Chapter 11: Little Bears

POV: Gabby

Word Count: 30 79

March 18, 2009

I was at the Brooks house, having arrived at 7:30 and I was currently just laying the lines out. The best laid plans were when you knew the scale was right. They had prepped the room very well, the carpet was covered completely with plastic and since they didn’t want the baseboards or ceiling touched they had covered the molding and added a few inches on the ceiling as well. I was impressed. She came in about ten and looked at the lines.

“I expected color already.”

“This is my guide, I’ll do this for the cottage and the dwarves and Snow White. The animals that are large I will too just to make sure the scale is right. My drawing is a small scale so I want to make sure I lay out the walls properly before painting.”

“That makes total sense really, I don’t know why I thought you’d jump right to painting.”

“On the walls with a lot of green I’ll do a base of a light green, then work the dark over it.”

“I know it’s just the third day but we just got called from our surrogate, she has an appointment at 1 and we would like to attend. Will that mess you up if we cut the day short?”

“No. I can leave at noon and it’ll be fine. I’m actually ahead a bit.”

“Okay.”

She stepped out and I sent a message to Zac to let him know I’ll be leaving at noon. In fact I was fine with that too because my head was killing me. He called me in return.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, it’s not me. The surrogate called and an appointment is at one, I figured I’d give them time to get ready. I’m not bummed, my head is killing me today.”

“Could be the concentration needed.”

“Could be, but I can grab lunch if you guys want me too.”

“Please! I’ll be starving by then. Did you have a place in mind?”

“Duh, tacos.”

“Perfect, I’ll text you an order about eleven thirty.”

“Okay.”

I used that text as my guide to stop what I was doing. I said bye to them and headed by Taco Bueno, going inside since the order itself was long and I didn’t want to occupy the drive through for so long. I got the salsa and sides while I waited and he said they had drinks at the studio already.

“Gabby?”

I glanced up and saw Lucas there. “Hey, out for lunch too?”

“Yeah, I’m working down the street this is much better than some places.”

“Yeah, I left early and the guys sent me the order.”

He smiled. “Always a good thing when you can. You doing okay?”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t look like you are, not smiling like normal.”

“Headache, I think the overly concentrating is causing one massive one. Nothing much though. I’m going to eat and then lay down at the studio for a bit.”

“Why not go home and lay down?”

“I could but I’d feel better at the studio and Zac would too.”

He ordered and my huge order was put up before his, so I bid him farewell and headed to the studio. I parked at the front door, which was unusual but fine with me! I used my own code to get into the building and then called out lunch. They met me in the kitchen area where we sat down to eat.

“You feel okay Gabs?”

“Headache, major one. Anyplace quiet around here?”

“Not really.” Taylor said.

“I’ll find some ear plugs I should be good. Lucas says hey.”

“You saw him?” Zac asked.

“At Taco Bueno, he was getting lunch.”

“Nice. So, how much did you get done?”

“The cottage wall is basically done, I’ll step back tomorrow and see what it looks like. But, I think it’s good. The others shouldn’t take as long because there isn’t much detail beyond the outer line of a tree or something.”

The headache really wasn’t helping and I didn’t even finish what I ordered, I just felt bad. I found some noise canceling headphones and crashed in the control room on the sofa. The quietness and darkness helped me fall asleep.

It was Zac that woke me up a few hours after laying down, why was beyond me because he knew waking me up with headaches would mean it keeps on.

“What is it?”

“Detective Mabis is here.”

“Why?”

“He said he wanted to talk to us, I told him you were laying down. I think it’s about your case.”

I sat up slowly, which helped me not feel so bad. I then went with him to the conference area in the front and he was waiting.

“I’m sorry to wake you.”

“It’s okay. What is it?”

“I came to inform you that we’ve arrested the third suspect in your case and that he confessed to everything. He’s been on the run for a while now, so he was pretty desperate to get some food and water.”

“On the run?”

“The person who hired them clearly didn’t like that they failed. We’ve placed Mr. Brown on solitary confinement because Mr. Reigns was attacked in jail. The upside is that we will not need you to testify or anything because they’ve all confessed, the downside is none of them are fully aware of who hired them.”

“It was probably Simon.” Zac said.

“It’s possible but we have no link with Brown or Brooks, we do have Reigns on there.”

“Have you made any headway with that?” I asked.

“We have made some progress, but if Simon is a hub person we ideally would want someone above him, because he’s probably working for someone else. If that’s the case we don’t want him to cut ties.”

“I think he might be.”

I summarized my conversation with Max last year, when I kicked him out. He’d said someone was coming down to raid Simon’s house and that’s why I was kicked out. He wrote down things but I really just wanted to go lay back down. I just wasn’t feeling good at all.

