think I harbor some sort of secret yearning that she might remember me?”
Miriam merely shrugged.
“Well, you would be absolutely right. I know you don’t want to hear that, but it’s the truth.”
Miriam stopped watering her stargazers and looked up at him now, frowning. There was a passion in Gabe’s voice and demeanor I’d never heard before. It was intense, and a little frightening.
“I pray every single day of this semblance of a life that she will wake up and remember she’s in love with me.”
Miriam stood up. Her expression was painted with obvious disapproval. “And what then, Gabe? Tell me what would happen if she did remember?”
“I could protect her!”
Miriam snorted derisively. “And if you couldn’t? You would never forgive yourself and you know it.”
Gabe couldn’t seem to answer her. He hunkered down, onto a nearby bench. He stroked his hands through his hair, looking rather exhausted. Suddenly, he looked up at Miriam with wide eyes. “ Damn ,” he muttered under his breath.
“What?” she asked, confused. Her head started to turn towards the house in the direction he was eyeing. “ Ohhh ,” she murmured in realization.
I quickly moved away from the blinds, crouching down behind the wall. I winced, feeling like an idiot. How could I completely forget that Gabe had the ability to see me? How could I forget such an important detail? I had to make this look like I wasn’t eavesdropping-and quickly!
I moved from my spot and headed out into the backyard, approaching Miriam and Gabe. They both stared at me curiously, which made me feel even more awkward.
“I didn’t mean to intrude on your conversation. I just needed to ask you something, Grams.”
“Yes?” she asked.
I racked my brain for something, anything to say at that moment. But nothing was coming to me. Why oh why did I even bother trying to cover up the fact that I was spying? It had to be painfully obvious to them either way.
“Um, where can I find the laundry detergent?”
It sounded lame, but it was the only question I could think of.
“The laundry detergent?”
“Yes, I need to wash my uniforms. They’re um, starchy.”
My grandmother arched a curiously high brow.
“It’s in the laundry room. In the shelf above the washer.” It was a matter-of-fact statement. I could feel the blush creep into my cheeks.
“Thanks. Uh, would you like me to wash anything for you?”
“I believe there are a few sets of sheets in the hamper.”
I nodded and turned to leave. The sooner I could get myself out of this awkward situation, the better.
I breathed in and out as I left the patio, not realizing I’d been holding my breath nearly the entire time. I was happy to get out of there. I still felt like such a fool. There was no doubt in my mind they both knew I’d been lying. But what else was I supposed to say? That I was spying because I was entirely too fascinated by the neighbor? That even though he could be rude and deceitful, I still found him alluring? Should I have said that my very own body wills itself to Gabe’s presence, like he was a magnet and I couldn’t help but be drawn towards him?
No, I definitely couldn’t tell the truth.
Besides, I was embarrassed of myself as it was. There was no need to further that embarrassment. Not to mention that Miriam would fly through the roof if she knew her seventeen-year-old granddaughter had developed a sort of crush on a twenty-something-year-old man. Even my own father would disapprove. Well, that wasn’t true, I supposed. Christo would approve of anyone who was wealthy.
I found myself wondering who Gabe had been referring to-- this mystery woman who had forgotten him. He had sounded so forlorn about it. And I was more than a little jealous by the way he talked about her. It sounded as if. . .as if he loved her. Could it be true? Could Gabe love someone who didn’t reciprocate that love for him? And was that why he broke off the engagement with Annika? It
Miriam merely shrugged.
“Well, you would be absolutely right. I know you don’t want to hear that, but it’s the truth.”
Miriam stopped watering her stargazers and looked up at him now, frowning. There was a passion in Gabe’s voice and demeanor I’d never heard before. It was intense, and a little frightening.
“I pray every single day of this semblance of a life that she will wake up and remember she’s in love with me.”
Miriam stood up. Her expression was painted with obvious disapproval. “And what then, Gabe? Tell me what would happen if she did remember?”
“I could protect her!”
Miriam snorted derisively. “And if you couldn’t? You would never forgive yourself and you know it.”
Gabe couldn’t seem to answer her. He hunkered down, onto a nearby bench. He stroked his hands through his hair, looking rather exhausted. Suddenly, he looked up at Miriam with wide eyes. “ Damn ,” he muttered under his breath.
“What?” she asked, confused. Her head started to turn towards the house in the direction he was eyeing. “ Ohhh ,” she murmured in realization.
I quickly moved away from the blinds, crouching down behind the wall. I winced, feeling like an idiot. How could I completely forget that Gabe had the ability to see me? How could I forget such an important detail? I had to make this look like I wasn’t eavesdropping-and quickly!
I moved from my spot and headed out into the backyard, approaching Miriam and Gabe. They both stared at me curiously, which made me feel even more awkward.
“I didn’t mean to intrude on your conversation. I just needed to ask you something, Grams.”
“Yes?” she asked.
I racked my brain for something, anything to say at that moment. But nothing was coming to me. Why oh why did I even bother trying to cover up the fact that I was spying? It had to be painfully obvious to them either way.
“Um, where can I find the laundry detergent?”
It sounded lame, but it was the only question I could think of.
“The laundry detergent?”
“Yes, I need to wash my uniforms. They’re um, starchy.”
My grandmother arched a curiously high brow.
“It’s in the laundry room. In the shelf above the washer.” It was a matter-of-fact statement. I could feel the blush creep into my cheeks.
“Thanks. Uh, would you like me to wash anything for you?”
“I believe there are a few sets of sheets in the hamper.”
I nodded and turned to leave. The sooner I could get myself out of this awkward situation, the better.
I breathed in and out as I left the patio, not realizing I’d been holding my breath nearly the entire time. I was happy to get out of there. I still felt like such a fool. There was no doubt in my mind they both knew I’d been lying. But what else was I supposed to say? That I was spying because I was entirely too fascinated by the neighbor? That even though he could be rude and deceitful, I still found him alluring? Should I have said that my very own body wills itself to Gabe’s presence, like he was a magnet and I couldn’t help but be drawn towards him?
No, I definitely couldn’t tell the truth.
Besides, I was embarrassed of myself as it was. There was no need to further that embarrassment. Not to mention that Miriam would fly through the roof if she knew her seventeen-year-old granddaughter had developed a sort of crush on a twenty-something-year-old man. Even my own father would disapprove. Well, that wasn’t true, I supposed. Christo would approve of anyone who was wealthy.
I found myself wondering who Gabe had been referring to-- this mystery woman who had forgotten him. He had sounded so forlorn about it. And I was more than a little jealous by the way he talked about her. It sounded as if. . .as if he loved her. Could it be true? Could Gabe love someone who didn’t reciprocate that love for him? And was that why he broke off the engagement with Annika? It
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