Chapter 26: Chapter 26

Gabby sat down drinking close to the swimming pool when Carlos returned home in the evening, he walked over to where she was.

“Welcome brother.” Gabby greeted when she saw him come closer.

“Hi miss.” He sat close to her.

“You’re acting like a gentle man.” Gabby smiled.

“I am.” Carlos said softly.

“Only to Kelsey.” Gabby corrected him.

Carlos pecked her cheek and sat close to her, he studied her a bit and looked around. “Why are you alone.”

Gabby looked at him surprise at the question. “Who else should I be with?” Carlos was silent, Gabby smile a bit. “Triffany is not home.”

“I didn’t ask of her.” Carlos said nonchalantly.

“She’s the only one I could be with.”Gabby still had that amusing smile on her face.

Carlos raised his brow to look at her. “I don’t know when you started being so fond of that crazy lady.” He had noticed how Gabby have been treating Triffany lately.

“Your wife.” Gabby corrected him but Carlos scoffed at the word.

He took a close look at her and noticed something. “You don’t look bright today water princess.”

“I’m fine.” Gabby looked over at the swimming pool.

“You can tell me what’s bothering you, I might be of help.”

Gabby scoffed. She looked at his face and shake her head. “ This is beyond you.” She looked away.

“I’m serious.”

Gabby turned to him, she crossed her legs, resting her chin on her hands. “You know nothing about relationships.”

This would have been an insult if it had come from someone else mouth, but, since it came from the lips of his sister. “I sense someone broke your heart.”

“Then I’m sure you don’t know me so well, no one could ever break my heart.” She told him with a bold smile, this has been the Gabby they all know.

Carlos exhaled softly. “Then why are you feeling down cause of relationship stuff, when you should be a professional?”

Gabby smiled and sip her wine slowly. “Brother, I’m fine but I’m not sure you are.” She turned the cards around to Carlos.

He looked at her skeptically. “I’m good.”

“No, you’re not.” She faced him, looking serious. “No married man will overlook his wife and still chase after a relationship that won’t work out cause he’s married. You should start by loving Triffany and let Kelsey go so that she wouldn’t end up hurting more.”

She ignored the look on his face and stand up. “The sooner you listen to my advice the better.”

Carlos scoffed. “Stop saying silly things, you should tell me about your love life so I can help you.”

“A blind man can’t lead another blind man. Carlos I appreciate your help me, but fix your relationship first, that is when you can help me.” She flashed him a smile before walking away.

Carlos watched her walk away. “If she can’t share thing with me, she should at least get a friend, than keeping it in all by herself.” He got up and walked inside the house.

…

Triffany got home, she didn’t bother going upstairs, she ate dinner first before going into the room she shared with Carlos. Carlos was going through some files at his desk .

“I’m back.” She announced.

Carlos lifts his eye to look at her, he frowned slightly. “Can you please not let me noticed you next time.”

“Am I a mouse?” she scoffed.

“You should be one.” He said coldly looking down at the file he was going through.

Triffany heave a sigh and sat on the couch. “I can’t, get that straight.” Carlos looked up at her. “What?” she asked when she notice his cold gaze that doesn’t seems to affect her.

“Can you let me focus.” Carlos pointed at the file on his desk.

“You’re free.” He continue what he was doing. “it would be four days remaining, I should come up with something, but how can I so that, why can’t I come up with any better idea?” She think out loud to herself.

“Cause you think with your mouth and not your brain.” Carlos answered her question.

She glared at him. “I was not talking to you.”

Carlos exhaled softly. “Can you please think with your brain, you thinking out loud is distracting me.” He frowned.

“I need a solution and I’m trying to solve it since you don’t want to help.” Triffany was not going to let him have his way.

“fine. Think, but please don’t do it with your mouth.” He continue his work as Triffany sighs and went out of the room.

Gabby saw her and walked over to her. “Triffany you’re home.”

“Yes.”

Gabby studied her. “You don’t look bright.”

“You too.”

Gabby leans on the pillar she was standing close to. “Just a little stress.”

“Me too.”

A nasty idea popped in her idea. “Should we go and dance it out?” Gabby grinned as she waited or Triffany’s answer.

Triffany looked at her, she knew that look on her face. ”At where?”

“A club party.” She looked at Triffany expectantly.

Triffany shakes her head. “No.” She smiled briefly.

“Please, it would really clear our mind.” Gabby looked at her with a puppy eyes smile.

“No please.” Triffany knew Gabby likes party, but she doesn’t like the idea and whereas she hate the sound of loud music and she knew if she goes there she would have to drink.

