HERNAN AND GABRIELA BOOK 1

CHAPTER 23

Elsewhere,

Hector looks at his phone. Adrianna had texted him that she would like to talk to him, during the lunch break. He tells her that he has to talk to Gina then but they can talk before they leave work. She agrees. At lunchtime, Gina meets with Hector, in the open garden in front of the office for privacy. There they could see anyone coming from any direction. Even then they still keep their tones low. She asks him what was so important and secret that they had to discuss it privately. He tells her that Aranza asked them to attend their father's memorial service and he agreed but he said he would ask her if she wanted to go. Gina is caught off guard.

She remains quiet for a few seconds. Hector comes and hugs her. Gina says it will be hard because it will be the first time since they were abandoned in the forest that they will see their father's grave. She says it will be hard to keep a neutral face. He says he knows and understands her worries but that they have to find the inner courage to take that step. Gina turns and says that he should not have agreed to Aranza's request. Hector asks her why. Gina says he seems to have forgotten he has two sisters. Hector says he does not see her point. Gina says he should not always agree to do everything Aranza wants because he is spoiling her. Gina adds that he should learn to tell her no. Hector asks her if she is jealous of Aranza.

Gina asks him what he is talking about. Hector says he knows he has been spending a lot of time, especially pretty much every Saturday with her and he can see why she is jealous because she feels he will be closer to Aranza and love her more. Gina rolls her eyes. She says that it is not about her; it's about him overcompensating for the 16 years they missed seeing their little sister growing up. Hector stares at her then asks her again if she is jealous of the bond he has with Aranza. Gina insists she isn't and says if anyone is jealous it's him. Hector asks her what she means. She says he is jealous because it's Antonio who has been around for the past 17 years to play the big brother role and guide and help Aranza when she needed him.

Hector says that there is probably an element of truth to what each of them thinks. Gina looks like she is about to protest but he says that their tragic early years affected them both and they missed so much and they both feel confused about how to deal with everything. Gina tells him jokingly, that he sounds so profound and intelligent. Hector smiles and says that he is the smarter more fun twin while she is the boring, annoying one. Gina adds that he forgot to say he was big-headed as well. He smiles at her and then gets serious and says that they are twins, they have been together since day one, and while they should both build a relationship with their little sister, they share a close bond and that will never change.

He then hugs her and she says that she is still scared of not keeping it together during the memorial. Hector says he knows but this is an opportunity to visit their father's grave without raising suspicion as to who they really are. Gina thinks about what her brother has just said and agrees to go to their father's memorial. She then says that they should go for lunch. Antonio watches them from an office window. Watching them he can sense their close bond. To him, they feel like twins and not cousins. What are they hiding? What is it that had made them seem sad that week?

Elsewhere,

Helena is in her office. She stands up and walks around to the window. She surveys the surrounding buildings, then her office. She has a few flashbacks of Gabriel. She thinks to herself and remembers threatening the then head of the hospital's morgue into declaring that Gabriel's body was among one of the 3 dead bodies and that the missing body belonged to one of the emergency medical technicians. She wonders about what could have happened to Gabriel. How did he survive whatever injuries he sustained from the accident? Did he die soon after? Is he still alive? She then thinks about the twins and says (to herself) that those brats better be dead or remain where they are because if they return she will fight to keep all she has worked to create and grow.