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BEN & MARIA’S
Maria closed the door quietly. It was almost midnight and she didn’t want to wake anyone. She spent almost five hours with Gabi holding her as she cried and trying to comfort her. Maria was slipping upstairs when Antonio’s voice called out from the darkness. "How is she?" Maria stopped and turned back to find Antonio sitting in the dark living room. "She’s not good, Antonio. She just found out that her husband was unfaithful," she said spitefully. "How do you expect her to be." "I’m worried, Maria, that’s all," he said apologetically. "You should be, Antonio," Maria said angrily. "Let’s see, after she cried for almost two hours straight, I finally managed to get her off the floor and to the couch. Then, when I tried to talk to her, she broke down once again. I got her to eat a few bites of dinner, for the baby’s sake and then insisted she take a shower to try and relax enough to get some sleep. How do you think she’s doing?" Antonio’s stomach knotted as Maria described Gabi’s condition. He wanted desperately to go to her. "Was she sleeping when you left?" "Don’t even think about going over there, Antonio," Maria warned him. "She needs to get some rest...she’s exhausted. And so am I. Good night, Antonio." Maria headed upstairs. When he heard her bedroom door close, Antonio stood up and slipped out the patio doors. The beach was dark and quiet except for the waves sloshing against the sand. Antonio ran the two blocks to their house. He slowed down a few houses away to catch his breath. He was walking slowly when the light from the bedroom caught his attention. The french doors were open onto the balcony and he could see Gabi standing against the balcony wall. Antonio stood motionless watching his wife. The warm night breeze blew her robe back as she stood staring out at the black water. He quietly walked over and stood to the side of the house directly under the balcony. He could hear Gabi speaking as she rubbed her stomach gently. "And then your daddy stepped back and threw the ball all the way down the beach. The big yellow dog splashed through the water until he fetched the ball and ran back with it. Your daddy knelt down and that big silly dog tackled him right onto the beach. He jumped all over him and was licking his face and his ears." Antonio smiled as he remembered the day Gabi was talking about. Gabi let out a laugh. "And your daddy just let that dog slobber all over him until his entire shirt was soaking wet." Gabi’s voice softened. "Cause that’s the kind of man your daddy is..." The words jabbed Antonio’s heart. "He would never turn away anyone or anything that needed his attention. He’s caring and loving and would do anything for you. And I know he’ll be there for you when you need him because he loves you very much." Gabi’s voice cracked. "And just because he won’t be with us everyday, doesn’t mean he won’t be there when you call him. He’ll always be your daddy." Antonio leaned his head back against the wall. He had done this...he had taken himself out of Gabi’s life. She would never forgive him and now she would raise their son alone. His heart shattered into a thousand pieces as he heard Gabi crying softly. "Now, you have to go to sleep cause mommy is very tired and needs to go to bed." Gabi walked inside and closed the doors behind her. Antonio stood under the balcony until the bedroom light turned off. He walked aimlessly along the beach thinking about what Maria had told him. He has always sworn to be nothing like his father. He had watched his mother love him with all her heart only to have him walk all over her and leave her to raise three children alone. How had Antonio become that person? How had he allowed himself to betray the one woman who put her entire life in his hands? The only woman he would ever love. His anger with himself raged as he began running down the beach. His body was pumping adrenaline so fiercely he could feel his muscles pulsing. His heart pounded in his chest as he pushed himself harder and harder. He tore off his sweat soaked t-shirt and threw it into the water. He could feel his legs aching but only forced himself to run faster. The wind blew through his hair but did nothing to cool him off. As he ran, his mind raced with images of he and Heather in the hotel room, the look in Gabi’s eyes as he admitted his failure, the things Maria said to him about their father, and the things Gabi had said to their baby on the balcony. Antonio fell forward onto the sand as his body went into complete muscle failure. His breathing was ragged and heavy. His heart and head pounded from exertion. He rolled onto his back as he fought to catch his breath. He ran his hands through his sopping wet hair. Lying