Behind Closed Doors

Delia had just gotten back to her apartment from the bakery. Madison and she had been doing some rearranging, and they planned on trying to open it in the next two weeks. She sat down on the couch, turning the television on, and leaning her head back.

Five minutes later, she heard a knocking on her door. Reluctantly, she stood up and answered the door. When she opened it, she saw Roxanna standing there, tears streaming down her face.

“Roxanna!” Delia cried. “Come in, what’s wrong?” she asked.

“I’m sorry. I know you must still hate me, but I didn’t know who else to go to,” Roxanna said between her tears.

“No, no, it’s fine. What happened?” she asked.

“Gabe fired me,” she told her sister.

“He fired you?” Delia asked. “Can he do that?”

“I didn’t think so, but apparently he called my boss and said that he didn’t want me to work for him anymore, so I’m fired.”

“Why would he do that?” Delia asked.

“I have no idea. I think he’s blaming me for breaking the two of you up,” Roxanna told her.

“It was his fault, too,” Delia muttered. “But that doesn’t give him a right to fire you!”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do, Del. I have no job now!”

“I’m going to go talk to him, and figure out what the hell is going on,” Delia told her sister.

“No, Del,” Roxanna said, wiping away more tears. “He’s just going to try to spin everything around and make it seem like I did something wrong.”

“I won’t let him,” Delia said smiling. “I promise. Why don’t you just go on home, and I’ll sort everything out with Gabe?”

“Thanks, you’re the best,” Roxanna said giving Delia a hug.

“No problem,” Delia said grabbing her jacket and purse and heading out the door behind Roxanna.

Delia had been banging on Gabe’s door as hard as she could with no answer. Finally, she heard Gabe yell, “Calm down, will you? I’m coming.”

Delia continued to hit the door until it swung open, which resulted in Delia hitting Gabe in the chest. “Hey, watch it,” Gabe said jokingly.

“You deserved it,” Delia told him as she entered his apartment.

“What did I do?” Gabe asked, but then he repeated the words in his head and realized his mistake. “I meant what did I do this time?”

“Why the hell did you fire Roxanna?” Delia asked, getting directly to the point.

“You talked to Roxanna?” Gabe asked her.

“Yeah, and she said you fired her for no reason except that you’re pissed that I broke up with you,” Delia yelled at him.

“She apparently didn’t tell you the entire story, then,” Gabe told her.

“What whole story?” Delia asked skeptically.

“Roxanna wasn’t drunk when we slept together. In fact, she hadn’t had anything to drink, but she knew I was completely wasted,” Gabe began.

“You’re lying,” Delia said.

“No, and that’s not all. Apparently, she had this whole plan from the beginning to get me. She said that the only reason she had me pretend to date you was for me to realize that I actually wanted her.”

“What?” Delia asked, not understanding what he was telling her.

“Del, she did all of this on purpose. She slept with me on purpose. That was her plan all along,” Gabe told her.

“You’re lying,” Delia repeated.

“No, Del, I’m not. Look at me,” Gabe told her, but she continued to look at the ground. “Look at me,” he repeated, and she finally looked up at him. “I’m not lying.”

Delia just couldn’t believe him. She had to trust her sister over him. “I don’t believe you,” she told him. “You’re only saying all of this to cover your own ass,” she yelled. “Why don’t you grow up and take responsibility of your own mistakes?”

“I’ve apologized I don’t know how many times,” Gabe told her. “I know I fucked up, but I’m telling you, this was Roxanna’s plan all along.”

“Quit lying!” Delia yelled as she walked out of his apartment, slamming the door behind her.

She wasn’t ready to go back home, so she decided to go to Madison’s apartment. Once Madison let her inside, she said, “What, you don’t see enough of me at work?”

“Sorry, it’s just Gabe and I had another fight,” she told her.

“You talked to Gabe?” Madison questioned, and Delia proceeded to tell her what had just happened between her, Roxanna, and Gabe.

“And you believe Roxanna?” Madison yelled in disbelief when Delia had finished.

“Well, I have to. She’s my sister.”

“So?” Madison asked. “Come on, Del! She’s always been against you and Gabe together. She’s tried to keep you guys apart from the beginning. She’s definitely capable of something like this.”

“Why don’t you like her?”

“You’re seriously asking me this? Del, she tried to convince you not to tell me about you and Gabe. She thought I was going to go off and tell the press. I think Gabe’s telling the truth.”

“Why are you defending Gabe?” Delia questioned.

“Because, I honestly believe he’s telling the truth. Come on, what does he have to gain from lying? Nothing.”

“And why would Roxanna lie?” Delia asked.

“So that she makes sure you and Gabe don’t get back together.”

“Madison,” Delia began.

“No, think about it. When has Gabe ever lied to you? Why don’t you just go back and talk to him?”

“Fine,” Delia told her. “I’ll go talk to him.”