side. "I don’t understand…just like that, you remember?" "The doctor said they think it was the blow to my head." Antonio put his hand up and delicately touched the goose egg rising just above his left ear. "I guess it jarred my memory back from the accident." Antonio’s expression grew suddenly serious and the smile slipped slowly from Gabi’s mouth. "Antonio?" she queried. "What is it?" "I owe Ricardo so much for saving my life that night, Gabi." His emotions almost got the better of him as he recalled what everyone had told him about Ricardo’s rescue. "I could have died, Gabi…I probably deserved to die." "Don’t say that," Gabi shook her head vehemently. "Don’t ever say that." "Gabi," Antonio took her hand soothingly. "Ricardo had every right to leave me in that car and let me die in the explosion." Gabi closed her eyes tightly and tilted her head as if not to hear him. Antonio knew she was upset, but he had to continue. "I made love to his wife, Gabi - to you. I am his brother and I was a priest." He paused as he gathered his thoughts. "I hurt him so much by disregarding his feelings for you and selfishly taking you for myself. Even after you were married, I couldn’t control myself and forget how much I love you." Gabi opened her eyes to find his dark eyes filled with love. "I love you, Gabi and I always, always will." "I love you, too," she whispered as Antonio ran his thumb gently across her cheekbone. "I was furious when I found out that he took you away. I was so worried that he would hurt you," Antonio placed his hand over Gabi’s stomach, "and the baby." Gabi smiled and put her small hand over his. "I went crazy and I was in such a hurry to find you that I wasn’t careful. I was so worried about him taking you away from me that I almost took myself away from you and our child." A tear slid from Antonio’s eye and Gabi leaned over kissing it away softly. "But you’re here, Antonio. You didn’t leave us." Gabi pushed her lips tenderly against his. "I remember the nurse at the hospital telling me that Ricardo was my brother and you were my wife. I couldn’t believe that I was so lucky to have such a beautiful woman for my wife." Gabi blushed and Antonio brushed his knuckles against her cheek. "I’m so lucky that you love me, Gabi." "Oh, Antonio," Gabi felt her heart so filled with love she thought it would burst. "I’m the lucky one." Their eyes locked and Gabi was drawn once again directly into his soul. "The night Ricardo found me on the pier, he told me that he and I used to fight over you." Gabi dropped her eyes for a moment before Antonio tipped her chin to get her to look back at him. "He said that he loved you, but that you loved me." "He’s right. I do love you." Gabi confirmed as she rested her head against his chest listening to his strong heartbeat. "I will never love anyone but you." "But Ricardo still loves you, Gabi," Antonio said quietly. Gabi sat up placing her hands on each of Antonio’s shoulders. "What are you saying, Antonio?" Her eyes demanded a serious answer. "I don’t know, Gabi," he relented. She was about to ask him again when Carmen, Maria and Ricardo came running through the door. Gabi was swept aside as his family swarmed the bed. Leaning up against the wall with her arms wrapped lovingly across her stomach, Gabi never took her eyes off Antonio’s face. His words had frightened her deeply and she desperately needed to know what he meant. Antonio forced himself not to make eye contact with her while his mother and sister fussed over him. "So," Carmen announced loudly. "Now we can stop pretending that you are married, si?" She eyed the wedding ring on Antonio’s finger as his own eyes fell to the gold. Gabi stepped to the bed and waited with baited breath for Antonio’s response. "Yes," he replied softly as he slowly slid the ring off his finger. Raising his eyes to Gabi, he found her in tears and struggling to stifle a sob. Carmen snatched the ring from Antonio’s hand and set it on the side table. Gabi turned in an instant and ran from the room. Antonio closed his eyes and lay his head back against the pillow. Everyone stood in silence not knowing what to say. "I’d like to be alone," Antonio spoke without opening his eyes. "But mi hijo," Carmen protested. "Please," he replied as he opened his eyes. Maria could see that he was obviously troubled. "Come on, mama," she urged Carmen gently. "Let’s get going." Maria hugged and kissed Antonio, as did Carmen. After they