on the beach in complete darkness staring at the sky, Antonio vowed to do everything in his power to win back Gabi’s trust and love. He wouldn’t lose her forever, he couldn’t live without her. He made a vow to his unborn child that he would be born into a happy and loving home with a father who would never leave him, ever. These vows Antonio would never break. Gabi awoke early and decided she needed to walk. She pulled on a tank maternity top and shorts. She ran her fingers through her hair and headed down to the beach. She walked near the water as the morning waves rolled easily against the sand. The crisp, fresh air invigorated her skin. She closed her eyes and took in a deep refreshing breath. She opened her eyes and stopped dead in her tracks. "Ricardo?" she said with surprise. "What are you doing out here so early?" Ricardo smiled. "I was doing some surveillance last night on a house up the beach." "I didn’t think you did stakeouts anymore," Gabi smiled. "Well, Chief Harris requested I sit in on this one. Some favor for the mayor’s daughter or something." Ricardo quipped. "Why are you out so early? Getting some exercise for my niece or nephew?" Gabi smiled sadly. "Yes, I couldn’t sleep anymore so I decided to get some fresh air." "Would you mind if I walked with you for awhile?" Ricardo asked gently. He knew why she couldn’t sleep and he was going to get her to tell him. "Sure, that would be nice." Gabi started off with Ricardo close to her side. "So, it won’t be much longer until the baby is born, huh? Just a couple of months." Ricardo ventured. "Antonio must be getting really excited." Gabi’s heart sank at the mention of her husband. "Mmhmm," she mumbled. "Where is he this morning?" Ricardo asked. "I’m surprised he’s not walking with you." "I don’t know," Gabi responded softly. "He left yesterday." "He’s out of town on business?" Gabi felt a cold chill as Ricardo mentioned out-of-town business. Ricardo knew he had touched a nerve. "No, he left yesterday." Gabi replied. "I asked him to go." "What happened, Gab?" Ricardo feigned confusion. "Why would you ask him to leave?" Gabi turned to look out on the water. She bit her bottom lip as she folded her arms across her stomach. Ricardo watched her intently as he saw a tear slip from the corner of her eye. After a long pause, she spoke quietly. "Because he was unfaithful to me." Ricardo tempered the smile that ached to cross his lips. "Oh, Gabi. I don’t believe that. There must be some mistake." Ricardo put his hands on his hips. "Are you sure?" "He told me he was, Ricardo." Gabi said with great distress. "He told me." The tears spilled from her eyes as she began to cry. Ricardo knew his little brother wouldn’t be able to keep the truth from Gabi. He stepped toward her and gently enveloped her into his arms. Gabi’s arms slipped around his waist as she laid her head against his chest. Ricardo put his hand up and gently caressed her hair. "I’m sorry, Gabi. I don’t know what to say." He held her tightly as he took in the intoxicating scent of her hair. "Except that I think I know what you are feeling." Gabi took a quick breath as she realized that he did know exactly how she felt. She had done the same thing to him. She and Antonio had done to him what Antonio and Heather had done to her. "Oh, Ricardo," she said uncomfortably. "I...I." "It’s okay, Gab. That was a long time ago," he rubbed her back gently. "A lot has changed since then." And a lot has stayed the same, he thought. "Do you want to talk about it?" Gabi shook her head no. "Why don’t we just walk then." Ricardo turned with his arm still around her shoulder as they walked slowly along the water. Gabi held on to his shirt with her hand as he rubbed her shoulder gently. Antonio was walking back to Maria’s when he spotted a couple walking huddled together. He smiled sadly as he remembered how he and Gabi would take long walks on the beach holding each other the same way. He walked up closer to the houses to give the couple privacy. He looked at his feet as he walked with his hands in his pockets. As he approached the couple, he couldn’t help but look in their direction. He froze as he realized the couple was Ricardo and Gabi. Gabi was wiping her eyes and Ricardo’s head was bent towards her as he spoke. They walked by without noticing him and as they passed, he followed them with his eyes. He saw Ricardo’s hand caressing Gabi’s shoulder as she gently shook her head in response to what he was saying. Antonio’s blood ran cold as he glared at the back of his brother’s head. Ricardo was taking full advantage of Antonio’s mistake to slide himself back into Gabi’s life. Antonio’s heart sank as he realized that maybe this time, Gabi would let him in.
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