Radio Love Song

"So, how was your day?" Daniel asked as he closed the cabinet after taking out two plates.

"It was...different. I didn't have to look over my shoulder every other second."

"Yeah, you're safe now. Um, I'll be putting in a request to have the restraining order updated with my address and with Gabe's address so I'll need his address as soon as possible."

"All right, I'll just write it down now," she said as grabbed the pad of paper that was nearby. Daniel handed her his pen and she scribbled Gabe's address down.

"Did you see Caroline at all?"

"I may have..."

"Really?"

"She's actually Gabe's neighbor."

"Seriously?"

"Serious as a heart attack," she said and left out the part about Gabe finding out they were related and him telling Caroline he didn’t want to be with her.

“Did you guys talk at all?”

“Nope,” she said in a tone that hinted that there was no more to be said on that subject. Luckily Daniel picked up on it because he changed the subject.

“So Officer Riley is going to be retiring soon.”

“Aww seriously? I really liked him.”

“I know which is why he wanted me to ask you something.”

“What?”

“When he retires, he’s going to be moving to Chicago so he can be closer to his grandkids and he won’t be able to take Crook with him and he wanted to know if you would like to adopt him.”

Jenna gasped, “Oh my god, can I? Please! I promise I’ll take care of him!”

“I don’t see why not,” Daniel said as he fixed Jenna’s plate for dinner.

“Yay me!” Jenna shouted and clapped. “When do I get him?”

“We’re having a party for him next weekend so that’s when he can come home since I’m taking you to the party with me.”

“Okay, right on.”

“Any plans for tomorrow?”

“Um…I’ll probably go to Gabe’s again or maybe he’ll come over here...if it’s okay with you. I don’t know.”

“It’s fine if he comes over here. I don’t care. He hasn’t given me a reason to dislike him…yet.”

“I don’t think he ever will. He’s the complete opposite of Jesse.”

“He seems like it,” he said remembering that he had met Gabe but only for a split second. The first night Jenna was in the hospital. He had dropped off the restraining order, a copy for Jenna and a copy for Jesse. He also took Jesse off the hospital grounds since he was no longer allowed anywhere near Jenna.

“Hey about this,” Jenna started a suggestion. “When do you get off tomorrow night?”

“Probably around 7 or 8, depends what happens.”

“Well, if you do get off around then, what if me, you and Gabe go out to dinner? Just the three of us and you can meet him officially.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Daniel agreed to it. “Can I ask you something?” He got serious.

“You just did.”

“Funny. After everything that’s happened, how do you know Gabe truly likes you?”

“I…we just…he…I don’t get what you mean.” she stuttered.

“Never mind, forget I asked,” he said as he sat across from her. But now she really wanted to know what he meant.

“No, what did you mean?”

“How do you know he’s in this for you and not just himself? Any guy would feel bad to see you in the situation you were in and to just leave you and not do anything.”

“Gabe didn’t get me out of my situation. I did. He didn’t tell me to go into the bathroom and to swallow half a bottle of aspirin. I did. He didn’t call 911 after realizing what I had done. All Gabe did was tell me I deserve better than Jesse. All he did was love me despite everything that came along with me.” Jenna got up and left the table. After that, she didn’t want to be around her brother so she went to her room and called Gabe.

”Hello?”

“What are you doing?”

”Nothing, just watching TV.”

“Is it okay if I come over?”

”Yeah of course. You don’t have to ask. Is something wrong?”

“I just don’t want to be near my brother right now. I’ll explain when I get there.”

”Okay, I’ll see you soon.”

They said their goodbyes and hung up. Jenna grabbed some clean clothes for the next day and shoved them in a bag. She and Gabe had noticed that slowly but surely her clothes were starting to pile up at his apartment. Neither of them said anything about it. Jenna sighed as she shut off her bedroom light and slipped out the front door. She got into her black sedan and pulled out of the driveway. She turned the CD player on and listened to Tom Delonge’s voice.

I will go down as your lover, your friend. Give me your lips and with one kiss we begin. Are you afraid of being alone? ‘Cause I am, I'm lost without you.

It didn’t take her too long to get to Gabe’s apartment. He came downstairs as she was getting her stuff.

“Hey love,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her. “Long time, no see,” he joked.

“I know, right. It’s been a lifetime,” she said sarcastically as he took her stuff. Once they were inside the apartment, they sat and the couch.

“So, what’s bothering you, besides Daniel?”

She told him about the argument she and Daniel had about him.

“What? He doesn’t even know me! He’s met me once and that was for like, a whole two seconds.”

“I know Gabe. But I’m here now and I don’t want to think about that anymore.”

“Okay, we don’t have to talk about it or think about it. It’s totally up to you,” Gabe said turning to her. He reached over and turned her towards him. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she said just before he leaned over and kissed her.

* * * * *

Gabe stared at Jenna as she sat up and looked around the room. Even in the dim light, he could see the bruises on her back. He reached over and carefully touched one of them. She flinched from the sudden feeling of a slight pain and turned to him.

“Sorry,” he said.

“It’s fine,” she said as she put her head on his shoulder. At that moment, she remembered something her grandma had said and she pulled the covers up over her and Gabe.

“I love you, angel,” Gabe said as he pushed them back down.

“I love you, too.” She pulled them back up. She turned onto her side and put her arm around him. It wasn’t too long before the both of them fell asleep for the night.