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The small restaurant was stifling hot. The air conditioner was on the fritz and the fans were only blowing hot air around. The clanging of dishes was beginning to annoy Gabi. The room was filled with the sound of conversation and laughter, but not enough to drown out her thoughts. Her mind wandered as she stood near the waitress station.
"Waitress...waitress?" Gabi’s ears stung with the shrillness of the customer’s desperate plea. She rolled her eyes inconspicuously and moved slowly to the table. "Yes, m’am?" Gabi inquired politely. "We’re ready for our check now," the woman motioned Gabi away with a flippant turn of her wrist. "Sure," Gabi replied warmly. Sure thing you...she stopped herself in thought. She was going to have to get used to this if she intended to make a go of things here. She quickly balanced the woman’s check and returned it to the table. Gabi scooted through the kitchen and with a small glance to her boss, "I’m going on my break, Dave. Be back in ten." She headed out the back door of the kitchen and leaned carefully against the short retaining wall next to the beach. The warm breeze blew softly through her hair. She leaned her head forward and invited the refreshing breeze to cool off her moist neck. She closed her eyes and reflected quietly back to a time, all too recently, when she had anticipated her new life as Ricardo’s wife. She was standing beside him at the altar. He looked dashing with his dark hair and warm, inviting eyes calling her into his heart. He looked svelte in his rented tuxedo, she even liked the unusual choice he had made for a tie. At least it was black! Gabi was beautiful in her wedding gown, her makeup done to enhance her already glowing features and her hair pulled gently up away from her face. Everyone had marveled as she floated down the aisle. She even saw Carmen give her a warm smile from her seat at the front of the church. Carmen had always doubted Gabi, her cards told her Gabi was trouble. But she saw how much Ricardo loved her and if she made her son happy, Carmen would accept her, for her his sake. As Gabi ascended the aisle to her waiting groom, her heart was not truly with him this day. No, the man who held her heart was at the altar as well, not waiting to say the words that would make her his forever, but ready to perform the ceremony that gave her to his brother. Antonio looked longingly at Gabi as she glided towards him. His heart ached at her beauty...how he wished she would be meeting him at the altar. She could see the pain in his eyes as he feverishly dropped them from hers over and over. He managed a small smile and began the ceremony. As Ricardo gazed deeply at her while reciting his vows, the realization shot through her like lightning. She began to perspire, the room beginning to spin around her. Her breath quickened and she felt as if she was going to suffocate. She looked quickly to Antonio and back to Ricardo. She couldn’t do this…this was a mistake…she had to get out. Antonio took a deep breath and began, "Gabi, do you take...Ricardo to be your wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, from this day forward, for as long as you both shall live?" He tried not to rush, but couldn’t seem to get the words out fast enough. He raised his eyes, anticipating Gabi’s response. Gabi looked up to Ricardo’s loving eyes. She started to speak, her voice not cooperating, "R...Ricardo...I." Ricardo bent slightly to hear her better. "Ricardo, I’m so sorry." Gabi turned her head to Antonio and without breaking his stare, she whispered, "I can’t marry you. I’m sorry." She gathered her dress and ran quickly away from the altar, away from the men who loved her and the man that she loved. She never looked back, she couldn’t bear it. She heard voices behind her, but couldn’t make out the words as the sobs escaped her. She left the Mission and Sunset Beach – forever. A tap on the shoulder jolted her from her memories. "Hey, Gabi, what’s going on?" She turned to see Julie lighting her cigarette. The smell caught in Gabi’s throat and she felt the queasiness rise up in her stomach. "Ugh, Julie. That smell!" She backed away from the smoke. "Sorry, Gab. Hey, Dave is looking for you like a madman. I think he’s gonna burst a blood vessel if you don’t get back in there!" Julie snorted. Gabi looked quickly at her watch. Twenty minutes had passed since she started her break. "Thanks," she snapped quickly and turned on her heels heading back into the kitchen. "See you later." "Gabi, where have you been?" Dave called angrily from his desk. "I know you’ve only been here a week, but I don’t want to have to keep reminding you…" "I, know. I’m sorry, Dave." She ran hurriedly from the kitchen to check on her tables. THE MISSION Antonio couldn’t concentrate. He noticed that he had been scribbling circles on the paper right over the words he had managed for the next mass’ sermon. He tried to erase the circles to reveal the writing underneath. He tossed the pencil with frustration and leaned back in his chair. The squeaking coils were like nails on a chalkboard. "I have to get that fixed," he said out loud. He ran his fingers through his dark hair and gazed up at the ceiling. He had so much on his mind. The Bishop had called the day after the wedding and requested Antonio travel to a small village in Central America. The Priest had taken ill and needed someone to help out while he recovered. It wouldn’t be a long assignment, the Bishop had promised. Antonio was reluctant...he wanted to find Gabi and find answers for her abrupt departure. They had talked everything through the night before the wedding and she had said she was putting it all behind her. He couldn’t shake the feeling that her decision did, however, involve him. He told himself that it was better to take the assignment and put his efforts back to the task at hand. Ricardo would find Gabi ... she was, after all, his fiancee. He was making mental notes on various necessities for his trip when Ricardo entered his office. Antonio looked up to see the shell of a man he called his brother. Ricardo hadn’t slept much in the week since Gabi had left. Neither had he, for that mater. Ricardo’s chin was scruffy with stubble and his clothes looked as if they had set in the dryer for days. "Hey, T.," Ricardo huffed out slumping into the chair facing his desk. "What’s going on?" "Ricardo, I’m concerned about you. You don’t look well. Have you slept recently?" "Aw, T. Come on. Mama, Maria, now you?" Ricardo scratched his head in frustration. "I wish you all would just..." He saw the hurt on Antonio’s face and decided to stop with that. "Have...have you..." Antonio began quietly. "Heard from her," Ricardo interrupted. He hung his head. "No." He jumped from the chair almost sending it crashing to the ground. "Dammit, Antonio. I just don’t understand!" His voice growing louder. "I love her, man and I know she loves me." The words tore at Antonio’s heart. He didn’t want to listen, but he knew Ricardo needed to get it off his chest. "I don’t know what happened. We were so happy, you know. We had a great relationship. We laughed, talked about our future, and when we made love I could feel…" Ricardo paused, his back to Antonio. Antonio looked to the ceiling and closed his eyes upon hearing where Ricardo was going. It felt like a knife stabbing him in his stomach to hear Ricardo talk about being intimate with Gabi. Ricardo turned to Antonio and noticed him shifting in his chair. "Oh, hey, T. Sorry." He put his hand to his temple and rubbed it furiously. "I forgot...you guys have a very strict stance on ‘premarital relations’." Antonio was oddly relieved by his statement. "Yeah, we do." He changed the subject quickly. "Ricardo, I don’t know if mama told you that I am leaving tomorrow for Central America." "Yeah, yeah, that’s right. Hey, sorry to ramble at you like this. I’m sure you have tons to do." Ricardo hugged Antonio with a pat on the back and turned to leave. "You take it easy in that jungle. Don’t get lost!" he joked as he opened the door. "I’ll see you when you get back." "Ricardo," Antonio called after him. Ricardo turned to his brother. "Don’t give up on her." Ricardo looked away for a second, turned with an acknowledging nod and proceeded out the door. It was hard for Antonio to say to Ricardo, but he knew it was the right thing. Gabi belonged with Ricardo - Antonio belonged with God. He turned his attention back to preparing for his trip. He was anxious to get away.
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