“Do you think he was in on the attack?”

“I honestly have no idea, from what I understood he knew they were coming he just didn’t tell me. I would have gone to Zac’s apartment if I had known or had any clue. He didn’t give me any warning so it’s possible.”

“You filed a report against him recently.”

“Yeah, I was walking back from the Ah Ha gallery and he hit me and kicked me. Taylor stopped him and Zac called and made a report.”

“Well, new information means I want to speak to him myself. So, I’ll be looking for him.”

“He should be at the same apartment.”

He shook his head. “The manager said he hasn’t been there in months and the apartment was cleaned out. He didn’t owe anything so the manager didn’t file anything.”

“He could have moved for any reason really. I don’t know if he had a lease or anything.”

“He did, was up in February, he was gone in January.”

“I don’t know where he’d be.”

“We’ll find him. Don’t worry. That was my goal for today, is there anything you need to add?”

“Not really.”

“Have you gotten anything from Simon lately?”

“He’s sent a few more e-mails, I forwarded them to you. He’s sent a few text most just telling me I have to come back to him but no threats.”

“Ma’am, do you feel okay?”

“Migraine headache, I’m fine.”

“I will let you go then, if he sends anything just keep a record. I know it’s frustrating as hell to deal with this and I understand but he hasn’t really done anything physical himself.”

“It is, but we understand.” Zac said.

Isaac saw him out and I laid my head over on Zac’s shoulder.

“No help?”

“It’s not as bad but still there.”

I felt his lips against my forehead, Isaac came back to the front carrying a very long package which he laid in my lap.

“Mailman came by while I was up front, he was about to call because of the box.”

I looked down, thinking it was Zac’s and it was mine. The same label as the last package that came to me.

“Fan mail for you? Wow. Stella and Nicole never got fan mail.” Taylor said.

I opened the box carefully and inside was another figurine, this time it was a crystal bear that was holding three pinkish red roses. It was adorable! The bear had ribbon across it holding the three red roses together. There was a card laying just below the bear’s feet which I picked up.

If I were blind within my heart

I could still see the beauty that is you

I looked at Zac because that was something he’d say in a corny way and the roses he’d do.

“It was not me. I swear Gabriella, if I was going to do this I’d do it in person.”

“Like you did that first valentines?”

“It’s not me.”

“It could be a fan Gabby, I mean we get all kinds of things from fans all over the world. Letters, poems, pictures, figures, underwear and a whole assortment of things. It’s possible that on a walk or something you made an impression on a fan. Maybe they were one of those bad ones and these are like apologies for that behavior.”

I raised an eyebrow at Taylor. “Tay, I’d believe that is it didn’t sound like something Zac would say to me. I mean, why would fans see beauty in me?”

“Because that’s what you are. Beautiful. It’s not all how you physically look either, I know Zac gets flack from everyone about how he got such a hot wife or what you see in him. I’m talking inside, you care about people and you strive to make sure that fans are happy.”

“Exactly. You didn’t want to say anything to fans because you were afraid of their reactions. Maybe these are apologies. There is no return address on the packages, it could be a group of fans each sending something.”

“What if it’s not though?”

“What do you mean?” Zac asked.

“Fans were bad a year ago, they weren’t that bad in the fall and there were fans that apologized to me for the things they said. Even if I have no clue what they actually said, but I never said I collected anything, I never said what I liked. I mean, I don’t really collect anything, so why send something so similar?”

“Not everyone is Simon.” Zac said.

“This is not Simon. He wouldn’t send this. It’s not Max either.”

“Are you sure? He has really hurt you emotionally and physically. He could be sending these on the down low so Simon doesn’t know.” Isaac said.

“Max would know exactly what would work Isaac. He wouldn’t send this stuff. Flowers? Sweet little sayings? Little figurines? That’s not Max.”

“I think it’s a fan. I think that somewhere you must have made an impression on one. Could be a girl too because there were rumors of you and Sierra. It’s entirely possible that someone thinks you are more to them.”

“Like Bailey.” Taylor said.

“Bailey? You mean Ella’s mom?”

“Think about it Gabs, you went above and beyond to get her into the members event and the show, not to mention the meet and greet. You spent a lot of time with her and you even went above at the hospital. It could be her sending them.”

“She’s married Taylor.”

“Doesn’t matter. They are not professing their love for you, there just sweet little sayings. She may not want to admit it to you, but these could be her subtle ways to thank you.”

That ironically sounded plausible, she had many times tried to do something to thank me and I hadn’t really let her buy anything or do anything. Maybe this headache was compromising my ability to comprehend anything.

“I’m assuming you guys are not done?”

“Not even close.” Taylor said.

“Okay. I’m going back to my quiet place.”

