Gabriel (Book 1)

Let's Hit The Road...Continued (Johanna's POV)

February 20th, 2013

Dear Diary,

I'm really excited to finally see where Gabriel came from and to learn why he is the way he is.

The plane lands and then we have to take a car for 2 hours. I don't mind really. And as the city turns into country I begin to see why Gabriel loves it here. Gabriel tells me that his town hasn't much changed since the 1300s except that there are more houses and new stores.

I think about asking where we will stay but it doesn't really matter, we'll think of something.

Gabriel seems to be in a far away place as we walk through the town. Its quaint shops and kind people captivate me as us newcomers must captivate them. We enter a few of the antique shops, Gabriel being detached the entire time. I don't say anything to him, maybe he's reminiscing.

Its beginning to get dark so I ask Gabriel if we can get something to eat.

Without hesitating, he takes me down the street to a really nice outdoor restaurant. As I'm eating he says, "This was my favorite place to eat back in those days. It was so simple and so...." He searches for the right word, "It just wasn't home."

"So it was like a tavern?" I ask between bites.

"No 'like'. It was a tavern."

"Oh, okay." I say while concentrating on my food again.

We sit in silence as I eat something native to Russia. I didn't ask what I was eating and I'm not really sure I want to know what it is lol.

After I ate, we started walking down the streets. Soon, Gabriel stopped short. I was about to ask what it was when he scooped me into my arms and ran me down the streets and over a hill.

"Its here! I can't believe its still here!" Gabriel keeps repeating.

"What is?" I ask as he sets me down backwards.

"My home." He spins me around to stare at the monstrous mansion looming over me. It. Was. Gorgeous! The exterior not only radiated beauty and elegance, but it radiated that feeling of home.

"I can't believe they kept it and in such great shape too!" Gabriel is as excited as a kid in a candy store. I'm happy for him, but I can't help but feel a little lost.

"They?"

"My brothers. Filip and Yasha. And then their sons, and the sons of their sons." I smiled at how much he seemed to love the house.

"Is it safe for us to stay in? The wood isn't rotted or anything?"

"Of course its safe!" He pushes open the front doors, "Its fairly new wood and paint, but it looks exactly the same as when I last saw it."

Gabriel gave me the grand tour, and told me about his siblings that I didn't know he had. Gabriel let's me stay in his younger sister, Galina's, room while he stays in his own room.

For some reason, Diary, I didn't sleep well that night. Whether it was the time difference or the feeling of unease from his new mood, I couldn't be sure. I was haunted by Gabriel's past, a past I knew nothing about.

The next morning I woke up to the sound of the lawn being mowed. Immediately I knew that Gabriel was the one doing it, and a part of me wondered if he was up first thing in the morning waiting outside the store until it would open so he could buy a lawn mower. I peeked my head out the window, and sure enough, there he was pushing the machine across the yard.

Since my beloved was in his own little world making his home the pride of Russia, I decided not to bother him and instead got dressed and went into town for breakfast. It was a lovely morning and everyone greeted me with great kindness.