Chapter 15: Denial

POV: Gabby

Word Count: 3430

May 4, 2009

The doctor’s report said all blood work was fine and she was right days after removing myself from paint and stress as Zac basically had me sleep for three days it felt like the headaches became less painful and eventually they went away. I’d spent the last two weeks just doing nothing, a lot of pointless computer games and fiddling with programs but nothing concrete. I’d had lunch with Shawn and Grace, seen Abigail a lot, and just had downtime.

Yet, my brain still couldn’t force myself to say anything to Shawn or Abby, because 12 weeks was usually the cut off and I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. But, it was getting harder to deny that maybe this time wouldn’t have a tragic ending. The fact that I wanted to eat all the time was a clue, but I’d see the OB Friday and she said not to over eat and to eat the right things.

We got to the studio early but I had to go to the house later today, he had the tile in and the master bedroom was on its way to being done. Zac said he wanted my approval since he’d chosen the tile himself. But the morning was at the studio, they were preparing for the member’s kit and I was drawing a few things, staying away from the paint a little longer. About 10 the front doorbell went off and Zac went and got it.

He came back with Detectives Myers and Mabis and they looked serious so we all gathered around the table in the kitchen with bottles of water.

“Is there a problem?”

“No ma’am. We have some bad news and some good news.”

“Let’s start with the bad.” I said.

“We found Maxwell Reed.”

“Did you arrest him?” I asked.

The two detectives exchanged looks and it was Mabis that looked at me and just the way he was looking at me said that it wasn’t going to be good news.

“We found his body April 17, it took several days to complete the autopsy and determine his identity.”

“His…body?” I asked.

He started talking but I couldn’t hear what he was saying because it felt like blood was rushing through my ears. Drowning out all noises in the room.

“Gabby.” Zac said.

“I…”

I was sure the detective stopped, because it wasn’t until I could focus and I was certain that I was okay I looked at Detective Mabis.

“Body? Are you saying Max is dead?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Do you know what happen?”

“His official cause of death is a broken neck. But, we believe he was severely beaten beforehand. The medical examiner put his time of death somewhere around the beginning of April.”

“When did you find him?”

“The 17 th of April, late that afternoon.”

“Why did you wait so long to tell me?”

“Ma’am, I’m not sure telling you much more is a good thing.”

“Look, I didn’t talk to him anymore and he made mistakes but he’s the first person I loved and I want to know what the fuck happened. Where did you find him?”

“He was found behind the Chemtrade refinery, the Berryhill Creek runs behind the place and there was trails around. A worker was just walking during his break and came across a body, we didn’t know it was Mr. Reed until Thursday, the body was bad. We also had to inform his family first.”

Maxwell Reed will no longer hurt you.

“Oh god, I got a package two weeks ago, it told me he wouldn’t hurt me anymore. He was..he was dead before then?”

“Yes, Ma’am, what note?”

Zac went and got the package and showed them, they leafed through the pictures and the note.

“What did you think this meant?”

“Simon has to be sending them to me, I just assumed since Max failed in March to get me that Simon was done and wanted me to know he’d written him off or something. I just figured Simon told him to leave me alone. I didn’t…I didn’t think…”

I felt Zac’s hand on my thigh and took a moment. Sure, he was an asshole and he’d hurt me beyond words but it didn’t minimize how I felt about it. It didn’t really minimize the pain, he was the first person I loved.

“Can you tell me anything else?”

“Not really but I need to know where all of you were, especially you Mr. Hanson. As someone who had a reason I need to make sure you’re cleared.”

I just stared at him but he had to be fucking kidding me. Yet, they had been here at the studio and Isaac granted them access to the security footage which shows them being here, my alibi was the Brooks. I’d been there all day, having dropped Zac off and then went there. They also had their mom because she brought them lunch.

“We don’t know much else about Mr. Reed beyond what we told you. But, we also came with some more positive news.”

“What is that?” Zac asked.

