Shaded Heart

Chapter 7 (The Mourning)

After an extremely stress filled day, Alex wakes up first, she has a clear mind as if she had just forgotten her fathers passing overnight. She gets up brushes her teeth, and heads to the living room. No one is there so she assumes that they are still asleep, she returns to the room and grabs her phone, immediately changing her Lock Screen to a picture of her and her father. She then calls her mother, it's a short phone call but hearing her moms voice always makes her feel better.

Phone call dialogue:

Alex: Hey mom

Mrs.Agnes: Hey baby how are you holding up?

Alex: I'm ok, it just feels like Im numb to everything right now.

Mrs.Agnes: I've felt that feeling before, so just brace yourself when you get your feelings back you're going to experience the worst grief of your life. But that aside call me if there's anything I can do for guys, and I'm really sorry that we all had to leave last night we had work.

Alex: Mom it's okay I'll just see you tomorrow,

Mrs.Agnes: Oh Alex I'm sorry but we won't be seeing each other tomorrow either, your dad's family asked me to come down to the funeral home and get things right with his body and casket, and the days after that I have to work, and you know how long the drive from Vallejo to L.A is.

Alex: Oh ok, it's fine I'll just see you when I see you.

Mrs.Agnes: Ok then, I really am sorry baby, Mahal Kita (I love you).

Alex: I love you too, bye.

Just as Alex hangs up the phone Gabi comes in the room asking who she was taking to, "Mom" she responded.

Gabi: Oh alright, but are you hungry?

Alex: Definitely.

Gabi: Ok then I'm making breakfast for me and Terrel, I'll add you a plate.

Alex: Ok let me know when it's done.

"Ok" Gabi replied as she headed out of the room, "Bae" Terrel said as he saw Gabi appear from around the corner, "Yes" she said

Terrel: Come here.

Gabi walks toward him and he starts to kiss down her neck, she lets out a sigh of relief as his kisses always make her feel better. He pulls away and looks her in the eyes mouthing "I love you" she smiles and mouths it back, as time goes by Alex comes out of the room to see Terrel playing video games and Gabi finishing up the food. "Finally I was about to starve to death in there" said Alex, Gabi let's out a small chuckle "Girl be quiet you say that every time you don't eat within five minutes" they both laugh and Alex takes a seat at the table joined by Terrel. He starts a conversation with her about school, friends, and just life in general but purposefully leaving her dead father out of the convo. As Gabi is setting the plates down on the table she feels a wave of exhaustion come over her, she figures it's just because she's pregnant and hasn't eaten all day, and her assumption is correct. As they start to eat there's an awkward silence at the table that Alex fills with an unexpected question.

Alex: Gabi the first day that mom and I came to Brooklyn what happened to your face you never told me, and I know you were lying about falling in the shower.

Gabi frantically looks at Terrel, he gives her a nod as if signaling her to tell the truth, so she does.

Gabi: Well that night Maxx and I had gotten into an argument which turned into a fight and he won.

Alex: You know, I don't wanna sound crazy when I say this but I'm glad I was the one who killed him, it felt kind of good knowing what he put you through.

Gabi doesn't respond and just continues to eat, after they are all finished Terrel washes the dishes and joins Gabi and Alex on the couch, he gently rubs Gabriella's stomach and she leans over on him. They all sit there for about 30 minutes then Gabi suggests that they all go out somewhere. Alex and Terrel both agree and they start to think of places that they could go, at first they were all thinking of places they could go to have fun but what Gabi said shocked the two of them.

Gabi:We could go to the cemetery

Alex and Terrel looked at Gabi as if she was crazy

Gabi:No not like that it's just, Alex and I have a cousin named Erin that passed away in 2015, she was like my sister and her  grave is a really special place to us both, and I thought we'd just take you there?

Terrel: Well I mean if it means that much to you I'll definitely go if you want me to

Gabi: Well I definitely want you to go, it means a lot to me and it also means a lot to me that you'd come.

Terrel: Fasho baby.

As they are on their way to the grave cite there is an awkward silence and Alex tries to fill it with small talk

Alex: So since you both want the baby to be a boy then what do you want to name him?

At the same time Gabi says "Jordan" and Terrel says "I want a jr."

Gabi: Wait what, I thought we agreed on your middle name for a boy?

Terrel: Well yeah but I kinda changed my mind.

Gabi: Well you can't just change your mind out of no where, so we have to agree on a name right now

Terrel: Why so soon?

Gabi: Because if we don't finalize it now then you'll change your mind while I'm giving birth

They all laugh at Gabi's comment

Terrel: Ok well if you want Jordan we can do that, it's a pretty cool name too.

Alex: But what if it's a girl?

Gabi: It won't be, but if it is then I like the name Summer.

Terrel: Yo that's actually a pretty good name baby, I like that.

After that short conversation they arrive at the grave cite and as Gabi gets out of the car she see's someone standing over Erin's grave, at first glance she's unable to see who it is but as she looks harder she starts to make out a familiar face, she then calls out to the person but when they see her they take off running, everyone is in a panic at this point so they all get back in the car and follow the person. While driving around the cemetery they loose the person after they run into a wooded area, Gabi is almost spooked by the experience and constantly wonders if the person was who she thinks it is, she tries to shake the feeling and walks over to Erin's grave, as they approach the grave they are startled by a voice behind them, as she turns she's filled with different emotions after realizing that the person was exactly who she thought it was, she was almost brought to tears, but they would've been happy tears. She hugs the person and having their arms wrapped around her make her feel warmth and  comfort, and the person feels the exact same way, Gabi has no words as they pull away from each other until she notices the smug look on Terrel's face.