The Loneliest Stars

Chapter 35

Natalia had overslept terribly. She was groggy, disoriented and she had been beset with worry all night. She couldn't resume her slumber after chatting with Gabe, if she wasn't worrying about his African exploits, she fantasised about his return. His new rough and ready bearded look did not help those matters at all.

She got dressed in a hurry, making a minimal effort to look presentable and got into her newly serviced car. Gabe's was parked safely in the garage where it was going to stay until his return. She didn't need any repeats of last week's events.

At school, it was the first time all week that she had seen some of her students, especially the older senior kids as they had been out on obligatory community volunteering projects, it was nice to catch up with them, get through some topics on Biology including ethical considerations of research.

Her students were shocked to find the number of research advances in medicine that had happened as a result of non-consensual experiments on black and brown bodies. She didn't mean to politicise science but if these kids were going to be thought leaders in the future they needed to learn the dirty history behind shiny technologies.

They had a lively discussion in class and for homework they were to present on the topics covered. She was looking forward to the next session. It was a grim subject but their engagement and interest also gave her masses of hope for the future.

When the bell rang, Natalia wasted no time in going home. She needed food, sleep and to take her mind off the thoughts that plagued her. She hopped in her car and took the short drive home.

She changed into a hoodie belonging to Gabe, it still smelled like him. He had taken it off the day before he was leaving, and she had sequestered it as her own before he could throw it in the wash. Sad but, she had abandonment issues, she had to cope how she could.

After getting something to eat, Natalia remembered Gabe's remark from the night before about there being a surprise in the garage for her.

Trudging with trepidation to the garage, Natalia inspected the workspaces for any clue of the surprise left for her. She found it in the form of a black box resting on a folder of papers.

He wouldn't propose would he? Natalia's thoughts were muddled as she stared at the black velvet jewellery box. Her thoughts were cut short by the doorbell she could hear through the walls.

Someone was ringing Gabe's door. Natalia ventured out of the garage to the front door and found an older lady there. She was perhaps in her 60s, dressed well and looking around with the twitchy demeanour of an urban fox out foraging in the daytime.

"Can I help you?" Natalia asked.

The lady eyed her suspiciously, as if she wasn't the visitor at the door. "I'm looking for my son, he lives here."

"And who's that?" Natalia crossed her arms over her chest.

"Gabriel Mercier."

Natalia blinked at her. She couldn't compute the words into semantics, she was still processing their sound

"I beg your pardon, Gabriel is your son?"

"Yes, I was there when I gave birth to him."

Natalia clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. She was sassy for someone Gabe didn't talk about or talk to. "He's away, I'm afraid."

"When will he be back?" The lady huffed, getting annoyed.

Now that Natalia observed closer she could see the similarities. They both had keen green eyes, and the same lilting shape to their mouths.