“Your case from November is officially closed. The three men have signed confessions, taken their plea deals and they have been charged pending sentence reduction if they turn over on other crimes they committed. You do not have to go to court or anything. They did a plea deal obviously.”

“Will they do any time?” Zac asked.

“Yes. Minimum three years for two but the one responsible for nearly killing her will do five.”

It didn’t sound that high but least they were doing something and helping other cases.

“We have also gone through Simon Barnes lists, some of the lower level dealers were willing to turn on him in exchange for less time or plea deals, but most were mum about everything. The suppliers would not speak at all, they denied everything including who he was, so we’re working to establish relationships between them and Simon.”

“I’m sure it won’t be that hard.”

“We’re confident we can too. We did interview Simon he denied everything of course, we didn’t find anything at the house and the floppy disk didn’t have his prints on it. We will take these however and see whose prints are on it.”

“Should just be mine and Zac’s, he showed them but they didn’t touch it.”

He made some notes and laid his hand on my arm. “We’ll find out who killed him.”

I nodded and he left, the boys walked them to the front of the building. When Zac came back he sat down.

“I’m pretty sure he told you more.”

“I don’t think you need to know Gabby, not right now.”

“I’m going to wonder until I do. Just tell me.”

“Gabriella. Please.”

I looked at him. “Either you tell me or I’ll find someone who will. It should be you. I need to find Abby and tell her and she’s going to ask Zac.”

“He was found near the river..please…”

I just looked at him and he finally sighed heavily.

“He wasn’t wearing anything, the medical examiner said she was positive he was sodomized and that it was probably a foreign object, he was severely beaten, they had to use dental records. The left arm was broken and the right leg was. They believe there was cut marks too. Whoever done it basically tortured him before they broke his neck.”

That really didn’t sound like Simon and then it hit me.

“Oh god…”

“What?”

“The twentieth, the tweet about the miscarriage. It couldn’t have been Max.”

“Honey, if they tortured him then he could have told them. Simon could have done it too because he knew, his e-mail said he did.”

He got up and moved closer, standing in front of me and he leaned my head over. I didn’t even understand until the tears came. Didn’t understand why I was crying at all. He didn’t deserve the tears but at the same time he did.

“Why don’t you have Abby meet you at the house. I’ll have Taylor bring me there when we’re done.”

“Sure?”

“Yeah, you can take her to the river and let her know.”

I nodded and called her, had to give her directions because no one had seen the house but us. She couldn’t get there until four so I’d have some time to see the progress. I did have lunch there with them and then I left and headed to the house. I got there about 1:30 and Marello showed me around.

“We had to redo the plumbing through the whole house and electrical, that’s why there are holes everywhere.”

“Zac told me.”

He lead me up-stairs and to the master, the floors were bare, they weren’t installing the new rug until the construction was done here, that way it didn’t get ruined. The tile was laying where it would go, but not done yet. Zac had done good, limestone in a light color with glass tile accents. I approved and as soon as the plumbing and electrical was done they would install. He showed me the up-stairs bathroom tile, and the one downstairs had been saved and reglazed, even with changing the plumbing. I was happy with it all.

But as I was standing in the foyer, waiting on Abby I noticed the study. It was closed off from the rest of the house. I walked in and right now it was just bare floors and walls. If I was here, painting most of the day then where would...I took a heavy breath.

“Come on Gabby, nine weeks and no problems. It’s where would the ba..”

I glanced around and this just wasn’t going to cut it. So I found Marello in the kitchen area.

“I have a question.”

“What’s up?”

“The study in the front, is there a way to open up the wall between the study and the living room?”

“Like, more open?”

“Yeah, not fully just an opening.”

“Any reason why?”

“Well, just I was in there and realized if Zac was home I’d be cut off. I’d also like to close off that door completely.”

He checked the area. “If it’s load bearing then I can beef up the header, it’ll cost though. If it’s not load bearing then I can take it out without problems.”

“Please, I’ll tell Zac when I get home.”