They smiled and they headed back to the studio to work on whatever it was they were working on and I went back to the control room. My phone was blinking so I checked it, a message from Nicole asked me if I was at work or here, so I replied the studio. She promptly replied to me that she’d be here soon, I was confused so I just went to the front to let her in, of course the moment she came in she asked if I was okay.

“Are my headaches visible or something?”

“Not the headaches really, you just look really down and not as perky as you normally are.”

“Guess my unperky moods show.”

“Guys busy and you’re here early.”

“The Brooks went to a doctor’s appointment so I left at noon, I’m ahead and really the headache is bad.”

“Can I see your wrist?”

I gladly let her and she must have been checking my heart rate, she didn’t seem pleased.

“You’re heart rate is up, probably means your blood pressure is too. It could explain the headache.”

“Maybe. So, you said you wanted to talk?”

“Let’s go somewhere else.”

She chose the kitchen, where she got me water and her a soda and we sat down.

“Isaac brought it to my attention that while he has Zac as a groomsman, I hadn’t asked you. He said you hadn’t said anything about it to any of them but that he felt like maybe it bothered you. I just want to know what you’re feeling about that.”

My head hurt too much for this type of conversation. But, sooner versus later was better.

“Honestly, it doesn’t bother me. I mean I wondered why but really, you’ve known your bridesmaids a lot longer than me.”

“I grew up with Chelsea and I met Anna in kindergarten, Stella when he introduced us which was a long time ago and Emma I met in middle school. I really didn’t expect Zac to ever be married when I asked them. I mean, we knew but I wasn’t sure if it would last. I do feel bad that I didn’t ask you and you asked me.”

“You and Stella were the only two other women I knew and trusted besides Sierra and Abby. I didn’t have any one else that I knew that long. It’s fine, really. I mean Zac knows he won’t be walking with me, he also knows not to do anything stupid.”

“Well, my friends are already married anyway, so their husbands will be watching. So, you really aren’t upset?”

Mildly, sure. It always felt different when you weren’t included in someone else’s wedding but I understood.

“I’m not upset. I figured the ones you chose were those closer to you and therefore it’s fine. Honestly, if I had four that were like your friends I’d have probably asked them. I can’t be upset because you asked people you’ve known your whole life to be part of your wedding.”

She smiled a bit. “I don’t fully believe that. You’re headache is giving you away.”

“My headache is why I shouldn’t be talking really. At first, it did hurt. Because I don’t have a lot of female friends and I guessed some part of me assumed you’d ask just because you were part of mine. But, I talked to Abby in February and she pointed out that you had other friends, people you knew longer or better. She also pointed out that Stella may not ask either. That while she certainly would and Sierra would, that people like Heather probably wouldn’t. I understand why you didn’t ask me Nicole, I don’t hold it against you.”

“See, you make me feel bad though. I do love you like a sister and a friend, you are far more open about sex than Stella is. I just didn’t think when I asked and then didn’t consider you might want to be involved.”

“I’m fine really. I’m invited so that’s the major thing.”

“Of course.”

“Did you get a dress picked out?”

“I go tomorrow, but I spoke to Elaine and she has sent me a few pictures and they seem really nice.”

“That’s good.”

“What did you do with yours?”

“It was cleaned and boxed after the wedding, Sierra handled that since she was in town. Um, I may do a shadow box or something with it later, but right now protected and clean is better.”

“Totally, I may ask her who done it.”

“I’m sure she’ll tell you.”

“Headache getting bad again?”

“Yeah, I should probably lay myself back down. I have to get back to the Brooks tomorrow.”

“You’re sure you’re okay?”

“I am.”

She looked around and then brought up images on her phone.

“Which dress do you like better?”

She was showing me two red dresses, one with this insanely ugly bow in the middle and the other one had a high low skirt with a red corset top.

“I don’t know what your friends look like, but the high low one is my pick.”

“They were tied, two and two. I needed a tiebreaker.”

“It’s fine. The high low is my pick.”

She nodded and again she asked for my wrist, she didn’t seem any happier.

“You go lay down, if that headache doesn’t go away soon you may need to ask your doctor about a blood pressure check.”

“I will Nurse Nicole.”

She smiled. “It’s my job.”

She went to the studio to talk to Ike for a moment and I laid back down in the control room. I didn’t try for sleep though because it was getting late. I did use the headphones to block out as much noise and the lights were already off.

It was about 7 when we headed home and he fixed leftovers while I ate the rest of my lunch, but the headache was still there so I finally took something for it and went to lay down. Zac came in not long after I did lay down and curled up behind me, he was gold when it came to headache relief. The right touch on my neck or head always alleviated them. I drifted off before the pain stopped.

 

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