Memories Of Paris

𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫

Surprisingly, Gabriel had agreed to meet Leo for a coffee today. Apart from that awkward one-night-stand in November, they hadn't been in contact during the past year apart from a few hellos and how are you's.

Getting a little distance was the right choice after realizing that in order to be serious with someone else, he couldn't constantly worry about Leo or even be friends with him. That didn't lead to him getting back together with Alex as he had hoped but it was still the right decision.

In a way, the distance had also helped him to move on from the rollercoaster that their marriage had been. Now, two years after their divorce, they were fine. No more drama or fights, just two men with years of memories and deep love for their daughter.

Speaking of her, Gabriel had started to feel guilty for not vising her much during these last few months. That should be his priority instead of focusing so much on Alex and his new relationship with Iris. That had nothing to do with him anymore but Cece? She did, now and always.

Unsure if there was a life after death, Alex hoped that she didn't think that he had forgotten all about her. He would never. After reuniting with Alex he had just been... distracted and then this accident happened but that was in the past now.

It had been a month since his ex-boyfriend flew back to Michigan and he hadn't done anything since that. Well, he was doing a little better with his wheelchair but he still couldn't walk or even stand up! The doctor had warned him that he might never be able to do that again but he thought that maybe... But nothing.

He still hadn't returned to work, mostly because he didn't know if he could ever actually do the work and bake again but also because he still wanted to avoid the pity that he knew to be on everyone's faces.

Luckily people still left him alone most of the time. His parents visited about once a week and Élise, knowing how much he needed his privacy now, kept in touch over the phone. Apart from those, he was mostly alone, not really doing anything.

Most of his time was spent in his bed alone while trying to figure out what he was supposed to do. He knew that a lot of people dealt with much worse and still were able to live life pretty normally and that he should feel lucky that he had only lost his ability to walk.

He just didn't feel like doing anything. On some days he just stayed in bed all day because he simply didn't have any motivation to do anything else. Even thinking about going back outside, meeting people, working, baking what used to bring so much joy... all of that only made him feel almost anxious nowadays. Stressed. Nervous. Scared even.

When he looked in the mirror, he didn't recognize the man he saw. Who was he and what happened to Gabriel Beaumont? Some might say that he looked horrible - his mother's words, not his - but he didn't feel much better no matter how others tried to help.

He was tired of feeling like a failure, a disappointment because he knew that no matter what they said, he was still letting them down one way or another. He just didn't know what to do.

"Merci de me laisser venir ici," (Thanks for letting me come here) Leo smiled and drank more of his coffee. They were sitting in Gabriel's kitchen, having just wasted the first two minutes in silence while enjoying their coffee. That was more than fine with him.

Having visited him only once on the day he woke up in the hospital, Leo hadn't stopped staring at him. No, not him. His legs and the wheelchair. Apparently that was all people noticed in him nowadays.

"Merci d'être venu, j'apprécie après... eh bien, j'essaie juste de dire que je n'aurais pas été surpris si vous n'étiez pas du tout venu." (Thanks for coming, I appreciate it after... well, I'm just trying to say that I wouldn't have been surprised if you didn't visit at all)