“Please before we tear it out and he has a heart attack. Do you want the wooden floors to continue? You were doing vinyl in there.”

“Is there a way to still do the vinyl but have it look the same?”

“Not really.”

“Go ahead with the wood then, make it match. I’ll find a large plastic mat to put my paints and stuff on.”

“Want me to extent the shelves to the wall then? Without the door I can.”

“Sure.”

“Gabby?” She called.

“Come in and straight to the back.”

It didn’t take her long to find me and she looked around. “No floors, holes…girl you gotta whip this guy into shape.”

Marello smiled and did a salute. “I shall get busy.”

I gave her a hug and I dreaded telling her. “Want the grand tour?”

“Considering no one has seen this place, hell yes.”

I showed her downstairs first, went over my idea to blow out a wall and she liked it. We then went up-stairs to the two rooms, master suite, and bonus area.

“Lot of bedrooms for two.” She said.

“Guest rooms. You, Sierra, parents, and others.”

“Little feet.”

“No little feet.”

Not for another several months…maybe.

We went downstairs and I lead her out to the bench I’d come to a few weeks ago, quiet, serene and I hoped it would help keep us both calm.

“This is nice.”

I sat down and patted the seat beside me.

“This wasn’t to show me the house was it?”

“Not really. But you need to sit down for this.”

She moved to the spot beside me and looked at me. “What is it?”

“The detective came to see me today, the three men that attacked me are all behind bars and under plea deals. Three years for the two that didn’t stab me, five for the one that did.”

“That’s not enough time.”

“That was the good news.”

“What was the bad news?”

I got her hand so she couldn’t move and I could see it in her face, the moment she realized this was really bad news.

“Gabby?”

“They were looking for Max because of what he said in November, they wanted to talk to him. They found him the day after his birthday. There was a reason he didn’t reply to you.”

“Found him?”

“He was killed Abby. I suspect that Simon killed him.”

For several minutes she just sat there, I had loved Max but she’d been in love with him for far longer. I didn’t let her hand go when she tried to pull away. I held on tightly.

“No, I’m not doing that.”

“He can’t be dead.”

“He is, they’ve already told his family Abby.”

“No..he..just..he can’t be.”

My little breakdown was nothing compared to hers, so much that Marello actually came out to check on us. I’d moved so that I was straddling the bench and she was closer to me, someone to lean on because she was taking this hard.

“Ma’am? Is everything okay out here?”

“Yeah. It’s fine.”

He looked concerned but went back to the house with the crew when he was sure we weren’t being attacked by someone or something.

“Did they tell you what happen?”

“Yes. Are you sure you want to know right now?”

“Yeah.”

I relayed what I knew from the detectives and from Zac, which made her cry more. It was one thing to just be shot but he was evidently tortured as well. Which made no sense for Simon, but then again I never expected Simon to send Damien and the others after me either.

I was mildly confused when Zac and Andrew appeared, I suspected Marello would have called Zac because really she’d gotten pretty loud with her screams. But, why would Andrew be here?

“Gabby.” He said.

Zac sat down behind me. “It’s okay Andrew.”

He moved and sat behind Abby who kind of gravitated toward his shoulder, which confused me a bit.

“Zac told me what happen. I know he wasn’t being the best person in the world but I agree he didn’t deserve that. Jail, yes. Not that.”

I leaned my back against Zac’s chest. “I can’t believe Simon would do that. I also don’t understand why you’re here.”

Abby sat up some and managed to calm herself down some. “Well…you see…what happened was…”

“You two?” I asked.

She nodded. “We met around the wedding and all. I kind of went home with him after your wedding. But, once we were sober we agreed it was better not to pursue anything, I didn’t want Andrew to be a rebound and I though that’s all I was seeing. We continued to talk over e-mails and phones and when I came back to town I called him. We agreed to take it slow.”

“It wasn’t my place to tell either of you.” Andrew said.

