Written Regrets

Gabby smiled brightly as she reached for her mother, Belinda, and wrapped her arms around the short older woman for a hug. Even though she saw her parents ever weekend for Sunday dinner, she still found herself missing them a lot more than she ever thought was possible. They had been there for her through everything. From the attack, to finding out she was pregnant, to even living with them for several months after the birth of Sarah just to help her with the newborn. She couldn’t have been more thankful to have such great parents by her side.

“How are yah, Honey?”

Gabby pulled away and sighed softly, “I’m okay.”

Belinda frowned faintly, “What’s going on, Baby?”

“Just stressed out is all. Steven had me go down to the station last night to try to I.D. someone.”

“But it wasn’t him?”

Gabby shook her head, “Unfortunately not.”

The older woman sighed, “They’ll find him one day, Gabriella, and you’ll be able to get justice.”

“I hope so,” Gabby murmured, threading her fingers through her hair, “I just hate the thought of him still being out there and attacking other girls like he did me.”

“I know, Honey, but enough of this today. Let’s just be with family and relax, okay?” Belinda smiled, “Papi and everyone else are out in the back. Why don’t you go on out there and see everyone?”

Gabby nodded, smiled softly, and then kissed her mother on the cheek, “Let me know if you need any help.”

She then left her mother alone to finish cooking their Sunday dinner and went out back to see the rest of her family. It was only her father, Carlos, her younger sister Carmen, and her grandmother. Usually her aunts, uncles, and cousins joined them as well, but everyone happened to be busy that Sunday evening.

Gabby grinned as she hugged her sister Carmen who just turned twenty one. She was beautiful, thin, and engaged to be married in two months. She seemed too young to be getting married but her and her fiancé had been together since they were just two young teenagers, and the entire family adored Christopher.

“Where’s the fiancé?” Gabby asked.

“Out with his buddies having a boy’s night,” Carmen shrugged, “Where’s the boyfriend?”

Gabby rolled her eyes, “Out there somewhere in the world.”

Carmen laughed, “Well I’m sure you’ll find him someday, Gabs.”

The older woman shrugged her shoulders, “I’m not even worried about it.”

Carmen’s phone started to ring, so she excused herself and walked away. Gabby smiled and went over to the others. Her father, Victor, her grandmother, and Carlos who had Sarah were all standing by the grill while her father cooked, talking with one another.

“Hi, Nana,” Gabby hugged her grandmother.

“Hi, Sugar,” The old woman smiled, “How are yah doing?”

“I’m doing good,” Gabby smiled, “Just working a lot and taking care of Sarah.”

“You need to get out and have some fun for once, Gabby,” Victor chimed into their conversation, “All you do is work and take care of Sarah these days. That can’t be healthy.”

“Papi,” Gabby exasperated, “Stop worrying about me please. Everything is fine.”

Carlos scoffed, “If you were fine, you would leave the apartment more than just to go to work, grocery shopping, and to take Sarah places.”

“For your information, I was invited out the other night!”

“Then why didn’t you go?” Carlos questioned, “I was home all night. I could have watched Sarah.”

“Because,” She sighed, “I don’t have any interest going out with a group of guys and getting drunk.”

“Guys?” Victor turned to his daughter with both eyebrows raised.

“Yes, Papi, men who have penises,” She smirked.

Victor gave her a displeased look, “Not in front of your grandmother, Mi hija.”

“Oh hush, Victor!” Nana scolded her son, “I may be an old woman, but I have seen many penises, even yours. It’s not a word that needs to be avoided around me just because I’m nearly in my grave.”

Gabby and Carlos laughed as their father frowned faintly, “Ma, please.”

Still laughing softly, Gabby shook her head, not believing how outspoken her grandmother could be at times. She was a fiery woman with more sarcasm than the entire family combined, and her temper could nearly start a fire with the words she would hiss in Spanish, but Gabby loved her no matter what. How could she not?

“If not for your grandmother then don’t say things like that in front of Sarah at least,” Victor sighed, “We wouldn’t want her repeating things like that.”

Carlos chuckled, “She doesn’t even speak yet.”

“But she’ll start soon, and when she does, I would like it if she doesn’t go around saying the word penis.”

“I see your point, Papi,” Gabby said.

“I’m glad someone does,” Victor smiled at her.

Shaking her head, Gabby reached for her purse at the sound of her cell phone ringing. She pulled it out and looked at the caller I.D. only to find that it was a number she didn’t recognize. With a sigh, she accepted the call and said, “Hello?”

“Gabby?”

Narrowing her eyes, she asked, “Matt?”

“Brian gave me your number.”

Loud music could be heard from the background and she knew he had to have been at a bar or something. Plus, he sounded like he had been drinking, and Gabby couldn’t believe he had called her instead of someone else. She barely knew the man.

Excusing herself from her family’s presence, she walked off to have a moment in private. “Why are you calling me, Matt?”

“I—” He stopped to hiccup, “I didn’t know who else to call. The guys would kill me if they found out where I am.”

Gabby sighed, “Where exactly are you?”

“A bar,” He said.

“Do you need a ride home, Matt?” She asked, “I can come get you if you need me to,” She offered even though she didn’t really want to go get him, but it was the right thing to do if he needed her.

“I dunno,” He mumbled.

“Fuck,” Gabby muttered to herself, “What bar are you at?”

“Uh… Johnny’s—Johnny’s Bar,” He said, “On Beach Boulevard.”

Drawing in a deep breath, she muttered, “Stay where you are. I’ll be right there.”