“I’m serious. Or is it because you’re married to my brother?”

“No.” Triffany scoffed, why would it be because of that man. “We mind our business.”

Gabby smile for this, at least one person don’t give a fuck about her brother. “Good then. You’re going with me.”

Triffany looked at the time on the wall clock. “Gabby it’s late.”

“The night is young at the club party now.” She said joyfully, she was determined to take Triffany along. “I will be right back.” She hurried upstairs to go tell Carlos, Triffany just stood still watching the happy Gabby run upstairs.

Gabby happily knocked on Carlos room door as Triffany came upstairs and stood close to her, he opened the door and looked at gabby who was giggling to herself. “Gabby, what?”

Gabby looked at her brother whose brow was a little furrowed, but she was too happy to care if he was angry or not. “We are heading out.” Gabby pointed at herself and Triffany.

Carlos looked at Triffany who looked away from him, he turned his eyes to Gabby again. “To where?”

“Where else.” She looked at her brother, like he was suppose to know where she always go to.

Carlos seems to understand that look on her face, he knitted his brow. “No club parties today Gabby, for love sake stay at home!” He raised his voice.

Gabby stooped smiling. “You told me two days ago to go a club party and now you are saying something else.”

“Gabby no nights clubs for you today and its final.” He said looking at her coldly.

“When would you stop treating me like a kid Huh!” Gabby was in tears already. “I’m twenty years for crying out loud.”

“But, you’re still my responsibility Gabby, I can’t risk that, and who knows what those men out there would do, they are damn dangerous.” Carlos took a deep breath.

“They ar not!” Gabby snapped. “They are more fun. How then am I to have fun when all you do is work and you’ve got no time to go out on trips with me.” She covered her face and sniffled. “Don’t you think I would be bored to death, only that keeps me alive.”

Triffany looked at them , but Carlos was serious on what he was telling her. “Then get yourself a female friend you would hang out with. I’m tired of blocking the press from saying things about you and your clubbing, like I’m damn tired Gabby, get that straight in your head or I will send you to Canada.”

Gabby looked at him with hatred in her eyes. “I hate you!” She ran out in tears.

“Gabby.” Triffany calls out but Gabby couldn’t hear her. Triffany turned and glared at Carlos. “You’re the worst!” she turned and ran after Gabby while Carlos stood still gazing at the empty stairway with slight regret.

He runs his hands through his hair, now wishing he haven’t say what he had said. He knew how much Gabby hate Canada, he also knew she was right about him being occupied with his job.

Outside the garden, Triffany saw Gabby standing in tears. She hugged her and pats her back. “Don’t cry Gabby.”

“I miss old times.” Gabby sobs on Triffany’s shoulder. “I miss my mom too, things wasn’t like this, who told him I didn’t want a friend, who told him I don’t hate what I do with my time, I hate all these.” She closed her eyes crying uncontrollably.

This was the first time she had seen Gabby crying this way. “Gabby, it’s okay.” They refrain and sat down on a bench as she watched Gabby silently sob until the tears in her eyes seems to t=dry up.

Gabby looked at Triffany and cleans the remaining tears on her cheek. “I’m sorry you have to see all that.”

“It’s okay. I’m family now.” She looked at Gabby. “My life is just like this too, all my friends drifted, I only talk to my cousins who are annoying at times.” Gabby looked at her and they both smiled.

“I got to act like I don’t care what others think of me and the worse is that I act strong when I’m not. Sometimes, I wish I could have the perfect life where I will just have fun everyday.” She looked at gabby who was silently watching her.

“But, things aren’t that way, many people out there pretend to be what they aren’t and no one else notices.” she smiled slowly.

“My brother Carlos, he’s one of them.” Triffany looked at her surprise to hear that. “Yes, he acts like a gentleman, but he isn’t, he acts strong outside but he’s actually soft and more especially he’s stupid at night.”

They both chuckle, Carlos watched them from the balcony and wonder what they were talking about and what was funny.

He was relieved that Gabby was no longer crying, he watched Triffany smile and he smiled too. “This Triffany isn’t so bad after all.” He thought to himself.

“Guess what?”

“What?” Triffany looked at her curiously.

“You would be surprise tomorrow.”

“What would happen tomorrow?’

Gabby flashed her a smile. “My brother, your husband, he’d be so cool tomorrow.’

“Really.”

“He always does that whenever he annoys me.”

“Then, i will look forward to that.” They both looked up watching the twinkling stars, Triffany was happy to be out here. In this quietness, away from Carlos, she was glad that Gabby was no longer crying now.