BackWash (Editing & Completed)

Chapter 15: Reconnect

"Hi, Gabriela Hill speaking." I answer my cell, wondering who would call me during my work shift. "Yeah, ahuh. Speaking." I reply back, the phone pressed up against my ear as I motion to Chase to give me five minutes to take the call. He nods as I turn my back on him for a little privacy, "Mrs Seacrest..." I trail off and glance over my shoulder to see that I've sparked Chase's interest with reference to Brent's surname. "I just, I can't do it." I confess softly, not wanting Chase to overhear the conversation, "I don't feel ready. Cleaning out his belongings is like erasing him out of the picture completely and I'm not ready to face-"

"Gabriela, please."Mrs Seacrest, Brent's mother, begs from the other side of the line.Her voice is raw and laced in thick desperation, "He'd want you to do it."

I feel my vision begin to blur as I shake my head into the phone,momentarily forgetting that she cannot see the action, "I'm not ready-"

She cuts me off, "I know."

I pause, my eyes widening, "Excuse me?" I question,bewildered by her random statement.

"He was in love with you Gabriela," Mrs Seacrest states, "I know he proposed to you. I'm the only one he showed the ring to."She guilt trips me, using the one thing she knows will convince me to agree to her will so that she doesn't have to be the one to suffer.

I lost the bloody ring!

A tear falls from my eye at the reminder, "He showed you the ring?" I ask. I don't give her the chance to answer, "Whether he was in love with me or not -"

"He was."Mrs Seacrest confirms, her tone livid that I had the audacity to even suggest that Brent didn't love me. I shouldn't deny or doubt Brent's love for me seeing as he lived out a life just for me. It was always made obvious in all he did for me. I'm an idiot for not having seeing it sooner.

"Just because he was in love with me does not make me responsible for all his belongings." I reply hoarsely, getting emotional. I can't barge into Brent's empty home and go through all his things. It's invasion of his privacy. How am I suppose to choose what to keep and throw out? It's not fair. It seems disrespectful. I can't face this,not now. I've barely had time to recover and adjust to a life without him in it.

"Legally,it does. He left everything to you." Mrs Seacrest argues back.There's no way to work around it because she is in the right. Where's a damn lawyer when you need one? Where's Ty? Ty could fight my case.

I let out a reluctant sigh, "Okay." I breathe, "I'm about to lock up shop now. I'll head to his place tonight then and sort through all his belongings." I reassure her, a heavy burden laying heavily upon my heart. "I'll bring the valuable stuff'round later to your place, once I'm done, and let you and the family go through it all."

How am I suppose to walk into Brent's home and not completely fall apart?

It will be the first time being in Brent's house without his presence. I'm terrified. I don't think I can do this.

"Thank you Gabriela." She whispers, leaving an unhingable silence between us before I hear the click of her phone to signal that she hung up.

I place my phone back into my purse as I try avoid Chase's presence. I don't want him to see me like this. The tears continue to fall from my eyes as I avert eye contact, looking anywhere but at Chase. At this rate, I'll be standing with my back to him all day.

I quickly wipe at my eyes when I hear Chase call my name, "Gabriela?"

"Mhmm?"I answer, fidgeting and fiddling with a board to keep myself preoccupied, to keep my mind off the difficult task that I have to go through with after this shift ends. I allow my hair to fall freely around me, blocking my view and hiding my face away from Chase's penetrating gaze. He'd obviously heard the entire conversation.