Indestructible: Reinforced

Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty-Five

     September 2012

     Present Day

     “You what?” Dad exclaimed and I took a step backwards. I was going to get a lot of heat because of the Jake thing. “Gaby, are you insane?”

     “I’m not!” I replied defensively. “I really thought it would work. But then I found out Jake’s moved on and I don’t know what’s up with Drake now. My plan’s falling apart, Dad.”

     “Because it’s a stupid plan.” He sighed exasperatedly. “Come on, Gaby, you’re smarter than this!”

     I scowled. “I was looking out for Avy. I want her to be happy and I don’t want her to be alone.”

     Dad’s face darkened. “She’s not alone. She has us.”

     “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.” I sighed. “She needs Drake to be there for her completely. Amelie can’t be in the picture.”

     “Well, she is.” Dad said. “And we can’t do anything about it. He’s too chicken to do anything about it. Maybe she’s better off without him, Gaby.”

     “Then, who is she better off with?” I asked. “Jake? Someone she’s yet to meet? Dad, Drake’s her bestfriend. She grew up with him. He’s the only guy who really knows her and accepts her as she is, he loves her in a way that no one else can, no one is going to be better for her than him. They have to be together. They’re a family, for God’s sake!”

     “But he left her.” Dad said through gritted teeth. He closed his eyes and sighed. “I just don’t want him to hurt her, Gaby. I don’t want him to hurt her again. Avy’s been through a lot of shit in her life, I don’t want her to go through more. There’s only so much a girl can take before she breaks down.”

     “She’s a strong one.”

     “She’s also human.” He ran his fingers through his hair. He looked really distraught. I wasn’t used to seeing Dad like this, I didn’t like it. “She needs to lean on someone once in a while. We’re her family, we can’t hurt her. We’re the ones who have to take care of her.”

     “But she needs a man.” I said. “She needs her baby’s father. I mean, you and Mom didn’t really like each other back then but you stuck together. If you hadn’t done that maybe most of us wouldn’t be here. She needed you and you were there. Avy needs Drake, why can’t you see it this way?”

     Dad opened his mouth to reply but then sighed dejectedly and shook his head. “Fine. But you talk to him. Talk to them both. If I see either of them I might just lose it and get thrown out of here.”

     “Alright.” I nodded. “Just go sit with Avy for now. I’ll try to talk to them both. Maybe Josh could help.”

     “Good man, Josh.” Dad said. “A standup guy. You should hold onto that one.”

     “Been holding onto him for three years, Dad.” I replied as I headed down the corridor. “I don’t think I’ll stop just yet.”

     “Good girl.” He knocked and opened the door. “Good luck.”

     “See you.” I headed to the cafeteria and found Josh and Jake sitting on the table. Jake had a cup of coffee in his hands while Josh munched on some crackers.

     “Hey.” Josh said when I sat down next to him. “How’s it going?”

     “Drake asked me to keep you away from him and Avy.” I said to Jake. “He’s not going to be talking to you just yet.”

     “I need to talk to him soon.” Jake looked irritated. “Tell him he needs to man up.”

     “Give him some time, Jake.” I sighed. “Last time you were here, you tricked him into going to La Baragouin and he ended up getting beaten up by you and some other people. And let’s not forget that Avy had to race there and actually get into the fight after the doctor specifically asked her to rest and not do anything rash.” I paused to take a breath. “You can’t expect Drake to be so keen on seeing you and having you talk to Avy.”

     “Well, I’m here to apologize for it.” Jake sighed. “I didn’t get the chance to do that before I left. I need to do it now.”

     “And they haven’t gotten over it.” I shook my head. “Drake hasn’t. I don’t know about Avy, though.”

     “If I know Avy, and I do.” Josh leaned back in his seat. “She’s going to want to kick his ass more than Drake. She’s truly over you, man.”

     “Good.” Jake nodded. “I’m glad. I was a bad influence.”

     “That’s the understatement of the century.” I said. “No offense, Jake, but you were worse than a bad influence.”

     “Maybe, yeah.” He sipped on his coffee. “Anyways, I’m turning my life around. And I need to make peace with Drake and Avy so that I can really end this chapter of my life.”

     “You’ve been reading self-help books, haven’t you?” Josh shook his head. “Damn, Jake, you’re a hippy now.”

     Jake chuckled. “So trying to become a good person and trying to right my wrongs is a bad thing?”

     “No.” Josh answered. “Saying those words make you a hippy. You could always choose more masculine words. What’s next? You’re going to grow out your hair and wear beads? And you don’t need to start getting high because you’ve been doing that for years now.”

     “I can still kick your ass and make you look like a little princess infront of your girlfriend there, little brother.” Jake said and I caught a glimpse of the old him. It was his smile and the look in his eyes. I relaxed a bit. Things were normal again, for now.

     “Show me what you got, old man.” Josh laughed. “Damn hippy.”

     “Boys will be boys.” I sighed. “See, why can’t we all just get along? Why does there have to be drama?”

     “C’est la Vie.” Josh shrugged. “Life would be truly and utterly boring if it was without drama.”

     “Says the guy who hates drama the most.”

     “I’ve accepted it.” He sighed. “As long as we’re related to Jake and Avy, there will always be drama in our lives.”

     “Thank you, brother.” Jake clapped him on the back a bit too harshly and Josh fell forward. Jake laughed and leaned back in his seat. “And you say I’m the one who got soft.”

     “I’m not the one talking like a fag.” Josh smirked. “And I’m the one who’s still got the girl. A Cassidy  girl.”

     “Nice one.” Jake chuckled and nodded. “I’ll give you that.”

     “That was effortless.”

     I tuned them out and leaned back in my seat. I needed to get Drake and Jake to talk, and maybe then he’d let him talk to Avy. And then I needed to find a way to get Drake and Avy back together. I didn’t know if it was cool if I went and asked her or Drake about what had happened in that room, maybe they wanted to keep it to themselves. But I could still see Avy. And maybe she’d start talking without my asking. She did that sometimes. Maybe she needed my advice.

     Jake and Josh continued bantering like brothers and that brought a smile to my face. I’d missed this. Jake being away from us had been stressful, and I knew that Josh didn’t like it. Josh said that he sometimes didn’t like his brother much, but I knew that he loved him and secretly looked up to him. So it made me happy that they were together now and catching up. Maybe he could talk to him about the whole proposal thing. Maybe Jake could help him see why I wanted to wait before giving him an answer.

     I really wished this wouldn’t backfire on me more than it already had. I didn’t want to come out stupid and wrong for telling Jake to come here. I really didn’t.

     Shit.