left, Ricardo lagged behind and turned to his brother. "What’s going on, T?" Ricardo crossed his arms in his most authoritative police stance. "I want the truth." Antonio stared pensively at his brother waiting for an answer. Ricardo had saved his life when any other man might have just thrown his fate to the wind and let him perish. Despite all the pain and anger Antonio had caused him, Ricardo had gone even a step further and willingly allowed his wife to masquerade as her lovers’ to help his recovery. The irony of it all consumed Antonio with a mass of guilt and sorrow. The pain and shame of Ricardo walking in on he and Gabi making love was still fresh in his mind and was reeking havoc on his thought process. He didn’t know what to say. Ricardo sensed his confusion and sat down in the chair next to his bed. Ricardo’s wedding band lay exposed to them both and their eyes simultaneously landed on it. Ricardo immediately knew what was troubling Antonio. Wanting to ease his mind, Ricardo spoke. "It was my idea, T." He waited for Antonio to respond. "She wanted to tell you the truth, but I told her it was better if we didn’t." "Why?" Antonio shook his head. "I don’t understand why you did any of it, Ricardo. Pulling me from that car…giving me your wedding ring and having Gabi and I live at the loft." He looked incredulously at his older brother. "After everything I did to you," he said ashamedly. "I…I slept with your wife." "She loves you," Ricardo said simply. "That doesn’t make it right, Ricardo," Antonio sighed. "I was a priest and you…you’re my brother." The pain in his voice tore through Ricardo. He knew Antonio must feel terrible guilt for what had happened between them. That was just the kind of person he was. "I was so wrong, Ricardo. I don’t know how you could forgive me." "You said it yourself…you’re my brother. We’re blood." Ricardo looked directly at Antonio until he met his gaze. "I won’t lie to you…I still love her. But her heart lies with you and I can’t get in the way of that." Antonio couldn’t believe what he was hearing. "I love her and I want her to be happy. I’ve agreed to give her an annulment so that the two of you can be married." "Ricardo," his voice was soft and breaking. "She wants to be with you, Antonio. She loves you." Ricardo had to keep telling Antonio as if to make him understand. "She doesn’t love me…at least not the way she loves you. I want you to be with her, T, really." Antonio’s eyes met Ricardo’s again. "But you sure as hell better take care of her, you hear me? I don’t want her telling me what a rotten husband you are and then I’ll have to come and kick your behind." Ricardo was giving them his blessing…right here, right now. After the cheating, the lies, the heartache, he truly wanted them to be together. Antonio would have started crying if Ricardo wouldn’t have held it over his head for the rest of his life. "I don’t know what to say, Ricardo." "Say that you’ll love her forever and always make her happy." Ricardo held out his hand for a gentleman’s shake. Antonio extended his hand and grasped Ricardo’s palm. "I promise I will." They shook heartily and Antonio pulled Ricardo into a warm hug. "I love you, man." Antonio hugged his brother tightly. "I love you too, T," Ricardo said as he slapped his back. Ricardo had never been one to get emotional with his brother, but he quickly blinked away a few tears before pulling out of the hug. "So, I think I better go find Gabi so you can straighten this all out." "Let me," Antonio persisted as he slid his legs off the bed. He was still in his street clothes and his feet hit the floor like they weighed a thousand pounds. "Are you sure you’re up to walking?" Ricardo wasn’t sure as he saw Antonio’s eyes struggling to focus on the floor. "Yeah," he said shakily. "I’ll be fine." He steadied himself against the bed and pushed himself to stand. Ricardo grabbed his arm and Antonio shook out the cobwebs. "I’m okay," he assured his brother as he took an unsteady step. Ricardo reluctantly let go of his arm and, after a few steps, Antonio was striding out the door with a purposeful gait. Ricardo laughed at his brother then turned to the side table. Reaching out his hand, he deftly picked up his wedding ring and slipped it into his pocket; his little reminder of what he and Gabi once shared, not matter how briefly or one-sided. He turned on his heel and left the room.
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