GUILTY (Gabe's Trials)

New Beginings

San Diego, California.

Three days later...

My feet were killing me, my toes already becoming numb, but I kept running. I had to get there on time. I couldn't afford to be late. Fucking stilettos...

The double doors in front of me opened and a nice, thin lady, wearing pink scrubs stepped out of my way giving me free access to the maternity area. Curtly nodding my head at the woman I continued my run down the hall until my lungs started burning and I was left with no other choice but to slow down and take a couple deep breaths. 

My eyes caught sight of Ginger before she got the chance to see me. She was pacing the hallway, busying her hands with her phone. Today, my very personal bodyguard was wearing a breezy green shirt perfectly matching the color of her eyes and a pair of slim jeans that were accentuating her flawless figure. I still couldn't believe that someone could be so thin in spite of the fact that she always ate industrial quantities of food.

As if sensing my presence, my bodyguard turned toward me and gave me a small, reasuring smile that I knew was supposed to make me feel better. Unfortunatelly, that smile had the exactly opposite effect on me, only making me start running again, finally reaching her and letting out a heavy sigh. I was exhausted after having to find a cab and running all the way from the clinic's parking lot to here so it was either stopping for a minute to catch my breath or crumbling to the ground unconsciously.

"How is she?" I panted, my voice barely audible. Ginger placed a soothing hand onto my back, making me look up at her.

"The doctors are getting ready to take her to the delivery room. They say everything is perfectly fine." Good. That meant I still had the time to grab one of those green robes and a silly mask, put them on and be there for my friend, the way I'd promised to be. Nodding my head at Gabriel's protege, I made to leave, but she softly, yet firmly grabbed my elbow, keeping me still for a moment. "I'm sorry I couldn't stay with her. I just..." It was ok. Lila was my friend anyway. I was the one supposed to hold her hand through this, not my bodyguard.

"Don't worry about it." I waved my hand at her in a nonchalant manner, her grip of my arm immediately loosening up. "You've done more than enough, Ginger. I'm here now. You can go get some rest." Even as I said it, I knew that wasn't going to happen. From what I had guessed, Ginger's job was to keep a close eye on me at all time. And I mean, all the time. I couldn't even go to the bathroom without her knowing exactly where I was and what I was doing. The bastard had found the perfect way to control me, even from thousands of miles away.

"I'll be here, judge. If you need something, just let me know." I nodded my head at her again, giving her a grateful smile. In spite of the fact that I hated to have my every step monitored, it felt good to know I had somebody to protect me in case I needed it. And I knew that sooner or later I would need it. 

Trying to ignore the image of a man lurking in the shadows of the court house's parking lot, I turned on my heels, hoping to God for Ginger not to have noticed the fear I knew to be etching on my face. "He's not ok." She mumbled all of a sudden, making me stop dead in my tracks. Knowing exactly what she was talking about, I slowly turned to look at her while trying to keep my composure. I needed more information than that and she knew it. "He's trying to move on, but he's not doing very well, you know." My teeth clenched to stop the pained moan that was threatening to escape me, all fear now replaced by longing. It was the first time Ginger had given me any kind of information about Gabriel without me having to push for it. Furthermore, it was the first time she admited that he was not ok. Tears stung my eyes.

"You need to be more specific than that." I said, my words a breathy whisper. I was torn. I wanted Gabriel to be alright. I'd asked him to go away because I wanted him to be alright. And yet, he wasn't.