“The elusive lady friend you kept mentioning.” Zac said.

“Not so elusive now.” Andrew said.

“Are you okay Abigail?” Zac asked.

“I can’t believe Simon would be capable of that.”

“It’s possible, if he felt like Max failed him multiple times.” Andrew said.

“He was sent after me, so I assume that’s the case. I just…the level of violence is beyond me for Simon. Why do all that just because he didn’t get me?”

“Maybe it wasn’t solely that, could be any number of things. Zac mentioned drugs were involved and I know people do shitty things when they are involved.” Andrew said.

Andrew had her calmed down and since there wasn’t much we could do he got a tour of the house and I explained the change to Zac but I didn’t say why beyond just the reason I gave Marello. We agreed to get dinner with them, since Andrew brought Zac over he and Abby took different cars but Zac rode with me.

“So, why the wall change really? You said separate was sometimes okay.”

“Well, that was before the doctor told us about the pregnancy. I can’t have a newborn around paint and I can’t see into the living room, so unless your home then I can’t do anything in there. This way I can lay him or her down in the living room for a bit anyway.”

“And you said you haven’t been thinking about that.”

“Yeah well…”

Nine weeks was two weeks longer than I’d made it before. I was still very cautious though because there was still a percentage that was higher than I would have liked.

“I think the change is good, it’ll benefit you and I both when he or she is here.”

“What do you think about them?”

“I think they’ll be good for each other. He’s been looking for someone to settle down with and not just date casually, he’s also a one woman man. Even if they don’t last, I think they’ll be good for one another as friends.”

I smiled at him. Dinner went great and afterwards we headed home and they parted ways.

“Have you considered when to tell people?” He asked.

“When the doctor tells me the risk of miscarriage is near zero.”

“Gabby.”

“Not even kidding Zac. I’m still not there with you, I can’t be right now.”

“It’s been two weeks, you have no signs or symptoms that anything is wrong. Your blood work came back fine and beyond just an elevated sugar which was probably the ice cream, nothing was abnormal. The headaches are going away also.”

I sighed. “I know that Zac, but it’s just harder to accept for me.”

“Are you even sure that you want kids?”

“I have no idea Zac, I didn’t think I’d have to make that decision so soon. I rather wanted time to think about it and discuss it with you. But, I don’t have that time now. If nothing goes wrong I won’t have a choice in the matter.”

He really didn’t seem happy to hear that but it was the truth. Sure, being around Stephanie and Michael had helped, I wasn’t as fearful of babies anymore. But, I’d never been left alone with them. Stella was always there with Michael, Stephanie’s mother or father was always present when I was there.

I wouldn’t have that option with this baby. The only other person responsible was Zac and I couldn’t make him be there all the time. Which scared me. What if I did something wrong?

“Have you told Dr. Cortez you were pregnant?”

“No. She asked how the day went and I told her about the doctor but not what was said.”

“You see her tomorrow, I think I should come back with you and I think we need to tell her.”

“Why?”

He parked the car in out space and looked at me. “She can recommend things to us both.”

That confused me but we went inside and got ready for bed anyway, my appointment was tomorrow at like 8 in the morning.

“Why would she need to recommend things to you?”

He looked at me. “Because I’m just as scared as you are. I’ve been around babies but they’ve never been mine, I’ve never been responsible for them. You’re not the only one that has fears and I think that since this is something we do together, it’s not just you and it’s not just me. It took us both to create this baby and it’ll take us both to get him or her safely into this world and to raise them. I think it’ll be beneficial if we both speak to her.”

“It’s not you I worry about. Logic tells me that while you’ll be there, I’ll be there more. What if I fuck up? What if I have no idea what to do and something happens?”

His lips felt warm on my forehead. “You will not fuck up because you are smart and you’ll know what to do.”

I kind of wanted to believe that, but at the same time I couldn’t. But, I let the subject go because if he planned to talk about this tomorrow then I’d need plenty of rest for that. Rest that seemed to come and go.